The Big Five Personality Traits - Example

Name : xxxxxxxxxxx Institution : xxxxxxxxxxx Course : xxxxxxxxxxx Title : The ‘Big Five’ Personality traits. Tutor : xxxxxxxxxxx @2010 Introduction Personality trait may be defined as enduring and monitoring a person’s characteristics, thoughts, prototype of behavior and emotions that are unique in every individual. Personality trait can be used to determine a person’s behavior and explains the core difference between different individuals. The traits are assumed to create neuroticism and extraversion. These traits are permanent in nature whereas the state is temporary. More so, the traits can be changed though it requires a lot of work to do major changes as compared to state. For instance, feeling sad because you have lost your personal effects, could be involuntary (San Diego: Academic Press Buss 1995). There are a number of theories explaining the concept of personality trait, Psychoanalytic theories, Social cognitive theories, Biopsychological theories, behavioral theories. Behaviorist theory, explains individual response to external stimuli. Most of the researchers have managed to put emphasis on the mutual interactions between different individual and the surrounding environment. Nyborg (2003) in his research found out that children’s bad behavior is as a result of reinforcement. For instance, a child may cry as a result of another child’s cry, but not necessarily because he/she needs something or lacks something. This is as a result of response and consequences. In this matter response is taken to be the child who was crying, whereas the consequence of the child cry resulted to another Child’s cry. Skinner showed three contingency terms which helped to evaluate the analysis of behavior based on human stimuli. There are questions asked and expected answers thereby given, for example, under what antecedent does an individual engage in a certain behavior and what are the resulted consequences of his behaviors? Richard Herrnstein prolonged the argument by touching on attitude and traits. He states that an individual attitude develops as a result of response with a view of becoming stable. His further statement showed that a trait may be seemingly referred to having a large biological component that enables someone to carry out most of the modern behavior (Gerontological Society of America 2005). Big five personality aspects have been accepted by the entire world at large. Most of the researchers states that no evaluation about personality trait would be complete without considering the ‘big five’ aspect. Tupes and Crystal were the first researchers who came up with explanations about the personality trait in the year 1961-1962. However, these traits were not taken into considerations because apart from the five personality traits known by most of the researcher, other traits existed that were complicated in nature. Different researchers have used different names in explaining these aspects. Big five aspects / factors have been identified using more than one name. These big five aspects include: Extraversion conscientious openness agreeableness Neuroticism. Extraversion Extraversion is the tendency to either be; fun-loving, affectionate and sociable. John and srivastata portrayed and described extraversion as a factor which requires energy on both social and material world; it includes sociability, positive emotion, assertiveness and activity. However, there were doubts on where extraversion appears on interpersonal circumflex among different researchers, they later on agreed that extraversion is a wide factor that could be decided and suggest differently depending on the researcher thoughts. This trait is very clear and noticeable where an individual engaged directly to the external world (Raymond & Ivan 1991). Extrovert people enjoy most of the time in a company of many people and are always perceived to have an extra ordinary energy. Most of the time, they engage themselves in an enthusiastic activities. In their group, they will discuss aspect that concerns them and their happiness. Extroverts have social life whereas, introverts lacks the same. Most of the time, they are quite and are less involved in the nation’s social matters. This lack of social life should not be termed as a depression at any given moment. They may be less energetic socially but more active in other fields. Examples of these are; feeling much comfortable when in a crowd of people and may not be concerned even when he/she is the centre of attraction (John 1999). Agreeableness Second factor among the big five aspects personality trait is agreeableness. It may be defined as a person’s tendency to be compassionate, cooperative, trusting, helpful and softhearted. It is used to show important characteristics related to prosaically and humanity, for example, nurturance, affection and altruism. Nurturance may define as a chronic effect such as tension, dejection, anger, irritability, hopeless, shame and guilt. For instance, difficulties in emitting impulse; thereby suffer from unrealistic expectations, unwarranted pessimism, helplessness and difficulties in making a prompt decision. This trait is more concerned with individual difference regarding social harmony. Agreeable individuals are anxious of getting well with other people. They are generally friendly, helpful, generous and willing to sacrifice their personal interest for the sake of the other. They usually have confidence on the nature. They basically view every individual to be descent, honest and trust worthy. There basic characteristics are interested in people happiness, feel other peoples pain and have a soft heart. Whereas disagreeable have difficulties in getting along with individuals. They are less concerned with other people way of life and are unlikely to socialize with people around them. Most of the time they will prefer being by themselves. Sometimes, insult other people as well as look down upon them. Conscientious Conscientiousness refers to the tendency of a person being organized, disciplined and much more careful. It is an aspect that involves characteristics which are goal oriented. For example, a person’s ability to control, delay gratification and organized. Neurotics’ is associated with a non desirable behavior of an individual. It is mostly associated with aspects such as negative sensation and anxiety. This trait involves too much planning rather than unprompted behavior. It affects the way in which they regulate, control and secure their impulses. Some of their major characteristics are; very alert, they love what they are doing, they most of the time like following a strict procedure and they tend to do most of their staffs in an orderly manner. People who are unconscious tends to work in a place that is too messy, this means that they do not follow the links of being orderly (Sternberg 2000). Openness On the other hand, openness may describe as a slogan that comprehends interest, imaginative and independent. It is a factor that deals with areas that has major controversial, for example, in natural language. This factor involves terms such as intelligence and perception, whereas opinion poll study have use the same ideas in explaining the aspect of openness. This trait tends to distinguish imaginative people with controversial .People who are open minded are likely to be curious, responsive to beauty, art and may have undergone through various events in life. They tend to be very close to people, more creative and much more conscious of their feelings. Their sentences are usually complex, have perfect ideas, they take most of their time reflecting on matters affecting them. Whereas people who are less open possesses traditional interest. They prefer pain, ambiguous, subtle and are straightforward. At times they may define arts and science with a lot of suspicion; they mostly lack good imagination and are mostly interest in destructing other people (San Diego: Academic Press Buss 1995). Neuroticism Neuroticism may be defined as disturbance attributed to organic dysfunction; unpleasant emotions, such as depression, anger and anxiety. It is also known as emotional instability. Those who are neuroticism reactive have high chances of getting stressed. They likely to exaggerate ordinary situations to become threatening, they cannot cope with minor stress they tend to face in life. Their negative attitudes towards certain this may prolong for a long period of time. This is to mean they are usually in a bad mood. Neuroticism affects an individual capability in making wise decisions in life and may at time have difficulties in coping with emotional stress. Some of their characteristics involves; get irritated very quickly, they are moody most of the time, get upset with minor aspect and of course they are disturbed. Individuals with less Neuroticism, on the other hand tend to be less reactive to emotional stress (Society of Multivariate Experimental, 1999) Effects of personality trait (big five) Leighton’s points out some important influences that personality trait has on both human being and the environment. He stated that, architecture comprised and dealt with the existing surrounding, it affects an individual stability. It has effects on a person’s emotions behavior and psychological health. Consequently, it may assist several individuals to make major discoveries on mental and spatial behavior of people we are familiar with, or are close to us. There is a core relationship between space and a person’s psychological process. Perception is one of the factors that are very vital in a person’s relationship (Mackintosh 1998). Validity of big five One of the most important of five factor model is that it establishes a general taxonomy that reveals order in a disorganized field. A very important factor among the big five, is that no facto are based on a particular theory what so ever, but rather on linguistic and the ordinary system used by most people in order to converse. Meta analysis has been used by major surveyors to confirm and make assumptions principle on the big five dimension. Researcher found out that each factor had its own uniqueness. The most prominent and reliable personality is neuroticism and agreeable. A statistics was carried out on ground of employment. It was found out that conscienceless showed an unswerving relationship with all aspects of performance for all work related groups. Analyst showed that extroversion was a suitable predicator for social interactions. Conclusion In conclusion, it can therefore be concluded that the big five aspect has no precise theory which could be used to explain these factors. All aspects defined and explained by different researchers have important origin such that they cannot be challenged by anyone. It is consequently right to say that each factor has an important role to a person’s trait. Big five factors are unique in their own ways, unique in a manner in which each aspect has got a different effect on a person’s life. References Mackintosh, N.J., 1998, I. Q and human intelligence. Cambridge University Press, Murray, New York. San Diego: Academic Press Buss, A, 1995, Personality, Allyn & Bacon, Boston. Nyborg, H., 2003, The scientific study of general intelligence, McGraw Hill. Sydney. Sternberg, R.J., 2000, Handbook of intelligence, Cambridge University Press, New York. Mahwah, N.J Ackerman, P.L. et al. (1999). Learning and individual differences. Washington, D.C Raymond, C. & Ivan H, S., 1991, The meaning and measurement of neuroticism and anxiety. Ronald Press Co. New Jersey. Society of Multivariate Experimental, 1999, Multivariate behavioral research monographs, Society of Multivariate Experimental Psychology, University of Michigan, Michigan. Gerontological Society of America, 2005, Psychological sciences and social sciences, GSA, University of California,U.S.A Read More

Extrovert people enjoy most of the time in a company of many people and are always perceived to have an extra ordinary energy. Most of the time, they engage themselves in an enthusiastic activities. In their group, they will discuss aspect that concerns them and their happiness. Extroverts have social life whereas, introverts lacks the same. Most of the time, they are quite and are less involved in the nation’s social matters. This lack of social life should not be termed as a depression at any given moment.

They may be less energetic socially but more active in other fields. Examples of these are; feeling much comfortable when in a crowd of people and may not be concerned even when he/she is the centre of attraction (John 1999). Agreeableness Second factor among the big five aspects personality trait is agreeableness. It may be defined as a person’s tendency to be compassionate, cooperative, trusting, helpful and softhearted. It is used to show important characteristics related to prosaically and humanity, for example, nurturance, affection and altruism.

Nurturance may define as a chronic effect such as tension, dejection, anger, irritability, hopeless, shame and guilt. For instance, difficulties in emitting impulse; thereby suffer from unrealistic expectations, unwarranted pessimism, helplessness and difficulties in making a prompt decision. This trait is more concerned with individual difference regarding social harmony. Agreeable individuals are anxious of getting well with other people. They are generally friendly, helpful, generous and willing to sacrifice their personal interest for the sake of the other.

They usually have confidence on the nature. They basically view every individual to be descent, honest and trust worthy. There basic characteristics are interested in people happiness, feel other peoples pain and have a soft heart. Whereas disagreeable have difficulties in getting along with individuals. They are less concerned with other people way of life and are unlikely to socialize with people around them. Most of the time they will prefer being by themselves. Sometimes, insult other people as well as look down upon them.

Conscientious Conscientiousness refers to the tendency of a person being organized, disciplined and much more careful. It is an aspect that involves characteristics which are goal oriented. For example, a person’s ability to control, delay gratification and organized. Neurotics’ is associated with a non desirable behavior of an individual. It is mostly associated with aspects such as negative sensation and anxiety. This trait involves too much planning rather than unprompted behavior. It affects the way in which they regulate, control and secure their impulses.

Some of their major characteristics are; very alert, they love what they are doing, they most of the time like following a strict procedure and they tend to do most of their staffs in an orderly manner. People who are unconscious tends to work in a place that is too messy, this means that they do not follow the links of being orderly (Sternberg 2000). Openness On the other hand, openness may describe as a slogan that comprehends interest, imaginative and independent. It is a factor that deals with areas that has major controversial, for example, in natural language.

This factor involves terms such as intelligence and perception, whereas opinion poll study have use the same ideas in explaining the aspect of openness. This trait tends to distinguish imaginative people with controversial .People who are open minded are likely to be curious, responsive to beauty, art and may have undergone through various events in life. They tend to be very close to people, more creative and much more conscious of their feelings. Their sentences are usually complex, have perfect ideas, they take most of their time reflecting on matters affecting them.

Whereas people who are less open possesses traditional interest. They prefer pain, ambiguous, subtle and are straightforward.

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