Five Factor model of personality

• lexical hypothesis approach

  • any trait that exists has a word to describe it
  • galton - the most important individual differences tend to be single words (trait discriptors)
  • words used more frequently are more important
• factor analysis

  • looks at the relationship between many variables
  • attempts to find patterns of association in a set of variables
  • data reduction
• language

  extraversion : energetic sociability fun loving
• language

  neuroticism: vulnerability, anxiety, anger
• language

  conscientiousness: organised, task focused, disciplined
• language

  agreeableness - compasion, trust, cooperation
• language

  openness - curiosity, imagination, creativity
• extraversion

  • individuals who score highly on extraversion are very sociable, energetic, optimistic, friendly and assertive.
  • individuals with low scores are labelled as introverts. introverts are described as being reserved, independent rather than followers socially, even-paced rather than sluggish in terms of their pace of work
• neuroticism

  • this factor measures an individuals emotional stability and personal adjustment
  • costa and mccrae suggest that although a range of emotions exist, individuals who score highly on one also rate highly on others. in psychological terms, the various emotional states are highly correlated
  • thus, the individual who scores highly on neuroticism experiences wide swings in their mood and they are volatile in their emotions
  • individuals with low scores on the neuroticism factor are calm, well adjusted and not prone to extreme maladaptive emotional states
• conscientiousness

  • this factor describes our degree of self-discipline and control. individuals with high scores on this factor are determined, organised and plan for events in their lives
  • individuals with low scores tend to be careless, easily distracted from their goals or tasks that they are undertaking and undependable
• agreeableness

  • this factor relates very much to characteristics of the individual that are relevant for social interaction
  • individuals with high scores are trusting, helpful, soft-hearted and sympathetic
  • those with low scores are suspicious, antagonistic, unhelpful, sceptical and uncooperative
• openness

  • this factor refers to the individual having an openness to new experiences. it includes the characteristics of showing intellectual curiosity, divergent thinking and a willingness to consider new ideas and an active imagination
  • individuals scoring highly on openness are unconventional and independent thinkers. individuals with low scores are more conventional and prefer the familiar to the new
• development:

  conscientiousness and agreeableness tend to increase as individuals age, while neuroticism and openness to experience might decrease. extraversion remains relatively stable
• biological basis - theres a significant genetic component to personality traits, as indicated by twin studies which show that identical twins tend to have more similar personality profiles than fraternal twins. moreover, certain brain structures are linked with different traits
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  Culture - while the basic structure of the big five appears across various cultures, the way these traits manifest and their prevalence might differ. For instance, some cultures might value and thus report higher levels of agreeableness. Additionally, certain cultural contexts might interpret or prioritise certain facets of a trait over others
• gender differences - there is evidence suggesting gender differences in the expression of certain traits. women tend to score higher on agreeableness and lower on conscientiousness compared to men.
• Predictive capabilities

  FFM has been found to predict outcomes in various areas of life. For instance, someone high in conscientiousness might be more diligent and reliable in a work setting. While someone high in extraversion might be more effective in roles that require social itneraction
• Conscientiousness: organisation, diligence, responisibility, goal-orientated

   

  Reflective questions

  • How often do you set goals for yourself, and what strategies do you use to achieve them
  • Reflect on your organisational habits. Are there areas you could improve?
  • How has your level of conscientiousness impacted your development and learning experiences
• Agreeableness: trusting, compoassionate, cooperative, value harmony

   

  Reflexive questions

  • How do you navigate conflicts or disagreements
  • Consider a time when your agreeableness helped or hindered a group learning experience or team project
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  Empirical validity: multiple studies have found consistent empirical support for the FFM. For example, it can predict various life outcomes, including academic success, job performance and even longevity

  Testable concepts: the concepts within the FFM are operationalised through various validated scales like the NEO-PI-R, making them easily measureable
• limitation: cultural bias While the FFM is generally applicable across cultures, some critics argue that the emphasis on traits may not fully capture culturally specific variations in personality expression. Certain traits may be valued differently in various cultural contexts.