Big 3/Big 5

• Trait Theory - Assumptions

  • Develop over childhood, ending in early adulthood
  • Internal consistency in the way you behave
  • Can be measured
  • One has differing levels of traits, but we have all traits. Hierarchically arranged and independent of each other
  • Self-report measure
• Sheldon


  Founder of trait personality
• Allport


  • Traits were real structures that existed within the individual, located in the nervous system - would one day be found!
  • Each individual has a unique set of traits: individual dispositions
  • Extended the lexical hypothesis 18,000 - 4,500 personality traits… impractical
  • Never really developed a standardised measurement to assess all the identified personality components (collectively)
• Cattell


  • Search for the structure of personality
  • Reduced large numbers of data (list most frequent words to describe aspects of personality) → clusters/factors
  • Psychometrics - factor analysis - statistical technique (correlations)
  • Sources of data - L(life) Q (questionnaire) T(test)
  • Led to 16 individual traits measured - 16PF
  • Inability to replicate the structure of 16PF
  • His data (in a great part) gave rise to the 5-factor model of personality
• Big 3 - Theory

  • Personality (hierarchical typology) Specific response → habitual response → traits → personality type or supertrait
  • Theory of personality development - genetic inheritance and a biological determent to personality 75%
  • Mainly parenting styles and other environmental factors influenced personality development ENVIRONMENT 25%
  • Eysenckʼs goals identify the main dimensions of personality, then measure and test them - experimentally and quantitatively (factor analysis)
• Big 2: EPI Eysenckʼs

  • EPI (Eysenck Personality Inventory) developed by Hands and Sybil Eysenck
  • Two dimensions (continuum): Extraversion - Introversion, Neuroticism - Stability
• Trait Theory: Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI, 1964)


  • Extraversion - Introversion; Neuroticism-Stability
  • Sanguine: blood, Phlegmatic: phlegm, Choleric: yellow bile and Melancholic: black bile
  • Extraverts - sociable, outgoing, impulsive, like excitement and orientation is towards external reality (focusing attention outward on other people and the environment)
  • Introverts - quiet, introspective, like a well-ordered life and orientation towards an inner reality (directing attention on inner experiences)
• Big 3: Physiological Differences in Extraversion + Introversion

  • Eysenck - people differ in the sensitivity in their brain arousal regulating system. Two sets of neural mechanisms- excitatory and inhibitory mechanism.
  • Ascending reticular activating system ARAS balances maintains balance between these mechanisms which causes them to respond differently to their environment.
  • Rate of arousal for extroverts is lower, so they must seek more stimulating activities to be at the normal state of arousal. This is why they seek adventure and the company of others.
  • Introverts have a higher rate of arousal, so it does not take as much to raise it to the normal state. This is why the overwhelmed around many people, so they would rather avoid stimulation and exciting environments.
• Supertrait: Neuroticism - Stability

  • High in neuroticism - emotionally unstable, worry excessively, may have unreasonable fears and phobias, and high anxiety/fear disproportional to reality.
  • Low in neuroticism/stability - remains emotionally constant, calm and bounces back after setbacks.
• Big 3: Physiological Differences in Neuroticism

  • Differences in Neuroticism is based in the limbic system (behavioural and emotional responses for survival e.g. fight and flight)
  • Limbic system = regulate responses to stress
  • Neurotic → predisposed to be overwhelmed by stressful stimuli/overactive i.e. react strongly to emotionally arousing experiences and take longer to calm this system once activated
  • Stable → limbic system can handle stress
• Big 3: Psychoticism

  • Later… working at a psychiatric hospital…noticed patients who where cold, detached, and had difficulty dealing with reality. Labelled "psychopathsˮ- cruel, inhumane, antisocial, hostile, non-empathetic and manipulative. Predisposed to schizophrenia and personality disorders (anti-social PD).
  • Most people score low (superego control) - high impulse control, conventional, cooperative, and empathetic.
  • Biological- genetic/inheritance of psychotic behaviours/tendencies
  • Added to the personality inventory to create the EPQ
• Big 3: Measure - EPQ 1975, 1985

  • Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) introduced a third dimension measuring Psychoticism (PEN model/BIG 3) (Eysenck, Eysenck & Barrett, 1985.)
  • Eysenck Personality Questionnaire- Revised (EPQR), Extraversion items in the EPI were dropped from the Extraversion scale leaving only items that relate to Sociability.
  • Yes/No answers
  • EPQR 100 questions
  • EPQRS (short) 48 questions
• Big 3: Pros

  • Not just descriptive - Biological factors 2/3rd - EI (cortical arousal), NS (sympathetic nervous system) and P (genetic) AND Environmental theory- habits and environmental influences e.g. parenting BUT modification is possible (behaviour therapy)
  • Still used today-human resources, career counselling, clinical settings, and research.
  • Extraversion and neuroticism-good reliable measures psychometrically- cross culturally, developmental, and longitudinally.
• Big 3: Self-Report Pros

  • People know themselves - in many different situations over many years.
  • People have direct access to their own thoughts and feelings.
  • Self-reports also have the important advantage of being a convenient way to measure personality because researchers donʼt need the help of anyone other than the person whose personality they want to measure.
  • Easy and quick to deliver as a research, can do online.
• Big 5: FFM

  • Five Factor Model- Costa and McCrae 1985; 1989 ; 1992; 1997
  • Evidential sources - lexical approach (descriptive model only), factor analysis, and research (fits with other models, cross cultural, ages, stable, and genetic basis). DATA DRIVEN increasing theoretical evidence. BIOLOGY? Criticism of Eysenck
  • Growing consensus that 5 supertraits OCEAN/CANOE make up the basic structure of personality, debates about the names
  • 5 supertraits, 6 facets/subordinate traits
• Openness to Experience/Openness

  • Openness to experience is the broadest factor. It includes traits like creativity, appreciation of art, curiosity, and unconventionality.
  • People high in openness to experience like to try new things. They also like to think about many different things and play with ideas.
  • People low in openness prefer to stick to a routine. They are more conventional and value consistency rather than change.

  
• Facets of Openness

  • Fantasy (imagination): Oriented to reality vs imagination
  • Aesthetic appreciation & artistic interests: Interest, not ability, in art/aesthetic experience
  • (appreciation of or attendance to) Feelings: Good access to feeling, expressive in feelings
  • Actions (adventurousness): Need for new experiences, routine
  • Ideas (curiosity or intellect): Interest in abstract ideas (e.g. philosophy) vs concrete thinking
  • Values/Liberalism: tendency to rebel against authority
• 5 supertraits


  • Openness to Experience/Openness
  • Conscientiousness
  • Extroversion
  • Agreeableness
  • Neurotocism
• High Openness


  Predicts more traveling/studying abroad and being more likely to vote for liberal candidates/causes, also choosing artistic careers
• Very high levels of Openness


  Linked to psychotic spectrum disorders
• Conscientiousness

  • About following the rules and being self-disciplined
  • People high in conscientiousness are tidy and orderly, fulfil their obligations and arrive on time, and strive to achieve high grades
  • People low in conscientiousness are more likely to be messy, disorganised, forgetful, and less hardworking, but may be more spontaneous
• Facets of Conscientiousness

  • Competence/Self-efficacy
  • Order (orderliness)
  • Dutifulness
  • Achievement striving
  • Self-discipline
  • Deliberation (cautiousness)
• High Conscientiousness


  Predicts occupational success, college GPA, less drug use, being less likely to divorce
• Conscientiousness

  May be a liability rather than an asset for some jobs, particularly creative ones, that require innovation, creativity, and spontaneity
• Extroversion

  • Includes traits like talkativeness, sociability, assertiveness, gregariousness, enthusiasm and excitement
  • Introversion includes the opposite traits: People low on extroversion are typically reserved and quiet, and they are not impulsive
• Facets of Extroversion

  • Gregarious
  • Warmth
  • Assertiveness
  • Activity
  • Excitement seeking
  • Positive emotion (enthusiasm and cheerfulness)
• High Extroversion


  Ability or tendency to posses or gain prominence in social organisations, propensity for accidents, and promiscuity
• Extroversion

  Predicts talking, happiness, social status, and volunteerism
• Agreeableness

  • The tendency to be cooperative, friendly, and compassionate
  • People high in agreeableness may conform more easily to what others want, and they tend to be non-confrontational
  • People low on agreeableness are stubborn and opinionated; they can be cold, but they also are more willing to stand up for what they think is right even in the face of opposition
• Facets of Agreeableness

  • Trust
  • Straightforwardness (Morality)
  • Altruism
  • Compliance (cooperation)
  • Modesty
  • Tender-mindedness (sympathy)
• High Agreeableness


  Predicts conflict resolution tactics, greater social support (psychopaths are very low on this domain)
• Agreeableness

  Predicts swearing less, being less likely to divorce, and less criminal behaviour
• Neurotocism

  • The tendency to experience a variety of distressing emotions, including anxiety and self-doubt, impulsivity, anger, and hostility
  • People high in neuroticism tend to experience frequent and intense distressing emotions, and are more vigilant and aware of risks
  • People low in neuroticism are relatively calm, not easily upset, and less vulnerable to stress, but they may also miss important warning signs

  
• Facets of Neurotocism

  • Anxiety
  • Anger-hostility
  • Depression
  • Self-consciousness
  • Impulsiveness (immoderation)
  • Vulnerability (to stress)
• High Neurotocism


  Predicts poor marital functioning, impaired academic performance, mood disorders, health and fertility problems
• Emotional stability (low Neurotocism)

  Predicts less depression, being less likely to divorce and less likely to fight in romantic relationships
• NEO-PI-R

  • Standard questionnaire for Five Factor Model, with 5 domain scales and 30 facet scales, originally assessing Neuroticism, Extroversion and Openness, later adding Agreeableness and Conscientiousness
  • Different lengths
  • Two forms - self-report and observer reports
  • Five-point Likert scale
  • High internal consistency
• The Five Factor Model of personality has pros (empirical evidence, predictive validity, longitudinal stability) and cons (too simplistic, missing factors like Honesty-Humility)
• Big 3: Cons???


  • Only 3 measures
  • Psychoticism - not a reliable dimension measure
  • Yes and No v Likert Scale
  • Self-report - honest and self-aware?
• Big 3: Self-Report Cons??

  • People may not always tell the truth, especially when a lot is at stake, like in a job interview
  • People may not always know the truth about themselves, especially for aspects of personality that are desirable or undesirable, like intelligence or rudeness.
  • One one measure... life and test data?