Big Five Personality Traits
Big five model also called ocean model of five factors. Five factors are of personality trains which had extended by Lewis Goldman, an American Psychologist. Lewis Goldman was well known psychologist. Raymond Cattell’s 16 traits of personality studied and presented in five factors of traits. These fiver factors are known as Big Five model or Big Five Theory.
Big five personality factors of traits are well classified traits that describes every personality. This theory helps to classify the individual personality more easily than Raymond’s 16 traits. Following are the big five factors or traits that the Lewis Goldman described. ‘Factors’ is the broad and right word used to describe these five traits.
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Extraversion
- Agreeableness
- Emotional Stability or Neuroticism
Openness
- Eager to learn and know somethings which are new: These people are more open and interested to know new things. They generate interest in learning new things. Attitude is positive toward learning.
- Have more creativity and are more curious: Openness of such people generates creative ability and have interest in knowing the new things. Such people can more excited to know the unknown.
- Interested to explore their ideas: Interested to present their ideas. Such people can provide various possible solutions or alternatives.
Behaviour of individual when the degree of openness is high
When the degree of openness is high, the person is broader minded and interested. The person is more interested in new things. Curious about knowing something which are new though it is belongs to the problem.
For example, creative employees in organization always have more openness. Their openness trait enables them for more creative and innovative. Such people convergent thinking to generate more ideas. These ideas useful to solve any problem or useful for the growth of organization.
Behaviour of a personality if the degree of openness is low
Less openness people are quite narrow minded. Their narrow thinking avoids themselves to be more creative. They are not interested in exploring creative ideas. Poor interest to know new things.
For example, employees who are not openness can not adopt the change. Such employees can not make the improvements in their behaviour as well as performances. Lack of openness reduces the convergent thinking.
Conscientiousness
Goal oriented: These people are goal oriented. They take decision to accomplish their goal. They prefer to set goal or prepare the planning about future course of actions. For example, in organization the employees or managers takes decision to achieve common goal of organization as well as their personal goal. Their personal goal is concerned with reward and promotion the organization give.
More attention: The people have more conscientiousness always are more aware. Their consciousness enables them to plan before act.
More serious: such people are more serious about their goal and behaviour.
Self-disciplined: Such people prefer to act with code of conduct. As they are goal oriented, they follow the rules.
Systematic: As the people who have more conscientiousness, they prefer to complete the work systematically.
Behaviour of a person who has more conscientiousness
Such people can take more efforts to achieve the goal.
For example,
- Employees having conscientiousness are coordinated towards right efforts for
accomplishments of organizational goal.
- Professors in college can contribute more to build the student’s competency.
Behaviour of an individual who carry less conscientiousness
Such people are irresponsible and cannot contribute for the achievement of goal. Such people are more careless about their work.
For example,
- It is difficult to coordinate the efforts of employees who have less conscientiousness.
Extraversion and introverts
More excited and stimulated: such people have more interest and very much exited toward participation, involvement. They do not worry about any negative results. Extreme level of emotions the have.
Mix with any culture and enjoy with people: Easily mix with people and enjoy a lot. They don’t think of good or bad relations. They believe in making relations and enjoy.
Takes initiatives quickly : Such people takes decision without thinking about the result.
Leadership and capable to increase sales and public relations: Extraversion trait is useful in the area where energy and involvement plays vital role. Sales and Customer relationship management are the areas where such people can achieve more success.
For Example,
Sales employees having extraversion trait are capable to convince customer and can make relationship with customers.
Agreeableness
Followers: People having agreeableness are more followers and less influencer. They always prefer to follow others.
Democratic: Agreeableness trait enable people to think about others and take decision accordingly. Such people prefer to follow democratic leadership when they are manager or leader.
Behaviour of person who have more agreeableness:
Agreeableness trait enable people to implement democratic leadership. This trait can reduces the conflict between the individual and group.
For example, managers in organization are more democratic due to agreeableness.
Employees with agreeableness trait work in group effectively. They agree with others’ opinions. It is very essential to have such trait when working with group or under superior.
Individual’s behaviour who has less agreeableness:
People with less agreeableness can not mix with group and are not ready to agree with colleague.
For example,
Subordinates may not agree with superior or co-workers due to which the conflict arises.
In organization the relationship formed by people with less agreeableness is poor and uncooperative.
Neuroticism
Neuroticism is the factor of trait which belongs to depression, anxiety, fear, loneliness and the like many. Such trait of personality is harmful to individual.
For example,
Employees in organization with high score in neuroticism can not become successful or can not give better performance. Their productivity or creativity blocked due to neuroticism traits.
People with high neuroticism
Very timid and negative. They feel fear of failure, anxiety, loneliness, and they carry other negative traits such as jealousy, guilt, anger, frustration etc. the employees with such traits are more harmful for organization.
For example,
Employees with such traits cannot achieve target and the manager or leader can not implement the innovation. They can not able to take risky decision.
People with low neuroticism
Low neuroticism people are apposite of the high neuroticism people due to which they are more positive and capable to achieve their goal. They don’t feel guild, frustration and jealousy due to which they can become more successful and productive.
Conclusion: Number of traits of individual are broadly classified by various phycologist. Lewis Goldman expressed or made five factors theory which classify more than 100 traits into five factors. using these factors it makes quiet easy to classify the individual’s personality.
