
What kind of a person, am I ?
Personality
Factors that influence personality

- Learnings and experiences
- Direct genetic effect
- Indirect genetic effect
Learnings and experiences

- Learn new things while growing up
- Experiences affect thoughts and actions
Direct genetic effect

- Genetic structure of a person
- About 99% of genes common to all humans
- About 0.2%-0.5% of genes with heritability
Indirect Genetic Effect

- Create own environment under the direct genetic effect
- Cumulative effect of such built up in life
Grand theorist approach to personality

- Theories proposed by individuals
- Experience of the originator is the basis
- Fragmented approach
Trait approach to personality

- Most widely accepted
- Language terms to explain personality characteristics
- Empirical data, factor analysis, trait scales, statistical analysis, multiple models, multiple instruments
Personality Trait

- Short-lived personality characteristics are habits
- Relatively stable habits are personality traits
- Usually stable over many years
- Affected by situation and environment
Emotion

- Sub-system of personality
- Reactions to views or imaginations
- Transitory conditions
- Appraisal of a real or a likely event
- Cause and nature as per appraisal
Five-Factor Model

- Most popular trait-based model
- Language based premise
- Terms related to universal human tasks
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Five-Factor Model

- Significant progress in the English language
- Well replicated in western languages and cultures
- Refinement needed in other languages and cultures
The Big Five Model

- Traits analyzed on five broad spectrums of Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness
Extraversion

- High Traits: Talkative, Assertive, Active, Energetic, Outgoing, Outspoken, Dominant, Forceful, Enthusiastic, Show-off, Sociable, Spunky, Adventurous, Noisy, Bossy
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Extraversion

- Low Traits: Quiet, Reserved, Shy, Silent, Withdrawn, Retiring
Agreeableness

- High Traits: Sympathetic, Kind, Appreciative, Affectionate, Soft-hearted, Warm, Generous, Trusting, Helpful, Forgiving, Pleasant, Good-natured, Friendly, Cooperative, Gentle, Unselfish, Praising, Sensitive
Continued...
Agreeableness

- Low Traits: Fault-finding, Cold, Unfriendly, Quarrelsome, Hard-hearted, Unkind, Cruel, Stern, Thankless, Stingy
Conscientiousness

- High Traits: Organized, Thorough, Planful, Efficient, Responsible, Reliable, Dependable, Conscientious, Precise, Practical, Deliberate, Painstaking, Cautious
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Conscientiousness

- Low Traits: Careless, Disorderly, Frivolous, Irresponsible, Slip-shot, Undependable, Forgetful
Neuroticism

- High Traits: Tense, Anxious, Nervous, Moody, Worrying, Touchy, Fearful, High-strung, Self-pitying, Temperamental, Unstable, Self-punishing, Despondent, Emotional
- Low Traits: Stable, Calm, Contented
Openness

- High Traits: Wide-interest, Imaginative, Intelligent, Original, Insightful, Curious, Sophisticated, Artistic, Clever, Inventive, Sharp-witted, Ingenious, Witty, Resourceful, Wise
Continued...
Openness

- Low Traits: Commonplace, Narrow-interests, Simple, Shallow, Unintelligent
Maturation impacts traits

- Likely decrease in extraversion, neuroticism, and openness
- Likely increase in agreeableness and conscientiousness
Most recognized instruments

- NEO-PI-R with 240 items or NEO-FFI with 60 items
- TDA with 100 items
- BFI with 44 items and BFI-2 with 60 items
The Big Five Personality Test

- Link for BFI-2 Test