The Big 5 Personality Test: Can It Help You Better Understand Yourself?

The human personality is a complex, multifaceted subject that has been continuously debated in the psychological community for decades. Research into humans has revealed several models to explain human nature, but one model has become especially popular. The "Big Five" model, formally known as the five-factor model of personality, simplifies human nature into an understandable framework. It is currently one of the most widely accepted models for explaining character traits. Keep reading to learn more about the Big 5 Personality Test and how it may help you understand yourself on a deeper level.

The Big 5 

Early research into personality traits was overrun with conflicting definitions and disagreement about what separated character-based factors from cognitive or emotional ones. One of the first widely circulated models, introduced in the 1940s, proposed 16 different factors. Further research found considerable overlap between several of the 16 factors and reduced the total number of factors to five.

The five-factor model, or the "Big Five" model, is based on the lexical hypothesis. The lexical hypothesis suggests that, over time, human character factors have been encoded into language. Early research into human character focused on the adjectives people use to describe themselves and their behavior.

By analyzing the common themes in the words people use to describe themselves, researchers were able to validate five separate domains:

• Openness
• Conscientiousness
• Extroversion
• Agreeableness
• Neuroticism

The Big Five model is also sometimes called the OCEAN model, OCEAN being an acronym for the names of the Big Five factors. Each of these factors is summarized below:

1. Openness: Openness correlates significantly with curiosity.; Those who are open-minded and willing to try new experiences tend to rate highly in openness. People who are more open typically enjoy challenges and seek creative outlets.; They are also likely to desire adventurous experiences. Those who rate low in openness may still try new things but tend to be more consistent in their approach and are more likely to be cautious.
2. Conscientiousness: Those who rate highly in the category of conscientiousness are usually organized and dependable. Essentially, conscientiousness describes how well someone can develop and execute a plan. A conscientious individual tends to be self-disciplined, efficient, and prepared. Those who rate low in conscientiousness are typically more easy-going and laid back. They are also more likely to respond positively to spontaneity
3. Extroversion: Extroversion describes how you interact with others. It is likely the most well-known Big Five factor, as; most people are familiar with the concept of "extroverts" and "introverts." Those who rate highly in extroversion are extroverts; they tend to get their energy from being outgoing and participating in social situations. Those who rate low in extroversion are introverts; they usually get their energy when they’re able to spend time alone and may lean more on the reserved side. 
4. Agreeableness: Agreeableness describes how you feel about others. Those who rate highly agreeableness tend to be friendly, compassionate, and accepting of others. Those who rate low in agreeableness tend to be more analytical and detached. Depending on the situation, they may also be less likely to trust others. Agreeableness is highly correlated with empathy; as agreeableness increases, so does the likelihood that someone will also be empathetic.
5. Neuroticism: Neuroticism describes how you deal with emotion. Those high in neuroticism are more sensitive and tend to be more nervous or anxious. Those who rate low in neuroticism tend to be more secure and in control of their feelings.

Each of the Big Five personality traits sits on a spectrum from low to high and, when examined together, creates a profile of a person's personality. For example, one individual may be low in neuroticism, conscientiousness, and extroversion but high in openness, and middling in agreeableness. Another might be low in every category except neuroticism or high in all except openness.

Modern theories suggest that everyone has a specific profile, and knowing where they fall in each of the Big Five factors can offer insight into how they are likely to think, feel, and behave in various circumstances.

What can The Big Five tell me about myself?

It can be important to recognize that there is no inherently "good" or "bad" profile within the Big Five model. What constitutes a good character can depend on the situation. For example, a high rating in conscientiousness may be helpful for a person's career as a laboratory researcher, but it could cause problems if they are too rigid in their social life.

Similarly, it may seem like high agreeability is always a positive thing, but a highly agreeable individual may not be well-suited to situations where trust should be withheld, such as during police investigations. Big Five factors are highly contextual, and results should be cautiously interpreted to not over-generalize the results. Below are a few situations in which a Big Five personality test may be useful

• Improve your self-awareness: Understanding your Big Five profile can help you increase your self-awareness and understand how to change your approach to specific situations. You likely already know yourself well; evidence suggests that most people rate themselves accurately on measures of Big Five factors. When taking a personality test, open and honest responses are necessary and critical. Your results may not be accurate if you do not rate yourself accurately. However, seeing your key personality traits laid out as scores from an assessment can help you critically analyze how your character affects your decision-making and give you new ideas about your approach to daily life. You can gain information that helps you make decisions about social situations, personal projects, and career goals. 
• Make career decisions: It is becoming increasingly common for employers to assess Big Five factors when making hiring or promotion decisions. You can get access to the same information and understand how you might appear to current or potential employers. You can also use details about your character to refine your career goals based on your strengths. For example, suppose you score high on conscientiousness and low on agreeableness. In this case, you may wish to prioritize roles that focus on the nitty-gritty details of a problem and deprioritize roles that require extensive social interaction with others.
• Understanding mental health concerns: Psychological assessments that evaluate the Big Five can be useful when evaluating mental health concerns. However, only licensed professionals should administer and interpret Big Five assessments in the context of mental health. While many freely available instruments can give you insight into your Big Five profile, you should never use those measures to seek a diagnosis or as part of a mental health evaluation unless you have been instructed to do so by a qualified professional. When personality assessment is used in clinical settings, the therapist selects the assessment based on your needs and has the advanced training necessary to interpret the results. 

How can I take a Big Five personality test?

Several freely available personality tests will give you your Big Five profile. This assessment consists of 120 questions, is free to take, was released open source under the MIT license, is scientifically valid, and has been translated into over twenty languages. If you intend to take a Big Five evaluation, try to find a version where the questions are in your native language, if possible.

This test is shorter than the one above but is also free to take and safe. Another similar free assessment can be found here, offered as part of an open-source project. While most free, online Big Five tests are based on scientific research, it can still be vital to interpret their results cautiously or review them with an expert

The assessments used in research settings by scientists and in clinical settings by therapists undergo rigorous testing and must demonstrate their scientific validity in numerous scientific studies. Very few online tests of Big Five factors boast the same level of rigor in their development, and their results may not be as accurate or useful as tests administered by a professional.

Online therapy for personality concerns

If you have concerns about your character that you believe are negatively impacting your mental health or well-being, it could be beneficial to speak with a therapist. Therapists are qualified to help you break down your Big Five profile and can provide guidance on how to improve areas of concern. A therapist can also provide valuable guidance if you are concerned that you may meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health disorder.

If the barriers to accessing therapy seem overwhelming, consider online therapy through a platform like BetterHelp. Online therapy allows you to access a therapist from home, removing common barriers like traveling to an office or being restricted to only therapists near you. Online therapists have the same training, credentials, and licensure as traditional therapists and use the same evidence-based methods to treat their clients. 

The efficacy of online therapy for personality disorders

Evidence indicates that the techniques used by therapists online are just as efficacious as those utilized in an office setting. In one review, researchers assessed several different online interventions for personality disorders. They found that usability and patient satisfaction were moderate to high in all studies; further, three of the studies demonstrated significant decreases in borderline personality disorder symptoms. None of the studies created adverse effects and researchers concluded that therapy delivered via the Internet could facilitate the scalability of effective treatment methods. 

Takeaway

The Big Five factors summarize an individual's character and include openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. There is no ideal combination of these five factors, but understanding what each means can offer insight into how you think, feel, and behave. Big Five assessments can be helpful for increasing self-awareness and making career decisions and can also be useful in clinical settings when administered by trained professionals. Those concerned about how their personality impacts their mental health could benefit from an appointment with a mental health professional, either locally or online. Online therapy provides an easy and convenient way to get support, encouragement, and treatment all from the comfort of one’s home.