5-Factor Personality

Paul, your most unique quality is that you are

inspirational

You inspire others around you with your creative energy and thirst for new experiences. You are exceptionally curious and aren't afraid of learning new things — which is probably because you tend to focus on the potential positive outcome of any experience rather than dwelling on the potential negatives. You are a true explorer in the word. You want to understand and experience it all, and you're especially open to new feelings and ideas. Compared to others who of all test takers have this unique combination of personality strengths.

How do we know this about you?
The questions you answered on the test measured your scores on 5 overarching personality qualities, or factors, as well as the 30 specific personality traits that make up those 5 factors. We then compared all of your scores to the thousands of other people who have taken this test to determine what sets you apart from the crowd.

What are these "5 Factors?" What do the five factors represent? The easiest way to remember them is to use the acronym "OCEAN," which stands for

O: Openness to experience
C: Conscientiousness
E: Extraversion
A: Agreeableness
N: Negative emotionality

These five factors have been studied for decades and make up the most widely accepted theoretical model for understanding personality. You have a score along each of these five dimensions — one per letter. Here is how you scored:

Which traits make up my score on this factor?
Your level of openness is determined by six traits: how imaginative you are, how much you appreciate art and aesthetics, how in touch you are with your emotions, how much you like new experiences, how broad your interests are, and how mutable your values are.

As with all the factors, they measure you on a continuum of different qualities. Someone who is at one end of the scale has one set of qualities while someone at the other end has a set of different qualities.

Based on your scores, we can tell that you are open to experiences, and you have a wide variety of interests. In fact, you're more likely to seek a new experience for the first time, rather than do something you're already familiar with. When it comes right down to it, you love to learn and you're highly creative.

There are six different personality traits that primarily determine your level of openness. Here is a bar chart that depicts how strong each of these personality traits are in you.

Openness Trait 1: Fantasy

Your Fantasy rating is 100 out of 100. This means that, relative to others, you have an active imagination. You're more of a daydreamer than a realist, and you love to think up new ideas and to imagine new possibilities. It also means that you're more curious than others and are able to find beauty in most of the things you see. The only hitch is that in the absence of a variety of interesting experiences you may begin to grow bored. Also, if the task on hand is only mildly of interest, procrastination can kick in.

Openness Trait 2: Feelings

Everyone has feelings, but some tend to pay more attention to them than others. Your Feelings rating is 99 out of 100. You believe that emotions are valuable and are less likely than others to bottle up any emotion, deeming it "bad" or "wrong" to experience. You're also more likely to learn from your feelings regardless of what they are. What's more, you believe in people. You are the person friends come to when things get rough, partly because you're caring and prepared for any emotional situation, and partly because of your belief in human nature itself.

Openness Trait 3: Actions

The word "actions" for the purposes of this kind of personality test means the extent to which you gravitate toward new and unusual experiences or stick with what you know you like — with what is familiar.

Your Actions rating is 98 out of 100. This indicates that you gravitate toward the new and unusual. These types of experiences provide ample material for you to learn from, so you pursue such experiences whenever possible. In general, you're more flexible and open to changing your thoughts and opinions about things than most. Overall, just as the magnet is attracted to the refrigerator, you're inherently attracted to new experiences. The lack of stability that bothers some people when there is too much newness may only serve to spur you on.

Openness Trait 4: Ideas

Everyone has ideas. But as a personality trait, the word "ideas" refers to how broad your interests are and how strongly you're driven to explore your ideas and consider new thoughts.

Your Ideas rating is 97 out of 100. This indicates that you've got a strong curiosity that propels you forward. Sometimes particular experiences will fuel your strong motivation to understand the world, and suddenly you'll be exploring a whole new set of possibilities. When something really piques your curiosity, you will work hard to figure it out, knowing that just the process of searching for the answer will teach you about how the world works.

Openness Trait 5: Values

Most people have some values that they are willing to reconsider from time to time. But there are other values that are harder to question — especially those you've been practicing for years or that have helped you make difficult decisions in the past. Generally speaking, however, some people are more willing than others to reexamine their values.

Your Values rating is 67 out of 100. This means that you're relatively flexible and are willing to change your beliefs if you're faced with evidence that they may no longer be applicable or functional. You want to believe what is true, rather than hide behind untrue beliefs that protect you or make you feel more comfortable. You're open to truly questioning your outlook. When it comes down to it, you're all about possibility rather than subscribing to a rigid, unchangeable set of values, and you use that to make the best out of life.

Openness Trait 6: Aesthetics

Your Aesthetics rating is 63 out of 100. This means that, relative to others, you value the beauty of things, especially when it comes to art or interior design. You have a natural love of these things that just kicks in whenever you're in the presence of something truly beautiful. This can at times prove to be a little dangerous to your pocketbook if you're so taken by an object you have to purchase it for yourself instead of appreciating it in it's own right. But your desire to see the beauty in things also allows you to see the beauty in others and to consequently treat them with more kindness and generosity.

Which traits make up my score on this factor?
Conscientiousness is a word that describes a conglomeration of several traits, including your level of confidence, how orderly you are, the extent to which you are dependable, how driven you are to be successful, how much self discipline you have, and whether you think through things before you act. Overall, it is, essentially, accountability.

Your answers to the test indicate that others consider you "free-spirited". You're motivated to enjoy all of life's pleasures, and this motivation refuses to be shut down or pushed to the side. You know that life is about pursuing dreams, but also that it is about pursuing pleasure and not delaying gratification until it is too late to enjoy it.

There are six different personality traits that primarily determine your level of conscientiousness. Here is a bar chart that depicts how strong each of these personality traits are in you.

Conscientiousness Trait 1: Achievement-Striving

When a person desires great success, or always seems to be reaching for the highest star in the sky, they're likely to score high in the achievement-striving trait.

Your Achievement rating is 88 out of 100. This means that you care about your achievements in life. You don't want to look back at the end of your life only to realize you didn't accomplish anything. This may make you a little competitive at times, but that only adds to the excitement and thrill you get from accomplishing your goal or at least working in that direction. To be as achievement-oriented as you are requires an ability to imagine the future. If you can't picture yourself as succeeding at whatever you're working toward, it makes it harder to actually get there. Working to accomplish something, however, can take away your time and energy and can even shut you down emotionally at times — so keep a careful eye on yourself and your actions when striving to achieve any goals you may have and make sure your life is balanced.

Conscientiousness Trait 2: Competence

Competence is the feeling that you know what you're doing, that you're able to do what you need to do, and that you can do it well.

Your Competence rating is 75 out of 100. This means that you feel competent in general and know that there are some things that you really excel at. This is great, because a sense of competence is also associated with higher self-esteem. A greater sense of competency allows for freer exploration of ideas: if you're afraid of failing, it is harder to try new things or consider new ideas. It is also a practical trait to have in that, when you believe that you can handle anything, difficult and stressful situations are easier to deal with.

Conscientiousness Trait 3: Dutifulness

To be dutiful is to be reliable and to follow through on your obligations.

Your Dutiful rating is 63 out of 100. You're the kind of person other people can count on. You're "the rock" that others lean on. Whatever the occasion, you're there to help, there for your friends, there when needed. You have your stuff together — otherwise how could you really follow through on your desire to help? Typically, being dutiful means you're honest, too. And as if all this wasn't good enough, you're also unlikely to look down on others. As long as you don't forget that no one can always be "the rock" and that you also need to lean on others at times, you can lead a balanced life. You can know that it's not just you who's holding down the fort.

Conscientiousness Trait 4: Deliberation

To deliberate is to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision and to really think things through before you do something.

Your Deliberation rating is 25 out of 100. You like to work more from intuition or gut rather than plodding through everything step-by-step in order to arrive at a conclusion. Generally this results in a more carefree feeling about life, like whatever happens, happens. You can't predict and prepare for everything, so going with the flow is important to you. Some things don't need to be investigated and having to explain your rationale to others may be frustrating for you at times.

Conscientiousness Trait 5: Order

When it comes to personality, order means you know where all your belongings are. You know what is going to happen and when. When things are orderly, you can find what you need when you need it.

Your Orderly rating is 13 out of 100. This means that you don't feel especially orderly. Maybe life feels out of control once in a while — it is hard to be prepared for all of life's ups and downs. Plus, sometimes it is better to just go with the flow of things, which you're particularly good at, and not try to force nature into distinct categories that make everything neat and orderly. Yet sometimes this can turn all the way to disorderly, which in turn leads to a distinctly out of control feeling. It's best when you can balance your need to let nature take its course with a commitment to not let it get so out of hand that you feel overwhelmed.

Conscientiousness Trait 6: Self-Discipline

We're all faced with things we don't want to do from time to time. And what do most of us do in that situation? Procrastinate. You may, for instance, get sidetracked by something more "fun" and conveniently forget what it was that you had originally intended to do. Where do you lie on the continuum of self-discipline?

Your Self-discipline rating is 12 out of 100. This means that from time to time, a tempting situation may put you off course a bit. Rather than letting life's succulence pass you by, you reach out and grab what looks good to you along the way. Unfortunately, this can sometimes mean that you have trouble reaching goals that are less immediate (such as changing professions), even though you have little trouble reaching more immediate goals (such as taking the afternoon off when the first half of the day has been overly stressful.) Thus it is the balance of these two that is a challenge for you.

Which traits make up my score on this factor?
Picture the most social person you've ever met — most likely on the lookout for leadership positions, involved in everything, and a friend to everyone. You know the type: The Big Man — or Woman — On Campus. We all share this outgoing nature or extraversion to a greater or lesser extent. The opposite of extraversion is introversion, which is associated with more quiet introspection and more alone time. People who are introverted tend to focus more on depth rather than breadth, which is opposite of an extravert. For example, you'd rather know a few things inside and out rather than be the proverbial Jack of all trades and master of none.

Your answers indicate that you are more extraverted than most. As an extravert, you're likely to be more talkative than others. Your friendly nature easily draws people to you. It puts you in a good position to pursue important social roles in whatever discipline you choose. For example, you could be upper-level management in a hospital or an activist inspiring others to fight for your cause. In other words, no matter what activity or career you choose, you rise to the top and often take a leadership role. But mostly, being extraverted means that your energy mainly comes from interactions with others and that people find you very personable.

There are six different personality traits that primarily determine your level of extraversion. Here is a bar chart that depicts how strong each of these personality traits are in you.

Extraversion Trait 1: Assertiveness

Assertiveness is generally considered to be a positive trait. It is the ability to share your opinions with others and to speak up for yourself, especially when it counts.

Your Assertiveness rating is 100 out of 100. This means that you're able to state your opinions clearly and to stand up for what you believe in. No one is going to walk all over you because you have boundaries and are not afraid to put them up when someone is too pushy or inconsiderate. You know who you are, and you're not afraid of putting yourself out there. You've learned what to expect from people, and you have come to trust your own opinion over others' opinions, especially when it comes to your own personal life.

Extraversion Trait 2: Excitement-Seeking

People who are excitement seeking just can't wait to get their hands on a new thrill. They find the exciting element in everything, and if it's not thrilling enough, they search for more.

Your Excitement-seeking rating is 99 out of 100. This means that you're full of positive energy. Always searching for something new and exciting, you'll check out anything that appears to be a good opportunity to experience something you've never experienced before. You might be a little overly eager to jump right into something new, which ultimately leads you to a wide variety of experiences — some amazing ones, some not so amazing. One thing is certain: All the while, you're learning about life and yourself. The more experiences you have, as a general rule, the wiser you'll be.

Extraversion Trait 3: Positive Emotions

The trait of "positive emotions" refers to whether or not you generally feel good about your life. Is your mood usually positive and light or dark and heavy? People high in positive emotions love their life; people who are low tend to have more negative thoughts and feelings.

Your Positive Emotions rating is 89 out of 100. You light up people's lives. You bring hope and trust to any situation, and you believe that anything is possible. Generally, though your convictions are strong, you're not bothered when other people disagree with you — or, more accurately — you don't let it get in your way. You know people mean well but that doesn't mean they're right. Your kind heart and positive spirit keep you and others around you feeling good about life and its possibilities.

Extraversion Trait 4: Gregariousness

This trait refers to the extent to which you put yourself "out there" socially. Are you the one walking up to others at a party, introducing yourself and shaking hands? Or are you the one who prefers to hang back and wait and see what happens?

Your Gregarious rating is 88 out of 100. This indicates that you're the type that is more likely to make an effort to meet others than you are to wait for a chance meeting to occur. Being around people really gives you a charge; it feeds you in an important way. And you've got a lot to share — being around others gives you the opportunity to tell others about your feelings and thoughts. You're charismatic — when you talk, people listen. You get jazzed up about something and your enthusiasm is contagious. People can sense your interest in making others happy and can feel your enthusiasm when you talk.

Extraversion Trait 5: Activity

Some people are always on the go and can barely take a moment to relax. Others arrange their lives so that they have ample time to spend leisurely, without any obligations or interruptions.

Your Activity rating is 63 out of 100. You're the one who's several steps ahead of the rest. You've got a fire in your belly that keeps you on the go and keeps you active and looking for something interesting and adventurous to do. It's even better if you've got someone to share your drive and to do all of those activities with. Your determination and search for excitement spurs others on and gets them going.

Extraversion Trait 6: Warmth

Generally, people who are warm are loving, giving people who really enjoy the company of others.

Your Warmth rating is 50 out of 100. This indicates that you're a warm person who really loves people. You like meeting people, helping people, listening to their suggestions, participating in groups, being there for your friends, and so on. You're the kind of friend that everyone wants to have. You're trusting and open, and others around you can sense it. You make others comfortable just by being present.

Which traits make up my score on this factor?
This factor generally refers to how positively you view other people and what kind of an effect you have on others. For instance, being guarded and suspicious has a less "agreeable" effect than being open and trusting does. Being compliant and gentle is more agreeable than being stubborn and harsh. Of course, there is a time and a place for being stubborn and harsh; this factor captures whether you generally lean more toward or away from being "agreeable."

Your answers indicate that you are less agreeable than others, meaning that you have a strong idea about what your needs are and what you like to accomplish and that you don't necessarily like to follow the rules of the group or postpone your needs in order to help others meet theirs. When you set your mind to something, it is hard to change it, especially if you suspect the person trying to change it is up to something dishonest.

There are six different personality traits that primarily determine your level of agreeableness. Here is a bar chart that depicts how strong each of these personality traits are in you.

Agreeableness Trait 1: Straight-Forwardness

People who get right to the point are straightforward. Beating around the bush, telling a complete story before giving the "bottom line," and so forth, are not so straightforward.

Your Straight-forward rating is 100 out of 100. So, you're relatively direct. If you've got a strong opinion, you're going to share it. And when someone tries to challenge you, you're usually up for it and unlikely to back down just because things get intense. Being direct usually indicates being driven as well. You don't want to waste time or effort — being direct gets you there quickest. And since you know where you're going, there's no reason to beat around the bush or say things any other way but directly. This is not to say that you aren't able to be diplomatic at times; just that you prefer to take the direct route when possible.

Agreeableness Trait 2: Trust

How you look at the world influences what you see in it. If you expect people to be dishonest and hurtful, you will be quick to recognize it when a person's behavior might fit that description. If you expect people to be honest and kind, you will be more liable to notice that behavior instead. It's basically a "what you see is what you get" type of philosophy. Depending on how others have treated you in the past, you may have a keener eye for distrustful behavior than you do for honesty or kindness.

Your Trust rating is 88 out of 100. This means that you see the best in others. You believe that most people are honest and well-intentioned. This comes from a general optimism toward life and an eye for beauty whether in other people or other things. Your patience for others' imperfections helps you to not jump to conclusions about them. Also, you tend to be trustworthy yourself, and so it is easy for you to imagine that others are just as trustworthy. This may or may not be true in any given case, but giving others the benefit of the doubt can often help to foster positive relationships with them and increase the chances that they will in fact act honorably toward you.

Agreeableness Trait 3: Tender-Mindedness

Your friend is crying and she wants your help. You can react in many different ways. On one extreme you have the person who reacts with an articulate and rational plan for how to fix the problem. On the other extreme, you have the person who reacts emotionally, supporting the friend through their sympathy. Neither reaction is wrong; they are both helpful in different ways.

Your Tender-Mindedness rating is 40 out of 100. This means you're relatively more rational and less tender-minded. You're very logical, knowing that this is something you can rely on to get you through any difficult situation. And even if you don't consciously think it's the better way to be, you're just more naturally inclined to rely on logic to guide you in the face of an important decision. You are also not prone to take your time meandering about when it comes to making such decisions. You weigh the pros against the cons, and then based on the facts, you make a decision. Of course not all decisions can be dealt with in this way; this is simply your preferred method.

Agreeableness Trait 4: Altruism

Volunteering to help others and lending a helping hand when you can are examples of altruism in action. Just listening to a friend on the phone when they are in a crisis can be an act of altruism as well. We're all altruistic to a certain extent — however, some people make it a way of life to help others, whereas most of us simply do what we can as things come to us.

Your Altruism rating is 38 out of 100. You prefer to not muddle in the affairs of others. Sure, it may seem that a person is in need of help, but you don't know their situation. Plus you've got your own life to worry about. And, on top of this, you know you can affect others just by doing little things. You don't have to go out of your way to volunteer or help out. Some of that stuff happens naturally anyway.

Agreeableness Trait 5: Modesty

There are some people who are great and let the world know about it. And there are others who are great but don't toot their own horn in public — and in general, aren't tempted to.

Your Modesty rating is 37 out of 100. This means that when someone compliments you, you tend to agree. You understand that impressions on others are important, and you can't just ignore that. You have to represent yourself in the best light possible. Telling others about your accomplishments, and even acknowledging to yourself that you have done many great things, is part of having the high self-esteem that you do. The only downside is having a competitive streak since losing could make you look like you don't know what you're doing or that you're not as great as you think or say you are. Everyone loses, but not everyone takes it personally when they do. Not every immodest person is the same, but often these are common struggles.

Agreeableness Trait 6: Compliance

Compliance is the opposite of competitive. If you're playing with someone who doesn't mind losing and doesn't need to win, you're seeing compliance in action. More generally, compliance is the tendency to go along with things, to avoid creating resistance.

Your Compliance rating is 0 out of 100. Even if you wanted to go along with what other people want you to do — which you don't — it would be difficult for you. You've got a lot going on, and a lot you want to accomplish, and simply going along with someone else's plans just doesn't fit with who you are or what you are planning for your future. When someone gets too pushy, this can lead you to react quickly and negatively, bringing out that slight temper of yours. But mostly, you're just energetically pursuing your own dreams, and being overly compliant would make it more difficult to reach your goals.

Which traits make up my score on this factor?
Negative emotionality represents the extent to which you react to negative stimuli. In other words, when something negative hits you, how do you respond? Does it ruin your day or does it barely register? Most people fall between these two extremes.

Your answers indicate that you are resilient. Something hits you and it doesn't get all the way in. When others would react with anger or embarrassment, you are more likely to step back and not take it personally. Most stressful situations are more challenging to you than they are overwhelming, and represent an opportunity for you to show how competent you really are.

There are six different personality traits that primarily determine your level of negative emotionality. Here is a bar chart that depicts how strong each of these personality traits are in you.

Negative Emotionality Trait 1: Impulsiveness

You walk into a store and see an object you've been coveting for months. Do you buy it? Well, if you were highly impulsive, you would have already purchased it by now. If you're not, you might be able to weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. In fact, if you're not impulsive at all, it just might take you a year or two to decide.

Your Impulsiveness rating is 52 out of 100. This means that you're inclined to act first and think later. Something very eye-catching might draw in your attention and the next thing you know, you're walking out of the store with something new. You're spontaneous, which people like. But the flip side of this is disorganization and a feeling that things are a bit out of your control. At times, it can be helpful to be able to think carefully through something before you decide how to act.

Negative Emotionality Trait 2: Anger

This trait refers to how quickly you grow angry and how likely you are to get angry at all.

Your Anger rating is 50 out of 100. So you're quick to get mad and have a temper that flares up from time to time. Many things can make you angry, such as someone trying to "put you in your place," or trying to control you in some way. You're generally on edge, so it doesn't take a lot to push you over and get you in that angry state most people have probably learned to avoid.

Negative Emotionality Trait 3: Worry

Some people generally feel relaxed and carefree; others, anxious. This personality trait is the continuum between these two extremes.

Your Worry rating is 25 out of 100. This means that you're generally not a worrier. Sure, everyone worries once in a while, but you worry less than others. When things get tough, rather than worry about them, you take action and do what you can to make the situation less threatening. You know that the chances are that things will end up just fine anyway, so why torment yourself worrying about things? You'd rather find a way to enjoy your current situation than to worry about what could go wrong with it.

Negative Emotionality Trait 4: Discouragement

When something gets in your way, are you likely to give up or keep going? When you're excited about your ideas, is it easy for someone to come along and discourage you from believing them, or are you likely to continue holding your beliefs despite what others are saying?

Your Discouragement rating is 24 out of 100. You're not one to back down from reaching a goal you feel strongly about. People may try to dissuade you, but you aren't likely to budge. You can take a lot of stress and a lot of criticism before you'll lapse into a frenzy of self-doubt. This is usually due to an internal security about who it is that you are rather than an inflated confidence or rigidity. You're able to sort out what is nonsense from what is good advice, especially when it comes to your own personal goals.

Negative Emotionality Trait 5: Vulnerability

The heat is on, people are starting to panic, and everyone is stressed. Are you likely to be the one who is freaking out or the one sitting calming in the corner telling everyone, "All things pass — there's no reason to be upset!" Or, are you the one screaming, "I knew it! The world is coming to an end!" When times are stressful, falling apart typically just makes the situation more difficult to handle. Resilience and vulnerability are two ends of the spectrum of vulnerability.

Your Vulnerability rating is 16 out of 100. You're on the resilient side of the spectrum. You're not easily sidetracked by life's ups and downs, because you know that you can handle them. You've got a strong rational mind that you can utilize when times get stressful. Rather than relying solely on your emotions to guide you during difficult times, you bring logic into the picture to help you figure out what to do. This helps to provide a little distance between you and the stressor and usually helps you to function more effectively and to cope with the current problem more easily than you would have otherwise been able to.

Negative Emotionality Trait 6: Self-consciousness

When in an uncertain situation, you can either put yourself out there or hold back and wait to see what happens. A perfect example is in the proverbial classroom when the teacher asks a question and no one is 100% sure that they know the answer. It is the un-self-conscious person who speaks up. On the other hand, the self-conscious person shrinks into the seat and prays not to be called on.

Your Self-conscious rating is 13 out of 100. You don't mind being the center of attention sometimes. The spotlight can be on you and you're not likely to shrivel up in embarrassment. You can laugh at yourself because you don't misinterpret inane comments as personal insults. This makes you easy to be around and easy to joke with because others will be able to sense that you don't have heightened sensitivity in this way.

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