myresults

The Big Five Aspect Scale
You have just completed assessing yourself with 100 phrases. Our systems have compared your-self-ratings to those of thousands of other people. You are being compared to men and women of all ages. This means that if you are young, your scores on neuroticism will be higher and on agreeableness and conscientiousness will be lower than if you were compared to people of your own age (with the reverse being true for older individuals). For men, their scores on agreeableness will be higher and on neuroticism will be lower than if they were just being compared to men. We decided to make the comparisons simple, so that you know where you stand in comparison to the typical person (with age and sex regarded as irrelevant).

Here are your results: You will see below where you stand in comparison to others in the general population on the major traits and their aspects:

Agreeableness: Compassion and Politeness
Conscientiousness: Industriousness and Orderliness
Extraversion: Enthusiasm and Assertiveness
Neuroticism: Withdrawal and Volatility
Openness to Experience: Openness and Intellect
Remember that each personality trait and aspect (and your relative position with respect to them) has advantages and disadvantages. It is for that reason that variation exists in the human population: there is a niche for each personality configuration. Much of what constitutes success in life is therefore the consequence of finding the place in relationships, work and personal commitment that corresponds to your unique personality structure. Good luck with your expanded self-understanding!

Note also that if you find that the descriptions harsher than you might consider appropriate this may mean that you were more self-critical than necessary when completing the questions (remember, the results are based on your own self-report, compared to that of others). This can occur if you were feeling temporarily or chronically unhappy or anxious, or hungry, angry or judgmental when you completed the questions.



Agreeableness: Exceptionally Low

You are exceptionally low in agreeableness, which is the primary dimension of Interpersonal interaction in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Agreeableness has two aspects: compassion and politeness, which will be explained separately. Agreeableness is a very complex trait, with marked positive and negative elements all along its distribution. Because of this, higher scores and lower scores need to be explained at the same time.

People high in agreeableness are nice: compliant, nurturing, kind, naively trusting and conciliatory. However, because of their tendency to avoid conflict, they often dissemble and hide what they think. People low in agreeableness are not so nice: stubborn, dominant, harsh, skeptical, competitive and, in the extreme, even predatory. However, they tend to be straightforward, even blunt, so you know where they stand.

Your score puts you at the 1st percentile for agreeableness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less agreeable than 98 of them and more agreeable than 1 of them.

 AGREEABLENESS
1st percentile

You are less agreeable than 98 of 100 people
People with exceptionally low levels of agreeableness are seen by others as markedly competitive, colder, tougher and very much less empathic. They do not easily see the best in others, and are not particularly tolerant (an attitude that is much valued by agreeable people). They are very much less concerned about the emotional state of others, are uncommonly willing to engage in conflict, and will happily sacrifice peace and harmony to make a point or (if conscientious) to get things done. People may find them painfully straightforward and blunt. They tend very strongly towards dominance, rather than submission (particularly if also below average in neuroticism).

People with exceptionally low levels of agreeableness do not at all easily forgive. They are definitely not accepting, flexible, gentle or patient. They feel minimal pity for those who are excluded, punished or defeated, and attribute such problems to weakness or inability. They are also extremely unlikely to be taken advantage of by disagreeable, manipulative or otherwise troublesome people, or those with criminal or predatory intent. Their extraordinarily high levels of skepticism play a protective role, although it often interferes with their ability to cooperate with or trust others whose intentions are genuinely good. They are also much less likely to reward good behavior or to give credit where it is due. They cooperate grudgingly, and only when cooperation is in their clear self-interest, preferring competition, with its well-defined losers and winners. They do not lose arguments (or avoid discussions) with anyone, for any reason, and enjoy the battle. This can interfere with their ability to learn from experience (their own or others’). They are very likely to be expert at bargaining for themselves, and at negotiating for more recognition or power, and are likely to have higher salaries and to earn more money, in consequence. People exceptionally low in agreeableness are therefore less likely to suffer from resentment or to harbour invisible anger. They let you know exactly what they think, when they think it, whether you want to know it or not. In addition, because of their tendency to engage in conflict, at a moment’s notice, people exceptionally low in agreeableness do not sacrifice medium- to long-term stability and functionality for the sake of short-term peace. This means that problems that should be solved in the present are often solved, quickly and harshly. This means that such problems may not accumulate counterproductively across time. The price paid for this? People close to those exceptionally low in agreeableness will frequently experience them as overbearing and uncaring.

Women are higher in agreeableness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 61.5. For men it is 38.5. The fact that men are lower in agreeableness than women helps explain their much higher rates of criminal incarceration (90% male). The primary difference between criminals and non-criminals is disagreeableness. If the typical criminal is more disagreeable than 98% of people in the general population, then almost all those criminals will be male. This difference in agreeableness between men and women is largest in countries such as Norway and Sweden, where the most has been done to ensure equality of outcome between the sexes. This provides strong evidence that biological factors rather than environment and learning account for the dissimilarity.

Agreeableness, per se, is not strongly associated with political liberalism or conservatism, but this is because the aspects of agreeableness predict such political belief in opposite ways, and cancel each other out. Liberals are higher in aspect compassion, and conservatives in aspect politeness. However, alliance with the category of belief that has come to be known as politically correct is strongly predicted by agreeableness (particularly compassion). What this appears to mean is that agreeable people strongly identify with those they deem oppressed, seeing them, essentially, as exploited infants, and demonize those they see as oppressors, seeing them as cruel, heartless predators.

There are large differences between men and women in terms of spontaneous interest, and these also appear associated with agreeableness. Agreeable people, caring as they do for others, are more likely to enter professions associated with people, such as teaching and nursing, which are dominated by women. This is true even in the Scandinavian countries, where attempts to produce gender-equal societies has reached a maximum. Disagreeable people, by contrast, appear to prefer systematizing over empathizing, and are more interested in things – machines and technology. In consequence, professions such as engineering and trades associated with construction and machinery tend to be dominated by relatively disagreeable men.

Agreeableness has two aspects: compassion and politeness.



Compassion: Exceptionally Low

You are exceptionally low in compassion, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 1st percentile for compassion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less compassionate than 98 of them and more compassionate than 1 of them.

Exceptionally less compassionate people are not at all oriented towards the problems of other people or other living things. They are not swayed or emotionally engaged by helplessness or cuteness. They are very willing, even happy, to make other people experience negative emotion by engaging in conflict and competition. They want to win, period, and will engage in the confrontation necessary to do so. They are therefore very much less concerned about helping other people. They make certain their own needs and interests are attended to, and are extraordinarily unwilling to sacrifice for the sake of other people’s comfort. This can make them harsh and unsympathetic. People might turn to them for the blunt, cold, hard truth, but never for a soft, patient, eternally-listening ear. They are remarkably less empathetic and caring. However, because they are not primarily other-oriented, they can negotiate expertly on their own behalf, and get at least what they deserve (and perhaps more). In consequence, they are unlikely to harbor feelings of resentment or hidden anger. They find it difficult to trust, however, even when such trust would be productive, and other people are likely to find them callous and unfeeling.

 COMPASSION
1st percentile

You are less compassionate than 98 of 100 people
Those who are liberal, politically, score somewhat higher in compassion than conservatives.

Women are also higher in compassion than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 61. For men it is 39.



Politeness: Very Low

You are very low in politeness, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 7th percentile for politeness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less polite than 92 of them and more polite than 7 of them.

People who are very low in politeness are not at all deferential to authority – nor are they obedient. They can be respectful, grudgingly, but only to people who clearly deserve and demand it, and they are very markedly willing to push back when challenged. They are not uncomfortable confronting other people – in fact, they may enjoy it. People very low in politeness are not motivated to avoid conflict, or to steer clear of conflict or fights. They may find themselves frequently in trouble with authority, in consequence. Their skepticism can make it very difficult for them to find a place in the middle or lower in hierarchies of power and dominance. They tend very strongly to be dominant, rather than submissive (particularly if they are also low in neuroticism).

 POLITENESS
7th percentile

You are less polite than 92 of 100 people
Those who are liberal, politically, score somewhat lower in politeness than conservatives (the opposite pattern is seen with compassion).

Women are higher in politeness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 59. For men it is 41.



Conscientiousness: Very Low

You are very low in conscientiousness, which is the primary dimension of dutiful achievement in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Conscientiousness is a measure of obligation, attention to detail, hard work, persistence, cleanliness, efficiency and adherence to rules, standards and processes. Conscientious people implement their plans and establish and maintain order.

Your score puts you at the 4th percentile for conscientiousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less conscientious than 95 of them and more conscientious than 4 of them.

People very low in conscientiousness do not regard duty as at all important. They are likely to regard those who slog away at their task as suckers, teacher’s pets and boot-lickers. They will only work hard if directly and continually pushed by outside forces (supervisors, spouses, friends, parents). They can be very creative at wasting time. They are very likely to procrastinate (particularly if they are also above average in neuroticism). Even if they do commit to doing something, it is very likely they will be late, or delayed, even when there is no reason for failing to deliver. They formulate and deliver excuses for their failure under such circumstances, blaming the situation for their problems with task focus and completion. They are not at all decisive, neat, organized, future-oriented, or reliable, and they find themselves constantly distracted.

 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4th percentile

You are less conscientious than 95 of 100 people
People with very low levels of conscientiousness are very likely to obtain poor grades in academic settings (particularly if they also less intelligent), and generally require substantial supervision to stay on task. For this reason, they make poor managers and administrators. They are not compelled to do things by the book, however. This can perhaps be an advantage, if they are engaged in creative tasks, where rules must be broken for advancement to take place. Very unconscientious people will not make career or educational accomplishment a primary goal, and will turn instead to pursuit of safety and security (if high in neuroticism), creative accomplishment (if high in openness), establishment of intimate relationships and friendships (if highly agreeable), or social success, excitement and fun (if extraverted). They are by no means ambitious.

People very low in conscientiousness tend to be markedly free of guilt, shame, self-disgust and self-contempt. Other people, however, are very likely to react negatively to their tendency to slack off and avoid responsibility (particularly if those other people are disagreeable and conscientious).

Individuals who are very low in conscientious appear unconcerned by failure. They are not at all judgmental, to themselves or others, and can easily and quickly find and formulate situational explanations for disappointment, frustration or lack of success. They can handle periods of inactivity and unemployment with ease. They chronically downplay the relationship between hard work, diligence and success, assuming instead that chance factors and luck in life play the only determining roles. They live for leisure and very much look forward to time off. They can be remarkably good at relaxing, taking it easy, and living in the moment (particularly when low in neuroticism). They are very much less concerned than average with cleaning, moral purity and achievement. It’s far more fun to be at the beach or at a party with a person very low in conscientiousness – but you don’t want to invite them over on moving day.

People very low in conscientiousness are strikingly more likely to be political liberals rather than conservatives. This is particularly true if they are also high in openness.

Women are very slightly more conscientious than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 51.5. For men it is 49.5.

Conscientiousness has two aspects: industriousness and orderliness.



Industriousness: Exceptionally Low

You are exceptionally low in industriousness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 0th percentile for industriousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less industrious than 99 of them and more industrious than 0 of them.

People who are exceptionally low in industriousness are extremely unlikely to be successful in school and in administrative and managerial positions (particularly if they are also less intelligent). If they are highly intelligent, they will almost certainly be regarded as underachievers, by themselves and others. They don’t regard work as worthwhile or important, and are almost certain to procrastinate, miss deadlines, or fail to complete assignments or projects completely. They shirk all responsibility, concentrating on fun, worry, relationships, excitement or creative endeavor. They aren’t all concerned with or interested in schedules, timelines or efficiency, and are unlikely to complete their tasks even if supervised excessively. They lack focus and are far too-easily and continually distracted.

 INDUSTRIOUSNESS
0th percentile

You are less industrious than 99 of 100 people
People exceptionally low in industriousness are not at all judgmental to themselves or others. They continually and habitually let people, including themselves, off the hook. They insist that people fail not because they don’t apply themselves or work hard but because chance and luck play the only determining roles. They are very resistant to guilt, self-disgust or self-contempt, and have a totally laissez-faire, whatever-will-be-will-be attitude toward life.

Those who are liberal and those who are conservatives appear equally industrious.

Men are slightly more industrious than women. The mean percentile for men in a general population (women and men) is 51.5. For women it is 49.5.



Orderliness: Moderately Low

You are moderately low in orderliness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 30th percentile for orderliness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less orderly than 69 of them and more orderly than 30 of them.

People moderately low in orderliness are neither disturbed nor disgusted by mess and chaos. They tend simply not to notice such things. They see the world in shades of grey, rather than black and white, and are non-judgmental in their attitudes toward themselves and others. They rarely use schedules, list, or routines and, even if they plan, tend not to implement those plans, preferring to take things as they come, and let chance determine the outcome. They are not oriented toward detail and take neither rules nor procedures too seriously.

ORDERLINESS
30th percentile

You are less orderly than 69 of 100 people
People who are moderately low in orderliness care less than average for routine and predictability. Their schedules are loose and disruption doesn’t bother them. They require almost constant reminder and supervision to maintain attention and focus, and are easily distracted. They can, however, tolerate the mess, disruption and intervening periods of chaos that may accompany creative endeavour.

Those who are below average in orderliness are less likely to be political conservatives. Orderliness is the second-best predictor of conservatism, after openness to experience.

Women are more orderly than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 54.5. For men it is 45.5. This may account for some of the trouble in relation to housework between women and men. Since women are, on average, more orderly, household disorder will trigger disgust and discomfort in them faster. This may happen with sufficient frequency so they end up doing a disproportionate share of such work (even though if they waited a bit longer their less orderly partners, often men, might end up equally troubled and motivated to fix the problem). Orderly people are more likely to have items such as event calendars, drawer organizers, laundry baskets, irons and ironing boards in their immediate environments.



Extraversion: Moderately Low

You are moderately low in extraversion, which is the primary dimension of positive emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. You could also think of yourself as moderately high in introversion. Extraversion is a measure of general sensitivity to positive emotions such as hope, joy, anticipation and approach, particularly in social situations.

Your score puts you at the 25th percentile for extraversion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less extraverted than 74 of them and more extraverted than 25 of them.

People with moderately low levels of extraversion are not particularly enthusiastic, talkative, assertive in social situations, or gregarious. They tend to find excessive social contact draining and tiring, and crave time alone to recharge. They are less likely to plan parties, tell jokes, make people laugh, or volunteer for community activities. They are somewhat more likely to be depressed and to have lower levels of self-esteem (particularly if they are high in neuroticism). They are less optimistic about the past, present and future.

EXTRAVERSION
25th percentile

You are less extraverted than 74 of 100 people
People who are moderately low in extraversion find it relatively easy to keep things to themselves. They are not compelled to share everything with everyone. They are not particularly self-disclosing and do not warm up quickly to other people. They are more comfortable with one-to-one interactions than in a group-oriented situation. They are rarely the first to speak in meetings, although they will express an opinion if asked. They are less likely to captivate and convince, and will rarely be the first to act in an ambiguous situation.

People who are moderately low in extraversion are better suited to occupations that require work alone or with a few other well-known individuals (such as computer programming or accounting). Jobs involving sales, persuasion, work in groups and public speaking are unlikely to appeal to them, and they are less likely to be successful at such things (particularly if they are also high in neuroticism).

People moderately low in extraversion are relatively unlikely to be impulsive, even when offered the opportunity to do something exciting or fun. They are therefore less likely to sacrifice the future to the present, when something social or group-oriented beckons. They find it relatively easy to be alone to study and work. They are not easily distracted by opportunities to chat, joke and socialize. This is particularly the case if they are also high in conscientiousness. However, when people are introverted and conscientious, they are less productive than when extraverted and conscientiousness, perhaps because they have lower levels of energy. When introverted and comparatively unconscientiousness, however, they are more productive than when extraverted and unconscientious.

People moderately low in extraversion tend to be less dominant in social situations, particularly if they are also low in agreeableness. Less agreeable extraverts tend to be self-centered – something that can be made worse if they are also low in conscientiousness. More introverted people are somewhat protected against such tendencies.

Those who are politically liberal are slightly less extraverted than conservatives.

Women are slightly more extraverted than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 52. For men it is 48.

Extraversion has two aspects: Enthusiasm and Assertiveness.



Enthusiasm: Moderately Low

You are moderately low in enthusiasm, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 25th percentile for enthusiasm. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less enthusiastic than 74 of them and more enthusiastic than 25 of them.

Individuals who are moderately low in enthusiasm are rarely excitable, not particularly easy to get to know, and not known for their talkative nature. When they do talk, it tends only to be about things in which they find particular interest. They do not easily open up to people, particularly in larger social gatherings or parties. They laugh more rarely than others. They tend to prefer solitude, although they can enjoy themselves around other people, in moderation. They are more private people, and are not particularly positive or optimistic. They do not crave the spotlight and, if creative, may find performing less desirable. They rarely seek out stimulation, excitement, activity or fun (and, if they do so, prefer quieter activities). People moderately low in enthusiasm are not gregarious or people-loving, and are not particularly positive about what might happen next .

ENTHUSIASM
25th percentile

You are less enthusiastic than 74 of 100 people
Enthusiasm is not strongly associated with political preference, either conservative or liberal.

Women are higher in enthusiasm than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 55. For men it is 45.



Assertiveness: Moderately Low

You are moderately low in assertiveness, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 31st percentile for assertiveness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less assertive than 68 of them and more assertive than 31 of them.

Somewhat less assertive people are not known to be “take charge” types. They put their own opinions forward with reservation, and rarely attempt to dominate and control social situations. Somewhat less assertive people are generally not influential or captivating in social groups. They have less of the communication style that is often associated with leadership. This can be somewhat of a handicap when they are knowledgeable, competent and able, but causes less trouble when they aren’t. Those moderately low in assertiveness are less likely to be people of action. They rarely in heedlessly and, in consequence, tend to allow others to lead the way. They are not typically impulsive, in consequence, and rarely act without thinking.

ASSERTIVENESS
31st percentile

You are less assertive than 68 of 100 people
Liberals tend to be slightly less assertive than conservatives.

Women are slightly less assertive than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 48. For men it is 52.



Neuroticism: Very High

You are very high in neuroticism, which is the primary dimension of negative emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Neuroticism is a measure of general sensitivity to negative emotions such as pain, sadness, irritable or defensive anger, fear and anxiety.

Your score puts you at the 95th percentile for neuroticism. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in neuroticism than 95 of them and lower in neuroticism than 4 of them.

People with very high levels of neuroticism are more likely to think that things have gone wrong in the past, are going wrong now, and will continue to go wrong into the future. They are also more likely to be unhappy, anxious and irritable when just thinking or remembering, and when they encounter a genuine problem. They have very low levels of self-esteem, particularly when they are also low in extraversion. Neuroticism is a risk factor for anxiety disorders and depression.

 NEUROTICISM
95th percentile

You are higher in neuroticism than 95 of 100 people
Very high levels of neuroticism are likely to interfere with both success and satisfaction in relationships and career, with the strongest effect on relationships. Very high levels of neuroticism are associated with exaggerated concern about mental and physical health, far more frequent physician and emergency room visits, and atypically high levels of absenteeism at work and at school (particularly if accompanied by below average levels of conscientiousness).

People with very high levels of neuroticism appear to be fundamentally risk-averse, which means they will avoid recreational, career, financial and social situations where the possibility of loss is high. Such people appear to be very much concerned with maintaining their current status, rather than enhancing it. Perhaps this is a good strategy in genuinely dangerous or uncertain times.

Neuroticism is not a powerful predictor of political belief, either conservative or liberal.

Females tend to be higher in neuroticism than males. The typical woman is higher in neuroticism than 60% of the general population of men and women combined. In part, this may be why women report more unhappiness in their relationships, at work, in school and with their health than men, on average, and why women initiate 70% of all divorces. This difference in neuroticism between men and women appears to emerge at puberty. It is largest in countries such as Norway and Sweden, where the most has been done to ensure equality of outcome between the sexes. This provides strong evidence that biological factors rather than environment and learning account for the dissimilarity.

Trait neuroticism is made up of the aspects withdrawal and volatility.



Withdrawal: Exceptionally High

You are exceptionally high in withdrawal, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 97th percentile for withdrawal. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in withdrawal than 97 of them and lower in withdrawal than 2 of them.

Individuals exceptionally high in withdrawal may feel extreme levels of anticipatory anxiety. This makes it unusually challenging for them to approach new, uncertain, unexpected, threatening or complex situations. They are instead extremely more likely to avoid or withdraw in the face of the unknown and unexpected.

People exceptionally high in withdrawal are unusually more likely to feel sad, lonesome, disappointed and grief-stricken. They have exceptionally high levels of doubt and worry, become embarrassed easily, are self-conscious and get discouraged rapidly in the face of threat and punishment. Their anticipatory anxiety is extremely likely to be general. They are very sensitive to social rejection, and can be easily hurt. Once hurt, frightened, or anxious, as well, it takes them a long time to recover. Perhaps people exceptionally high in withdrawal are extremely concerned that something bad might happen, while people exceptionally high in volatility (the other aspect of neuroticism) get very upset if something bad does happen. Technically, withdrawal has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate passive avoidance.

 WITHDRAWAL
97th percentile

You are higher in withdrawal than 97 of 100 people
Those who are liberal, politically, are slightly higher in withdrawal than conservatives.

Women are higher in withdrawal than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 60. For men it is 40.



Volatility: High

You are high in volatility, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 84th percentile for volatility. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more volatile than 84 of them and less volatile than 15 of them.

Individuals high in volatility tend to vary in their mood. They can be irritable, reacting strongly to disappointment, frustration, pain and the threat of social isolation. They can lash out and are relatively easily annoyed. They are more likely to act out or verbally express their frustration, disappointment and irritability. They can be stirred up and upset and, once angry or irritated, take a longer than average time to calm down. They can be argumentative and lose their composure. They can be provocative in a dispute (particularly if also low in agreeableness). Perhaps people high in volatility get upset if something bad does happen, while people high in withdrawal (the other aspect of neuroticism) suffer from more concern that something bad might happen. Technically, volatility has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate fight, flight or freeze.

 VOLATILITY
84th percentile

You are more volatile than 84 of 100 people
Volatility is not strongly related to political preference, either liberal or conservative.

Women are higher in volatility than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 57.5. For men it is 42.5.



Openness to Experience: High

You are high in openness to experience, which is the primary dimension of creativity, artistic interest and intelligence (particularly verbal intelligence) in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. Openness to experience is a measure of interest in novelty, art, literature, abstract thinking, philosophy as well as sensitivity to aesthetic emotions and beauty.

Your score puts you at the 78th percentile for openness to experience. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in openness to experience than 78 of them and lower in openness to experience than 21 of them.

People with high levels of openness to experience are much more likely than average to be characterized by others as smart, creative, exploratory, intelligent and visionary. They are highly interested in learning, and continually acquire new abilities and skills. They are very curious and exploratory. They find themselves unusually interested in abstract thinking, philosophy, and the meaning of belief systems and ideologies. They will seek out cultural events such as movies, concerts, dance recitals, plays, poetry readings, gallery openings and art shows. They are very likely to enjoy writing (or even to be driven to write). They enjoy complex, abstract ideas and love to confront and solve complex, abstract and multi-dimensional problems.

 OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE
78th percentile

You are higher in openness to experience than 78 of 100 people
They are very likely to be prolific readers, with a strikingly wide range of interests. They have an atypically broad and deep vocabulary. They can think and learn very quickly. They are very proficient at formulating new ideas, and tend strongly to be articulate (particularly if average or above in extraversion). People high in openness can see old things in new ways. They can formulate any single problem in a highly diverse range of ways, and can generate a very large number of problem-solving solutions. They seek change, often to make things better, but also just for the sake of change.

People who are high in openness to experience are less well adapted to and tend to do less well in situations or occupations that are routinized and predictable. They do not fit in very well at the bottom of hierarchies. They are typically ill-suited to entry-level, repetitive, rote positions, because they are always thinking up new ways to do things, and such ideas are seldom welcome from someone at the bottom. They are radical thinkers. They shake things up, particularly if they are also disagreeable and assertive. They are somewhat more likely to be revolutionary rebels (particularly if average or below in conscientiousness).

Individuals high in openness to experience tend strongly to be entrepreneurial in spirit, as well as smart and creative. They have much higher than average interest in creating new ventures, sometimes for profit, sometimes for curiosity, and sometimes for personal transformation. High levels of openness to experience appear necessary to the formation and leadership of business and other forms of complex organization, although conscientiousness appears required for the attention to detail and process management that such organizations also always need.

Because people who are high in openness to experience tend to be interested in almost everything, this can make it harder for them to settle on a single path in life, to specialize to a necessary degree, and to create an integrated identity. This problem can be exaggerated if they are high in neuroticism and/or low in conscientiousness. People characterized by the combination of high openness to experience and high neuroticism often undermine their own convictions and beliefs by questioning and making themselves lost and anxious. Open, unconscientious people tend to be “under-achievers” (particularly if also above average in neuroticism). Such people appear to have the capability to succeed, can learn quickly, and are creative, but they can have some trouble implementing their ideas.

Openness to experience is the dimension that best predicts political allegiance (with conscientiousness, particularly the aspect of orderliness, coming in at second place). Those who are liberal, politically, are very much more likely to be high in openness to experience than conservatives.

Women and men differ very little in openness to experience at the trait level, although there are differences in the aspect levels.

Trait openness to experience is made up of the aspects of intellect and openness.



Intellect: Very High

Note: Do not confuse the personality aspect of Intellect with IQ. Intellect is a measure of interest in abstract ideas, essentially, while IQ is a measure of processing speed, verbal ability, working memory, and problem solving capacity, and is better measured with a formal IQ test. It is perfectly possible to have a high IQ and a low score on the personality trait of Intellect (or the reverse).

You are very high in intellect, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 92nd percentile for intellect. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in intellect than 92 of them and lower in intellect than 7 of them.

People very high in intellect are notably interested in ideas and abstract concepts. They crave exposure to novel information, even when it is complex. They are highly curious and exploratory, and actively want to find, tackle and solve challenging problems. They will much more frequently seek out and initiate issue-oriented discussions, and are very likely to read, think about and want to discuss idea-centered books (generally non-fiction). They are markedly articulate, and can formulate ideas clearly and quickly (particularly if average or higher in extraversion). They have a broad and wide vocabulary, and continually want to learn new things. People very high in intellect will constantly find and generate novel, creative concepts and voluntarily search for and adapt very well to new experience and situations.

 INTELLECT
92nd percentile

You are higher in intellect than 92 of 100 people
People very high in intellect find complex, rapidly changing occupations necessary and will generally excel at them (particularly if they are also high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism). However, they are very much less well-suited to stable, straightforward and more traditional occupations, where the rules don't change, and will experience frequent periods of boredom and intolerable levels of frustration in such positions.

Liberals are higher in intellect than conservatives (although the biggest difference between the two is openness to experience at the trait level).

Women are lower than men in intellect (although not in IQ). This is probably a difference in interest: people high in intellect, compared to openness, are more likely to prefer the sciences to the arts. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 45. For men it is 55.



Openness: Typical or Average

You are average in openness, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 44th percentile for openness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in openness than 44 of them and lower in openness than 55 of them.

The closest synonym for openness (rather than openness to experience, which encompasses openness and intellect) is creativity. People who are average in openness or creativity find beauty reasonably important. They may enjoy an outlet for their creative ability, but will not wither away without it. They can appreciate art or beautiful crafts. They are somewhat sensitive to color and architectural form. They sometimes enjoy collecting, but it is rare for them to pursue it passionately. They are reasonably imaginative, and may daydream and reflect on occasion. They tend to enjoy music, often of the more conventional popular forms, and may be somewhat musical or artistic themselves (both of these are rare in the general population). They do not generally become so immersed in a book, or a movie, or in their own thoughts, that they lose touch with the outside world. They are interested in but by no means obsessed with beauty, creativity and art.

OPENNESS
44th percentile

You are higher in openness than 44 of 100 people
People of typical or average openness tend to be quite stable and reasonably conventional (particularly if they are also average or above in conscientiousness). At least moderate levels of openness tend to be necessary for entrepreneurial success, and prove comparatively useful at the top of hierarchies, even in very conservative occupations such as banking, accounting and law, which need creative people in leadership positions to provide new vision and direction.

Liberals are higher in openness than conservatives (although the biggest difference between the two is openness to experience, at the trait level).

Women are higher in openness than men. The mean percentile for women in a general population (women and men) is 56.5. For men it is 44.5.