Big Five personality traits

In psychology and psychometrics, the Big Five personality trait model or five-factor model (FFM), sometimes called by the mnemonic acronym OCEAN or CANOE, is a scientific model for measuring and describing human personality traits. The framework groups variation in personality into five separate factors, all measured on a continuous scale:

The five-factor model was developed using empirical research into the language people used to describe themselves, which found patterns and relationships between the words people use to describe themselves. For example, because someone described as "hard-working" is more likely to be described as "prepared" and less likely to be described as "messy", all three traits are grouped under conscientiousness. Using dimensionality reduction techniques, psychologists showed that most (though not all) of the variance in human personality can be explained using only these five factors.

Research into personality inventories found five broad dimensions could explain most variation in human personality and temperament, with more-detailed analyses typically dividing the traits into more specific subfactors. For example, extraversion is typically associated with qualities such as gregariousness, assertiveness, excitement-seeking, warmth, activity, and positive emotions. Other models, like HEXACO, supplement the Big 5 traits with additional variables.

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