The OCEAN personality model ranks people’s character on five sliding scales. So where do you fit – and how much can you slide on each spectrum?
Personality psychology may be popular on Facebook, but the theory goes much farther back. Around 2,400 years ago, Hippocrates developed his theory of humours, which essentially stated that there were only four types of people in the world: the Irritable, the Depressed, the Optimistic and the Calm. This resonates in many cultures – even today – and many societies all over the world have developed their own ideas of a person’s core character.
Throughout the 20th century, psychology developed as an academic discipline that focused with newfound vigour on what makes us tick. What’s behind human drives, motivations, emotions, and disorders or pathologies? Are there really ‘personality types’ – and if there are, why does this really matter?
By the 1970s, the ‘Five Factor’ or OCEAN personality model had developed. This widely accepted model suggests that, in ALL societies, people can be grouped according to five very specific sets of traits, namely:
Openness: How curious and creative are you, and are you open to new experiences?
Conscientiousness: Are you self-disciplined or spontaneous?
Extraversion: Do you enjoy engaging actively with others or are you more reserved?
Agreeableness: How compassionate and friendly are you?
Neuroticism: How do you experience negative emotions such as fear, anxiety and shame?
Scientist have come to understand these five factors as spectrums rather than distinct categories. Far from being fixed labels, we ‘slide’ along each spectrum as our lives change and we develop. Situations and experiences shape our responses, from environmental factors – such as changing jobs or cities – to natural adjustments, such as those that take place when we grow older. Click here to find out how you score right now.
Why is this important?
In a research study using the Five Factor model at the University of Illinois, only 13% of respondents reported being satisfied with themselves as they were. This syncs with what we know: most people, deep down, want to change something about themselves. Many people want to change a lot. And to do that, it helps to be be clear about the ‘you’ you’re dealing with in the first place. What kind of ‘character’ or ‘personality’ are you – and are you happy with that?
It’s simple: if you want to change your ‘spots’ you have to know something about what kind of a ‘leopard’ you are. Personality psychology is designed to give us – as well as our health professionals, teachers and managers – some basic insights into our personalities. How do we like to learn, or be rewarded, or recognised in life, school or work? Understanding what it means to have a particular kind of personality allows us to decide if – and what – we want to change.
There is such a thing as being too shy, for example, especially if it makes you uncomfortable or imposes unwelcome limitations on your life. Conversely, being too ‘out there’ and perhaps too indiscriminately open to change can have its own downsides. A lack of routine can make you unproductive, while too much routine can render you stuck and rob you of novel experiences.
Knowing about the Five-Factor personality spectrums can be empowering, because it can make you realise that you are not alone. Of all the people in the world, a very large group – many millions of people – are a lot like you. Knowing just a little bit about where you fit into the five-factor spectrums can help you to become more accepting of yourself, as you ‘are’, while understanding what the possibilities of shifting on a spectrum are, should you want to.
Very often, even small shifts in either direction can bring people a great deal of satisfaction. Becoming just a little less shy, or learning to listen better and being less dominant – to use two examples from opposite ends of the Introvert/Extrovert spectrum – can make all the difference to the quality of your human interactions.
So, how much – and how – can we change?
Science is now clear that you can change where you ‘are’ on the spectrum as a result of deliberately trying to change. People can become less introverted or anxious, for example, and habitual latecomers or the chronically disorganised can be become just that bit ‘more’ conscientious.
How? There are many ways to address the areas of change that you identify. Even just being aware of them can often shift your approach in some way. Depending on the ‘problem’, you might want to consult a therapist or read some helpful books to gain information and insight. But whatever your goal, recent thinking recommends choosing a very specific behaviour and then setting yourself small, doable goals that will bring about incremental change.
Whether it’s talking to someone new at work or going to gym once a week, start with something you know you can do and then adjust it over time. It can also help to set yourself up for success: change your environment to suit your new lifestyle choices, lean on friends for support and guidance, and remember to reward yourself when you achieve a specific goal.
The journey of change starts with a single step – and it can start today.
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