An Introduction to the Five‐Factor Model and Its Applications
1992/06/01 by Robert R. McCrae, Oliver P. John · 6,847 citations
Psychology · #Agreeableness #Alternative five model of personality #Big Five personality traits #Big Five personality traits and culture #Cognitive Abilities and Testing #Conscientiousness #Extraversion and introversion #Facet (psychology) #Hierarchical structure of the Big Five #Neuroticism #Openness to experience #Personality #Personality Disorders and Psychopathology #Personality Traits and Psychology #Psychology #Social psychology
paper · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00970.x
published in Journal of Personality 60(2), 175-215 (Wiley)
openalex publication_date 1992/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
Abstract
The five-factor model of personality is a hierarchical organization of personality traits in terms of five basic dimensions: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience. Research using both natural language adjectives and theoretically based personality questionnaires supports the comprehensiveness of the model and its applicability across observers and cultures. This article summarizes the history of the model and its supporting evidence; discusses conceptions of the nature of the factors; and outlines an agenda for theorizing about the origins and operation of the factors. We argue that the model should prove useful both for individual assessment and for the elucidation of a number of topics of interest to personality psychologists.
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