Research Feed

A curated collection of research papers, articles, and related news and media exploring the Big Five personality traits.

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness Neuroticism
Intergenerational Relationships in Young Adulthood and Their Life Course, Mental Health, and Personality Correlates
Belsky et al. · Journal of Family Psychology · January 2003

This study examines how life milestones and personality traits affect relationships between 26-year-olds and their parents. Relationships tend to be more positive when young adults are married, employed, and living independently. However, personality plays a distinct role: higher levels of negati...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness Agreeableness
Structural Models of Personality and Their Relation To Antisocial Behavior: A Meta-Analytic Review
Miller & Lynam · Criminology · January 2001

This meta-analysis of 59 studies demonstrates that personality research provides a powerful lens for understanding criminology. By comparing four major structural models—PEN, the three-factor model, the FFM, and the seven-factor model—the authors found that antisocial behavior consistently correl...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness Neuroticism
Altruism and antisocial behavior: Independent tendencies, unique personality correlates, distinct etiologies
Krueger et al. · Psychological Science · January 2001

This research clarifies that altruism and antisocial behavior are independent dimensions rather than opposite ends of one spectrum. Altruism is primarily shaped by familial environments and positive emotionality, while antisocial behavior stems from genetics and negative emotionality combined wit...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness
Personality and performance at the beginning of the new millennium: What do we know and where do we go next? <i>International Journal of Selection and Assessment</i>, 9(1-2), 9-30
Barrick et al. · International Journal of Selection and Assessment · January 2001

This meta-analysis synthesizes a century of research to clarify how the Big Five traits drive career success. The findings confirm that Conscientiousness is the most consistent predictor of high performance across all jobs. While Emotional Stability also generally predicts strong work habits, tra...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness
General Traits of Personality and Affectivity as Predictors of Satisfaction in Intimate Relationships: Evidence from Self- and Partner-Ratings
Watson et al. · Journal of Personality · January 2000

This study examined how personality traits and emotional tendencies relate to relationship satisfaction in married and dating couples. Both self- and partner-ratings of an individual’s personality showed similar predictive patterns, with positive and negative affectivity emerging as key influence...

RESEARCH
Openness Conscientiousness Extraversion
Is acculturation unidimensional or bidimensional? A head-to-head comparison in the prediction of personality, self-identity, and adjustment
Ryder et al. · Journal of personality and social psychology · January 2000

This research supports the bidimensional model of acculturation, arguing that maintaining one's heritage culture and adopting a mainstream culture are independent processes rather than opposites. While the unidimensional view suggests an inverse relationship, data from diverse ethnic samples show...

RESEARCH
Openness Conscientiousness Extraversion Agreeableness Neuroticism
Spirituality: Description, Measurement, and Relation to the Five Factor Model of Personality
MacDonald, D.A. · Journal of Personality · January 2000

This research identifies five robust dimensions of spirituality that constitute the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI): Cognitive Orientation, Experiential/Phenomenological, Existential Well-Being, Paranormal Beliefs, and Religiousness. While these dimensions correlate differentially wit...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness Agreeableness Neuroticism
The Big Five personality traits, general mental ability, and career success across the life span
Judge et al. · Personnel Psychology · January 1999

Drawing from the longitudinal Intergenerational Studies, this research proves that personality and cognitive ability independently drive career success. Conscientiousness consistently predicted both job satisfaction and higher income, while Neuroticism hindered extrinsic achievements. Furthermore...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness
Psychosocial and behavioral predictors of longevity: The aging and death of the 'Termites
Friedman et al. · American Psychologist · January 1995

This longitudinal study followed a cohort of gifted children across several decades to determine how personality and family stress impact longevity. Researchers discovered that psychosocial factors, particularly impulsive or undercontrolled personality traits and the experience of parental divorc...

RESEARCH
Openness Conscientiousness
Identity, self, and personality: I. Identity status and the five-factor model of personality
Clancy & Dollinger · Journal of Research on Adolescence · January 1993

This study connects James Marcia’s four identity statuses—Achievement, Foreclosure, Moratorium, and Diffusion—to the Big Five traits. Researchers found that Identity Achievers exhibit high Conscientiousness and Extraversion with low Neuroticism. Conversely, Foreclosure correlates with low Opennes...

RESEARCH
Conscientiousness
The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance: A meta-analysis
Barrick & Mount · Personnel Psychology · March 1991

This meta-analysis explores how the Big Five personality traits predict success across various career fields, such as sales, management, and law enforcement. The research identifies Conscientiousness as a universal predictor of high job performance regardless of the occupation. Other traits are m...