Understand Myself

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 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: Moderately Low

You are moderately 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 29th percentile for agreeableness. If you were one of 100 people in a
room, you would be less agreeable than 70 of them and more agreeable than 29 of them.

AGREEABLENESS

29th percentile

You are less agreeable than 70 of 100 people

People with moderately low levels of agreeableness are seen by others as somewhat competitive,
colder and less empathic. They are less likely to look for the best in others, and are not particularly
tolerant (an attitude that is much valued by agreeable people). They are less concerned about the
emotional state of others, willing to engage in conflict, and will sacrifice peace and harmony to make
a point or (if conscientious) to get things done. People find them straightforward, even blunt. They
tend towards dominance, rather than submission (particularly if also below average in neuroticism).

People with moderately low levels of agreeableness are not particularly forgiving, accepting, flexible,
gentle or patient. They don’t easily feel pity for those who are excluded, punished or defeated. They
are also not easily taken advantage of by disagreeable, manipulative or otherwise troublesome
people, or by those with criminal or predatory intent. Their skepticism plays a protective role,
although it may interfere with their ability to cooperate with or trust others whose intentions are
genuinely good. They can appreciate cooperation, but like competition, with its clear losers and
winners. They will not easily lose arguments (or avoid discussions) with less agreeable people. They
tend to be good at bargaining for themselves, or at negotiating for more recognition or power. They
are likely to have higher salaries and to earn more money, in consequence. They are therefore less
likely to suffer from resentment or to harbour invisible anger, although this tendency may be
increased, if they are very high in neuroticism. In addition, because of their tendency to engage in
conflict, when necessary, moderately disagreeable people tend not to sacrifice medium- to long-term
stability and function for the sake of short-term peace. This means that problems that should be
solved in the present are often solved, and do not accumulate counterproductively across time.

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: Moderately Low

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

Less compassionate people are not primarily oriented towards the problems of other people or other
living things. They are less swayed by cuteness. They are willing to make other people experience
negative emotion by engaging in conflict and competition. They like to win, and are less concerned
about helping other people. They make sure their own needs and interests are attended to, and are
less likely to sacrifice for the sake of other people. This can make them appear harsh and
unsympathetic. People might turn to them for the truth, but not for a soft, patient, eternally-listening
ear. They are not markedly empathetic and caring. However, because they are not primarily other-
oriented, they can often negotiate effectively on their own behalf, and are likely to get at least what
they deserve (for their hard work, for example). In consequence, they are unlikely to harbor feelings
of resentment or hidden anger.

COMPASSION

31st percentile

You are less compassionate than 68 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: Moderately Low

You are moderately low in politeness, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at
the 32nd percentile for politeness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less polite
than 67 of them and more polite than 32 of them.

People who are moderately low in politeness are not particularly deferential to authority – nor are
they markedly obedient. They can be respectful, but only to people who clearly deserve it, and they
are willing to push back when challenged. They are not particularly uncomfortable confronting other
people. People moderately low in politeness are not particularly motivated to avoid conflict, or to
steer clear of conflict or fights.

POLITENESS

32nd percentile

You are less polite than 67 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: Moderately Low

You are moderately 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 31st percentile for conscientiousness. If you were one of 100 people in a
room, you would be less conscientious than 68 of them and more conscientious than 31 of them.

People moderately low in conscientiousness are not particularly dutiful. They are by no means
sloggers. They will only work hard if pushed, and don’t mind wasting time. They are quite likely to
procrastinate (particularly if they are also above average in neuroticism). If people with moderately
low levels of conscientiousness commit to doing something, there is a good chance they will be late,
or delayed, even if there isn’t much reason for it. They tend to find and deliver excuses for their
failure under such circumstances. They are not markedly decisive, neat, organized, future-oriented,
or reliable, and they find themselves easily distracted.

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS

31st percentile

You are less conscientious than 68 of 100 people

People with moderately low levels of conscientiousness are less likely to obtain higher grades in
academic settings (particularly if they are also less intelligent), and generally require substantial
supervision to stay on task. For this reason, they make less than optimal managers and
administrators. They do not feel 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. They are unlikely to make career accomplishment a primary goal, turning 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).

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

Individuals who are moderately low in conscientious are not particularly concerned by failure. They
are not judgmental, to themselves or others, and tend towards situational explanations for
disappointment, frustration or lack of success. They can handle periods of inactivity and
unemployment with relative ease. They tend to downplay the relationship between hard work,
diligence and success, believing that chance factors and luck in life play a determining role. They live,
in large part, for leisure and very much look forward to time off. They can be good at relaxing, and
living in the moment (particularly when low in neuroticism). They are less concerned than average
with cleaning, moral purity and achievement. It’s more fun to be at the beach or at a party with a
person moderately low in conscientiousness – but you might not want to invite them over on moving
day.

People moderately low in conscientiousness are 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: Low
You are low in industriousness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at
the 18th percentile for industriousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less
industrious than 81 of them and more industrious than 18 of them.

People who are low in industriousness are much less likely to be successful in school and in
administrative and managerial positions (particularly if they are also less intelligent). If they are
highly intelligent, they tend to be regarded as underachievers. They focus less on work than others
and are substantively more likely to procrastinate, miss deadlines, or fail to complete assignments or
projects completely. They put off responsibilities, concentrating more on fun, worry, relationships,
excitement or creative endeavour. They aren’t concerned with schedules, timelines or efficiency, and
will have to be supervised excessively before their tasks will be completed. They lack focus and are
too-easily distracted.

 INDUSTRIOUSNESS

18th percentile
 

You are less industrious than 81 of 100 people

People low in industriousness are not judgmental to themselves or others. They let people, including
themselves, off the hook. They believe that people fail not because they don’t apply themselves or
work hard but because chance and luck play the determining roles. They are resistant to guilt, self-
disgust or self-contempt, and have a very 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: Typical or Average

You are average or typical in orderliness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts
you at the 54th percentile for orderliness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be
more orderly than 54 of them and less orderly than 45 of them.

Typically orderly people are neither particularly disturbed nor disgusted by mess and chaos. They
keep everything moderately tidy and organized. They don’t think in terms of simple black and white;
in their world, there are many shades of grey. They don’t rely overmuch on schedules, lists or
routines, preferring to take things as they come. They are not overly oriented toward detail, rigidly
rule-abiding or judgemental.

ORDERLINESS

54th percentile

You are more orderly than 54 of 100 people

They like routine and predictability, under some circumstances, but don’t mind if such things are
disrupted. They can manage complex, sensitive processes when supervised properly and carefully,
but may have to be reminded to pay proper attention and maintain focus. They can, however,
tolerate the mess, disruption and intervening periods of chaos that may accompany creative
endeavor.

Those who are average in orderliness are no more likely to be political conservatives or liberals,
although they will tend toward the former, if low in openness to experience and the latter if high.

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 34th percentile for extraversion. If you were one of 100 people in a room,
you would be less extraverted than 65 of them and more extraverted than 34 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

34th percentile

You are less extraverted than 65 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: Typical or Average

You are typical or average in enthusiasm, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at
the 41st percentile for enthusiasm. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more
enthusiastic than 41 of them and less enthusiastic than 58 of them.

Individuals who are average in enthusiasm have their excitable moments, are sometimes happy, and
are reasonably easy to get to know, but they are essentially moderate in their positive emotion. They
will talk about things or people they find particularly interesting, but tend to keep more quiet,
otherwise. They laugh and joke, but not excessively. They don’t crave the spotlight. They enjoy
parties, in moderation, and generally like to be around people, but they can spend time alone. They
don’t warm up immediately to others, particularly in groups, and they can keep their own affairs
private. They like excitement, but only in moderate doses. They are moderately positive about the
past and future.

ENTHUSIASM

41st percentile

You are more enthusiastic than 41 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: Typical or Average

You have typical levels of 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 59th percentile for neuroticism. If you were one of 100 people in a room,
you would be higher in neuroticism than 59 of them and lower in neuroticism than 40 of them.

People with typical or average levels of neuroticism have a balanced view of the happiness and
sadness of the past, present and future. Sometimes they are unhappy, anxious and irritable,
particularly when facing a genuine problem, but they generally cope well and don’t worry too much.

NEUROTICISM

59th percentile

You are higher in neuroticism than 59 of 100 people

They have normal levels of self-esteem, particularly when they are also average or above average in
extraversion. They are not particularly at risk for developing anxiety disorders and depression.

People with average or typical levels of neuroticism are able to experience the consequences of
success and to be appropriately satisfied in relationships and career. Average levels of neuroticism
are associated with no more than average concern about mental and physical health, a typical
number of physician and emergency room visits, and an expected degree of absenteeism at work
and at school (unless accompanied by very low levels of conscientiousness).

People with average levels of neuroticism appear to neither seek risk out, nor avoid it. They are
interested in security, but can also handle recreational, career, financial and social situations where
the possibility of loss is higher. Such people appear to be concerned both with maintaining their
current status, as well as enhancing it. This is a reasonable strategy in genuinely dangerous or
uncertain times and better times alike.

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: Typical or Average

You are typical or average in withdrawal, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at
the 47th percentile for withdrawal. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in
withdrawal than 47 of them and lower in withdrawal than 52 of them.

Individuals average in withdrawal may occasionally suffer from anticipatory anxiety, but are generally
not impeded by it. They can handle new, uncertain, unexpected, threatening or complex situations
quite well. They are not more likely to avoid or withdraw in the face of the unknown and
unexpected.

People with average levels of withdrawal sometimes feel sad, lonesome, disappointed and grief-
stricken, but not too deeply, and not for too long. They experience normal levels of doubt and worry,
embarrassment, self-consciousness and discouragement in the face of threat and punishment. They
are reasonably but not excessively sensitive to social rejection, and don’t feel hurt too easily. Even
when hurt, frightened, or anxious, they can recover in a reasonable amount of time. People with
typical levels of withdrawal are not particularly concerned that something bad is going to happen.
Technically, withdrawal has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate passive
avoidance.

WITHDRAWAL

47th percentile

You are higher in withdrawal than 47 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: Moderately High

You are moderately high in volatility, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at
the 68th percentile for volatility. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more
volatile than 68 of them and less volatile than 31 of them.

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

VOLATILITY

68th percentile

You are more volatile than 68 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 83rd percentile for openness to experience. If you were one of 100 people
in a room, you would be higher in openness to experience than 83 of them and lower in openness to
experience than 16 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
83rd percentile

You are higher in openness to experience than 83 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: 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 high in intellect, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at
the 86th percentile for intellect. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in
intellect than 86 of them and lower in intellect than 13 of them.

People high in intellect are quite interested in ideas and abstract concepts. They enjoy being
confronted with novel information, even when it is complex. They are substantially more curious and
exploratory than average, and frequently like to tackle and solve problems. They will actively engage
in and seek out and initiate issue-oriented discussions, and are likely to read, think about and want to
discuss idea-centered books (most frequently non-fiction). They are generally articulate and can
formulate ideas clearly and quickly (particularly if average or higher in extraversion). They have a
wide vocabulary, and actively enjoy learning new things. People high in intellect will often find and
generate novel, creative concepts and voluntarily search for and adapt well to new experience and
situations.

 INTELLECT

86th percentile

You are higher in intellect than 86 of 100 people

People high in intellect find complex, rapidly changing occupations to their liking and will generally
do well at them (particularly if they are also high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism).
However, they are substantially less well-suited to stable, straightforward and more traditional
occupations, where the rules don't change, and will experience frequent periods of boredom and
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: Moderately High

You are moderately high in openness, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your puts you
at the 69th percentile for openness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in
openness than 69 of them and lower in openness than 30 of them.

The closest synonym for openness (rather than openness to experience, which encompasses
openness and intellect) is creativity. Moderately open, creative people find beauty important.
Without an outlet for their creative ability they may have some difficulty thriving. They like art or
beautiful crafts. They are more sensitive to color and architectural form. They often enjoy collecting.
They are comparatively imaginative, and may daydream and reflect on many things. They tend to
enjoy music, perhaps of more than one genre, and may be somewhat musical or artistic themselves
(both of these are rare in the general population). They can find themselves immersed in a book, or a
movie, or in their own thoughts, and become somewhat oblivious to the outside world. They respond
well to beauty, creativity and art.

OPENNESS

69th percentile

You are higher in openness than 69 of 100 people

Moderately open, creative people tend not to be impractical or flighty, however, despite their
creative openness (unless they are particularly low in conscientiousness). At least moderate levels of
openness appear 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.