My Big 5 Personality Test

Just took a personality test and it amazed me that I’m not as creative that I thought I was (moderately high)… also I rated high in Conscientiousness, Extraversion and low in Neuroticism which makes good managers… I might not have been great at engineering afterall. If you are interested of the same exam, here is the link. My assessment is cited below:

Big Five Aspects Scale - Miguelito de Guzman

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 Orderlines
• 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 High

You are moderately high 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 68th percentile for agreeableness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more agreeable than 68 of them and less agreeable than 31 of them.

People with moderately high levels of agreeableness are seen by others as cooperative, warm and considerate. They are likely to look for and even sometimes to see the best in others, and are interpersonally tolerant (an attitude that is much valued by agreeable people). They do not like seeing someone’s feelings get hurt, and are concerned about the emotional state of others, preferring peace and harmony. They tend somewhat towards submissiveness, rather than dominance (particularly if also below average in neuroticism).

People with moderately high levels of agreeableness are somewhat forgiving, accepting, flexible, gentle and patient. They tend to feel pity for those who are excluded, punished or defeated. They generally feel that people should work cooperatively, and are somewhat skeptical of competition, with its losers and winners. However, moderately agreeable people have to be careful not to be taken advantage of, particularly by disagreeable people, including those with criminal or predatory intent. They may also find it somewhat difficult to engage in arguments (and may even avoid discussions) with less agreeable people. They have to work at bargaining for themselves, or at negotiating for more recognition or power. They may have somewhat lower salaries and earn less money, in consequence. All of this can produce a tendency to resentment and hidden anger, particularly among those who are also high in neuroticism. Furthermore, because of their tendency to avoid or reduce conflict, moderately agreeable people may be tempted to sacrifice medium- to long-term stability and function for the sake of short-term peace. This can mean that problems that should be solved in the present can 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 High

You are moderately high in compassion, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 61st percentile for compassion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more compassionate than 61 of them and less compassionate than 38 of them.

Moderately compassionate people are interested in the problems of other people, and other living things. They are concerned about helping other people avoid negative emotion. They make time and do kind things for others, even when doing so may interfere with fulfilling their own needs and interests. They have a noticeably soft side. Other people consider them sympathetic and nice, and will turn to them often for a listening ear. They are empathetic and caring. However, because they are so other-oriented, they may find it difficult to negotiate on their own behalf, and may not get what they deserve (for their hard work, for example). This may lead to feelings of resentment.

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 High

You are moderately high in politeness, which is one aspect of Agreeableness. Your score puts you at the 71st percentile for politeness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more polite than 71 of them and less polite than 28 of them.

Moderately polite people tend to be deferential to authority, and are generally obedient. They are respectful and do not want to appear (or to be) pushy. They are more uncomfortable challenging other people than average. Moderately polite people will try to avoid conflict, and basically desire to steer clear of confrontations or fights.

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: High

You are high 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 88th percentile for conscientiousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more conscientious than 88 of them and less conscientious than 11 of them.

People high in conscientiousness are dutiful. They slog away until the work is done. They work hard and dislike wasting time. They are unlikely to procrastinate (particularly if they are also below average in neuroticism). If a highly conscientious person promises to do something, he or she will probably do it, even in troubled circumstances, without excuses. They are decisive, neat, organized, future-oriented, reliable and not easily distracted.

You are more conscientious than 88 of 100 people Highly conscientious people are likely to obtain higher grades in academic settings (particularly if they are also intelligent), and make good administrators and managers. They need to have everything in its proper place, and tend to be concerned with detail. They want to do things by the book. Highly conscientious people can be prone to guilt (although they are likely to organize their lives so that they have little to feel guilty about). Highly conscientious people are also susceptible to shame, self-disgust and self-contempt.

Individuals who are highly conscientious can react badly to failure (particularly if they are also above average in neuroticism). They are judgemental and easily disgusted by their own moral transgressions, as well as those of others. They suffer shame and guilt when unemployed or otherwise unoccupied, even when that occurs through no fault of their own. Highly conscientious people are also fundamentally committed to personal responsibility. They tend to be convinced that those who work hard should and will be rewarded, and that those who don’t deserve their failure. They are more concerned than average with hygiene, moral purity and achievement. They can tend towards micro-management and control.

Highly conscientious people are more likely to be political conservatives, rather than liberal (particularly if they are also low 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: Very High

You are very high in industriousness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 95th percentile for industriousness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more industrious than 95 of them and less industrious than 4 of them.

Very industrious people are typically successful in school and in administrative and managerial positions (particularly if they are intelligent). They live primarily to work and always have to be doing something useful. They do not like to sit around. They are very dutiful. They don’t put things off, or mess things up. They finish what they start, and they do it on schedule. They are always considering how to accomplish more in less time, with fewer resources. They have remarkable focus.

Very industrious people are highly likely to judge shirkers or people who are incompetent harshly, and to want them out of the way. They are very likely to believe that people fail because they don’t apply themselves or work hard enough. They feel guilty, rapidly, if they do not do their duty. However, because they typically stay on or ahead of schedule and accept their responsibilities, they rarely experience actual guilt. They cope very badly with enforced leisure or unemployment.

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: Moderately High

You are moderately high in orderliness, which is one aspect of conscientiousness. Your score puts you at the 66th percentile for orderliness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more orderly than 66 of them and less orderly than 33 of them.

Moderately orderly people are more disgust-sensitive than average, somewhat judgemental, and have a tendency towards more authoritarian political attitudes.

Moderately orderly people can be somewhat disturbed—even disgusted—by mess and chaos. They would rather keep everything tidy and organized. They think in comparatively black and white terms: things are basically good or bad, acceptable or unacceptable, with less room for grey areas. They tend both to make and stick to schedules. They like everything where it should be—and are happier if it stays where it should be. They are somewhat detail-oriented but tend not to be obsessive. They are generally aware of social rules and tend to abide by them. They like routine and prefer the predictable. They can be good at ensuring that complex, sensitive processes are managed properly and carefully.

Orderliness can constrain creativity, however, as creative endeavours often require mess, disruption and intervening periods of chaos, so moderately orderly people who are high in openness to experience may have some trouble letting go enough to indulge in their creativity.

Those who are moderately orderly are more likely to be political conservatives, particularly when low in openness to experience. The latter is the best predictor of conservative belief, while the former plays an additional determining role.

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: Very High

You are very high in extraversion, which is the primary dimension of positive emotion in the Big Five personality trait scientific model. 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 95th percentile for extraversion. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more extraverted than 95 of them and less extraverted than 4 of them.

People with very high levels of extraversion are very enthusiastic, talkative, assertive in social situations, and gregarious. They are highly energized by social contact, and crave it. They find great pleasure in planning parties, telling jokes, making people laugh, and taking part in community activities. They typically have positive memories of the past, high levels of current self-esteem (particularly if they are low in neuroticism), and experience far above average optimism about the future.

People who are uncommonly extraverted have a very difficult time keeping things to themselves, and tend to tell everyone everything. They are very self-disclosing (particularly if also high in neuroticism) and they warm up rapidly to other people. They speak first and most often in meetings. They can be extremely captivating and convincing. They will often be the first to act.

People who are very high in extraversion make strikingly enthusiastic employees, and are very well-suited to jobs involving sales, persuasion, work in groups and public speaking (particularly, once again, if they are low in neuroticism). They are not at all suited to occupations that require a lot of isolated work (such as computer programming or accounting).

People very high in extraversion can also be highly impulsive, particularly when it comes to having fun in social situations. They tend strongly to sacrifice the future to the present, when something social or group-oriented beckons. It is hard for them to be alone and to study and work. They can be very easily distracted by opportunities to chat, joke and socialize. This is particularly the case if they are also low in conscientiousness. When individuals are extraverted and conscientious, they are more productive than if they are introverted and conscientious. However, when they are introverted and unconscientious, they are more productive than they are when they are extroverted and unconscientious.

People very high in extraversion are highly 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.

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: Moderately High

You are moderately high in enthusiasm, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 75th percentile for enthusiasm. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more enthusiastic than 75 of them and less enthusiastic than 24 of them.

Individuals moderately high in enthusiasm are somewhat excitable, happy and easier to get to know. They will talk more about everything (particularly other people) than the typical person. They laugh or giggle more than average. They would rather spend time around other people than alone, and they tend to like parties. They don’t generally keep people at a distance, and are not too concerned with keeping things private. They are comparatively positive and optimistic. They warm up quickly to other people. They like stimulation, excitement, activity and fun. Enthusiastic people are gregarious, encouraging and people-loving, and tend to be quite positive about what might happen next.

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: Exceptionally High

You are exceptionally high in assertiveness, which is one aspect of extraversion. Your score puts you at the 98th percentile for assertiveness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be more assertive than 98 of them and less assertive than 1 of them.

Exceptionally assertive people are “take charge” types. They put their own opinions forward extremely strongly, and constantly dominate and control social situations. Exceptionally assertive people can be extremely influential and captivating. They have the communication style that is often associated with leadership. This is good when they are knowledgeable, competent and able, but not so good when they aren’t. Assertive people are people of action. They don’t wait for others to lead the way, but leap in, heedlessly. They can be impulsive, in consequence, and can act without thinking.

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: Very Low

You are very low in 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 4th percentile for neuroticism. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be lower in neuroticism than 95 of them and higher in neuroticism than 4 of them.

People with very low levels of neuroticism almost never focus on the negative elements, anxieties and uncertainties of the past, present and future. It is very rare for them to face periods of time where they are unhappy, anxious and irritable, unless facing a serious, sustained, complex problem. Even under the latter conditions, they cope very well, don’t worry, and recover quickly. They’re very good at keeping their head in a storm, and they almost never make mountains out of molehills.

They have very much higher levels of self-esteem, particularly when they are also average or above average in extraversion. They are at much lower risk for developing anxiety disorders and depression (again, particularly if average or above in extraversion).

When good things happen to them, people with very low levels of neuroticism can appreciate it, without questioning whether or not they deserved it. They are unusually satisfied with their relationships and careers. Overall, they are very tolerant of stress, and can much more easily accept failure and setbacks as part of life. Very low levels of neuroticism are associated with markedly decreased concern about mental and physical health, far fewer physician and emergency room visits, and very infrequent absenteeism at work and at school (particularly if accompanied by average or above levels of conscientiousness).

People with very low levels of neuroticism can handle risk strikingly better. If they are average or high in extraversion or openness, they may even enjoy it. They are simply far less affected by uncertainty. They can much more easily handle recreational, career, financial and social situations where the possibility of loss is higher. They can consider and implement career changes and other transformations that could enhance their lives very easily.

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: Low

You are low in withdrawal, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 19th percentile for withdrawal. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be lower in withdrawal than 80 of them and higher in withdrawal than 19 of them.

Individuals low in withdrawal rarely suffer from or are impeded by anticipatory anxiety. They can handle new, uncertain, unexpected, threatening or complex situations well. They are substantially less likely to avoid or withdraw in the face of the unknown and unexpected.

People with low levels of withdrawal tend not to feel sad, lonesome, disappointed and grief-stricken – and, if they do, not deeply nor for long. They experience much lower than normal levels of doubt and worry, embarrassment, self-consciousness and discouragement in the face of threat and punishment. They are quite resistant to and rarely worried about social rejection, and rarely feel hurt or threatened. Even when actually hurt, frightened, or anxious, they recover easily and quickly. People with low levels of withdrawal are not worriers. Technically, withdrawal has been associated with activity in the brain systems that regulate passive avoidance.

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: Exceptionally Low

You are exceptionally low in volatility, which is one aspect of neuroticism. Your score puts you at the 1st percentile for volatility. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be less volatile than 98 of them and more volatile than 1 of them.

Individuals exceptionally low in volatility are extraordinarily stable and predictable in their moods. They are virtually never irritable, and very rarely experience disappointment, frustration, pain and loneliness. People find them extremely easy and calming. They very infrequently express their frustration, disappointment and irritability and appear remarkably reasonable when they do so. Even on those unusually infrequent occasions where they become stirred up, upset, angry or irritated, they calm down almost immediately. They are not at all argumentative and almost never lose their composure.

Even if exceptionally provoked in a dispute, a person of very low volatility will rarely react in kind (particularly if also average or above in agreeableness). Such people remain calm and unperturbed even when extraordinarily stressed. Volatile people tend to get upset if something bad does happen, while people 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 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.

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: Very 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 very high in intellect, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 92nd percentile for intellect. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in intellect than 92 of them and lower in intellect than 7 of them.

People very high in intellect are notably interested in ideas and abstract concepts. They crave exposure to novel information, even when it is complex. They are highly curious and exploratory, and actively want to find, tackle and solve challenging problems. They will much more frequently seek out and initiate issue-oriented discussions, and are very likely to read, think about and want to discuss idea-centered books (generally non-fiction). They are markedly articulate, and can formulate ideas clearly and quickly (particularly if average or higher in extraversion). They have a broad and wide vocabulary, and continually want to learn new things. People very high in intellect will constantly find and generate novel, creative concepts and voluntarily search for and adapt very well to new experience and situations.

People very high in intellect find complex, rapidly changing occupations necessary and will generally excel at them (particularly if they are also high in conscientiousness and low in neuroticism). However, they are very much less well-suited to stable, straightforward and more traditional occupations, where the rules don’t change, and will experience frequent periods of boredom and intolerable levels of 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: Typical or Average

You are average in openness, which is one aspect of openness to experience. Your score puts you at the 57th percentile for openness. If you were one of 100 people in a room, you would be higher in openness than 57 of them and lower in openness than 42 of them.

The closest synonym for openness (rather than openness to experience, which encompasses openness and intellect) is creativity. People who are average in openness or creativity find beauty reasonably important. They may enjoy an outlet for their creative ability, but will not wither away without it. They can appreciate art or beautiful crafts. They are somewhat sensitive to color and architectural form. They sometimes enjoy collecting, but it is rare for them to pursue it passionately. They are reasonably imaginative, and may daydream and reflect on occasion. They tend to enjoy music, often of the more conventional popular forms, and may be somewhat musical or artistic themselves (both of these are rare in the general population). They do not generally become so immersed in a book, or a movie, or in their own thoughts, that they lose touch with the outside world. They are interested in but by no means obsessed with beauty, creativity and art.

People of typical or average openness tend to be quite stable and reasonably conventional (particularly if they are also average or above in conscientiousness). At least moderate levels of openness tend to be 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.