Personality – 5 Factor Structure – Agreeableness

Personality – 5 Factor Structure

Agreeableness

Agreeableness reflects individual differences in concern with cooperation and social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are therefore considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, compassionate and Cooperative. They are willing to compromise their interests with others’.  Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically honest, decent, and trustworthy.

Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others’ well-being, and therefore are unlikely to extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others’ motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, uncooperative and antagonistic toward others.

Agreeableness is obviously advantageous for attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better liked than disagreeable people. On the other hand, agreeableness is not useful in situations that require tough or absolute objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics, or soldiers.

Facets of Agreeableness

Trust in others People who score high in this area fundamentally assume that most people are fair, honest and have good intentions.  They take people at face value and they are willing to forgive and forget.

Sincerity High scorers for this facet see no need for pretence or manipulation when dealing with others and are therefore candid, frank and genuine.

Altruism Altruistic people find helping other people genuinely rewarding.  Altruistic people find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfilment rather than self-sacrifice.

Compliance Individuals who score high for Compliance dislike confrontations. They are perfectly willing to compromise or to deny their own needs in order to get along with others.

Modesty High scorers are unassuming, rather self-effacing and humble.  However it is important to understand that they are not necessarily lacking in self-confidence or self-esteem.

Sympathy People who score high for this area are tender-hearted and compassionate.

Agreeableness items

Agreeable

• Have a good word for everyone.
• Believe that others have good intentions.
• Respect others.
• Accept people as they are.
• Make people feel at ease.
• Am concerned about others.
• Trust what people say.
• Sympathize with others’ feelings.
• Am easy to satisfy.
• Treat all people equally.

Disagreeable

• Have a sharp tongue.
• Cut others to pieces.
• Suspect hidden motives in others.
• Get back at others.
• Insult people.
• Believe that I am better than others.
• Contradict others.
• Make demands on others.
• Hold a grudge.
• Am out for my own personal gain.

Using the above descriptors rate yourself as to how agreeable or disagreeable you are.

Agreeableness

High___________________________________________Low