Personality – 5 Factor Structure – Neuroticism
January 6, 2010 by admin
Filed under Personality, Self Awareness
Personality – 5 Factor Structure
Neuroticism
The tendency to experience negative unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression or vulnerability easily. This is sometimes called emotional instability.
High Neuroticism
Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions. People high in Neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish the ability to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress.
Low Neuroticism
At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in Neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and rarely have persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low scorers experience a lot of positive feelings; frequency of positive emotions is a component of the Extraversion domain.
Facets of Neuroticism:
Anxiety - The ‘fight-or-flight’ system of the brain of anxious individuals is too easily and too often engaged. Therefore, people who score high in this area often feel like something unpleasant, threatening or dangerous is about to happen.
High Anxiety
- Worry about things.
- Fear for the worst.
- Am afraid of many things.
- Get stressed out easily.
- Get caught up in my problems.
Low Anxiety
- Am not easily bothered by things.
- Am relaxed most of the time.
- Am not easily disturbed by events.
- Don’t worry about things that have already happened.
- Adapt easily to new situations.
Angry Hostility This facet measures the tendency to feel angry. Whether or not a person expresses annoyance and hostility depends on his or her level of Agreeableness
Angry Hostile
- Get angry easily.
- Get irritated easily.
- Get upset easily.
- Am often in a bad mood.
- Lose my temper.
Calm
- Rarely get irritated.
- Seldom get mad.
- Am not easily annoyed.
- Keep my cool.
- Rarely complain.
Moodiness (Depression)/Contentment This facet measures normal differences in the way that people react to life’s ups and downs. The word ‘depression’ is not used here in a medical or clinical sense.
Moodiness
- Often feel blue.
- Dislike myself.
- Am often down in the dumps.
- Have a low opinion of myself.
- Have frequent mood swings.
- Feel desperate.
- Feel that my life lacks direction.
Calm
- Seldom feel blue.
- Feel comfortable with myself.
- Am very pleased with myself.
Self-Consciousness Self-conscious individuals are sensitive about what others think of them. Their concern about rejection and ridicule cause them to feel shy and uncomfortable around others. They are easily embarrassed.
Self Conscious
- Am easily intimidated.
- Am afraid that I will do the wrong thing.
- Find it difficult to approach others.
- Am afraid to draw attention to myself.
- Only feel comfortable with friends.
- Stumble over my words.
Not self Conscious
- Am not embarrassed easily.
- Am comfortable in unfamiliar situations.
- Am not bothered by difficult social situations.
- Am able to stand up for myself.
Immoderation (Self-indulgence) People who score in the high range for Immoderation feel strong cravings and urges that they have difficulty resisting – even though they know that they are likely to regret it later. They tend to be oriented toward short-term pleasures and rewards rather than long-term consequences.
Self Indulgent
- Often eat too much.
- Don’t know why I do some of the things I do.
- Do things I later regret.
- Go on binges.
- Love to eat.
Moderate
- Rarely overindulge.
- Easily resist temptations.
- Am able to control my cravings.
- Never spend more than I can afford.
- Never splurge.
Vulnerability (Sensitivity to Stress) High scorers on Sensitivity to Stress have difficulty in coping with stress. They experience panic, confusion and helplessness when under pressure or when facing emergency situations.
Vulnerability
- Panic easily.
- Become overwhelmed by events.
- Feel that I’m unable to deal with things.
- Can’t make up my mind.
- Get overwhelmed by emotions.
Calm
- Remain calm under pressure.
- Can handle complex problems.
- Know how to cope.
- Readily overcome setbacks.
- Am calm even in tense situations.
Sample Neuroticism items
- Often feel blue.
- Dislike myself.
- Am often down in the dumps.
- Have frequent mood swings.
- Panic easily.
- Am filled with doubts about things.
- Feel threatened easily.
- Get stressed out easily.
- Fear for the worst.
- Worry about things.
Low Neuroticism
- Seldom feel blue.
- Feel comfortable with myself.
- Rarely get irritated.
- Am not easily bothered by things.
- Am very pleased with myself.
- Am relaxed most of the time.
- Seldom get mad.
- Am not easily frustrated.
- Remain calm under pressure.
- Rarely lose my composure.
Taking all the above into account rate yourself globally as to your level of neuroticism
Neuroticism
High___________________________________________Low
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