Chapter 13 McCrae and Costa: Five-Factor Trait Theory
The Big Five – five factor personality inventory NEO-PI; since late 1980s/early
1990s, most personality psychologists have opted to use the Five-Factor Model
1. Neuroticism – people who score high are anxious, temperamental, selfpitying, self-conscious, emotional, vulnerable to stress-related disorders;
people who score low are calm, even-tempered, self-satisfied, and
unemotional
2. Extraversion – people who score high are affectionate, jovial, talkative,
joiners, fun-loving; people who score low are reserved, quiet, loners, passive,
lack ability to express strong emotion
3. Openness to Experience – distinguishes people who prefer variety from
those who need closure and gain comfort from familiar people and things;
people who score high consistently seek out different and varied experiences,
questions traditional values, are creative, imaginative, curious, liberal, and
have a preference for variety; people who score low are not open to new
experiences, stick with familiar things they enjoy, support traditional values,
conventional, down-to-earth, conservative, and lack curiosity
4. Agreeableness Scale – distinguishes soft-hearted people from ruthless ones;
agreeable – trusting, generous, yielding, acceptant, good-natured; other
direction – suspicious, stingy, unfriendly, irritable, critical of other people
5. Conscientiousness – people who score high are ordered, controlled,
organized, ambitious, achievement-focused, self-disciplined, hard-working,
conscientious, punctual, persevering; those who score low are disorganized,
negligent, lazy, aimless, and give up easily
The Big Five – five factor personality inventory NEO-PI; since late 1980s/early
1990s, most personality psychologists have opted to use the Five-Factor Model
1. Neuroticism – people who score high are anxious, temperamental, selfpitying, self-conscious, emotional, vulnerable to stress-related disorders;
people who score low are calm, even-tempered, self-satisfied, and
unemotional
2. Extraversion – people who score high are affectionate, jovial, talkative,
joiners, fun-loving; people who score low are reserved, quiet, loners, passive,
lack ability to express strong emotion
3. Openness to Experience – distinguishes people who prefer variety from
those who need closure and gain comfort from familiar people and things;
people who score high consistently seek out different and varied experiences,
questions traditional values, are creative, imaginative, curious, liberal, and
have a preference for variety; people who score low are not open to new
experiences, stick with familiar things they enjoy, support traditional values,
conventional, down-to-earth, conservative, and lack curiosity
4. Agreeableness Scale – distinguishes soft-hearted people from ruthless ones;
agreeable – trusting, generous, yielding, acceptant, good-natured; other
direction – suspicious, stingy, unfriendly, irritable, critical of other people
5. Conscientiousness – people who score high are ordered, controlled,
organized, ambitious, achievement-focused, self-disciplined, hard-working,
conscientious, punctual, persevering; those who score low are disorganized,
negligent, lazy, aimless, and give up easily
Based on Robert McCrae and Paul Costa and their five-factor trait theory what do you think they would say led Albert Fish and EdGein to become serial killers? Analyze Albert Fish and Ed Gein in relation to McCrae and Costa’s five-factor trait theory. Min 1000 with references
