Stories

Each of us has the thread of a story running though our life, which reflects our past, present and potential future. That story is shaped by how our personality traits cause us to perceive ourselves, relate to other people and behave. For an author, one of the greatest challenges when writing stories is the creation of characters, who through their words and actions demonstrate depth, with qualities readers will find both realistic and relatable. The stories of individuals, whether real or the work of fiction writers, can attract an audience and in a similar manner stories can influence how we perceive a business and their products or services.

The stories that people tell each other about an individual or business can shape how they are perceived and their level of success. A business selling a product or service might want to create better stories, by learning more about its customers wants and needs. Understanding the personas of their target audience can also help a business to more effectively communicate with them. A business might carry out market research, with audience surveys, designed to gather data that will inform sales and marketing strategies, along with the development of a mission statement and vision statements.

The Big Five Personality Traits Test

When attempting to understand human psychology, personality tests are often used. Such tests might be used by individuals, who want to learn more about themselves, or employers evaluating potential employees. A number of personality tests have been developed, but most have been criticised as being unreliable. The Big Five Personality Traits test does not offer the level of detail provided by some other tests, but it has been scientifically validated and is widely used by psychologists. The five traits measured using the test are openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

Although provided for entertainment purposes only, the Big Five Personality Traits Test might be of interest to individuals seeking a fun way to learn more about human nature. It could also provide authors with some inspiration for character creation in the stories they write, or help business owners develop customer personas for their marketing campaigns. For example, based upon their findings a business could highlight aspects of what they sell in a manner that is more likely to appeal to people with particular personality traits.

You can try The Big Five Personality Traits Test for yourself to find out what you score on each of the five traits. If your family, friends or colleagues also complete the test you could compare the results.

Career Choice

A common question that people are asked when they are young is what job do you want, or which career path will you follow, when you grow up. Although some people know what they want to do from an early age, most of us struggle to find work that suits our interests and temperament.

Some people begin on a course of study or pursue a career because they are advised to do so by others people, but find themselves doing work for which they are not well suited. This leads some to change careers, when they find something they prefer.

The Big Five Personality Traits Test might help you to decide upon a suitable career path.

Marketing Personas

This test could be used by someone looking for insight into personality types, so as to improve the performance of marketing campaigns, by delivering messages that are more personalised. The test could also be used when planning website design, content marketing and user journey strategies, by developing personas for user profiles that better reflect the target audience, increasing engagement and conversion.

Rather than simplistic stereotypes, you could try to develop realistic personas with back stories, representing the people you are trying to reach. For example, you could complete the test by answering the questions as you think famous contemporary or historic figures who share similarities with your target audience might answer them. This might help you to develop stories about a product or service that will resonate with audiences and increase sales.

The Big Five Personality Traits Test might help you to develop realistic customer personas for use in marketing campaigns.

Fictional Characters

Creating fictional characters, with strengths and weaknesses, that will appear on the page fully formed and with depth is a challenge for authors when writing stories. The term show, don’t tell, is frequently used, but it is no easy thing to develop characters that will reflect often hidden traits through what they say and do. However, the Five-Factor Model can be used to establish dominant traits for each of the characters in a story, shaping their behaviour, according to how they think and feel about themselves, other people and the world in which they exist.

When combined with other elements, such as demographic factors, the Five-Factor Model can help a writer create characters with depth, who will be as recognisable as people in the real world. This could help them to maintain consistent patterns of behaviour when telling stories in novels, movies or plays, making the characters more believable and relatable to an audience. If you choose some famous characters from novels, movies or television shows, you could take the test for each of them, by selecting the answers you think they would give and then reflect upon the results.

The Big Five Personality Traits Test might help you to create realistic and relatable characters for use in fiction writing.

Understanding The Five Personality Traits

The qualities associated with high and low levels of each of the five personality traits are listed below. Understanding each of them and their influence on human behaviour could give you greater insight into the stories we tell each other about who we are. This could help authors to create believable characters to include in their stories and marketing professionals to develop realistic personas for their campaigns, or in user journey analysis of websites.

Openness

High Level of Openness

People who score high on the openness scale are open to new experiences, often have a wide range of interests and are curious about other people and the world. They enjoy learning new things, dislike routine, have a good imagination, seek out novel and exciting experiences and are drawn to creative activities. Abstract thinkers and receptive to new ideas, people scoring high on the openness scale can also be unpredictable and unfocused.

Suitable career choices for people who are high in openness could include artist, writer, designer, musician, scientist, software developer or architect. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will make use of storytelling and vivid imagery. They will highlight innovative features, creativity, unique experiences and might offer previews of new products or services.

Low Level of Openness

People who score low on the openness scale prefer routine and structure, tend to be cautious and are generally resistant to new ideas or different ways of doing things. They will typically take time to consider all of the available options and information before making decisions and typically avoid behaviour that they consider overly risky. Those scoring low on the openness scale struggle with abstract thinking and can find it difficult to perceive different perspectives.

Suitable career choices for people who are low in openness will be practical and could include accountant, engineer, office manager, technician or mechanic. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will use language that is clear and straightforward, focusing on reliability, value for money and potential improvements in productivity and efficiency. They will make use of case studies, testimonials and provide factual data when promoting a product or service.

Conscientiousness

High Level of Conscientiousness

People who score high on the conscientiousness scale are thoughtful, possess good impulse control and are typically goal oriented. They tend to be reliable, efficient, organised, pay attention to details, plan ahead and focus on meeting deadlines. Perfectionist high-achievers, people scoring high on the scale of conscientiousness are generally ambitious, self-disciplined and productive, but can also be stubborn.

Suitable career choices for people who are high in conscientiousness could include medical professional, project manager, lawyer, business executive or financial analyst. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will prioritise the quality and reliability of a product or service, focusing on how it can help them to achieve their objectives. Provide relevant information in a well organised and logical manner, highlighting benefits, customer reviews and service guarantees.

Low Level of Conscientiousness

People who score low on the conscientiousness scale are typically easy going, unstructured and lack organisation in their thinking and behaviour. They can be careless of details, often procrastinate and are more likely to miss deadlines than those high in conscientiousness. Those scoring low on the conscientiousness scale might be described by others as spontaneous, but might also be considered untidy, irresponsible, lazy or unreliable.

Suitable career choices for people who are low in conscientiousness could include artist, writer, musician and sales or marketing professional. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will empathise the ease of use and flexibility of a product or service, highlighting how it can be adapted meet the customers wants and needs. Language used should not be overly technical, but provide examples of how it can quickly and conveniently be used to solve whatever issue a customer might have.

Extroversion

High Level of Extroversion

People who score high on the scale of extroversion (extraversion) enjoy the company of others and are energised and inspired by spending time in social situations. They are typically assertive, expressive, outgoing, domineering and attention seeking. Those scoring high on the extroversion scale, enjoy meeting new people and being the centre of attention. They will seek out opportunities to expand their social circle and often have many friends and acquaintances.

Suitable career choices for people who are high in extroversion could include public relations or sales professional, journalist, office manager or performance artist. Marketing messages more likely to appeal to them will highlight the fun of social and interactive experiences, through the use of exciting visual and audio content that engages their interest. This could include the promotion through social media of events, where potential customers will have an opportunity to meet other people.

Low Level of Extroversion

People scoring low on the extroversion scale are introverted and typically find social events draining. This can leave them needing to spend time on their own to restore their energy levels, before facing the world again. They tend to be reserved, reflective and solitary, but can come across as aloof. Although they can find large social gatherings exhausting, introverts can enjoy being with other people, particularly in small groups and with people who they know and trust. The relationships that they form could be few in number, but of great importance to them.

Suitable career choices for people who are low in extroversion could include data analyst, IT professional, book editor or research scientist. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will use calming visual and audio content, to highlight the benefits of a product or service for people who are happy to be on their own. Promotional materials should include self-service options and comprehensive user guides.

Agreeableness

High Level of Agreeableness

People who score high on the agreeableness scale are typically friendly, kind, compassionate and co-operative. They tend to have high levels of empathy, enjoy helping other people, take pleasure in their success and feel deep concern for those in need. Those scoring high on the agreeableness scale are likely to be described by others as generous and good natured. However, they might also be perceived as naive and too trusting, which could cause some people to try to take advantage of them.

Suitable career choices for people who are high in agreeableness could include teacher, medical professional, support worker, social care professional or careers advisor. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will highlight the social, community and environmental benefits of a product or service. The language used should be warm and the content focus upon ethical principles, customer support and community responsibility.

Low Level of Agreeableness

People who score low on the agreeableness scale are generally competitive, selfish and have little or no interest in the well being of others, or helping them with their problems. They can be argumentative, antagonistic, manipulative, often lack trust in the motives of other people and might look for opportunities to take advantage of them. Those scoring low on the agreeableness scale might bully, intimidate and insult people who they consider weaker than them.

Suitable career choices for people who are low in agreeableness could include lawyer, banker, sales professional, politician or entrepreneur running their own business. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will use language that is confident and highlights how benefits of a product or service can contribute to success for the customer. Focus upon elements such as quality and exclusivity that could give them an advantage over their competitors.

Neuroticism

High Level of Neuroticism

People who score high on the neuroticism scale tend to be emotionally unstable, suffer from high levels of anxiety and go through dramatic mood swings. They can be irritable, overly sensitive, dwell on worries and have angry outbursts, leaving others confused as to the possible cause. Those scoring high on the neuroticism scale are more likely to lack confidence, feel sad and insecure and exhibit behaviour that can damaging their relationships with other people.

Suitable career choices for people who are high in neuroticism could include being an artist, writer, musician, dancer or other form of performance artist, in which emotional expression is expected. Working in a stable and structured environment, such as a research or technical department, might also be suitable. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will highlight use language that is calm and reassuring, providing customers with peace of mind. Highlight the features of a product or service that will improve safety, provide comfort and emphasise reliability and security.

Low Level of Neuroticism

People who score low on the neuroticism scale are typically emotionally stable, calm in the face of adversity and resilient when responding to setbacks. They are generally confident, secure in their sense of who they are, tend not to worry and rarely experience sadness or depression. Other people might view those scoring low on the neuroticism scale as being sensible and reliable, but a little dull or uninspired.

Suitable career choices for people who are low in neuroticism could include being a firefighter, medical emergency professional or working in a customer support role, where a calm response to stressful situations is required. Marketing messages that are more likely to appeal to them will highlight reliability, performance and low maintenance requirements of a product or service, using language that is clear and direct. Provide suitable technical information for key features and include relevant details of repair or replacement services and customer support.

Try The Big Five Personality Traits Test for yourself to find out what you score on each of the five traits.