The lecture readings described each of the Big Five dimensions of personality as being on a continuum, with extremes at either end and most of us falling somewhere in between. Recall those dimensions:

Openness to New Experiences

On one side those who have a preference for novelty, especially in intellectual experiences and ideas. People who are adventurous, spontaneous, unconventional, open-minded and imaginative. On the other side would those who have a preference for stability, safety and security. People who are creatures of habit, conservative, traditional and close-minded.

Conscientiousness

On the conscientious side would be those with a tendency to show self-discipline, responsibility, dependability, reliability and to follow through on their commitments. On the other side would be those who are unreliable and rather hit or miss when it comes to commitments. Flakey.

Extroversion versus Introversion

Extroverts seek activity and enjoy the company of other people. They are outgoing, social, gregarious, spontaneous, impulsive and active. They enjoy group interaction and are comfortable receiving attention. Introverts seek solitude and enjoy time by themselves. They are shy, reserved, contemplative, analytic and deliberate. More than anything they avoid drawing attention to themselves.

Agreeableness

Agreeable people are congenial, conciliatory, compassionate, empathetic and flexible. Disagreeable people are antagonistic, argumentative, abusive and may be indifferent toward others and their feelings.

Neuroticism (Emotional Stability) 

Those who are not neurotic prefer to focus on positive aspects of situations and positive emotions. They are stable, optimistic, secure and confident. While those who might be classified as neurotic focus on negative aspects of situations and negative emotions. They are erratic, pessimistic and unsure. They also tend to lack confidence and worry excessively.

examine where you feel you fit on each of these dimensions. Is there a dimension that you feel you are toward an extreme end of the continuum? For example, very agreeable and always easy to get along with. Feel free to cite some examples from your life such as how you reacted in certain situations, how friends have described you and so forth to back up your assessment. And do you think you have changed along any of these dimensions as you’ve gotten older?