The five-factor model is used to help understand and predict relationships between

personality traits and success in social, academic, and professional circumstances.

Psychological researchers often define personality in terms of five core traits,

which can be thought of as stable dispositions that drive behaviour. The five-factor
model of personality encompasses these basic traits:

1. Openness to experience
2. Conscientiousness
3. Extraversion introversion
4. Agreeableness
5. Neuroticism

Every individual manifests each of the five broad dimensions of personality to one
degree or another, and the infinite variety of ways individuals differ in how the
traits are expressed is what makes the study of personality endlessly fascinating. 

 It is a data-driven model and not based on a psychological theory.

In the Big Five model, people are understood to have varying levels of key personality
factors which drive our thoughts and behaviour. Although personality traits cannot
specifically predict behaviour, differences in the Big Five factors help us to understand why
people may react differently, behave differently, and see things differently from others in
the same situation.

In the Big Five model, the five dimensions of personality are:

Openness
Not to be confused with one's tendency to be open and disclose their thoughts and feelings,
Openness in the context of the Big Five refers more specifically to Openness to Experience,
or openness to considering new ideas.
Conscientiousness
 Describes a person's level of goal orientation and persistence.  Those who are high in
Conscientiousness are organized and determined, and are able to forego immediate
gratification for the sake of long-term achievement. Those who are low in this trait  are
impulsive and easily side-tracked.

Extraversion
Describes a person’s inclination to seek stimulation from the outside world, especially in
the form of attention from other people. Extraverts engage actively with others to earn
friendship, admiration, power, status, excitement, and romance. Introverts, on the other
hand, conserve their energy, and do not work as hard to earn these social rewards.

Agreeableness

 Describes the extent to which a person prioritizes the needs of others over their own
needs. People who are high in Agreeableness experience a great deal of empathy and tend
to get pleasure out of serving and taking care of others. People who are low in
Agreeableness tend to experience less empathy and put their own concerns ahead of others.  

Neuroticism

Describes a person's tendency to respond to stressors with negative emotions, including

fear, sadness, anxiety, guilt, and shame. 

Achievement Motivation Theory

This is a theory relating the personal characteristics and background of a

person to a need for achievement and the competitive drive that is associated
with it to meet certain standards for excellence. This theory explains the
 relationships that arise between a person’s characteristics and their need to
achieve.

Achievement theory of motivation is all about how needs of an individual change over a
period of time with changes in his experience. The theory also explains what effect an
individual’s need for achievement power and affiliation.

The motivation to achieve arises when the basic needs are taken care of, and
one guides their behaviour to self-improvement and growth. It is associated
with tasks that with high demand and requiring perseverance. The motivation
to achieve has two components which are; the desire to achieve something and
the willingness not to fail.

The motivation to achieve is above all other motivations. It involves the

achievement of all the proposed objectives and goals. It is the desire for one to
develop to the maximum extent.

A Little More on Achievement Motivation Theory

A psychologist called McClelland came up with the concept of the motivation to

achieve. He came up with a theory of three needs that people socially acquire.
These three needs are:

o Achievement: This what leads people to set goals for themselves to

achieve. It is the drive to succeed. People with this drive don’t affiliate much
with other people; instead, they have a great need for developing activities.
They accept new responsibilities, and they continuously need feedback on their
performance since they bet on a job well done.

o Power: This is the need to control or influence the behaviour of others.

What drives people with these need is recognition from others. They want to be
 considered important and acquire prestige and status. They have a political
mentality.

o Affiliation: This is the need to have close interpersonal relationships with

others or to belong to a group. People with these need love to work with others
and be habitually popular.

Establishing and understanding the

nature of the relationship between
personality and achievement
motivation represents an expanding
area of research.
For example, Paspalanov (1984)
found a positive relation between
achievement
motivation and both extraversion and
neuroticism; whereas Heaven (1990)
found
that achievement motivation was
positively related to extraversion, but
was inversely
related to neuroticism. Conflicting
results could be due partly to the
complexity of
achievement motivation.
Achievement motivation was
identified by Atkinson an
Establishing and understanding the nature of the relationship between

Personality and achievement motivation represents an expanding area of research.

For example, Paspalanov (1984) found a positive relation between achievements

Motivation and both extraversion and neuroticism; whereas Heaven (1990) found

That achievement motivation was positively related to extraversion, but was inversely

Related to neuroticism. Conflicting results could be due partly to the complexity of

Achievement motivation. Achievement motivation was identified by Atkinson and

Feather (1966) as a socially acquired as opposed to biologically-based motive, and

there has been a continuing controversy whether achievement motivation is a single
dimension or a multidimensional construct. An example of dimensional complexity
is evident in Ross, Rausch, and Canada’s (2003) finding that agreeableness was
positively related to one aspect of achievement orientation (i.e., cooperation), but
was inversely related to another (i.e., hyper-competition).
Feather (1966) as a socially acquired as opposed to biologically-based motive, and

There has been a continuing controversy whether achievement motivation is a single

Dimension or a multidimensional construct. An example of dimensional complexity

Is evident in Ross, Rausch, and Canada’s (2003) finding that agreeableness was

Positively related to one aspect of achievement orientation (i.e., cooperation), but

Was inversely related to another (i.e., hyper-competition).

Leader Motive Profile (LMP)

• The Leader Motive Profile (LMP) includes a high need for power, which is socialized; that is
greater than the need for affiliation and with a moderate need for achievement.

> Socialized power is the Big Five adjustment dimension.

> Conscientiousness – Big Five dimension.

> Effective leaders have a lower need for affiliation than power.

Various ways of representing major traits have been proposed, and personality
researchers continue to disagree on the number of distinctive characteristics that can
be measured. The five-factor model dominates these organizational schemes, although
multiple types of assessments exist to measure the five traits, because it captures the
higher-order traits that encompass almost any other trait described.

The results of these tests estimate how high or low one is on each trait relative to other
people. When many individuals take such tests, as is the case in research on
personality, their scores collectively shed light on questions such as whether
personality differs between groups or how a particular trait tends to correspond with
an outcome, such as success in a particular career.