The Big Five Personality Traits: Neuroticism

Do you tend to find yourself feeling worried or nervous about seemingly small situations? Do you get self-conscious or embarrassed easily? Do you find it difficult to cope with stress? If you answered yes to these questions, you may be high on the trait of neuroticism.

Neuroticism is a trait that primarily measures emotional stability. People high on this trait are more susceptible to experiencing emotional distress including feelings of fear, anger, anxiety, disgust or guilt. These people might also cope poorly with stress. While neuroticism is not a measure of psychopathology, many people who score highly on this trait may be at risk for some psychiatric disorders or problems. People who score lower on this trait tend to be more relaxed, calm and level-headed even when facing stressful situations. However, this trait is broad and should be considered in part through its lower order traits as defined by the NEO Personality Inventory.

Anxiety: People who score high on this facet have a tendency to be apprehensive, nervous, fearful and prone to worry. These people might overthink situations in their life, dwell on past occurrences or worry about what might go wrong in the future. Lower scores on anxiety are associated with people who are calmer, more relaxed and less prone to worry about future events.

Angry Hostility: This facet refers to one’s readiness to experience feelings of anger or frustration, however it does not measure whether or not the anger is expressed. Those who score lower on this scale tend to be more easy-going and less ready to experience anger.

Depression: People higher in this scale have a tendency to experience a depressive affect. These people more readily experience feelings of guilt, sadness, loneliness and are more sensitive to rejection. People who score lower do not experience these emotions as easily or as intensely.

Self-Consciousness: This facet primarily measures one’s readiness to experience shame and embarrassment. People who score higher in this trait are prone to feelings of inadequacy and are generally shyer. Lower scores are more comfortable in social situations; however, this does not necessarily mean that they hold superior social skills.

Impulsiveness: People higher in this facet have difficulty controlling their cravings and urges and employing self-control. Lower scores find it easier to resist temptations.

Vulnerability: This facet refers to one’s ability to handle stress. Higher scores refer to people who become panicked, dependent or hopeless in the face of stress. Lower scores in this trait refer to people who are generally more adept at keeping level-headed and handling stressful situations.

Neuroticism and mental health

As neuroticism is primarily a measure of an individual’s tendency to experience negative emotions it is unsurprising that higher scores on this trait seem to be associated with mental health difficulties and psychopathology. Specifically, neuroticism appears to have links with anxiety disorders, mood disorders and substance use disorders. These people are also more susceptible to life stressors and may experience distress as a result.

Does neuroticism change over time?

The research appears to be relatively mixed on this with some populations showing slight increases of neuroticism over the lifespan, while others suggesting slight decreases. These changes however appear to be minimal either way.

Are there gender differences in neuroticism? 

In general, women tend to score higher than men in the trait of neuroticism as well as on most facets of neuroticism. However, on the facet of angry hostility, men appear to exhibit higher scores than women. It is important to keep in mind that neuroticism does not reflect an ‘all or nothing’ approach. People generally fall on a continuum ranging from very low to very high. Furthermore, it is important to remember that the lower order traits that comprise neuroticism also fall on a spectrum, meaning you can be very high in one facet of neuroticism and low in another.

Do you feel that you tend to be higher or lower on this trait? What are your thoughts on this trait and its implications in the real world? Let us know in the comments below.