Who Am I?- Five Factor Model

I was born in Baldwin Park, California, which is located in Southern California. My mother’s side of her family was many generations American, while on my father’s side, my grandparents were Dutch. My father was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia because my grandparents owned a tobacco plantation there. Nonetheless, I was born into a family that identifies with a European/Pacific Islander culture. Growing up, my family dynamics consisted of my father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters. I am the youngest of five children, and we are devout Christians. We had a bible study every Wednesday night at home, and we were required to attend church every Sunday. In all, my family was very close, as we ate dinner together every night and we were always involved with extended family.

The Five-Factor Model, also known as the Big Five, is a model that is utilized to describe an individual’s personality. According to Ryckman et al. (2011), the Five-Factor Model “specifies five broadband traits, otherwise known as the Big Five, that include Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness to Experience” (p. 108). An individual’s personality traits will fall along this continuum, which ranges from traits that are stable to traits that are unstable. When a person assesses their personality traits, they can see how they rate on each one of the five factors.

The first factor of the Big Five Model is Extraversion. According to Rathus (2014), personality traits that fall under this factor include high levels of activity, talkativeness, and assertiveness. After assessing the traits in this factor, I can state that I rate high in Extraversion. I have always been very outgoing, and I have a large group of friends. Also, I am not afraid to speak my mind, which at times can get me into trouble because I never hesitate to express my opinion on a topic.

Next, the second factor in the Big Five Model is Agreeableness. Rathus (2014) explains that personality traits in this factor include warmth, kindness, and trust. After examining the psychology of personality traits that fall under this factor of the model, I have found that I rate high in Agreeableness. I have always been a kind person, as I treat everyone equally, and I am always there for my family and friends when they need me. Further, I have been told that I exude high levels of warmth, and my friends, family, and strangers are not afraid to approach me. Finally, while I am a very trustworthy person, this trait can be a downfall to me since people tend to assume that they can easily take advantage of me.

Then, the third factor in the Five Factor Model is Conscientiousness. Conscientiousness includes the personality traits thoroughness, reliability, and organization (Rathus, 2014). After pondering how I relate to these personality traits, I can conclude that I rate high in Conscientiousness since I am a very organized person at work and at home. I always complete a task from start to finish, and I ensure that I do a thorough job. Further, I am very reliable, as I am always on time for work, and I never break plans with friends or family.

Additionally, the fourth factor in the Big Five Model is Neuroticism. Rathus (2014) found that those individuals high in Neuroticism are moody, sensitive to stimuli, and nervous. After examining the traits that fall under this factor, I have found that I rate low in Neuroticism. I am a carefree person who does not get nervous when faced with meeting new people, accomplishing demanding tasks, or when I am stressed. Also, I am always in a good mood, and I do not react to stimuli in my environment that may cause anxiety or fear.

Finally, the fifth factor in the Five Factor Model is Openness to Experience. This factor includes the personality traits of creativity, curiosity, and imagination (Rathus, 2014). When examining the traits in this factor, I rate low because I am not that imaginative. I accept life for what it is and I am not a big daydreamer. Further, while I may be a little curious about people, places, and things, I am not an inquisitive person who needs to know all of the details and facts about everything I see and hear. Finally, my personality cannot be described as creative, as I was never into drawing, music, and the arts.

To conclude, after taking the personality test, my score of 270 aligns with the traits of a Type A personality. According to McLeod (2011), people with Type A personalities tend to be competitive, and they have high work involvement. These traits describe my personality, and they have helped with my career in several ways. Currently, I am the Director of Pulmonary Services for two ventilator subacute units here in Southern California. Prior to joining my current company here in California, I served as Director of Operations, where my duties included pulmonary services, project manager with the implementation of entire subacute programs at different facilities, customer relations, staffing, and payroll services.

If I did not have the personality traits assertiveness, kindness, trustworthy, thoroughness, and reliability, I could not succeed in the healthcare field. I must be trustworthy and kind to patients, and I need to be reliable to effectively manage all of my duties. Further, I have to be thorough with my work when I am in charge of projects, staff, and payroll. Finally, if I was not assertive, I would not have worked my way up in my field to my current position as Director of Pulmonary Services.

In contrast, several of my personality traits have brought about obstacles in my career. When I first gained licensure in the respiratory healthcare field in 1991, I was not very reliable, as I would miss work often without notifying my supervisor of my absence. Further, I am also stubborn, and I have been hesitant to listen to advice from my colleagues that could be beneficial. Finally, throughout my career, I have been selfish at times, as I have not notified my coworkers when I heard about promotions being available in my company.

References

McLeod, S. (2011). Type A personality. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/personality-a.html

Rathus, S. A. (2014). Psych (3rd ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Ryckman, R.M., Thorton, B., Gold, J.A., & Collier, S. (2011). Considering competition avoidant individualsvia the Big Five Model. Current Research in Psychology, 5(1), 108-114.