Personality Traits:

-Identifiable characteristics that define a person.^[1]

We distinguish people by the degree to which they are socially outgoing (the trait of extroversion), or how someone is quiet and reserved (the trait of introversion). ^[2]

^[3]

We all choose relationships based on a personal theory about what personalities make good friends and good mates. We also naturally assume that certain personality characteristics (trustworthiness, for example) will lead to certain behaviors (telling the truth), and we try to associate with people who will do things that make us happy. In other words, every single one of us a personality theorist.^[4]

A personality trait is a relatively stable tendency to act in a certain way. Generosity, shyness, aggressiveness- these are all examples of traits. They are considered ongoing parts of the person, not the environment; they follow us wherever we go.^[5] A certain situation could actually influence our expression of the traits we have. For example, if someone hit your car in a parking lot, you're more likely to fight or yell if you're a hothead than is someone who is more laid back.^[6]

Some Specific Traits Relevant to Consumer Behavior:

1. Innovativeness: The degree to which a person likes to try new things.^[7]

2. Materialism: The amount of emphasis he/she places on acquiring and owning products.^[8]

3. Self-Consciousness: The degree to which he/she deliberately monitors and controls the image of the self that he projects to others.^[9]

4. Need for Cognition: The degree to which a he/she likes to think about things and expends the necessary effort to process brand information.^[10]

5. Frugality: Where individuals deny short-term purchasing whims, choosing instead to resourcefully use what they already own. ^[11]

     Example: Frugality Personality Traits tend to favor cost-saving measures such as timing showers and bringing leftovers from home to have for lunch at work. ^[12]

^{[13][14][15][16][17]}

PERSONALITY TESTS

Personality tests don't measure how much personality we have but rather what kind. ^[18] There are two kinds of personality tests:

     1. Objective. Objective personality tests are paper-and-pencil, "self-report" tests with true-or-false questions. Where you answer questions about your thoughts, feelings, and actions. ^[19]

     2. Projective. Projective personality tests, which include well-known inkblots, are subject to interpretation by the person giving them.^[20]

• Objective Personality Tests

The most popular Objective Personality Test was developed at the University of Minnesota. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI), first appeared in the 1940's and originally consisted of more than 500 true-and-false questions that asked about an individuals mood, physical symptoms, current functioning, and the list goes on. The original version of the MMIP underwent a complete revision (MMIP-2) because some questions were considered inappropriate, politically insensitive or outdated.^[21]

The new test (MMIP-2) had 15 content scales which measured multiple mental health problems that are not diagnosable psychiatric disorders. Some of the scales also measured low self-esteem, angler, family problems, and workaholism. These scales help pinpoint specific problems that may put someone at risk for a full blown psychological disorder. Besides the content scales, the test also has 10 clinical scales designed to tell the difference between a special clinical group (individuals suffering from depression) and a normal group. The clinical scales measured problems such as schizophrenia, paranoia, depression, and antisocial personality traits. The higher a person scores on the clinical scale, it is more likely that he or she belongs in the clinical group.^[22]

• Projective Personality Tests

Which are based on the theory that our inner feelings, motives, and conflicts color our perception of the world. The less structured our world, the more likely our psyche will spill over onto what we see. Example: looking at clouds with friends. You might see a dancing clown while your friend spies a rocket poised off for blastoff. Both descriptions are right -- the cloud shapes are ambiguous and open to several interpretations. Psychologists rely on the same process when they give those famous ink blots known as Rorschach cards.^[24]

^[25][26][27]

Hermann Rorschach (raw-shock), a swiss psychiatrist, developed the Rorschach tests. While working with teenagers in a psychiatric hospital, Hermann watched children giving different answers to a popular game called "Blotto." He believed that these different answers might provide clues into the minds and personalities of the players. He fooled around with a bunch of ink blots and published the Rorschach in 1921.^[28]

THE BIG FIVE PERSONALITY TRAITS

Psychologist Gordon Allport had taken personality-related adjectives, and turned them into 200 clusters of synonyms (ex: easygoing, lighthearted, carefree) and then formed two-ended trait dimensions where we all fall somewhere on the continuum between those two adjectives. An example could be responsible and irresponsible.^[29] 

Allport had countless amount of people rate themselves on these 200 dimensions and he found that there were only five basic characteristics underlying all the adjectives people use to describe themselves. These five characteristics became known as the "Big Five" dimensions of human personality.^[30] The "Big Five" personality traits affect an individuals health, relationships, goals, achievements, professional success, and even spiritual life.^[31]

                    The "Big Five" Consists of:

          1. Conscientiousness: Organized and disciplined, dedicated and loyal.^[32] Aim for achievement against measures or outside expectations.^[33]

          ^[34]

          2. Agreeableness: Friendly, pleasant and easy to be around; your relationships are mostly strong.^[35] Sympathetic, kinda, and affectionate.^[36]

          3. Neuroticism: Anxious, and worried often, emotionally unstable, and moody personalities.^[37]

          ^[38]

          4. Openness: Love adventures and trying new things, insightful, imaginative, not afraid to task risks.^[39] As well as intellectual and creative.^[40]

          ^[41]

          5. Extroversion: Assertive, talkative, outgoing, and energetic.^[42]

          ^[43]