Openness to Experience and Health: A Review of the Literature Lameese Eldesouky University of California, Berkeley The Five Factor Model, one of the most commonly used models for assessing personality, consists of five main universal traits: extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience (McCrae & John, 1992). Recently, its application to fields investigating the role of personality on physical and mental health has been extensive, with most traits producing consistent results across studies. The fifth of the model’s main traits, however, openness to experience, has produced inconsistent results. In this review, we attempt to understand why these findings have been mixed by analyzing various facets of this trait in depth. We evaluate the six facets of openness to experience: actions, ideas, values, aesthetics, fantasy, and feelings individually to better understand the implications of openness to experience on physical and mental health. Personality can be defined as the consistent five particular traits: neuroticism, extraversion, behavioral, attitudinal, and motivational patterns openness to experience, conscientiousness, and that differ across individuals (McCrae & John, agreeableness (John, 2008). The appeal of their 1992). To describe this enduring set of patterns, work came largely from its ability to take into theorists have long sought ways to identify and account factors that were similar across different categorize the basic elements of personality. personality scales (John, 2008). For instance, One of the primary methods to identify and extraversion, the trait describing one’s categorize these basic elements has been factor propensity towards sociability and positive analysis, where thousands of personality traits emotions, and neuroticism, the trait describing are listed and then eliminated as similar traits emotional stability, can be found in earlier are grouped together (McCrae & John, 1992). personality scales such as Allport’s Trait Theory, As the field of personality psychology has Cattell’s Sixteen Personality Factors, and progressed, though, theorists have continually Eysenck’s Big Three (McCrae & John, 1992). disagreed on what the basic dimensions are and Thus, while personality psychologists frequently how many there should be. And while there still disagreed over what the basic dimensions were remains wide disagreement across theorists, and their number, there was some agreement one recent framework has been particularly on certain dimensions. Following the Five Factor used and accepted across psychology and Model research done by Costa and McCrae and related fields. This model is known as the Five other researchers, additional personality scales Factor Model. measuring these five particular traits were later Evidence for the Five Factor Model began to developed, including Lew Goldberg’s make its way into personality psychology in the International Personality Item Pool, Gerad early 1980s. Psychologists Paul Costa and Jeff Saucier’s Big Five mini-markers, and Oliver McCrae had finished reviewing multiple John’s Big Five Inventory (BFI) (John, 2008). personality scales and developed an integrative personality scale known as the NEO Personality Author Note: The author would like to thank her advisor Inventory Revised (NEO PI-R), which measured Steve W. Cole, PhD, for his helpful comments on this article. Eldesouky / OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE 25 While researchers differ in which questionnaire almost always have a plan. Individuals low on they may prefer to use, many of the conscientiousness are unorganized, easily questionnaires have proven to be reliable and distracted, and often not as disciplined. They only have a few discrepancies in questions and prefer spontaneity and are not as concerned length. about controlling aspects of their environment or The Five Factor Model, also labeled the Big even their own behavior. Five, does not refer to a particular questionnaire, Agreeableness is the fourth of the Big Five but rather a general personality framework traits. It is similar to extraversion in that it is based off of five main universal traits: deeply related to interpersonal relationships. extraversion, neuroticism, agreeableness, However, it is more concerned with the way one conscientiousness, and openness to experience treats and deals with others, as opposed to (John, 2008). Extraversion, as briefly mentioned whether or not one actively seeks relationships above, is one of the most studied personality out. For instance, one who is highly agreeable is traits, probably due to the large role it plays in empathetic towards others. They are our interpersonal lives (John, 2008). It is a trait affectionate, trustworthy, and altruistic (John, characterized by high energy, enthusiasm, and 2008). Due to their kind nature, they are able to assertiveness. A behavioral example is of work better in groups and often have extraversion is an individual who makes the relationships with little conflict (John, 2008). effort to approach strangers and begin Less agreeable individuals may be aggressive, conversation. An individual low on the trait of rude, and look at others with contempt. Unlike extraversion would be less likely to perform such highly agreeable individuals, they are not very an action. Less extraverted individuals often considerate of people’s emotions and might be prefer to keep to themselves and engage in far more concerned about themselves and their solitary activities. While low extraversion does own desires. Their lack of consideration for not necessarily imply anti-sociability, less others might result in unsatisfying relationships extraverted individuals generally have smaller and numerous interpersonal problems. social circles than their more extraverted The last of the Big Five traits is openness to counterparts. experience, which is described by novelty- Neuroticism, also briefly mentioned above, seeking, intellectual curiosity, a vivid deals with emotional stability. In fact, some imagination, awareness of inner emotional personality theorists such as Cattell had referred states, and deep appreciation for the arts (John, to it directly as emotional stability (McCrae & 2008). Individuals high on this trait seek out John, 1992). Like all of the Big Five traits, activities that bring meaning to their lives and neuroticism is also on a spectrum. Those who allow them to think about things in a different are high on the trait are more prone to negative way. They may prefer to change their routine to feelings such as anxiety, tension, and make things more interesting or they might seek depression, while those who are low on the trait out an opportunity to do something they have are calmer and more even-tempered (John, never done before. Individuals low on this trait 2008). A behavioral instance of neuroticism is an prefer sameness and predictability and are often individual who might get overly anxious when unoriginal and closed-minded. Overall, they are there is little to be anxious about and ruminate less likely to seek out activities that may enrich continuously about negative events that have their mental and experiential lives, primarily already occurred. A less neurotic individual because they are not interested in doing so. would relax about most situations and when faced with a difficult situation, try to see the good in it. Application of the Five Factor Model to Conscientiousness, the third trait, describes Health order, discipline, and impulse control (John, 2008). It is most noted for its ability to influence The comprehensiveness of the Big Five traits the organization and direction of behavior has enabled researchers to better use (McCrae & John, 1992). High conscientiousness personality traits as predictors for certain types can be seen in people who are punctual, have a of behaviors or outcomes, and thus has been strong work ethic, do not get easily distracted, applied to numerous fields including education, and take good care of their health by eating right industrial and organizational psychology, and taking their medication (John, 2008). They developmental psychology, and forensics are people who are focused, prepared, and 26 YALE REVIEW OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN PSYCHOLOGY (McCrae & John, 1992). More recently however, under the same trait, the facets of openness to the Big Five have been used in the field of experience in particular have been argued to health, with a large focus being placed on almost be individual personality traits understanding how personality factors can affect themselves. The six facets of openness to mental and physical health. Extraversion, experience are openness to actions, ideas, conscientiousness, and agreeableness for values, aesthetics, fantasy, and feelings (Coan, instance, have been linked to positive outcomes 1972). Openness to actions describes the drive such as greater immune response to infection to seek out new activities and attempt new (Capitanio, Abel, Mendoza, Blozis, McChesney, things; openness to ideas is the desire to be Cole, & Mason, 2008; Sloan, Capitanio, Tarara, intellectually curious and think about things in & Cole, 2008), lower probability of developing a new and interesting ways; openness to values is cold (Cohen, Doyle, Turner, Alper, & Skoner, the willingness to re-examine one’s traditional 2003), positive health perception (Jerram & values, be it political, cultural, or religious; Coleman, 1999), longevity (Bermudez, 1999), openness to aesthetics describes the tendency and positive