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Big 5 Personality & McAdams

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Briefly, describe the personality of someone you know using the Five-Factor Model and McAdam's theory. This person can be a friend, family member, coworker, or someone else you know well. What particular career has this person chosen, and how long has he or she been in this field? Disguise the identity of the person by using a pseudonym, and mask any characteristics that could lead to recognition of the person. How might this person change, based on these theories, when he or she is ten years older than now, and 20 or more years older than now?

In completing this discussion, provide a summary statement reflecting your view of the stability or variance of personality across this span of time.

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This in-depth solution with over 1800 words discusses the Big Five theory in the context of holistic principles with real-life examples and scenarios. All references used are included.

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(1) Briefly describe the personality of someone you know using the five-Factor Mode and McAdams theory.

Susan D. is a 29-year old African American, who works as a secretary for a large automotive company, and has worked in the same company for fifteen years. She is a hard worker, intelligent, but somewhat reserved. She is shy and introverted. Susan had made no friends on the jobs in all the five years she has been employed, and does not socialize with others apart from work interests. Lately, she is becoming more v depressed and nervous, and worries that her life is going nowhere. She suspects that her state of mind is related to her job; however, she is uncertain as to how to make a change in her situation. She lacks skills, and has little motivation to go back to school. Needless to say, her indecisiveness has only added to her personal dilemma, and she is very unhappy.

Based on the five-factor model as articulated by McAdams and Pals (2006), Susan would be considered as possessing a personality encompassing the first principle of an integrative theory of Personality based on the "Big Five", :" or NEO I-PR (Costa & McCrae, 1992a) dimensions. For example, McAdams and Pals assert that the Big Five provides a broad framework of personality that goes beyond traits concept. The trait concept was introduced by list of characteristics that Allport (1961) devised to construct a taxonomy of traits that universally applied to all individuals. Characteristics based on Costa and McCrae's Big 5 dimensions of the personality are provided as: (a) Extraversion, (b) Agreeableness, (c) Conscientiousness, (d) Neuroticism, and (e) Openness. Extraversion refers to aspects such as assertiveness, enthusiasm, dominance, sociable and talkative; Agreeableness refers to interpersonal tendencies (e.g., altruism, friendly, cooperative, sympathy toward others; Conscientiousness is a dimension of personality that describes a person who is cautious, dependable, organized and responsible; Neuroticism are characteristics of persons who high strung, strong, tense, worrying; .Openness refers to openness to experience as sell as active imagination,, attentiveness, artistic, or witty. Each of the major dimensions or personality may be subdivided into individual traits (Costra & McCrae, 1992a).

According to McAdams and Pals (2006), taken together, there are five principles underlying the Big Five Domains that are focused on dispositional traits and the variations in humans functioning. Take Susan D. (a fictitious name) for example, utilizing the Big Five approach to personality assessment, she would be characterized as either an extrovert or introvert. Introverted persons are usually shy, reticent, submissive, or quiet. Clearly based on her characteristics, Susan D will be considered to having a personality describing her as an introvert
However, McAdams and Pals (2006) assert that a better way to present personality dimensions would be in an integrated model based on the five principles underlying the ...

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