Personality Trait 1: Openness / Conservative Quiz

Your Score Indicates You have: 

Low Openness (High Conservatism)

People who are low in openness can be described as “straightforward”, “down to earth”, or “black and white” by nature. They are generally more conventional in their interests, preferring hard facts, tradition, and stability over novelty, creativity and artistic sensibility.

They crave routine and structure, tending to pursue professions which don’t involve much variance in day-to-day tasks. They may also be less “in touch” with their emotions, and less likely to discuss or express their emotions openly.

Being low in openness can be beneficial, because it encourages risk-aversion (the tendency to avoid or minimize risk). It is generally easier for people who are low in openness to maintain structure and routine over time, because they don’t crave novelty, so they find success in professions where routine and structure is important.

On the other hand, there are potential drawbacks to being low in openness. It can be difficult for people who are low in openness to deal with, or adapt to, significant disruption or change (whether that’s a change in routine, a change in the circumstances of a relationship, or a change in the circumstances of their employment). This can limit their resilience and make success more difficult.

In addition, it can be more difficult for people who are low in openness to be spontaneous and try new things, which can stunt their personal development, or cause them to miss out on some of the joys of life.

Your Score Indicates You have: 

Moderate Openness

Most people fall somewhere in the middle in relation to openness. These people may prefer the familiar to the unfamiliar, but they are not closed off to new ideas or experiences. They may appreciate innovation, creativity and artistry, but also appreciate the importance of facts and tradition.

In short, they are likely to strike a balance between the conventional and exciting aspects of life, which is a healthy attitude to have. 

As a person with a moderate score in Openness, you are about as likely as the average person to think in an abstract, creative way, however you have your brilliant moments. You are neither especially eccentric nor overly conventional in your thinking. You tend to think of yourself as practical, but open to new ideas.

You are not a big fan of risky behavior and most of the times prefer safety and security compared to uncertainty and novelty.  

Your Score Indicates You have: 

High Openness

People who are high in openness are often creative and curious. They are likely to be open to new experiences and unconventional ideas. They are generally good at creative thinking, or have strong artistic abilities. Accordingly, they are often well-suited to careers in music, visual arts, marketing, advertising or communications.

People who are high in openness also tend to have an increased awareness of their own emotions and the emotions of others.

Awareness of one’s own emotions is linked to creativity and artistic ability because people who understand themselves are better at expressing themselves in creative and artistic ways.

Awareness of the emotions of others makes people more effective at communicating with and helping others. Because of this, many people who are high in openness enter people-oriented professions, such as teaching, coaching, social work, or nursing.

Unfortunately, there are also potential downsides associated with high trait openness. People who are high in openness may take greater risks to experience knew things.

The logic behind this is: the more experiences these people have, the less novelty is left, so they become likely to push the boundaries by engaging in risky or dangerous behavior, to receive the adrenaline rush of novelty.

This means people who are high in openness may be more likely to engage in physically risky behavior, sexually risky behavior, or experimentation with illicit activities or substances.

In addition, individuals who are high in openness may become bored with their jobs. Many jobs involve the repetition of similar tasks, with less and less novelty as time passes, and the craving of new experiences can lead to job dissatisfaction.

There are also a limited number of jobs involving high levels of creativity, artistry, and self-expression, and it is often difficult to make those jobs profitable. This can lead to frustration, dissatisfaction, and even feelings of depression and anxiety. As a result, people who are high in openness may change careers more frequently than their peers.