The Psychology of Personality – Bringing your Characters to Life
The Psychology of Personality – Bringing your Characters to Life
When you meet someone for the first time you may notice certain things about them: how they look, how they speak, what they say. These are the things we see and hear that tell us something about the person and help us form an impression of what makes them tick. But what sits behind this?
Psychologists who study personality have identified 5 key ‘traits’ that can distinguish one person from another. Traits are the building blocks of personality; fairly consistent ways of thinking and behaving that can help us describe a person.
These traits have been named The Big Five:
Recent research has suggested a sixth:
- Honesty-humility.
We are all somewhere on the continuum for each of these traits. Some of us are at the extremes of high or low. Others somewhere in the middle, without a strong preference varying our responses depending on the circumstance.
We can use these qualities to help us think about ourselves and the characters we create in our fictional works. Let’s look at each trait in turn. (You may wish to tick off the descriptors that describe your protagonist as you read.)
OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE
People who are high on this trait are curious and enjoy exploring new experiences and ideas – think Sherlock Holmes or Alice in Wonderland. They ask questions and show a wide range of interests. At the other end of the continuum are those who are less interested in new ideas and cope less well with change, taking security from the familiar. At the extreme think of Miss Haversham in ‘Great Expectations’.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Creative, artistic, inventive
Wide range of interests Enjoys change and variety Open-minded, questioning Curious, inquisitive Intellectual, philosophical Seeks new experiences Unconventional, original |
Down-to-earth; grounded
Focused range of interests Finds it hard to adapt Set ways of thinking Takes things at face value Literal, factual Likes stability and routine Conventional, traditional |
Those high on conscientiousness will be reliable, doing what they promise when they say they will. They are organised and good time-managers. Think Mary Poppins. At the other end of this quality, the low scorers are unreliable, fail to meet their commitments and let others down. Think Billy Liar.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Organised, ordered
Plans ahead Dependable, conscientious Self-disciplined, persistent Thorough, attends to details Neat, tidy Punctual, reliable |
Disorganised, unstructured
Lives in the moment, impulsive Doesn’t do as promised Distracted, inattentive Careless, overlooks details Messy, misplaces things Late, misses deadlines |
Those who score highly on extraversion are outgoing and sociable. They enjoy a busy social life and lots of activities. Think Samantha Jones from ‘Sex and the City’, or Ron Weasley from ‘Harry Potter’. At the lower end, introverted people like to spend time alone and find too much company or stimulation draining. They are quiet in groups, preferring to observe and listen than to be in the spotlight. Think Jane Eyre or Mr Darcy. Or Jonathan Byers in ‘Stranger Things’.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Sociable, outgoing, gregarious
Likes to have lots going on Warm, enthusiastic, friendly Talkative, lively Outspoken, assertive |
Likes solitary activities, loner
Enjoys quiet, minimal stimulation Withdrawn, introspective, passive Quiet, holds back, reserved Observes before participating |
The people who score highly on Agreeableness are cooperative, kind, thoughtful to others and easy to get along with. Think Mother Theresa and Nelson Mandela. Those who score low on this trait are competitive, combative, and callous. Think Tom Ripley in ‘The Talented Mr Ripley’, or Professor Snape in ‘Harry Potter’.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Altruistic, helpful, considerate
Trusting, cooperative Accepting, liberal, live & let live Sympathetic, empathic Compassionate Kind, thoughtful, patient Seeks harmony, team player Modest, shows integrity |
Unhelpful, self-centred
Competitive, uncooperative Critical, judging, bullying, rude Lacks empathy, hard-hearted Ruthless, manipulative Unkind, cruel, impatient Competitive, challenging, Egotistical, boastful, |
Those who score highly on this trait are sensitive and emotionally volatile. Typically unhappy or anxious, they are quick to blame themselves (or others). Think Woody Allen in ‘Annie Hall’, or Lisbeth Salander in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’.
People at the low end of the trait are stable, resilient, and manage their emotions. Think James Bond.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Volatile, has mood swings
Prone to dwell and ruminate Low confidence, avoidant Self-conscious, self-blaming Temperamental, irritable, angry Unhappy, anxious, fearful Negative thinking |
Emotionally stable, even-tempered
Resilient, bounces back Has self-esteem, confident Comfortable in own shoes Self-controlled, manages emotions Generally content and happy Positive thinking |
HONESTY-HUMILITY
People high on this trait will be open, genuine and straightforward in their dealings with others; they are honest and trustworthy. Think Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mocking Bird’.
At the other end of the scale, people are dishonest and cannot be trusted. Think every James Bond villain.
| HIGH | LOW |
| Sincere and honest
Fair, equitable Shows integrity Not concerned with wealth Shows modesty Sees people as on a par |
Dishonest and insincere
Cheat to get ahead Take advantage of others Concerned with status & wealth Brags and shows off Feels they are special & above others |
Your character’s personality will impact their beliefs and values, how they behave, the way they interact with others, and how they go about reaching their wants and needs.
Once you’ve created a profile for your protagonist against these traits, consider:
What does your protagonist do that shows these characteristics?
What beliefs and values do they hold that reflect their profile?
Are there circumstances where they behave differently? Why?
What similarities/differences are there to other characters?
What’s in their backstory that illustrates how these traits developed?
Happy writing!
If you’d like more information DM me on Twitter @JulesTake3 or Instagram @Julia.Stone.Writer
Julia Stone is author of the psychological suspense novels Her Little Secret and The Accident.
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Julia has a professional background in business psychology and psychotherapy. Following cancer treatment, she decided to take a break from the business world and direct her energies towards her creative side, studying art and ceramics, then film script and novel writing. She now runs her own coaching and therapy business part-time, where she helps other creative people work on the emotional challenges and limiting beliefs that get in the way of their writing or artistic ambitions.
Julia attended Faber Academy in 2017. She has been shortlisted for a number of writing competitions and in 2018 won The Blue Pencil First Novel award. Her debut was published in 2021.
She lives on a small holding in Suffolk with her partner and varying numbers of ducks, muntjac and rabbits.
https://twitter.com/JulesTake3
THE ACCIDENT
Thrown together by fate. Entwined by lies…
The police ruled it as misadventure. A young woman falling from a bridge onto Janice Thomason’s car was not an act of suicide or murder, it’s just an accident. But for Janice, it feels like fate has thrown them together.
As a genealogist, Janice is used to tracking down clues – is even a little obsessive, one might say… The police know so little about the Jane Doe that fell on her car that she decides to start her own investigation into the victim and the people she knew. Surely someone must be to blame?
Sometimes the only way to uncover the truth is to lie… and for Janice, living a lie comes all too easily.
Gripping and chilling, The Accident is a psychological thriller perfect for fans of Amanda Robson and Shari Lapena.
BUY HERE
Category: How To and Tips
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