Personality Traits

Personality models promise to explain why we think, feel, and act the way we do. The Big Five has been the go-to framework for decades, breaking personality down into five broad traits that show up across cultures and situations. But researchers did not stop there. The Big Six builds on the Big Five by adding an extra dimension that captures something especially important for understanding human behavior: how we deal with honesty, fairness, and morality.

Los modelos de personalidad prometen explicar por qué pensamos, sentimos y actuamos como lo hacemos. Los Cinco Grandes han sido el marco de referencia durante décadas, desglosando la personalidad en cinco rasgos amplios que aparecen en distintas culturas y situaciones. Pero los investigadores no se detuvieron ahí. Los Seis Grandes se basan en los Cinco Grandes al añadir una dimensión adicional que capta algo especialmente importante para comprender el comportamiento humano: cómo nos relacionamos con la honestidad, la equidad y la moralidad.

Modele osobowości obiecują wyjaśnić, dlaczego myślimy, czujemy i zachowujemy się w określony sposób. Wielka Piątka od dziesięcioleci stanowi podstawowy model, opisując osobowość za pomocą pięciu szerokich cech, które występują w różnych kulturach i sytuacjach. Jednak badacze na tym nie poprzestali. Wielka Szóstka rozwija model Wielkiej Piątki, dodając dodatkowy wymiar, który ujmuje coś szczególnie istotnego dla zrozumienia ludzkiego zachowania: sposób, w jaki podchodzimy do uczciwości, sprawiedliwości i moralności.

The Big Five or the Big Six?

Psychology has long been trying to answer one of the most fascinating questions of all: who are we, and why are we the way we are? One of the most widely used approaches to understanding personality is trait theory. Among many models, two stand out in particular: the Big Five and the less well-known but increasingly discussed Big Six (HEXACO) model. What sets them apart, and which one offers a better picture of human personality?

The Big Five

The Big Five model assumes that personality can be described using five relatively stable traits:

1. Openness to Experience – curiosity, creativity, imagination, and a willingness to explore new ideas.
2. Conscientiousness – self-discipline, responsibility, organization, and goal orientation.
3. Extraversion – sociability, energy, assertiveness, and positive emotionality.
4. Agreeableness – empathy, cooperativeness, trust, and concern for others.
5. Neuroticism – emotional instability, sensitivity to stress, anxiety, and negative emotions.

The Big Five is one of the most extensively researched personality models and is widely used in academic studies, organizational psychology, coaching, and clinical settings. Its greatest strengths are its simplicity and strong empirical foundation.

The Big Six

The HEXACO model builds on the Big Five by introducing a sixth trait that many researchers consider crucial:

1. Honesty–Humility – sincerity, fairness, modesty, and a lack of interest in manipulating or exploiting others.
2. Emotionality – anxiety, emotional sensitivity, vulnerability, and attachment to others.
3. Extraversion – sociability, energy, assertiveness, and positive emotionality.
4. Agreeableness – tolerance, patience, forgiveness, and low tendency toward anger.
5. Conscientiousness – self-discipline, responsibility, organization, and goal orientation.
6. Openness to Experience – curiosity, creativity, imagination, and a willingness to explore new ideas.

The most important addition is Honesty–Humility, which allows the HEXACO model to better explain behaviors related to narcissism, psychopathy, and unethical or exploitative actions. For this reason, the Big Six is often used in research on morality and antisocial behavior.

Which one should you choose?

There is no single “best” answer.

• The Big Five works well when simplicity and comparability across studies are key.
• The Big Six (HEXACO) offers deeper insight into ethical behavior and social values.

Both models describe personality as a set of dimensions rather than fixed types, and this is one of their greatest advantages.

Final thoughts

Personality models are not labels; they are maps. They help us understand ourselves and others, but they do not define us once and for all. Whether you prefer the Big Five or the Big Six, it is worth remembering that personality is dynamic (shaped by experience, relationships, and conscious choices).