According self tests using the Five Factor Model, my personality has low extraversion and emotional stability, a high degree of openness, and moderate levels of agreeableness and conscientiousness. Low extraversion is demonstrated in both professional and social environments. While working a corporate job as a financial analyst, taking the time and initiative to interact with coworkers beyond the scope of the job was limited to a brief conversation once a day with the same two people. In large social gatherings, interactions are limited to familiar people with whom I have pre-existing friendships. If I attend a concert by myself, I will bring a book to read in between musical acts to prevent people from speaking to me. Low emotional stability is exhibited through a tendency to be easily and overly stressed about work, school, and relationships. For example, financial analysts collect data from their clients for reports. It was common for data to be received later than expected and for deadlines to be moved in result. These obstacles were expected, yet there was still copious amounts of stress and anxiety each time data was late and deadlines were pushed. Then, the stress from work would easily carry over to other facets of life, and vice versa- unrelated job stresses would affect job performance and a high degree of creative and intellectual openness to experience is shown through many hobbies, interests, and endeavors.
Most solitary time is spent designing, making patterns, and creating clothes, cycling gear, and writing music on the guitar and piano. Magazine and journals for art, architecture, science, and business are constantly being read for knowledge, inspiration, and ideas for ongoing projects. While sewing and music have been constants throughout my life, new hobbies and interests are still actively being accumulated, such as bicycle touring and small business pursuits. Agreeableness is average, meaning I do not try to be either cooperative or antagonistic towards others. I generally take a laissez-faire approach to my relationships and do not have an invested interest because I do not believe I can significantly impact the long-term well being of others. During conversations, I do not inquire specifically about their personal lives, I let the other person tell me what they are comfortable about talking about and what they want me to know. Conscientiousness is also average. I have a fair balance of structure and spontaneity. There is just enough control and regulation in impulses to maintain a harmonized flow of daily life that will allow for spontaneous activities. For example, school work is more or less planned out by the day to prevent falling behind, but I will still embark on spontaneous adventures of bicycle rides to abandoned warehouse roof tops at midnight on a school night. Survey results are consistent with how I view myself generally. While it is impossible to be completely objective in self evaluations, I think I am fairly in tune with my inter- and intra-relationships because I make an effort to heed feedback. When interacting with others I pay attention to their facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and not only their words, but their silences. Compared to PSU student averages, extraversion falls mainly in the lower third or lower mid-range, agreeableness is in the moderate range, and conscientiousness and openness fall in the high or higher mid-range. The lack of pattern suggests that the five traits are not highly correlated and are separate from one another. For example, I can be very open to new experience and ideas, but not "open" to social interaction. Also in general terms, I am more motivated by achievement and curiosity for new experiences than by social stimulation. With an exception to conscientiousness, all the scores changed between the two self tests. However, the scores still fell into the same third in comparison to PSU students (high, moderate, low). Similarities and
