Which of the following is not a Big Five Factor?

Q: Which of the following is not a Big Five Factor?

Which of the following is not a Big Five Factor?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:
The correct option is 4 because **Self-monitoring** is a separate and distinct personality construct, most notably developed by Mark Snyder, which describes an individual's ability to adjust his or her behavior to external, situational factors. While it is a significant concept in organizational behavior, it is *not* one of the five core dimensions of the universally accepted Big Five Model of Personality (also known as the Five-Factor Model or FFM). The model comprises Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism (often inverted to Emotional Stability), making Self-monitoring the outlier that does not belong to the core list.

The incorrect option is 1:
**Extraversion** is one of the foundational dimensions of the Big Five Model. This factor captures an individual's comfort level with relationships and is a major predictor of social behavior in the workplace. Extraverts are typically gregarious, assertive, and sociable, thriving in social settings. Conversely, introverts tend to be reserved, quiet, and reflective. Therefore, Extraversion is a core Big Five factor.

The incorrect option is 2:
**Agreeableness** is another essential factor in the Big Five Model, measuring a person’s propensity to defer to others. Highly agreeable individuals are cooperative, warm, and trusting, which generally makes them effective team members and popular colleagues. Conversely, people low in agreeableness are typically cold, antagonistic, and distrusting. Its inclusion as a core dimension means it is correctly identified as a Big Five factor and is not the answer to the question.

The incorrect option is 3:
**Emotional stability** is correctly identified as a Big Five factor, though it is the opposite pole of the factor formally known as Neuroticism. Neuroticism measures a person's ability to withstand stress. People with high emotional stability (low Neuroticism) are calm, self-confident, and secure, generally handling stress well. Individuals with low stability (high Neuroticism) tend to be anxious, depressed, and insecure, exhibiting poor stress management. As it represents a crucial personality dimension, it is definitely part of the Big Five Model.