When you think about the star of a hit television show, a cartoon aardvark isn’t usually the first thing to come to mind. But, as any one of the 10 million weekly viewers of PBS’s Arthur will tell you, the appeal of the show is more than just the title character. It is the breadth of personalities displayed across the entire cast, allowing us to link each of them to people in our own lives. Sue Ellen loves art, music, and world culture, while the Brain is studious, meticulous, and responsible. Francine loves interacting with people, especially while playing sports, and Buster is laid-back, warm, and friendly to just about everyone. D.W. drives Arthur crazy with her moods, obsessions, and tantrums; while Arthur—at the center of it all—combines all of these traits into one appealing, complicated package.
In the show Arthur, we see embodied in animated form the various dispositions that populate our real-world interpersonal lives. And when we think of these people and their personalities, visceral reactions are commonly evoked. We like, loathe, or even love people based on our perception of their personalities and how their personalities mesh with our own.
Clearly, personality shapes how we perceive others, but what exactly is it? Personality is an individual’s characteristic way of thinking, feeling, and acting, based on the traits—enduring motives and impulses—that he or she possesses (McCrae & Costa, 2001). Contemporary psychologists argue that, although thousands of different personalities exist, each is composed of only five primary traits, referred to as the “Big Five” (John, 1990). These are openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (see Table 3.2). A simple way to remember them is the acronym OCEAN. The degree to which a person possesses each of the Big Five traits determines his or her personality (McCrae, 2001).
Table 3.2 The Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN)
| Personality Trait | Description |
| Openness | The degree to which a person is willing to consider new ideas and take an interest in culture. People high in openness are more imaginative, creative, and interested in seeking out new experiences than those low in openness. |
| Conscientiousness | The degree to which a person is organized and persistent in pursuing goals. People high in conscientiousness are methodical, well organized, and dutiful; those low in conscientiousness are less careful, less focused, and more easily distracted. Also known as dependability. |
| Extraversion | The degree to which a person is interested in interacting regularly with others and actively seeks out interpersonal encounters. People high in extraversion are outgoing and sociable; those low in extraversion are quiet and reserved. |
| Agreeableness | The degree to which a person is trusting, friendly, and cooperative. People low in agreeableness are aggressive, suspicious, and uncooperative. Also known as friendliness. |
| Neuroticism | The degree to which a person experiences negative thoughts about oneself. People high in neuroticism are prone to insecurity and emotional distress; people low in neuroticism are relaxed, less emotional, and less prone to distress. Also known as emotional stability. |