Big Five trait profile
Openness (O): high vs low
How do people high and low in openness differ in daily life, relationships and work? Not better or worse—just different strengths, side by side.
See your scores with the Big Five testOpenness is one of the five factors of the Big Five (OCEAN) model, widely used in personality research. Scores sit on a continuum from low to high, and neither end is the better personality. If you land in the middle, both sides may show up depending on the situation.
At a glance
When high
Always asking “why?” and “what if?”—curiosity is your engine
In the middle
Open to new things, but you move once you can see the point
When low
You trust proven methods and results you can actually hold
How it shows up day to day
When high
- One video leads you down a rabbit hole of related topics for hours
- Taking the same route gets dull, so you sometimes detour on purpose
- Exhibitions, music or books in unfamiliar genres pull you in with “what is this?”
When low
- You’d rather go back to your usual favorite restaurant than try the new place
- You wait until a new app or tool has good reviews before trying it
- In abstract discussions, you mostly want to know “so what do we actually do?”
Strengths
When high
- You connect different fields to come up with fresh ideas
- You find something interesting even in change or unfamiliar settings
When low
- You spot practical risks early and save everyone wasted effort
- You stick with methods that work, so your results are dependable
Worth keeping an eye on
When high
- Your interests shift often, so unfinished projects can pile up
- Repetitive tasks and fixed rules can feel dull and get postponed
When low
- You may shut down unfamiliar ideas with “that won’t work” before hearing them out
- Big changes in your environment can take more energy for you to adjust to
In relationships
When high
Sharing new experiences together is itself a way you show affection. If your partner prefers the familiar, remember that their steadiness also protects the relationship.
When low
You build trust by showing up consistently rather than with big words. When a partner suggests something new, saying “let’s try it once” instead of judging right away adds fresh energy to the relationship.
At work and study
When high
You’re energized by work where ideas become output—planning, research, content. Checkpoints or teammates who help carry ideas to the finish make your results much bigger.
When low
You shine in work with clear procedures and measurable results. When a team is flooded with ideas, checking what is actually feasible is where you add real value.
Small things to try this week
When high
Pick just one of the ideas floating in your head and finish the smallest version of it you can complete this week.
When low
Once this week, deliberately pick a menu item, route or show you would normally skip. Start with something small and safe.
High, medium and low openness scores
A high score means new ideas and experiences feel worth a closer look. Unfamiliar arguments spark curiosity rather than suspicion, and open-ended topics like art or philosophy can hold your attention for hours.
A medium score is where most people land, and it usually means openness switches on by area: adventurous with music or food, conservative with money or health. A low score is not a lack of curiosity; it signals a preference for proven methods and a habit of asking what something is for before trying it.
The facets inside openness
The BFI-2 splits openness into intellectual curiosity, aesthetic sensitivity and creative imagination. The older NEO-PI-R uses six facets: fantasy, aesthetics, feelings, actions, ideas and values. Two people with the same total can look quite different, one drawn to debates and books, another moved by music and design. Some researchers prefer the name “openness/intellect” because the trait mixes openness to ideas with openness to experience.
Openness in relationships, work and study
In relationships it shapes what conversation feels intimate. A partner high in openness may love “what if we moved abroad?” questions, while a lower scorer may feel closest sharing concrete details of the day. Neither is deeper; the depth points in a different direction.
At work and school, higher openness tends to go with trying new methods and enjoying cross-disciplinary tasks. Its link with grades and job ratings is weaker than that of conscientiousness, so ideas pay off most when paired with follow-through.
How openness changes across the lifespan
A large meta-analysis of longitudinal studies (Roberts and colleagues, 2006) found that openness rises slightly through adolescence and early adulthood, then dips in later life. That differs from the “maturity principle” pattern of rising conscientiousness and agreeableness. These are averages; long stretches in unfamiliar settings, from study to travel, may help keep openness up.
Working with your level of openness
If you score high, pick one “theme of the month” instead of chasing every interest, and finish a small version of one idea. If you score low, try a variation one step away from what you already enjoy rather than forcing novelty. In the middle, note where you open up and where you close down; the pattern makes choices easier.
What research says, and how openness relates to MBTI and DISC
The Big Five is a widely studied personality model, and openness reliably tracks interest in art, science and creative achievement. The correlations are modest, though, so a score cannot rate anyone’s creativity.
The MBTI’s intuition–sensing scale overlaps strongly with openness (McCrae and Costa, 1989), while DISC has no matching dimension. For a fuller comparison, see MBTI vs Big Five.
Big Five Openness (O): common questions
Does low openness mean low intelligence?
No. Openness is only weakly to moderately related to intelligence test scores. A low score describes a tendency to value practical, tested approaches, which is a strength in work that rewards precision.
What does a medium openness score mean?
It is the most common result and usually means you balance novelty and familiarity by situation. Which areas you open up in varies from person to person, so the three facets are a useful way to make sense of it.
Can you increase your openness?
Personality keeps changing modestly in adulthood, and studies of people who wanted to change found small shifts. The size and speed vary a lot between individuals, so aim for small, regular new experiences rather than a target score.
If I am an N type in MBTI, am I high in openness?
The two tend to move together, but a type alone cannot tell you your score. The tests ask different questions, so the Big Five test is the direct way to check.
Keep reading
- Can personality change? What is inherited, what shifts with age, and what you can changeCan personality really change? Big Five research on what is inherited, what shifts with age and therapy, and “if-then” plans that help you change.
- Big Five test accuracy: what research says and why your scores changeA different Big Five score on a retest? What research says about how reliable and valid Big Five tests are, and how to read scores that move.
- MBTI vs Big Five: what is the difference?MBTI sorts personality into four-letter types; the Big Five scores five traits. Learn what each measures, when to use which, and how to read both together.
- Highly sensitive person vs introvert: how do they differ?Needing time alone doesn’t necessarily make you an introvert. How introversion differs from HSP sensitivity, with four combinations and common myths.
This is a self-reflection description, not a diagnosis. People with the same type can differ a lot by person and situation.