Agreeableness is one of the Big Five personality traits, which theorizes that there are five major dimensions to personality. Each dimension is viewed on a continuum, which means while you may be dominant in one area—like agreeableness—you still have some level of the other four traits represented in your personality as well. In addition to agreeableness, the other Big Five traits include openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, and neuroticism. OCEAN is the acronym commonly used by psychologists to help people remember all five traits. Overall, the Big Five is a useful tool for considering and learning more about personality traits. It’s also useful in identifying and predicting how people will respond in different situations.
Characteristics of Agreeableness
Some common characteristics of people who score high in agreeableness include the following:
Get along well with others Are popular and well-liked Care for others in need Are helpful, kind, and considerate Display sensitivity Are socially and emotionally intelligent De-escalate conflict Refrain from judging people Give others the benefit of the doubt Like to collaborate Form friendships easily Tend to be altruistic and perceptive Are emotionally supportive
Overall, agreeableness describes a person’s ability to put other people’s needs above their own. For instance, people who are high in agreeableness naturally experience empathy and tend to get tremendous pleasure from serving others and taking care of them. Agreeable people also are trusting and forgiving and would rather collaborate than compete with others. Clearly, scoring high in agreeableness can be advantageous in many situations because it’s a key trait in attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are generally well-liked and a joy to be around. Most people consider them good friends. Meanwhile, people who score low in agreeableness tend to be more hostile, antagonistic, and competitive. They also tend to have more difficult relationships that are riddled with disagreements and breakups.
Prevalence of Agreeableness
Like the other four factors of personality, agreeableness is usually measured using self-report inventories. These questionnaires typically contain statements where the person taking the test decides if they agree with the statement, disagree with the statement, or fall somewhere in between. Because agreeableness is measured with self-report questionnaires and is considered a dimension of personality and not a diagnosis, there is not a lot of information available on the prevalence of agreeableness among the general population. Children tend to be lower in agreeableness since kids tend to have a harder time taking other people’s perspectives and tend to be more egocentric. This trait tends to increase gradually throughout life.
How Agreeableness Influences Behavior
When it comes to personality testing, measuring a person’s agreeableness determines their ability to be kind, empathetic, trusting, cooperative, and sympathetic. In other words, it shows how well the person meshes with society. Within the trait of agreeableness, there are six facets or sub-traits that further illustrate what makes a person agreeable:
Altruism Cooperation Modesty Straightforwardness Sympathy Trust
Here is an overview of these traits:
Altruistic
People who are agreeable feel good when they are helping others. What’s more, they get tremendous internal rewards for doing good deeds and do not view it as self-sacrificing. They get a sense of fulfillment from the act itself. Meanwhile, those who score low in agreeableness feel like helping others is an imposition. And even though they may recognize it, they often have no desire to change their behavior.
Cooperative
When someone scores high in agreeableness, they will go to great lengths to avoid confrontations with other people. They like to be seen as peacemakers, but will often compromise their own needs and interests to get along with other people. On the other hand, people who score low in agreeableness are prone to forcing their will on other people. They also will use intimidation and aggression to get their own way.
Honest
If someone scores high in agreeableness, they tend to be straightforward and sincere. They rarely feel the need to manipulate people to get what they want. Likewise, they are viewed as genuine, loving people who are easy to relate to. But, if a person scores low in agreeableness, they may feel there is nothing wrong with being deceptive, especially when it’s more convenient. They also may be more secretive.
Modest
People who score high in agreeableness are very down-to-earth and rarely claim to be better than others. They also are usually humble—sometimes to the point that they may have lower self-esteem. Meanwhile, someone who scores low in agreeableness might be more arrogant or not above taking advantage of other people. They also may try to do more to show that they are superior to others.
Sympathetic
When someone scores high in agreeableness, they are often very sympathetic and are easily moved to have care and concern for others. They also are emotionally intelligent and very empathetic, often relating to the pain and suffering of other people. People who score low in agreeableness are not inclined to be merciful and may not feel empathy.
Trusting
If someone scores high in agreeableness, they are prone to assume that other people have good intentions and mean well. They can also be slow to make judgments about other people and often care for people unconditionally. Overall, if you are an agreeable person, some common behaviors probably occur pretty consistently in your life. Here are some common ways that people who are high in agreeableness behave. Look for yourself in these scenarios:
Put the interests of others before their ownMay engage in people-pleasing behaviorNeed affirmation from othersAre kind, considerate, and helpfulTend to get involved in altruistic activities or community eventsWill compromise on their ideas and ideals if it reduces conflictRefrain from being abrasive or contradictingTry to be honest and sincere in words and deeds
How to Become More Agreeable
Agreeableness depends on a person’s underlying temperament and innate personality. However, there are also things that you can do to help cultivate greater agreeableness. Steps you can take include:
Finding positive role models with high agreeableness: Spending more time with people with this personality trait can help you develop more cooperative behaviors.Collaborating with others: Working with others on projects requiring you to maintain social harmony can help improve your agreeableness abilities.Thinking of others: Make an effort to put yourself in other people’s shoes. Imagining how others are feeling can help you behave in more empathetic, kind, and helpful ways.
In general, people tend to become more agreeable as they grow older.
A Word From Verywell
Remember, personality traits—like agreeableness—represent just one factor in determining who you are. Even if you score high in agreeableness, you still have some level of the other traits within your personality. So, while understanding agreeableness can help you make sense of your tendencies, it’s not your only defining characteristic. Every person has some dimension of the remaining Big Five traits in their life. Be open to exploring all areas of your personality.
