Final answer:
Neuroticism, one of the Big Five personality traits, is associated with lower marital satisfaction due to its links with emotional instability and reactivity to stress, potentially impacting the quality of interpersonal relationships.
Step-by-step explanation:
Among the Big Five personality traits—including Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism—it is Neuroticism that is associated with lower marital satisfaction. Neuroticism is characterized by tendencies toward emotional instability, anxiety, moodiness, irritability, and sadness. Individuals high in Neuroticism may experience more negative emotions and be more reactive to stress, which can lead to less satisfying interpersonal relationships, including marriage. In contrast, other traits like Conscientiousness are linked to greater satisfaction in relationships due to associated attributes such as reliability and organization.
Understanding personality traits is important not only on an individual level but also in the context of relationships and cultural influences. Personality traits like Extroversion and Neuroticism can exhibit different patterns of expression across various cultures, influencing behaviors and the dynamics within relationships.