Final answer:
The DSM-5 categorizes personality disorders but is commonly discussed with the Five Factor Model, which includes five major personality traits: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. These traits, remembered using the mnemonic OCEAN, are scored along a continuum.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), does not directly evaluate personality traits; rather, it categorizes personality disorders. However, trait theorists in psychology have identified key dimensions of personality, often referred to in the context of the DSM-5 when considering personality patterns and disorders. These dimensions are known as the Five Factor Model or "Big Five," which include the following traits:
- Openness to Experience - characterizes those who are imaginative and curious vs. those who are more conventional and prefer routine.
- Conscientiousness - refers to how organized, mindful of details, and responsible a person is.
- Extraversion - involves the extent to which a person is outgoing, sociable, and seeks the company of others.
- Agreeableness - describes a person's tendency to be compassionate and cooperative toward others.
- Neuroticism - indicates a person's tendency to experience negative emotions, such as anxiety, anger, or depression.
These traits are conceived as continua, with each individual expressing different levels of each trait, rather than as present or absent characteristics. A mnemonic often used to remember these traits is OCEAN.