4 The big Five in personality theories refers to which of the following?


a. a set of functional traits such as neuroticism and openness to experiences.
b. the group of personality theorists who criticized Freud's theory as too sexual.
c. The effect of positive reinforcement on requiring new behaviors.
d. the number of stages in Freud's theory of development.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Five_personality_traits

To determine the correct answer, we need to understand what the "big Five" in personality theories refers to.

The "big Five" refers to a widely accepted framework for understanding personality traits. These traits are considered to be the five dimensions or factors that capture the most essential aspects of personality. The five factors are:

1. Neuroticism: This factor refers to the tendency to experience negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, and irritability. It reflects the degree of emotional stability or instability.

2. Extraversion: This factor represents the extent to which a person is outgoing, sociable, and assertive. It reflects the degree of engagement with the external world.

3. Openness to experience: This factor reflects a person's inclination towards imagination, creativity, and flexibility in thinking. It represents the degree of openness to new ideas and experiences.

4. Agreeableness: This factor refers to the tendency to be cooperative, kind, and considerate towards others. It represents the degree of warmth and compassion in interpersonal relationships.

5. Conscientiousness: This factor represents the degree of organization, responsibility, and impulse control in a person's behavior. It reflects the degree of reliability and self-discipline.

Based on this understanding, the correct answer would be option a. "A set of functional traits such as neuroticism and openness to experiences" refers to the big five factors in personality theories.