Why is this so? Why do traits with a moral quality have such a powerful effect on us? Is this just a reflection of the cultural influences that Allport emphasized?

This ability of some avoidants to assert themselves is not shared by people with another high N pattern, called dependent. Instead of fighting against their deep sense of insecurity, they seek out stronger people as potential protectors. The DSM’s description of this pattern includes: “has difficulty making everyday decisions without an excessive

high Neuroticism is correlated with high achievement and creativity in people whose other traits keep them from falling into the deep hole that can be dug by persistent emotional distress.

Paranoid—A pattern of distrust and suspiciousness such that others’ motives are interpreted as malevolent. “Reads hidden, demeaning, or threatening meanings into benign remarks or events.”

As a result we keep getting more and more accustomed to thinking, feeling, and acting like our familiar selves, which further strengthens the established brain circuits. Consistency is also supported as we settle into permanent relationships because the people we have become close to have also grown accustomed to our ways and expect us to stay as

In thinking about a person’s character, it is important to pay attention to the way someone expresses both universal and culture-based values.

most Americans who lived in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries shared the view that character was the most significant part of personality—and the part that could be improved through conscious effort.

Tranquility—Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable. • Chastity—Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dullness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another’s peace or reputation. • Humility—Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

Many of us find it difficult to articulate our views of personalities—not only to others, but also to ourselves. There’s so much to consider, and it’s hard to convert what we know in our minds into a useful verbal picture.