Personality Traits

Status
Not open for further replies.

DwayneA

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Nov 5, 2006
Messages
1,419
Reaction score
55
I found an interesting entry on wikipedia about 16 personality traits and 5 secondary traits. For each of them comes a list of definitions and traits to fit the positive and negative sides of the traits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16_Personality_Factors

I think this could prove useful for me in creating character personalities.
 

KD_Kilker

Carpe diem
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 1, 2009
Messages
190
Reaction score
8
Location
Jasonville, Indiana
Bookmark'd :)

These should help with filling out those pesky character forms. Now, to figure out what to do with the question that asks for 'attitudes'.
 

Danthia

Such lists are great, but don't forget to make your characters people in their own right. Understand why they are this way and what that means to them, or they can end up being two-dimensional characters with no depth. They can also start to feel like everyone else's characters who used the same list.

Use this as a jumping off point, but don't let it be the only thing that defines your characters.
 

tehuti88

Mackinac Island Fanatic
Super Member
Registered
Joined
May 12, 2008
Messages
1,487
Reaction score
149
Location
Not here anymore
Website
www.inkspot.com
I myself like to make use of astrological associations with my characters, but as Danthia suggests, they're just guidelines and facets of character rather than the entire character themselves. I've long found personality trait systems intriguing for this reason. :) But each character must also be individual. (My dad does not act like any sort of Pisces I've ever read about, and my "peaceful" Libra nature must be messed up by my volatile Aries Moon or something.)
 

Deccydiva

Back from the dead
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 22, 2008
Messages
2,197
Reaction score
222
Location
Ireland
Such lists are great, but don't forget to make your characters people in their own right. Understand why they are this way and what that means to them, or they can end up being two-dimensional characters with no depth. They can also start to feel like everyone else's characters who used the same list.

Use this as a jumping off point, but don't let it be the only thing that defines your characters.

Well said - I think there is a danger of ending up with "manufactured" characters if a purely scientific approach is taken, I find the most interesting aspects of people I have met over half a century are found in their ability to surprise you when you think you have them sussed. My characters are based on real, ordinary people or a combination of several but even then they come out with some unexpected things sometimes. :) Sometimes they are based on myself which came as a shock in one novel as I discovered something I didn't know I had in my personality - but when I thought about it, it was true. :Ssh:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.