The Five-Factor Model, which is an interpretation of the Big Five factors, asserts that differences among people in these dimensions are:
A epigenetic
B stable
C due to external forces
D All answers are correct
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is B. stable.
The Five-Factor Model (FFM), often called the Big Five, is a well-known psychological framework for understanding personality traits. The five broad dimensions are Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism (often remembered by the acronym OCEAN). The model suggests that these five dimensions capture the major ways people consistently differ from each other in thoughts, emotions and behaviors.
According to the Five-Factor Model, individual differences in these traits are stable over time. This means a person who is highly conscientious at age 20 is likely to still score relatively high on conscientiousness decades later. Many studies have tracked personality traits through longitudinal research and found that although some small changes can occur, especially in young adulthood and late life, people’s relative standings on these traits remain largely stable across their lifespan. This is why the FFM emphasizes that personality traits are enduring tendencies rather than fleeting states or moods.
Stability in the Big Five traits does not mean people never change. Life experiences, major events or intentional self-development efforts can influence certain aspects of personality. However, the general rank-order consistency—meaning the relative position compared to others—tends to remain. This is why personality psychologists often describe traits as stable dispositions.
Option A is incorrect because “epigenetic” refers to biological processes that influence gene expression without changing DNA sequences. Although there is some genetic influence on personality, the FFM itself does not frame traits as epigenetic specifically. Option C is incorrect because while environment and external forces can shape how traits are expressed, the FFM emphasizes internal, stable characteristics more than transient external influences. Therefore, the best answer is that personality traits in this model are stable over time.