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General Personality Science

Personality Disorder

An enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from cultural expectations, is inflexible, pervades many situations, and causes distress or impairment. 10 types in DSM-5.

Personality disorders (PDs) represent extreme, rigid, and maladaptive personality patterns. They differ from normal personality variation (Big Five traits) in their inflexibility, pervasiveness, and functional impairment.

The DSM-5 lists 10 PDs in three clusters: Cluster A (odd/eccentric — Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal), Cluster B (dramatic/erratic — Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic), and Cluster C (anxious/fearful — Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive).

Importantly, PDs exist on a spectrum with normal personality. Very low Big Five Agreeableness shares features with Cluster B; very high Neuroticism shares features with Cluster C. The difference is degree and impact. JobCannon's personality tests are NOT diagnostic — they measure normal-range personality traits.

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Related Terms

Introversion
A personality preference for lower stimulation environments. Introverts recharge through solitude and deep focus, prefer small groups over large parties, and think before speaking.
Personality Trait
A relatively stable pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that distinguishes one person from another. Traits are continuous dimensions (not categories) measured on a spectrum.
Ambivert
A person who falls near the middle of the introversion-extraversion spectrum, displaying both introverted and extroverted behaviors depending on context. Most people (60-70%) are ambiverts.
Dark Triad
Three socially aversive personality traits: Narcissism (grandiosity, entitlement), Machiavellianism (manipulation, cynicism), and Psychopathy (callousness, impulsivity). Present to varying degrees in the general population.
Five Factor Model (FFM)
The scientific framework behind the Big Five personality test. Developed through decades of factor analysis, identifying five broad dimensions that account for most of the variance in human personality.
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