Five personality traits that determine if you'll have a happy life

If you harbour ambitions of becoming a happier person, what are the best traits to focus on? Photo / Getty Images

Personality theory has changed hugely since the 1930s, when Harvard psychologist Gordon Allport proposed some 4000 traits.

Two decades later, Raymond Cattell, also at Harvard, used statistical analysis to whittle that figure down to 16; in 1990, Baltimore-based psychologists Robert McCrae and Paul Costa cut that down by two thirds, leaving Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism and Openness to experience. Today, their 'Big Five' model is the basis of most personality research.

But are these traits down to nature, or nurture? One 2011 study put the genetic contribution at about 35 per cent, while in 2015, Robert Power at London's Institute of Psychiatry and Michael Pluess at Queen Mary College examined the personality profiles of over 5000 European adults, concluding that heritability accounts for somewhere between 40 and 60 per cent of the variance.

If genetics account for around half of our personality profile, that means environmental or learned factors are at least as important. You can, therefore, alter your character considerably if you wish – so if you harbour ambitions of becoming a happier person, what are the qualities on which to focus?

A number of studies—for example, Isabel Alburquerque's work in Portugal and Sharon Grant's in Australia— suggest the three characteristics most strongly associated with a positive outlook are high levels of Extraversion and Conscientiousness, and low levels of Neuroticism (stability of mood).

However, a recent and more detailed study led by Jessie Sun and Scott Kaufman at the University of Melbourne provides a clearer picture. They subdivided each of the Big Five traits into two parts, and the resulting ten traits can help you choose your target behaviours.

The Big Five divide as follows:

1) Conscientiousness

This consists of industriousness (a self-disciplined and efficient attitude) and orderliness (tidiness and a routine-based lifestyle).

2) Extraversion

Enthusiasm – a friendly, sociable outlook – and assertiveness, an ambitious and socially dominant attitude, are the two aspects of this trait.

3) Agreeableness

A trait which divides into compassion (caring for and about others) and politeness.

4) Openness to experience...

...is made up of intellect – competence and quickness to understand – and general openness; a creative, imaginative and reflective outlook.

5) Neuroticism

This consists of withdrawal (feeling discouraged and self-conscious) and volatility of mood.

Two qualities, enthusiasm (part of Extraversion) and positive thinking (in other words, scoring low on the withdrawal aspect of Neuroticism) were the key factors for happiness, the traits most strongly linked to numerous measures of wellbeing including life satisfaction, self-acceptance, and sense of mastery and direction in life.

Industriousness (part of Conscientiousness), compassion (one aspect of Agreeableness), and both aspects of Openness were also associated with measures of wellbeing, although less strongly so. Orderliness (part of Conscientiousness) showed no relation to wellbeing.

It looks like the recipe for greatest life satisfaction is to offer warmth to others and show them genuine interest; to embrace new experiences; and to find positive ways to think about what's happening, however dull things may appear at first glance.

As a bonus, you can overlook the need to keep everything tidy.

Linda Blair is a clinical psychologist and author of Siblings: How to Handle Rivalry and Create Lifelong Loving Bonds