Which of the following is a commonly cited problem with the five-factor model of personality?

• A. It was originally developed to explain abnormal behavior.
• B. It may overlook important personality traits not captured by the five factors.
• C. It is based entirely on biological theories of personality.
• D. It does not use factor analysis in its development.

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the five-factor model of personality, also known as the Big Five, which includes the traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
2. Recognize that the model was developed through factor analysis, a statistical method used to identify clusters of related traits, rather than being based solely on biological theories or abnormal behavior.
3. Consider the criticisms of the model, particularly that it may not capture all relevant personality traits, meaning some important aspects of personality could be overlooked.
4. Evaluate each option in the problem by comparing it to the known development and limitations of the five-factor model.
5. Conclude that the commonly cited problem is that the model may overlook important personality traits not captured by the five factors, rather than the other options which are inaccurate descriptions of the model.