Psychology for Writers
Personalizing a Character's Space
Hello all.
Welcome back for the latest installment in this series, in which I present bite-sized servings of contemporary psychological theories and research, and discuss how you might use them to inform your writing. Previously, we covered a bit about the insanity defense. Today, I want to talk about what a character’s possessions can communicate about them, guided primarily by the research of Dr. Sam Gosling.
I’m going to begin by providing a brief introduction to the Five Factor Model of Personality (FFM), which is the theory that informs Gosling’s work. Like the name implies, the FFM is a way of describing somebody’s basic personality using five factors:
1. Extraversion: People with high levels of this trait are assertive, outgoing, sensation-seekers. If there is a party, they wish it were bigger. If there is music, they’d like it turned up. Their favorite way to go shopping is in a crowded mall. (An example of a character with high levels of Extraversion would be Anna in the movie Frozen) People with low levels - whom we often call introverts - prefer quieter music, hate crowded malls, and enjoy moments of solitude. Given a choice between a big loud party and a quiet evening with a few close friends, introverts will pick the quiet option. (Harry Dresden in the Dresden Files novels)
2. Neuroticism: This is the worry-wart factor. People with high levels of this trait experience a lot of anxiety and irritability. They are prone to depression, often feel self-conscious, and panic when stressed. (George Costanza in Seinfeld) People with low levels are calm and laid-back. They are not easily ruffled (The Dude in The Big Lebowski)
3. Openness: People with high levels of this trait enjoy new ideas, new experiences, and new people. They tend to be curious out-of-the-box thinkers, and despise the ordinary and routine. (Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars movies) People with low openness scores like the tried-and-true, the concrete above the abstract, and their daily routine. They tend to be cautious, practical, and live by the credo: If it ain’t broke don’t fix it. (Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof)
4. Agreeableness: This is “Mister Nice Guy.” People with high levels of this trait are warm-hearted, helpful, cooperative, and trusting. (Snow White in the 1937 Snow White) People with low levels are quarrelsome and critical, they’re not interested in being popular, and your hurt feelings are irrelevant. (Oscar the Grouch in Sesame Street)
5. Conscientiousness: People with high levels of this trait like order, structure, and rules. They have a strong sense of duty, and are principled in their decision-making (Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter novels). People with low levels of this trait don’t like rules, have a hard time sticking to schedules, and are always over budget on their projects. But on the upside, they are flexible and adaptive when circumstances change. (The Doctor in Doctor Who)
Many writers like to use personality theories such as the FFM as they think up their characters, using it as a guide in giving consistency and individuality to the way that the characters solve problems and approach interpersonal interactions (also popular is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, but that’s a topic for another post). The purpose of this post is to talk about ways that we can provide clues to characters’ personalities by crafting their living and working spaces, and also the way that they dress and present themselves.
Office and Home
Sam Gosling is known for his research on how humans personalize the spaces where they spend a lot of time (office, cubicle, dorm room, apartment, etc.), and how these spaces reflect our personalities. In his research, he did not find clues that revealed anything about Agreeableness, but we can predict high or low levels of the other four traits by looking at certain features of the rooms:
People with high levels of Extraversion want visitors. They therefore tend to design and decorate their area in a way that the place look welcoming. If you stop by this character’s office, it is likely to be “cheerful” and “inviting.” Highly extraverted people are also more likely to have decorations that link them to other people, such as pictures of family and friends.
Highly neurotic characters may include mood regulators in their interior spaces, such as a stress-relief tabletop water fountain, or a salt rock lamp. They are more likely to unironically appreciate inspirational posters, or have a paper weight on their desk that says something like “Remember Self-Care.”
High levels of Openness can be seen in unique and “stylish” interior design, showing their creativity and enthusiasm for the out-of-the-box mindset. They are also more likely to have a world map as a decoration, showing their interest in new and interesting places that they might one day visit. One clear indicator of Openness level is the character’s bookshelf. The number of books does not reveal personality (It might reveal the size of that person’s book budget, though). What matters here is the variety of topics. Somebody with a low Openness score might have fifty books on a single topic, while a highly-open person could have twenty books on ten topics. Highly-open people are especially fond of travel books, for the same reason that they tend to like maps on their walls.
Because people with high levels of Conscientiousness are fond of structure and order, their offices will be clean, well lit, and well-organized. (Personal Story Time: When I was living in Ontario, the professor in the office next to mine organized his bookshelf by buying a label-maker and sticking Dewey Decimal codes to the shelves. The books on the shelves were then alphabetized by first author’s last name) If the character has a low level of this trait, the office (or dorm room or apartment) will look like a bombe went off, with piles of stuff on top of other piles of stuff.
Personal Dress and Demeanor
Gosling and colleagues also investigated how personality is reflected in how a person dresses, and how they carry themselves.
Characters with high levels of Extraversion are likely to show it with their friendly, cheerful, self-assured expression. They will speak with a loud and powerful voice, and have a relaxed walk with larger arm swing.
High levels of Neuroticism are indicated by a tendency to dress in dark colors. Highly-neurotic people also tend to present with a more unhealthy appearance – a physical manifestation of their high levels of anxiety.
Highly-open people tend to dress the way that they decorate. When a highly-open character arrives, people will notices because of the distinctive and unusual fashion sense, their choice in clothing reflecting their interest in novel experiences as well as their unconventionality.
People who have high levels of Conscientiousness, because they are fond of rules and structure, tend to dress more formally. In a room full of people wearing t shirts, this character will be the one wearing a neat and tidy button-down shirt. If there is only one guy in the room wearing a tie, that person probably is a rule-follower with a tidy office.
One last bit that Gosling discovered, that has nothing to do with the Five Factor Model: In his study, people who are politically conservative were more likely to have a poster of a sports team on their wall.
While these characteristics of people’s physical environments accurately predicted personality scores, they also influenced perception. When we see somebody with a bizarre taste in clothing, and a collection of books on dozens of different topics, we assume (often correctly) that this person is a creative nonconformist who appreciates new ideas and novel solutions to problems. Because of that, adding touches like these can give readers clues about the personalities of characters, make them seem more authentic, and make it easier to understand why characters are reacting the way that they do.
I hope that you found this interesting and helpful. If you want to know more about Gosling’s research on personality and personal spaces, I recommend his book Snoop. If you want to keep following this series on applying personality to the writing process, hit that Subscribe button so you don’t miss anything. And if you have any questions or insights, please post comments below.
See you next time!