Big Five History Eras
G1: Primitive Era (1940–1950):
This is the phase marking the origins of the Big Five model. During the 1940s and early 1950s, independent studies—such as those by D. W. Fiske and by Tupes & Christal—began to repeatedly identify five broad factors in personality data analyses. Although these factors appeared in the results, there was not yet a consolidated name or a specific instrument to measure the "Big Five," and the concept remained relatively overlooked in the following decades.
G2: Revival Era (1980):
In the 1980s, the five-factor model was revived and systematized. Lewis Goldberg formally argued that personality structure could be reduced to five primary factors and popularized the term "Big Five." Simultaneously, Costa & McCrae organized these factors into a coherent model and began developing the NEO-PI, which would become the primary assessment tool based on the model, establishing it as a central reference in personality psychology.
G3: Granular Era (1993):
In 1993, the model was detailed into facets, expanding from five broad traits to 30 specific facets (six for each factor). This version, often associated with the NEO-PI-R, allowed for more than just stating "you are high in conscientiousness"; it enabled the identification of the specific aspects (orderliness, self-discipline, achievement striving, etc.) where that score was particularly high or low. This phase marked the model's greatest level of granularity and descriptive richness, enhancing its utility in research as well as in clinical and organizational practice.
G4: Open Era (1999):
In 1999, researchers created the IPIP-NEO, an “open” and non-proprietary version of the model based on items from the International Personality Item Pool that correspond to the NEO facets. The full version, IPIP-NEO-300, used 300 items to measure the five factors and their 30 facets, offering a royalty-free alternative to the original NEO-PI. This phase marked the democratization of the model, allowing universities, researchers, and institutions to use the instrument without licensing fees.
G5: Lite Era (2014):
In 2014, a shorter version of the IPIP-NEO—the IPIP-NEO-120—was published; it uses 120 items to estimate the five factors and their 30 facets with a good level of precision, but in much less time. This version made the model even more practical for applications in large-scale research, professional screening, career counseling, and initial clinical assessment. The “Lite Era” represented a balance between maintaining the model's detailed structure and reducing the response burden on participants.