What Does High Neuroticism Look Like? High Neuroticism scorers seem to react more strongly to situations and events that have the potential to provoke negative ...SkiptomaincontentTheNeuroticismDimensionofPersonalityGoToNeuroticismdescribesaperson’stendencytoexperiencenegativeemotions,includingfear,sadness,anxiety,guilt,andshame.Whileeveryoneexperiencestheseemotionsfromtimetotime,somepeoplearemorepronetothemthanothers.Thistraitcanbethoughtofasanalarmsystem.Peopleexperiencenegativeemotionsasasignthatsomethingiswrongintheworld.Youmaybeindanger,soyoufeelfear.Oryoumayhavedonesomethingmorallywrong,soyoufeelguilty.However,noteveryonehasthesamereactiontoagivensituation.HighNeuroticismscorersaremorelikelytoreacttoasituationwithfear,anger,sadness,andthelike.LowNeuroticismscorersaremorelikelytobrushofftheirmisfortuneandmoveon.WhatDoesHighNeuroticismLookLike?HighNeuroticismscorersseemtoreactmorestronglytosituationsandeventsthathavethepotentialtoprovokenegativeemotions.Forinstance,theywouldbemorelikelytofeelthreatenedbyastrangerpassingonthestreet,ortointerpretacommentfromacolleagueasaninsult.HighNeuroticismpeoplehaveemotionalsystemsthatareonhighalert,lookingfordangerandperilateveryturn.PeoplehighinNeuroticismarealsomorelikelytodoubtthemselvesandtheirabilities.Theyoftenfeelpersonallyresponsiblefortheirownbadluck,andfeelasenseofshamewhenthingsdon’tturnoutthewaythey’dlike.WhileNeuroticismisnotgenerallythoughtofasanasset,therearepositivepoints.PeoplehighinNeuroticismareunlikelytooverlooktheperilsoflife,andtendtoberealisticabouttheproblemsandlimitationsintheworld.ThereisalsosomeevidencethatNeuroticismcanpushpeopletohigherlevelsofachievement,providedtheyaregenerallywell-adjusted.Itseemsthefearoffailurecanprovideanimportantsourceofmotivation.WhatDoesLowNeuroticismLookLike?PeoplewhoarelowinNeuroticismareespeciallyresistanttostressandlesslikelytoexperiencenegativeemotionslikefear,sadness,anxiety,andguilt.Whiletheyarenotimmunetostress,theycanwithstandmorestressthantheaveragepersonwithout