Five Factor Model Essay

In the experiment performed in zoological parks using the adapted Five Factor Model + Dominance, six clearly defined factors were determined, and each of the factors was compared to the human factor model. It was discovered that the strongest chimpanzee personality factor was not one of the human Big Five, but accounted for the dominance factor in chimpanzees. The remaining, original five factors bore a striking resemblance to the human Big Five (King & Figueredo, 1997). Similarly, dominance was found to be a prominent personality factor in the subjects in the study by Buirski et al., in 1978, where observations were performed in the chimpanzees natural habitat. Raters were quite familiar with the chimps, and scored the animals using a personality …show more content…
Buirski et al, found similar results in 1978, and also suggested that dominance was a critical dimension of chimpanzee’s personality. This study placed great emphasis on the emotional aspect of chimpanzees personality, which further establishes and provides evidence for the similarities and homologous link between humans and chimpanzee’s personality. Not only do the studies establish that there is a dominance personality dimension in chimpanzees, but Buirski et al., (1978) also determines that there is an emotional component to chimps’ personality. The studies provide direct evidence for the reliable application of adapted human personality testing methods on chimpanzees. Furthermore, the similarities between chimpanzee personality factors and those of humans emphasize the homologous relationship between both primates. Knowing the depths of the evolutionary link between chimpanzees and humans can account for many of the similarities seen between human and chimp