ABSTRACT
People who are conscientious tend to be more self-disciplined, deliberate in their actions, goal-oriented, and likely to follow rules and social norms. Self-tests to determine our personality “type” abound and, while they might be entertaining, almost none of these are supported by evidence. Conscientiousness is a personality trait, which means it can evolve but is hard to change. The exception is the Five-Factor Model, sometimes called the “Big Five,” which has empirical support and important applications in the classroom. There are five factors of personality in this model, often referenced by the acronym OCEAN: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. Conscientiousness is not highly susceptible to intervention, but it can be developed with long-term practice of skills that promote conscientious habits in early childhood–e.g., practicing skills like goal setting, daily planning, arriving on time, maintaining an orderly environment at home and school, and self-care and daily hygiene.
