Just how neurotic do you have to be to work as an actor or singer? Well, according to a study published this year in the prestigious Journal of Applied Psychology, there are reliable differences in the average personality profiles across different occupations.
The researchers analysed personality and occupational data from over 68,000 people. Personality was measured using the popular “Big 5” model that captures neuroticism, extroversion, openness, conscientiousness, and agreeableness.
Crane operators were found to be some of the workers least open to new ideas. And good thing too.Credit: Bloomberg
The results were sometimes surprising, and at other times obvious. The highest average scorers on conscientiousness were ships’ engineers, dental assistants and therapists, and construction managers.
Makes sense, doesn’t it? We all want a diligent engineer checking the ship before the cruise, rather than some slap-dash unreliable type. The lowest average scorers on this trait were visual artists, followed worryingly by electronics engineers, and then graphic designers.
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