Understanding the HEXACO Personality Model: The Six-Factor Approach

The HEXACO personality model represents one of the most significant advances in personality psychology since the development of the Big Five. Developed by Kibeom Lee and Michael Ashton, this six-factor model doesn't just add another dimension to personality measurement—it fundamentally reconfigures how we understand human personality traits.

What is the HEXACO Model?

HEXACO stands for the six major dimensions of personality:

H - Honesty-Humility
E - Emotionality
X - eXtraversion
A - Agreeableness
C - Conscientiousness
O - Openness to Experience

While five of these dimensions correspond roughly to the Big Five factors, the addition of Honesty-Humility and the reconfiguration of existing factors makes HEXACO a more comprehensive and accurate model of human personality.

The Revolutionary Sixth Factor: Honesty-Humility

What Makes Honesty-Humility Special?

The Honesty-Humility dimension is what truly sets HEXACO apart from other personality models. This factor captures variations in:

High Honesty-Humility Individuals:

Are sincere and genuine in their interactions
Avoid manipulating others for personal gain
Feel little temptation to break rules for personal benefit
Are uninterested in lavish luxury and status symbols
Show modesty about their achievements
Display fairness in their dealings with others

Low Honesty-Humility Individuals:

May deceive or manipulate others when convenient
Are willing to break rules to get ahead
Feel entitled to special treatment and privileges
Are attracted to luxury and status symbols
Display grandiosity about their abilities and achievements
May exploit others or act unfairly when it serves their interests

Why This Dimension Matters

Research has shown that Honesty-Humility predicts important behaviors that other personality models miss:

Ethical behavior in business and personal relationships
Criminal activity and antisocial behavior
Corruption and abuse of power
Materialism and consumer behavior
Interpersonal exploitation and manipulation

Detailed Breakdown of All Six HEXACO Factors

1. Honesty-Humility (H)

High H: Sincere, honest, faithful, loyal, modest, unassuming
Low H: Sly, deceitful, greedy, pretentious, hypocritical, boastful

This factor captures the tendency to be fair and genuine versus manipulative and entitled.

2. Emotionality (E)

High E: Emotional, oversensitive, sentimental, fearful, anxious, vulnerable
Low E: Brave, tough, independent, self-assured, stable

Similar to (reverse) Neuroticism in the Big Five, but with important differences in how emotional sensitivity is conceptualized.

3. eXtraversion (X)

High X: Outgoing, lively, extraverted, sociable, talkative, cheerful
Low X: Shy, passive, withdrawn, introverted, quiet, reserved

Very similar to Extraversion in the Big Five, focusing on social energy and positive emotionality.

4. Agreeableness (A)

High A: Patient, tolerant, peaceful, mild, agreeable, lenient
Low A: Ill-tempered, quarrelsome, stubborn, choleric, irritable

In HEXACO, Agreeableness focuses more on tolerance and patience rather than trust and cooperation (which are captured in Honesty-Humility).

5. Conscientiousness (C)

High C: Organized, disciplined, diligent, careful, thorough, precise
Low C: Disorganized, negligent, lazy, irresponsible, absent-minded

Very similar to the Big Five Conscientiousness, measuring organization, discipline, and reliability.

6. Openness to Experience (O)

High O: Intellectual, creative, unconventional, innovative, ironic
Low O: Shallow, unimaginative, conventional, unintellectual

Similar to Big Five Openness, but with some distinctions in emphasis on intellectual versus aesthetic interests.

HEXACO vs. Big Five: Key Differences

Structural Differences

HEXACO Advantages:

Additional factor: Honesty-Humility captures important traits missed by Big Five
Better cross-cultural validity: More consistent across different cultures
Cleaner factor structure: Less correlation between factors
Enhanced prediction: Better prediction of certain behaviors, especially ethical conduct

Reconfigured Factors:

Agreeableness: In HEXACO, focuses on patience/tolerance rather than trust
Emotionality: Includes fearfulness and sentimentality alongside negative emotionality
Trust and cooperation: Moved from Agreeableness to Honesty-Humility

Research Findings

Studies have shown that HEXACO provides:

Better prediction of antisocial behavior
More accurate cross-cultural personality structure
Enhanced understanding of workplace behavior
Improved prediction of academic and professional integrity

Scientific Foundation and Development

Origins and Research

The HEXACO model emerged from:

Cross-linguistic studies examining personality terms across multiple languages
Factor analysis of personality descriptors in various cultures
Critique of the Big Five based on cross-cultural inconsistencies
Lexical studies in Dutch, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Korean, and Polish

Key Researchers

Kibeom Lee (University of Calgary)
Michael Ashton (Brock University)
Extensive collaboration with international research teams

Validation Studies

Cross-cultural replication across numerous countries and languages
Predictive validity studies for various life outcomes
Behavioral genetics research on heritability
Longitudinal studies on stability and change

Practical Applications of HEXACO

In the Workplace

Selection and Hiring:

Honesty-Humility predicts integrity and ethical behavior
Conscientiousness remains crucial for job performance
Agreeableness (patience) important for customer service and teamwork

Leadership Assessment:

Low Honesty-Humility may indicate risk for abusive leadership
High Extraversion important for leadership emergence
Emotionality may influence stress management and decision-making

In Personal Relationships

Relationship Compatibility:

Honesty-Humility strongly predicts relationship satisfaction
Agreeableness affects conflict resolution styles
Emotionality influences emotional support needs

Parenting and Development:

Understanding children's Emotionality for appropriate support
Fostering Honesty-Humility for ethical development
Balancing Conscientiousness training with flexibility

In Clinical and Counseling Settings

Therapeutic Assessment:

Honesty-Humility relevant for personality disorders (especially narcissistic and antisocial)
Emotionality important for anxiety and mood disorders
Comprehensive personality profile for treatment planning

How to Interpret HEXACO Results

Understanding Your Profile

When you take a HEXACO assessment, you'll receive scores on all six dimensions. Here's how to interpret them:

High Scores (70th percentile and above):

Indicate strong presence of that trait
Consider both advantages and potential challenges
Look for patterns across multiple factors

Low Scores (30th percentile and below):

Indicate relative absence of that trait
Not necessarily problematic—just different
Consider context and situational demands

Moderate Scores (30th-70th percentile):

Most people fall in this range
Indicates balanced or average levels
May vary more by situation

Common Patterns and Combinations

High H + High C: Often found in people with strong professional integrity
High E + Low X: May indicate highly sensitive introverts
Low H + High X: Could suggest charismatic but potentially manipulative individuals
High O + High E: Often associated with artistic and creative personalities

HEXACO in Different Cultures

Cross-Cultural Validity

One of HEXACO's greatest strengths is its consistency across cultures:

Western Cultures: Strong replication of the six-factor structure
East Asian Cultures: Particularly strong evidence for Honesty-Humility factor
European Cultures: Excellent factor structure replication
African Cultures: Growing evidence for cross-cultural validity

Cultural Differences in Factor Expression

While the structure remains consistent, cultures may differ in:

Average levels of certain factors
Behavioral expressions of traits
Social desirability of different traits
Situational influences on trait expression

The Future of HEXACO Research

Emerging Areas of Study

Neurobiological Basis: Research on brain correlates of HEXACO factors
Developmental Psychology: How HEXACO factors develop and change over time
Behavioral Economics: Applications to understanding economic decision-making
Digital Behavior: Personality prediction from online behavior and social media

Integration with Other Models

Researchers are exploring how HEXACO relates to:

Dark Triad traits (psychopathy, narcissism, Machiavellianism)
Character strengths and virtues
Emotional intelligence measures
Cognitive ability assessments

Taking the HEXACO Assessment

What to Expect

A typical HEXACO assessment includes:

60-100 questions covering all six factors
Likert scale responses (strongly disagree to strongly agree)
20-30 minutes completion time
Detailed feedback on all six dimensions

Preparing for the Assessment

To get the most accurate results:

Answer honestly rather than trying to look good
Consider your typical behavior across different situations
Don't overthink your responses
Complete it when you're not stressed or tired

Conclusion: Why HEXACO Matters

The HEXACO model represents a significant advancement in personality psychology by:

Adding the crucial Honesty-Humility dimension that explains important behaviors
Providing better cross-cultural validity than previous models
Offering enhanced prediction of ethical behavior and integrity
Maintaining the empirical rigor of scientific personality measurement

Whether you're interested in personal development, relationship understanding, career guidance, or academic research, the HEXACO model provides a comprehensive and scientifically sound framework for understanding human personality.

The addition of Honesty-Humility doesn't just give us one more factor to consider—it fundamentally changes how we understand the landscape of human personality, making visible patterns of behavior that were previously hidden in the gaps between other personality dimensions.

Explore Your HEXACO Personality Profile

Ready to discover your personality across all six HEXACO dimensions?

Take the Free HEXACO Test - Get detailed insights into your Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience.

Receive instant, comprehensive results with personalized interpretations and practical applications for personal and professional development.