Three nightmare traits (TNT) and the similarity effect determine which personality traits we like and dislike

Abstract

We obtained free-text descriptions of liked and disliked others provided by 441 panel members (aged 24–26; 35 % male), who also completed the HEXACO PI-R in an online survey. Free-text descriptions were coded for HEXACO trait content by three judges. In line with the ‘three nightmare traits’ framework, we expected and found that language describing high levels of honesty-humility, agreeableness, and conscientiousness most distinguished liked from disliked targets (and vice versa for low levels). High extraversion also appeared in descriptions of liked targets, whereas low extraversion rarely appeared in descriptions of disliked targets. We also found support for the similarity hypothesis with participants higher in openness describing their liked (disliked) targets in terms of higher (lower) levels on this trait.