The Big Five and the Enneagram
Short answer
The Big Five is a research-based model that measures five continuous traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. Studies find that Enneagram type scores relate to these traits in expected ways, such as Type 1 with conscientiousness and Type 5 with low extraversion. The two models overlap but are not equivalent: one describes traits, the other motivations.
Two different kinds of model
The Big Five, also called the five-factor model, came out of decades of statistical work on how people describe personality. It treats each trait as a dimension on which everyone has a score, high, low or in between. The Enneagram came from teachers rather than data and sorts people into nine types defined by motive. That means they answer different questions. The Big Five asks how much of each trait you show. The Enneagram asks what you are organized around.
Where the overlap shows up
| Type | Associations found across studies |
|---|---|
| 1 | Higher conscientiousness |
| 2 | Higher extraversion and agreeableness |
| 3 | Higher extraversion and conscientiousness, lower agreeableness |
| 4 | Higher neuroticism and openness, lower conscientiousness |
| 5 | Lower extraversion |
| 6 | Higher neuroticism, lower extraversion and openness |
| 7 | Higher extraversion and openness, lower conscientiousness |
| 8 | Lower agreeableness, higher extraversion, lower neuroticism |
| 9 | Higher agreeableness |
Why they are not interchangeable
Fitting together is not the same as being the same. Two people with very similar Big Five scores could still differ in motivation, which is what the Enneagram claims to capture. And the comparison is awkward by design: the Enneagram sorts people into categories, while the Big Five places them on continuous scales. Reviewers note that this mismatch makes it hard to say exactly how much the two overlap.
An example
Two coworkers both score low on extraversion. One recharges alone because social time drains a limited store of energy; the other avoids meetings because conflict makes her uneasy. On the Big Five they look alike. Enneagram tradition would describe one as a likely Five and the other as a likely Nine.
How people use the comparison
Related terms: Enneagram type, Enneagram vs MBTI, Enneagram test and core motivation.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Big Five more scientific than the Enneagram?
The Big Five has a much larger and stronger research base. The Enneagram has some supporting evidence, including its links to the Big Five, but its core claims are less tested.
Can I translate my Enneagram type into Big Five scores?
Only roughly. The associations are averages across groups, so they suggest tendencies rather than predicting any individual's scores.
Which Big Five trait matters most for the Enneagram?
Different traits matter for different types. Extraversion and agreeableness show up for several types, and neuroticism is linked to Types 4 and 6.
Sources
- McCrae, R. R., & John, O. P. (1992). An introduction to the five-factor model and its applications. Journal of Personality, 60(2), 175-215. doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.1992.tb00970.x
- Hook, J. N., Hall, T. W., Davis, D. E., Van Tongeren, D. R., & Conner, M. (2021). The Enneagram: A systematic review of the literature and directions for future research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 77(4), 865-883. doi:10.1002/jclp.23097
- Sutton, A., Allinson, C., & Williams, H. (2013). Personality type and work-related outcomes: An exploratory application of the Enneagram model. European Management Journal, 31(3), 234-249. doi:10.1016/j.emj.2012.12.004