PSY 230 Week 4 Character Evaluation
Two and a Half Men

I chose to evaluate the character of Charlie Harper from the show Two and a Half Men series. The Big Five traits are: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. In the following essay I will evaluate the chosen character within these trait categories. We are, by human nature, social beings. Therefore, individual differences regarding our sociality should prove very important to us. We notice broad differences between people in the way they orient themselves to each other, and as a consequence perhaps, we have many words in our language to describe those differences. (McAdams, 2009) First of all, in the category of Extraversion, the main character Charlie Harper displays ambiversion personality traits. Throughout the course of the series, he shows himself to be somewhat reckless and heedless, always landing himself in trouble. These are characteristics of an extrovert. However, he is also a bit of a loner, liked by many but forming deep and intimate friendships with only a few individuals. He is somewhat socially awkward. These are all traits of an introvert. Because he shows traits from both ends of the scale, I would say that Charlie falls right into the middle of Extraversion and Introversion, making him an Ambivert. The trait category Openness to Experience measures intellectual interest and aesthetics. In the TV Show, Charlie Harper displays a vivid imagination, though he shows little appreciation for the women and his family. He also shows an inclination to try new things and shows no fear of consequences when under the influences of alcohol, but otherwise appear to be a bit reserved when talking about openness to new experiences. The trait category Conscientiousness, I would rate Charlie Harper as being on the low end of the conscientiousness scale. His character frequently shows his spontaneous behavior and his poor impulse control which affects his ability to have a real relationship with any woman.

Student
University of Phoenix