#personality-types

Conscientiousness has been linked to positive health behavior for years. Find out if you’ve got it. (Photo: Getty Images/Yahoo Health)

If you lead a healthy lifestyle and work hard, you’re probably on the right path to a longer, more successful life. But personality also plays a role — perhaps a bigger role than you realized — in your fate. And according to research, there’s one personality trait in particular that seems extra-protective when it comes to well-being.

We’re talking, of course, about conscientiousness, which is considered one of the “Big 5” personality traits. It refers to the tendency to be responsible, organized, and rule-abiding. The trait is linked to orderliness, hard work, responsibility, conventionality, decisiveness, formalilty, and punctuality, not to mention “career success, good social relationships, healthier behaviors, good physical and mental health, and even how long people live,” Margaret L. Kern, PhD, senior lecturer at theCentre for Positive Psychology at the University of Melbourne, tells Yahoo Health.

Take the latest research on the topic, for instance, showing that people who were conscientious in childhood are less likely to smoke. “More conscientious people are better at self-control and, hence, may be less susceptible to the temptation of smoking in the first place,” lead author Michael Pluess, PhD, senior lecturer in developmental psychology at Queen Mary University of London, tells Yahoo Health. “Furthermore, once they made a decision not to smoke, they may be more likely to stick with their decision than people that score low on conscientiousness.”

Conscientiousness also doesn’t seem to be one of those things where you either have it or you don’t. It’s thought of not so much as a type (e.g., you are conscientious or you are impulsive), but rather a characteristic on a continuous scale, says Kern. “So some people are more conscientious than others.” 

So how can you tell whether you’re conscientious? Turns out, there are some telltale signs. People high in the trait are more likely to dress up for important occasions, clean the inside of their microwave, and make their bed, for example. 

Check out these signs you’re conscientious (based on findings from a recent study in the Journal of Research in Personality) and tell us in the comments how many are true for you.

You know you’re conscientious if you’re more likely to…

Tell a child a rule for proper etiquette.

Get a haircut on a regular schedule.

Go into restaurants knowing what you will order.

Wait for a sale before buying something. 

Dress up for an important occasion.

Go to church regularly.

Donate time to a volunteer activity or organization. 

Speak highly of your country.

Put a napkin in your lap.

Measure exact amounts when cooking.

Keep track of people’s birthdays.

Cook meals for your family.

And less likely to…

Leave unfinished food sitting out.

Exceed your credit limit.

Miss a bill payment.

Change your order in a restaurant after ordering.

Lose office supplies.

Say something you later strongly regret.

Use someone else’s things without asking.

Wear wrinkled clothes.

Break rules in games.

Need to borrow pens, pencils, or paper.

Cheat on your taxes.

Ignore your employer’s suggestions.

Eat until you feel sick.

You know you’re conscientious if you’re more likely to…

Scrub the floors in your house or apartment.

Clean the inside of your microwave oven.

Dust your rooms in your home (including hard-to-reach places).

Clean your bathroom.

Wash your car.

Clean your windows.

Iron your clothes.

Do laundry.

Comb your hair.

Wash dishes after a meal.

Make your bed.

Clean up immediately after a meal.

Throw away garbage.

Share domestic duties.

Clean desk surfaces (no piles of papers!).

Fold clothes right after they are washed.

And less likely to…

Allow trash to overflow from a container.

Put so much food in your mouth that some falls out.

Related: What Your Personality Reveals About Your Health

You know you’re conscientious if you’re more likely to…

Work or study long hours.

Work until you’re physically exhausted.

Work or study on a Friday or Saturday evening.

Finish a set amount of work before relaxing.

Volunteer to do things at work that are not part of your job.

Persist at tasks after meeting setbacks or failures.

Work extra hard on a project to make sure that it is done right.

Complete the projects you start.

Work overtime.

You know you’re conscientious if you’re less likely to…

Bypass a difficult task.

Put off work until the last minute.

Have trouble making a decision (like where to eat).

Lose something important.

Sit and do nothing.

Give up on a problem.

Leave dirty clothes on the floor.

Forget to write down important notes.

Watch TV or go on the Internet instead of taking care of responsibilities.

Related: How Your Spouse’s Personality Influences Your Career

You know you’re conscientious if you’re more likely to…

Get to appointments on time.

Allow extra time for getting lost when going to new places.

Be the first person to show up for work or a class.

Complete assignments on time.

Leave for work at the exact time you plan.

Show up for work more than 5 minutes early.

Get to work on time.

Return phone calls and emails in timely fashion.

Keep up with required work.

And less likely to…

Miss appointments.

Miss the bus.

Forget an appointment.

Forget meetings. 

Be late for a meeting.

You know you’re conscientious if you’re more likely to…

Sit with a straight back.

Call someone Ms., Mr., Mrs., or Sir.

Uphold cultural traditions.

Stand with a straight back and neck.

Make use of someone’s formal title.

Uphold family traditions.

Say “please” and “thank you.”

Keep your promises.

Repay favors.

Hold the door for people.

And less likely to…

Cheat on tests.

Break promises.

Lie to a significant other.

Steal things from a friend.

Borrow something and lose it, break it, or never return it.

These are the signs to look for, from the nuanced to the obvious. (Photo: Getty Images)

Would you know it if your friend or coworker was a narcissist? What about if he or she was highly sensitive? An extrovert?

Mentions of these personality types are often flippant (“My boss is such a perfectionist,” “I can’t believe my friend is so sensitive”), but do you really know how to spot the telltale signs of these kinds of people? Experts say there are signals, either spoken or acted, that can tip you off, and knowing them can help you predict future behavior — like if your new roommate is going to steal the spotlight at your birthday party.

Think you’re already good at reading people? We’ll make you better. Here’s what to look out for: 

Perfectionists often use this word

To a perfectionist, a project is either perfect or a failure — there’s no middle ground. Even with a small mishap, a perfectionist is likely to be upset and judgmental. But here’s another telltale sign someone has this personality type: He or she will say the word “should” a lot, says Elizabeth Lombardo, PhD, bestselling author of Better Than Perfect: 7 Steps to Crush your Inner Critic and Create a Life You Love. Listen carefully: If he or she says, “I should finish this assignment before lunch,” or “she should know what I want,” you’re dealing with a perfectionist.

Narcissists aren’t afraid to throw you under the bus

There’s a healthy level of self-esteem … and then there is narcissism. You’re probably familiar with the well-known traits: always seeking praise, constantly looking in the mirror, incredibly entitled. But there’s a sign of narcissism that’s even worse than an over-inflated ego: “A narcissist will always turn tables on you and reverse accusations by shaming and attacking your credibility,” says psychotherapist Sam Lopez De Victoria, PhD.

Related: Stay Away From Guys Who Do This

Extroverts are most energized in these situations

Extroverts thrive off of social interactions, says Rachel DeAlto, a communication and relationship expert and bestselling author of Flirt Fearlessly. For them, “a silent meditation retreat for five days sounds like a fate worse than death,” she explains. The best way to tell if someone is an extrovert: See when he or she is the most energized. If it’s when in the middle of the action, you’ve got an extrovert on your hands. 

Introverts prefer to spend their weekends this way

Your partner may be quiet, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he or she is introverted — in fact, there’s a difference between shy and introverted. If someone is shy, a large group may be intimidating, but if someone is an introvert, it is exhausting, according to DeAlto. You can tell if you’re dating an introvert if he or she prefers to stay home all weekend and is introspective and analytical. But there’s a plus side: “If an introvert spends time with you, take it as a compliment — most are very selective given the energy drain of certain relationships,” DeAlto says.

Related: How Your Spouse’s Personality Influences Your Career 

Highly sensitive people are easy to spot in a noisy office

Highly sensitive people (HSP) are said to feel emotions more deeply (and also be more emotionally reactive); it’s also easy for them to feel over-stimulated. Oftentimes, they’re aware of these tendencies so they try to fit in with their non-HSP friends — and can be hard to spot, says Ted Zeff, PhD, author of The Highly Sensitive Person’s Survival Guide. But highly sensitive people aren’t rare — in fact, nearly 50 million Americans have the personality type. Watch if your co-worker struggles to concentrate in a noisy office or takes an extra-long time to make decisions — these are some indications he or she is a HSP. 

Psychopaths are consistent in their behaviors

 A psychopath is someone who lacks empathy, sincerity, and social emotions like shame, guilt, or embarrassment, says Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, host of the award-winning podcast “Savvy Psychologist.” And fortunately, unlike Dexter Morgan, the fictional psychopath from the Showtime series Dexter, most are far from violent. To determine if your friend is a psychopath and not just simply rude, look at his or her history. “Clues include lying, recklessness, callous manipulation, and total disregard for rules,” Hendriksen says. The real giveaway “is when the whole package of being fearlessly bold, charming yet cruel, and uninhibited is consistent over time.”