HEXACOmodel

The HEXACO model of personality structure is a six-factor model that extends the commonly used Big Five by including an Honesty-Humility domain. The six dimensions are Honesty-Humility (H), Emotionality (E), Extraversion (X), Agreeableness (A), Conscientiousness (C), and Openness to Experience (O).

Originating from the work of Kibeom Lee and Michael Ashton in 2004, the HEXACO model arose from lexical analyses across languages and cultures, identifying a distinct Honesty-Humility factor and treating Emotionality as separable from Neuroticism. Cross-cultural research has found robust replication of the six-factor structure in many languages, supporting its generalizability beyond the English-speaking context.

Measurement commonly relies on the HEXACO Personality Inventory-Revised (HEXACO-PI-R), with shorter forms such as HEXACO-PI and HEXACO-60. The instrument assesses six domains, each with four facets: Honesty-Humility (Sincerity, Fairness, Greed-Avoidance, Modesty); Emotionality (Fearfulness, Anxiety, Dependence, Sentimentality); Extraversion (Social Self-Esteem, Social Boldness, Sociability, Liveliness); Agreeableness (Forgivingness, Gentleness, Flexibility, Patience); Conscientiousness (Organization, Diligence, Prudence, Perfectionism); Openness (Aesthetic Appreciation, Inquisitiveness, Unconventionality, Intellect).

Applications and interpretation center on the distinct role of Honesty-Humility in ethical and prosocial behavior, alongside the conventional domains. H tends to relate to lower likelihood of cheating and manipulation, while the other domains align with familiar personality correlates such as sociability, diligence, openness to experience, and emotional responsiveness. The model is widely used in personality psychology, organizational research, and cross-cultural studies, though some criticisms address facet distinctness and cross-cultural labeling.