Personality Traits

Study of 1 million people maps genetic links to Big Five personality traits

A large-scale genetic study analyzed data from roughly one million people to identify genetic variants associated with the Big Five personality traits—openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The research aimed to uncover the biological underpinnings of personality by pinpointing specific genomic regions correlated with these traits.

nature.com · 2026-09-09

Study of 1 million people finds 1,200 gene variants tied to Big Five personality traits

Researchers analyzed genetic data from more than a million people and identified roughly 1,200 common genetic variants associated with the Big Five personality traits: extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness. Published in Nature and led in part by Michel Nivard at the University of Bristol, the work is the largest genetic analysis of personality to date, though each variant explains only a small share of trait variation.

nature.com · 2026-09-02