Everyone has bully tendencies when they feel threatened or have unmet needs that are difficult to resolve. The five-factor personality traits model contains five categories of personality traits: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. The five-factor personality traits may give rise to great leaders and compassionate community helpers when balanced with other social checks and norms.
However, there are extremes in personality expression within the five-factor model that may give rise to anti-social personality disorders that often describe and explain bully-type behaviors. Some bullies remain in this personality phase across their lifespan. However, an unhappy bully is a person who does feel regret, remorse, and is morally engaged. In contrast, a sociopath or psychopath shows a disregard for others and a failure to feel remorse and guilt. The good news is that if you are a bully and feel remorse or guilt over your interactions with others or desire to change to a more balanced combination of the five-factor personality traits, you are probably a bully who can change. Sometimes change is easy with reflection and positive mentors, but bullies may also need to seek professionals in the mental health field to help manage their feelings and unmet needs.
`Dr. Debra Stewart
