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Research generally finds higher neuroticism predicts more avoidant or withdrawal conflict handling.

The Claim

In conflict resolution research, the Big Five personality trait neuroticism is positively associated with an avoiding conflict style.

Verified by Lenz ·

The Short Version

The literature generally supports this association. Several direct studies and synthesis materials find that higher neuroticism is linked to more avoidant or withdrawal-based conflict handling, but the exact pattern depends on how “avoiding” is measured and on the sample studied. Some cited evidence concerns conflict frequency rather than conflict style and does not directly bear on the claim.

Caveats

  • Different studies operationalize the outcome differently, such as Rahim-style “avoiding” versus relationship “withdrawal,” so findings are similar but not perfectly interchangeable.
  • The association is general, not universal; some populations may show weaker, null, or unreported neuroticism-avoidance effects.
  • Evidence about conflict frequency or relationship distress should not be conflated with evidence about an avoiding conflict-management style.

The Receipts

  1. The Role of Agreeableness, Neuroticism, and Relationship-Specific Satisfaction in Adolescents’ Conflict Frequency

    Frontiers in Psychology / PubMed Central

  2. Relationship between personality portraits of university students and their conflict resolution strategies

    Frontiers in Psychology (via PubMed Central)

  3. Personality traits and Conflict resolution styles: A meta-analysis

    Mendeley Data

  4. Agreeableness and Conflict Management Styles: A Cross-Validated Extension

    Journal of Organizational Psychology (North American Business Press)

  5. Neuroticism predicts constructive conflict resolution styles in romantic relationships

    Singapore Management University Institutional Repository

  6. Conflict resolution styles and personality

    Vanderbilt University Medical Center

  7. Effect of Personality on Conflict Resolution Styles

    Semantic Scholar (journal article PDF)

  8. Neuroticism and Relationship Quality: A Meta-Analytic Review

    Brigham Young University ScholarsArchive

  9. Differences in Conflict Resolution and Social Interaction Based on the Big Five Personality Traits

    SCITEPRESS

  10. Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conflict Management Styles: A 2×2 Analysis

    Journal of Business and Psychology (SpringerLink)

+ 5 more sources — see the full list on Lenz

Filed Under

Big Five Personality TraitsNeuroticism