The objective of this study was to identify the major lexical dimensions in the Hebrew language and to compare these dimensions with the Big Seven factor structure. A list of 252 trait descriptors was assembled from a Hebrew dictionary, using nonrestrictive criteria similar to those introduced by A. Tellegen and N. G. Waller (1987). The factor structure recovered from these data largely replicates the Big Seven model. In particular, 2 major evaluative factors emerged, Positive and Negative Valence, which are prominent in the Big Seven but are not represented in the Big Five. Four of the remaining 5 factors also clearly correspond to 4 of the Big Seven dimensions and their counterparts in the Big Five.

Although personality researchers have advanced a variety of nomothetic dimensional constructs (e.g., Cattell, 1973; Eysenck, 1976; Guilford, 1975), strong interest has of late focused on a particular five-dimensional factor-analytically derived model, the so-called Big Five. The identification and replication of the Big Five in the English language spans a period of about 50 years. They are now commonly referred to as: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism (vs. Emotional Stability), and Intellect or Openness. Cross-cultural studies (e.g., Bond, 1978; John, Goldberg, & Angleitner, 1984) have also provided support for the Big Five model. Goldberg (1993)and John (1990)have recently chronicled the evolution and consolidation of the Big Five.

The robustness and apparent pervasiveness of the five-factor structure led McCrae and Costa (e.g., 1986)to suggest that psychologists should adopt the Big Five as a basic assessment framework. Nevertheless, there are reasons to reexamine the claim that the Big Five represent the major dimensions of natural language trait descriptors. Tellegen and Waller (1987)have suggested that the Big Five do not fully capture the “natural” language personality domain which these dimensions are said to represent (Tellegen, 1993; Tellegen & Waller, 1987). They point out that many potential descriptors were eliminated from the...