Individual differences in emotional reactivity: A multidimensional systematic review across the big five

Emotional reactivity reflects how individuals respond to emotional stimuli and can be characterized by multiple dimensions, including intensity, sensitivity, and persistence. Together with dispositional tendencies toward positive and negative emotional experiences, these dimensions define an individual's emotional profile. Despite substantial research, evidence remains fragmented, with a predominant emphasis on Neuroticism and negative emotions, hindering a comprehensive understanding of emotional reactivity across the Big Five personality traits.

This systematic review synthesized evidence on how the Big Five personality traits relate to core domains of emotional reactivity, including intensity, sensitivity, persistence, and the frequency of positive and negative emotional experiences. A total of thirty records, comprising 31 studies published between 1999 and 2024 and yielding 50 independent samples, were included and analyzed using a narrative synthesis approach. The study protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO under CRD420251067878.

Personality traits showed distinct patterns of emotional reactivity across multiple domains. Neuroticism displayed the most consistently maladaptive profile, characterized by heightened negative affect, greater sensitivity to stressors, and prolonged emotional recovery. Extraversion and Conscientiousness were generally associated with more adaptive emotional profiles, particularly greater positive emotionality. Openness to Experience showed a more heterogeneous profile, including heightened sensitivity and divergence between subjective and physiological responses, whereas Agreeableness reflected a predominantly prosocial profile with context-dependent variation in negative emotional responses.

The findings support a multidimensional conceptualization of emotional reactivity across the Big Five personality traits. This perspective may improve understanding of individual differences in emotional functioning and mental health outcomes.