Positive & negative character traits

Sometimes it’s fun to pair characters up with their opposites, so here’s a list of character traits that might be useful when inventing new character.

Each trait is accompanied by an opposite character trait.

(Go directly to: Attitudes, Attributes, Skills, Social Endowments)

Attitudes

Positive character traits

Negative character traits
accepts authority, loyal, devoted rebellious
accepts what’s given ignores, rejects what’s given
affectionate distant, cold, aloof
aspiring, ambitious, motivated self-satisfied, unmotivated
candid closed, guarded, secretive
caring uncaring, unfeeling, callous
change; accepts, embraces- rejects change
cheerful cheerless, gloomy, sour, grumpy
considerate, thoughtful inconsiderate, thoughtless
cooperative uncooperative, unhelpful, combative
courageous cowering, fearful
courteous rude, impolite
decisive indecisive
devoted uncommitted, uncaring, hostile
determined indecisive, unsure
does what is necessary, right does what is convenient
perseveres, endures relents, gives up
enthusiastic unenthusiastic, apathetic, indifferent
expansive kept back, tight, constricting
faith in life life can’t be trusted
faith in oneself lack of faith in self
faith in others others can’t be relied on
flexible inflexible, rigid, unbending, stubborn
forgiving unforgiving, resentful, spiteful
focused unfocused, scattered
freedom given to others authoritarian, controlling
friendly unfriendly, distant, aloof, hostile
frugal, thrifty wasteful, spendthrift
generous stingy, miserly, selfish
goodwill ill-will, malice, hatred
grateful ungrateful, unappreciative
hard-working lazy
honest dishonest, deceiving, lying
humble arrogant, conceited, ego-centric
interested indifferent, uncaring
involved complacent, indifferent
jealous, not jealous, envious, covetous
kind unkind, uncaring, cruel, mean
mature immature
modest vain
open-minded, tolerant narrow, close, small-minded, intolerant
optimistic pessimistic
perfects allows imperfection
persistent, sustaining flagging, fleeting, unsustaining
positive negative
practical impractical, not viable
punctual late, not on time
realistic unrealist, impractical
reliable unreliable, undependable
respectful disrespectful, rude, impolite
responsibility; takes- blames others
responsible unreliable, undependable
responsive unresponsive, unreceptive
self-confident lack of self confidence, insecure
self-directed directed by externals
self-disciplined undisciplined, unrestrained, indulgent
self-esteem, high self-esteem, confidence – low
self-giving self-centered
self-reliant dependent
selfless selfish
sensitive Insensitive, indifferent
serious frivolous, silly, trivial
sincere insincere, dishonest
social independence social approval required
sympathetic unsympathetic, unfeeling
systematic unsystematic, disorganized, disorderly, random
takes others point of view insists on own view
thoughtful towards others thoughtless, inconsiderate, callous
trusting suspicious, mistrusting
unpretentious pretentious, affected, ostentatious
unselfish selfish
willing does, willingness unwilling, reluctant, recalcitrant
work-oriented convenience first

Attributes

Positive character traits

Negative character traits
achieved; has- hasn’t achieve
adventurous conventional
substance-free substance-abuse (alcohol, drug)
alert dull
aware of opportunities ignorant of opportunities
calm excitable, nervous
clean dirty, unkempt
clear goals lack of, jumbled goals; directionless
clear thoughts muddled thoughts, confused
completes leaves hanging, doesn’t complete
comprehends doesn’t comprehend
conscious unconscious
conscious of one’s weaknesses unconscious of one’s strengths
constructive destructive, complaining
content-oriented outer, surface, form-oriented
creative uncreative
delegates tries to do everything
deliberative reckless
detail-oriented scrimps on details
develops mental capabilities leaves mental capacities as is
directed, has direction directionless, unfocused
disciplined dissipating
dynamic passive
educated uneducated
education exceed previous generation education not exceed previous generation
education greater than present level of achievement education less than present level of achievement
education greater than previous generation education less than previous generation
efficient inefficient
effort taking lack of effort
effort achieves results effort wasted
energetic listless
enterprising enterprising, not
entrepreneurial entrepreneurial, not
envisions the unseen visionless
experienced (in area) inexperienced (in area)
fatigue-free tired, fatigued
focused unfocused, addled, scattered
goal-oriented goalless, directionless
good evil
graceful clumsy
has enough time never has enough time
health robust, strong constitution poor health, weak constitution
high goals low, no goals
higher social interests lower, no social interests
idea-driven ideas don’t motivate to act
imaginative unimaginative
improves self stays the same
in rapidly expanding field of work in static or declining field
initiates (has initiative) lacks initiative
innovative conservative
insightful lacks insight, blind to, ignorant of
intelligent stupid
knowledgeable ignorant, uniformed
knowledgeable in a particular area no knowledge in a particular area
leads others submits, yields to others
lives from the depths of life lives on the surface of life, superficial
lucky; things go your way unlucky
money circulated for improvement money hoarded for security
motivated unmotivated
nerves strong nerves weak
objective subjective, biased
observant blind to, oblivious to
organized disorganized
patient impatient, expectant
personable non-engaging, distant, cold
physical stamina lack of stamina
polite, mannered impolite, ill mannered, rude
previous success in family life previous failure in family life
previous success in school previous failure in school
previous success in work previous failure in work
productive interactions with others chit-chatting
professional (acts) amateurish (acts)
professional qualification achieved no professional qualification
punctual late
regular irregular, erratic
relationship with other(s) positive relationship with other(s) negative
resourceful unresourceful, helpless
responsible irresponsible
results-oriented does for doing’s sake, being merely occupied
risk-taker averse to risk
sees the whole picture seeing only parts of the picture
seeks improvement self-satisfied
spiritual, inner connection lacks any spiritual, inner connection
stamina lack of stamina
strong; physically- weak; physically-
strong; psychologically- weak; psychologically-
stress-free, relaxed stressed, tense
(has had) supportive family or friends (has had) indifferent, uncaring family or friends
systematic unsystematic, disorganized, disorderly, random
tough weak, soft
trustworthy untrustworthy
wealthy impoverished
wealth in present generation poverty in present generation
well-behaved ill behaved
work is in harmony with personal life work is in conflict with personal life

Skills

Positive character traits

Negative character traits
capacity to judge others unable to judge others
careful, graceful with objects careless, clumsy
communication skills communication skills, lack of
(can) exercise authority cannot exercise authority
delegation skills delegation skills, lack of
leadership skills leadership skills, lack of
listening skills listening skills, lack of
management skills management skills, lack of
motivating skills motivating skills, lack of
negotiating skills negotiating skills, lack of
organization skills organization skills, lacks
planning skills planning skills, lack of
problem-solving skills problem-solving skills, lack of
public speaking skills public speaking skills, lack of
reconciling problems, conflicts at higher level skills reconciling problems, conflicts at higher level skills, lack of
skilled unskilled
skilled, talented exceptionally in particular area not skilled, talented exceptionally in particular area
speaking skills speaking skills, lack of
teamwork skills teamwork skills, lack of
technical work skills technical work skills, lack of
time management skills time management skills, lack of
verbal skills verbal skills, lack of
writing skills writing skills, lack of

Social Endowments

Positive character trait

Negative character traits
affectionate family upbringing indifferent, hostile family upbringing
high mental abilities in family poor mental abilities in family
parents attained high social status parents have low social status
parents motivated, gave direction parents demotivated, gave no direction
parents rose & accomplished parents remained in same position
(inheritance) physical attributes are fine (inheritance) physical attributes are poor
(had) previous success (in school, work, family life) (had) previous failure (in school, work, family life)
prosperity in family upbringing poverty in family upbringing
psychological health and well-being psychological problems
prosperity in surrounding society poverty in surrounding society
supportive social environment indifferent social environment

Source: http://www.gurusoftware.com/GuruNet/Personal/Factors.htm