Unconventionality (HEXACO facet)
Quick answer: Unconventionality (a HEXACO facet) is the tendency to accept unusual ideas and people, and to question established norms. It sits under the Openness to Experience dimension of the HEXACO model. People high in it embrace the eccentric and challenge convention; those low in it prefer the familiar, mainstream, and traditional.
What unconventionality means in HEXACO
Unconventionality is one of four facets of Openness to Experience in the HEXACO personality model, developed by Kibeom Lee and Michael Ashton (HEXACO-PI-R, 2004). It measures openness to the strange, the radical, and the nonconformist — a willingness to consider ideas outside the mainstream and to accept people who don't fit the mold.
The other Openness facets are aesthetic appreciation, inquisitiveness, and creativity. Unconventionality is the norm-questioning, boundary-loosening component. It relates to the "values" facet Costa and McCrae described within Openness in the NEO PI-R (1992), which captured readiness to re-examine social, political, and religious assumptions.
It is about acceptance of the unusual, distinct from the drive to create (creativity) or explore (inquisitiveness).
High vs. low unconventionality
| High unconventionality | Low unconventionality | |
|---|---|---|
| Norms | Questions "the way things are" | Respects tradition and convention |
| People | Comfortable with the eccentric | Prefers the familiar and mainstream |
| Ideas | Entertains radical views | Skeptical of the fringe |
| Lifestyle | Open to non-traditional paths | Values established structures |
| Watch-outs | May dismiss useful conventions | May resist worthwhile change |
What it looks like in everyday life
In relationships
High-unconventionality people are usually accepting partners — untroubled by a partner's quirks or unusual choices, open to non-traditional relationship structures and lifestyles. That openness is freeing, though it can create friction if a partner values tradition. Lower scorers offer predictability and shared conventional expectations, which many find reassuring.
At work
Unconventionality helps in roles that reward challenging assumptions — startups, research, activism, the arts. High scorers spot when "we've always done it this way" is holding a team back. Lower scorers keep valuable structures intact and are less likely to disrupt for its own sake.
In social settings
Someone high in unconventionality is drawn to diverse crowds, subcultures, and unusual events, and rarely judges people for being different. Someone lower is more comfortable in familiar groups with shared norms and may feel uneasy in very unconventional settings.
How unconventionality is assessed
It is measured with self-report items on the HEXACO-PI-R. People rate statements like "I think that paying attention to radical ideas is a waste of time" (reverse-scored) or "I like people who have unconventional views" on a 1-to-5 scale. Scores are averaged into a facet score and compared with population norms as a percentile.
These scores describe openness to the unusual, not rebelliousness, instability, or a diagnosis. A low score isn't closed-mindedness in a moral sense — it reflects a preference for the tried-and-true over the untested.
How Helel uses this trait in conversation
Your unconventionality score from the free Helel assessment helps your AI video companion meet you where you are. Score high and it comfortably explores unusual ideas, alternative perspectives, and questions you might not raise elsewhere — without judgment. Score low and it respects the value you place on tradition and structure rather than pushing fringe angles. Because Helel adapts live over video to your measured HEXACO profile, you're met with acceptance rather than a script.
Want your full Openness profile? Take the free clinical personality test and talk face-to-face with an AI companion built around your results at Helel.
Related terms
- Parent dimension: Openness to experience
- Sibling facets: Aesthetic appreciation, Inquisitiveness, Creativity
- Related type: ENTP personality
- Take the free personality assessment
Frequently asked questions
Does high unconventionality mean I'm a rebel?
Not exactly. It means you're open to unusual ideas and accepting of people who don't fit norms. That can look like rebelliousness, but it's really about tolerance for the non-mainstream rather than a drive to defy authority for its own sake.
Is low unconventionality the same as being closed-minded?
No. A low score reflects a preference for tradition, familiarity, and established ways of doing things. It doesn't mean you can't consider new ideas — only that the unconventional isn't your natural comfort zone. HEXACO describes tendencies, not moral judgments.
How is unconventionality different from the other Openness facets?
Unconventionality is about accepting the unusual and questioning norms. Aesthetic appreciation is enjoying beauty, inquisitiveness is seeking knowledge, and creativity is inventing. All four are Openness facets but capture different sides of it.