“Strong, silent” types with their “stiff upper lips” possess an undeniable allure. That’s why it’s the hallmark of much-loved, fictional British characters, like James Bond and Sherlock Holmes, and, let’s face it, pretty much every well-known Brit. After all, what’s not to admire about calm stoicism, even in the most perilous and dire of situations? It’s certainly more attractive than an adult temper tantrum. Nonetheless, recent research from Queendom.com indicates that people who are comfortable talking about their feelings are not just emotional. They possess other unique personality traits that can actually make them more affable than their more reserved counterparts.

Reviewing data from 1,162 people who took Queendom’s Big Five Personality Test, researchers compared the psychological profile of people who regularly talk about their feelings, and those who avoid it at all costs. Here’s how the two groups scored on different personality traits:

(Note: Scores range on a scale from 0 to 100. A high score indicates that the trait is a predominant aspect of the group’s collective personality. A moderate score suggests that the trait only manifests under certain circumstances, while a low score is reflective of a dormant or underdeveloped trait.).

COMFORT WITH SELF-DISCLOSURE:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 72

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 31

SOCIABILITY:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 56

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 37

EXTROVERSION:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 61

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 38

WILLINGNESS TO TRUST OTHERS:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 63

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 39

AUTHENTICITY:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 73

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 58

LIKEABILITY:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 73

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 56

KINDNESS:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 80

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 55

SELF-CONFIDENCE:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 73

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 57

ASSERTIVENESS:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 60

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 48

OPTIMISM:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 65

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 48

LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL:

• Score for emotionally expressive group: 65

• Score for emotionally reserved group: 50

“We are often in awe of people who remain stoic in intense situations, but there is much to be admired about people who express their emotions,” explains Dr. Jerabek, president of PsychTests, the parent company of Queendom. “In order to share your feelings, you have to allow yourself to be emotionally ‘exposed’; you have to accept the potential for rejection and even mockery. That means it takes a lot of guts to share your feelings. That’s also the reason why so many people keep their feelings, as well as their problems, to themselves. They think it will make them appear weak. The irony, however, is that you have be strong in order to be vulnerable.”

“When you open up to someone, you create an instant rapport, because you are connecting with the person on a much deeper level. We all have feelings. We all go through difficult times. This is why, as our study revealed, emotionally expressive people are so likeable – because they are real. They are their true selves, in all their vulnerability, yet still amazingly confident. So while ‘strong, silent’ types do have a certain allure, emotionally expressive people have a certain warmth and charm that is more likely to endear them to others.”

Want to assess your personality? Check out our Big Five Personality Test at https://www.queendom.com/tests/access_page/index.htm?idRegTest=4058