Mapping the interpersonal domain: Translating between the Big Five, HEXACO, and Interpersonal Circumplex

•We map Big Five and HEXACO interpersonal traits to the Interpersonal Circumplex.•We replicate the convergence of Big Five aspects with IPC warmth and dominance.•Both agreeableness and extraversion are similar but distinguishable across models.•HEXACO honesty-humility and Big Five politeness align almost exactly on the IPC.•Descriptive and theoretical convergences amongst these traits are clarified.

Three different theoretical frameworks for understanding social behaviour and experience, the Big Five (B5), HEXACO, and Interpersonal Circumplex (IPC), are compared empirically by aligning them to the same circular structure. In this study (N = 206), we map the major empirically defined interpersonal dimensions of the B5 (Big Five Aspect Scales) and the HEXACO (HEXACO Personality Inventory — Revised) onto the IPC structure using Procrustean rotation. Congruence coefficients demonstrated that the assertiveness aspect of B5 extraversion and the compassion aspect of B5 agreeableness are congruent with IPC dominance and warmth, respectively, replicating recent efforts to integrate these frameworks. HEXACO agreeableness aligned closer to the politeness (versus compassion) aspect of B5 agreeableness, whereas HEXACO extraversion was rotated towards the enthusiasm (versus assertiveness) aspect of B5 extraversion. Finally, HEXACO honesty-humility was congruent with the politeness aspect of B5 agreeableness. These findings provide a means for translating more clearly between these different descriptive frameworks, which is essential for the integration of knowledge emerging from different traditions within this field.