What Your Date's Home May Reveal About Their Personality

Most people don’t try to lie on a first date. But they do tend to present an overly desirable version of themselves. Your date may say they love romantic comedies and listening to live music because they think you do—but do they really enjoy these things?

Luckily, you can apply psychology and act as a sort of FBI profiler to weed through little white lies and the savviness of the most skilled impression manager. Much like suspects on the show "Criminal Minds," your date may leave traces of evidence throughout their life that belies their true personality.

When someone’s personality traits are strong and central to who they are, they will often leave a wake of behavioral residue behind them. In other words, someone who is really open to new experiences should have the receipts to prove it. You might be able to see pictures from their travels abroad, for example, or the leftover food in their fridge from the exotic new restaurant down the street.

So, what should you look for in your date’s home to learn who they truly are? Research by Sam Gosling from the University of Texas outlines what aspects of people’s living spaces might reveal about their personality.

In two studies published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people first completed measures of their Big 5 personality traits (e.g., conscientiousness, extraversion, openness). Then, strangers viewed their offices or bedrooms, before inferring the occupant's personality traits. Gosling and colleagues found people could accurately infer the occupants' personality traits if they paid attention to particular cues.

What Your Date’s Living Space Could Reveal

When you see your date’s home or office for the first time, you may be able to glean at least three personality traits if you know what to look for.

1. Conscientiousness

Conscientiousness refers to being detail-oriented and organized. It’s an excellent trait to have if you’re an accountant or if you expect your date to plan activities and make reservations at your favorite restaurant (without having to be reminded multiple times).

Findings from Gosling's studies revealed that highly conscientious people tend to have homes or offices that are clean and in good condition. Books, TV remotes, and magazines may be neatly arranged and conveniently located, for example. Their music records and books might be organized and grouped together on the bookshelf by type or genre.

2. Extraversion

Extraversion is more than just being social. It refers to how someone likes to recharge their battery after a long week. Extraverted people find energy by being around others, often in loud or stimulating environments.

According to the research, extroverted people tend to live in highly decorated homes that are warm and inviting. There may be plenty of comfortable seating, like a large sectional couch rather than a single La-Z-Boy. After all, they usually want people to come in and stick around for a while.

I should note that there is nothing wrong with dating an introvert. But if you wanted to be with someone who truly enjoys hosting parties on the weekend, for instance, then you likely wouldn't want to be misled. If an alleged "extravert's" house is spartan, bland, and uninviting, that may offer a clue.

3. Openness to Experience

Openness refers to people’s willingness to try new things. For instance, someone who loves traveling to new places, reading sci-fi novels, chatting about wildly different TV shows they watch, and then ordering something obscure off the menu—just because they’ve never tried it before—is likely to be high in openness to experience.

According to Gosling and colleagues' findings, highly open people tend to live in homes that are fresh and stylish. Their décor may be unconventional and distinctive. Each room may seem mismatched but that doesn’t bother them. Their travels, adventures, books, and coursework transport them all over the world so expect their home to be truly eclectic.

Dating someone open to new experiences may seem like a fun adventure. But if you like routine and having a go-to order at Applebees, then maybe a highly open person isn’t the best date for you.