About this test
The Big Five model describes personality with five broad traits: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability and Intellect/Imagination. Each trait is a continuum, and most people score somewhere between the two ends.
The 50 statements are the IPIP scales built to measure the Big-Five factor markers that Lewis R. Goldberg reported in 1992. Each trait is measured by ten statements: some describe the high end of the trait and some describe the low end.
The test takes about five to ten minutes. Your answers stay in your browser; they are not sent to us.
How your results are calculated
- For each statement, choose how accurately it describes you, from “Very inaccurate” to “Very accurate”.
- Each answer scores from 0 to 4 points. Statements that describe the low end of a trait are scored in reverse.
- Each trait percentage shows where your total falls between the lowest possible score (0%) and the highest (100%).
- Scores of 60% or more lean toward the high end of a trait, 40% or less toward the low end, and the rest fall near the middle.
- The percentages describe your own answers. They are not norms, and they do not compare you with other people.
Tips for honest results
- Describe yourself as you generally are now, not as you wish to be in the future.
- Compare yourself with people you know of about the same age.
- Answer quickly and honestly; there are no right or wrong answers.
- Use “Neither accurate nor inaccurate” only when a statement really does not lean either way for you.
What this test is not
This test is for self-understanding only. It is not a clinical or psychological assessment, it does not diagnose any condition, and it should not be used on its own to make decisions about hiring, education or health.
No trait is good or bad. High and low scores each have strengths and drawbacks depending on the situation.
Frequently asked questions
What are the Big Five personality traits?
Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability (the opposite of Neuroticism) and Intellect/Imagination (closely related to what other models call Openness to Experience).
Where do the questions come from?
From the 50-item IPIP Big-Five Factor Markers: public-domain scales on the International Personality Item Pool website, built to measure the five factor markers reported by Goldberg (1992).
Is this the same as the MBTI or other commercial tests?
No. This test uses the Big Five model and public-domain IPIP items. It does not sort people into types and is not related to any commercial personality test.
Can my results change?
Yes. Personality is fairly stable but not fixed, and your answers can also vary with mood and circumstances. Taking the test again later may give somewhat different scores.
Is this test a diagnosis?
No. It is a self-reflection tool, not a psychological assessment or diagnosis. If you are concerned about your mental health, please speak with a qualified professional.
This test is for self-understanding only. It is not a psychological assessment, a diagnosis or professional advice.