The Most Reliable Big Five Personality Test, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the Big Five Personality Test you think is the most reliable!

Updated on May 2, 2024 06:54

In a world brimming with personality assessments, the reliability of these tests becomes crucial, especially when they are intended to reflect the Big Five personality traits. Finding a dependable personality test can significantly impact personal development and professional placement, guiding individuals toward better understanding their traits and how they might align with various life and career paths. By voting for the most reliable Big Five Personality Test, users directly contribute to a community-based assessment of these tools, elevating the most effective versions to the forefront. This communal effort helps sift through the multitude of options to spotlight tests that provide insightful, consistent results. Your participation gives greater clarity to others on choosing a test that best suits their needs.

What Is the Most Reliable Big Five Personality Test?

1

56
votes
NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3)

The NEO-PI-3 is considered the gold standard of Big Five personality tests, with extensive research supporting its validity and reliability. The test measures five personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness) and their six facets. The NEO-PI-3 has been used in academic research and clinical settings.
The NEO Personality Inventory-3 (NEO-PI-3) is a widely used personality test that measures an individual's personality traits based on the Five-Factor Model of personality. It provides a comprehensive assessment of an individual's personality by measuring their levels of Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness.

Number of items: 240

Administration time: 40-60 minutes

Age range: 18 years and older

Response format: Likert scale

Reliability: High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha > 0.80)
2

28
votes
International Personality Item Pool (IPIP)

Lewis R. Goldberg

The IPIP is an open-source, online personality test that measures the Big Five traits with 50 items per trait. The test has been extensively validated and has high reliability. It is widely used in research and is available for free online.
The International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) is a widely used and highly regarded measure of personality traits. It was developed to provide researchers and individuals with a reliable and valid assessment of the Big Five personality dimensions.

Number of Items: Over 1,000 items

Question Format: Self-report questionnaire

Assessment Time: 20-30 minutes

Scoring Method: Likert-type scale

Language Availability: Translated into multiple languages
3

21
votes
Big Five Inventory (BFI)

The BFI is a widely used personality test that measures the Big Five traits with 44 items. It has been shown to have high reliability and validity in various languages and cultures.
The Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a widely-used questionnaire that measures the five dimensions of personality known as the Big Five. It is a self-report inventory that assesses individual differences in extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism, and openness to experience.

Number of questions: 44

Response format: 5-point Likert scale

Scoring method: Summing the responses for each dimension

Reliability: High internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha coefficients range from 0.75 to 0.90)

Validity: Demonstrated validity in predicting various real-world behaviors and outcomes
4

7
votes
Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R)

The NEO-PI-R is an earlier version of the NEO-PI-3, but it is still widely used in research and clinical settings. It measures the same five traits and six facets as the NEO-PI-3 but has fewer items. It has high reliability and validity.
The Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) is a widely used and highly regarded personality assessment tool. It measures the Big Five personality traits, namely neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. The test provides an in-depth understanding of an individual's personality structure, which can be helpful in various domains such as psychology, counseling, and employee selection.

Trait Categories: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness

Number of Items: 240

Response Format: Likert-type scale (5-point)

Scoring: Raw scores are converted to T-scores using age- and gender-based norms

Test-retest Reliability: High (ranging from 0.75 to 0.88)
5

5
votes
HEXACO Personality Inventory (HEXACO-PI)

The HEXACO-PI measures six personality traits (honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness) and their facets. It has been shown to have high reliability and validity and is often used in cross-cultural research.
The HEXACO Personality Inventory (HEXACO-PI) is a psychometric instrument designed to measure the six major dimensions of personality, known as the HEXACO model. It is considered one of the most reliable and comprehensive Big Five Personality Tests.

Dimensions: The HEXACO-PI measures six personality dimensions: Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, and Openness to Experience.

Items: It consists of 100 items that the test-taker rates on a Likert scale.

Cultural Universality: The test has been translated into multiple languages and validated in various cultures, making it suitable for cross-cultural research.

Validity: The HEXACO-PI has been shown to have high internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity.

Greater Integrity Factor: The inclusion of the Honesty-Humility dimension provides a unique factor that distinguishes the HEXACO model from the traditional Big Five.
6

10
votes
Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI)

The TIPI measures the Big Five traits with ten items (two per trait) and has been shown to have high reliability and validity. It is a short and easy-to-use measure that is often used in large-scale studies.
The Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI) is a concise and widely used self-report measure of the Big Five personality traits. It consists of ten short statements that participants rate on a scale from 1 (disagree strongly) to 7 (agree strongly). The TIPI provides a quick and reliable assessment of individuals' extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience.

Number of items: 10

Scoring method: Likert-type scale ranging from 1 to 7

Trait dimensions measured: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, Openness to Experience

Administration time: Approximately 2-3 minutes

Reliability: Generally high internal consistency
7

14
votes
Five Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI)

Gerard Saucier

The FFPI measures the Big Five traits with 100 items and has been shown to have high reliability and validity. It is often used in research and clinical settings.
The Five Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI) is a widely used and highly regarded personality assessment tool that measures an individual's personality traits based on the five-factor model. It is designed to provide accurate and comprehensive insights into an individual's personality.

Number of Factors: 5

Trait Dimensions: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, Openness to Experience

Assessment Type: Self-report questionnaire

Number of Questions: 100

Scoring Method: Likert scale (1-5) with higher scores indicating higher levels of the trait
8

9
votes
Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI)

Leslie C. Morey

The PAI is a comprehensive personality test that measures various personality traits, including the Big Five. It has been shown to have high reliability and validity in various populations.
The Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI) is a reliable and widely used Big Five Personality Test. It is designed to assess various aspects of an individual's personality and psychological functioning.

Number of items: 344

Administration time: 60-75 minutes

Scoring: Computerized scoring system available

Age range: 18 and older

Validity scales: 15 validity scales
9

10
votes
California Psychological Inventory (CPI)

Harrison G. Gough

The CPI measures various personality traits, including the Big Five, and has been shown to have high reliability and validity. It is often used in research and clinical settings.
The California Psychological Inventory (CPI) is a widely used self-report assessment tool designed to measure personality traits and behavior patterns. It provides insights into an individual's social and interpersonal functioning, vocational interests, and personal adjustment.

Purpose: To assess personality traits and behavior patterns

Administration: Self-report questionnaire

Number of Items: 434

Response Format: True/false or multiple-choice

Scales Measured: 15 primary scales and 3 validity scales
10

3
votes
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)

The MMPI measures various personality traits, including the Big Five, and has been widely used in research and clinical settings. It has high reliability and validity but is a longer and more complex test than some other measures.
The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is a widely used, standardized psychometric test designed to assess personality traits and psychological disorders. It consists of a large number of questions that measure various aspects of an individual's personality and mental health.

Publication Year: 1943

Question Count: 567 true/false questions

Scoring Process: Computer-based scoring system

Validity Scales: Detects response biases and random answering patterns

Clinical Scales: Assesses mental health and psychopathology

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Discussion

Ranking factors for reliable Big Five Personality Test

Validity

A reliable personality test should have high validity, meaning that it accurately measures the traits it seeks to assess.
Reliability

A reliable personality test should be consistent in the results it produces over time and across different administrations.
Standardization

A reliable personality test should be standardized, meaning it is structured and administered in a consistent manner.
Norms

A reliable personality test should have established norms, or standards against which an individual's scores can be compared.
Accessibility

A reliable personality test should be accessible to a wide range of people, including those with physical or cognitive disabilities.
Ethical Considerations

A reliable personality test should have sound ethical considerations, including informed consent, confidentiality, and an appropriate use of results.
Research support

A reliable personality test should have strong research support, including evidence of predictive validity and criterion-related validity.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most reliable Big Five Personality Test. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or test is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

2383 views
167 votes
10 ranked items

Movers & Shakers

NEO Personality Inventory-3
International Personality Item Pool
Ten-Item Personality Inventory
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each test once every 24 hours. The rank of each test is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

More information on most reliable big five personality test

The Big Five Personality Test is a widely used personality assessment tool that measures an individual's personality across five distinct dimensions: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. This test is based on the five-factor model of personality, which has gained considerable acceptance in the field of psychology. The Big Five Personality Test is often used by employers, psychologists, and researchers to gain insights into an individual's personality traits, behaviors, and tendencies. It is considered a reliable and valid measure of personality, with high levels of internal consistency and test-retest reliability. There are several versions of the Big Five Personality Test available, including the NEO Personality Inventory, the Revised NEO Personality Inventory, and the Big Five Inventory. These tests use self-report questionnaires to assess an individual's personality across the five dimensions. Overall, the Big Five Personality Test is a valuable tool for understanding an individual's personality traits and is widely used in both research and practical settings.