REVISED NEO PERSONALITY INVENTORY (NEO PI-R) Brief History
The NEO PI-R supplants supplants the NEO NEO Personality Personality Inventory Inventory.. The NEO PI-R was was deve develo lope ped d to oper operat atio iona nali lize ze the the five five-f -fac acto torr mode modell of pers person onal alit ity, y, a representation of the structure of traits which was developed and elaborated over the the past past four four deca decade des. s. The The 5 fact facto ors repr repres esen entt the the most most basi basicc dime dimens nsio ions ns underl underlyin ying g the traits traits identi identified fied in both both natura naturall langua languages ges and psycho psycholog logica icall questionnaires. When it appeared in 1985, the NEO-PI had well researched scales to measure the facets of Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E), and Openness (O), but only global scales to mea measure the fac factors of Agree reeableness (A) (A) and Conscientiousness (C). It completes the development of the instrument by adding the A and C facet scales that were implicitly promised by the domain-and-facet model on which the NEO-PI was based and that were explicitly promised in the NEO-PI Manual Supplement. In addition, 10 of the original N,E, and O items were replaced replaced in the NEO PI-R to allow more accurate measurement measurement of several several of their facets. General Description
The NEO measur uree of norm normal al pers person onal alit ity y trai traits ts that that has has NEO PI-R PI-R is a meas demonstrated its utility in both clinical and research settings. There are 2 versions of the NEO PI-R: Form S for self-reports and Form R for observer ratings. Form items answered on a 5-point scale. It is self-administered and is S consists of 240 items appropriate for men and women of all ages. Form R is a companion instrument with 240 parallel items written in the third person for peer, spouse, or expert ratings. Form R can be used to obtain independent estimates of standing on the same same five five doma domain inss of pers person onal alit ity y (Neu (Neurot rotic icis ism, m, Extra Extrave vers rsio ion, n, Open Openne ness ss,, Agreeablen Agreeableness, ess, & Conscient Conscientiousn iousness) ess) and may be of particular particular value in instances instances in which which it is desi desira rabl blee to vali valida date te or supp supple leme ment nt self-re self-repo port rts. s. The The NEO Summary provides a description of the examinees personality traits on the five factor factors. s. In additio addition n to the printe printed d materials materials,, the the NEO PI-R PI-R can be compute computer r administered, scored, and interpreted, or simply computer scored and interpreted. It appears that these factors are indeed comprehensive. comprehensive. Factors are defined by groups of intercorrelated traits. The more specific traits are referred to as facets, and each cluster of facets as domain. Summing the facet scales yields the the domain
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score, which can be thought of as an approximation to the factor score. Factor scores are calculated directly by the computer scoring system. By describing the individual’s standing on each of the five factors, a comprehensive sketch is provided that summarizes the individual’s emotional, interpersonal, experiential, attitudinal, and motivational style. Administration
The NEO PI-R may be administered individually or in groups. The examiner should engage the respondent in the task of completing the test to reduce the possibility of response sets or random responding to the items. The examiner provides each respondent with the appropriate NEO PI-R Item Booklet, a handscoring or machine-scoring answer sheet, and a pencil. After the respondent has provided the demographic information and read the instructions for completing the NEO PI-R, ask if there are any questions. There is no time limit for completing the NEO PI-R. Most respondents require 30 to 40 minutes to complete it, but older respondents and those with limited reading skills may take longer. Instructions for use with the Hand-Scoring Answer Sheet (FOR GROUP ADMINISTRATION)
PLEASE READ THE INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE BEGINNING. MARK ALL YOUR ANSWERS ON THE ANSWER SHEET AND WRITE ONLY WHERE INDICATED. DO NOT WRITE ON THIS TEST BOOKLET. ON THE ACCOMPANYING ANSWER SHEET, PLEASE WRITE YOUR NAME IN THE SPACE PROVIDED. INDICATE YOUR SEX BY PLACING A CHECK IN THE APPROPRIATE BOX UNDER “SEX.” ENTER THE DATE (AND YOUR IDENTIFICATION NUMBER, IF YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN ONE,) IN THE SPACE PROVIDED. CHECK “FEMALE” / “MALE” IN THE SPACE LABELED “PERSON BEING RATED.” WRITE YOUR FIRST, MIDDLE, AND LAST INITIALS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED, AND FILL IN YOUR AGE. CHECK THE BOX NEXT TO “R” (IF YOU ARE FEMALE), “S” (IF YOU ARE MALE), IN THE SPACE LABELED “NEO FORM.” THIS QUESTIONNAIRE CONTAINS 240 STATEMENTS. PLEASE READ EACH ITEM CAREFULLY AND CIRCLE THE ONE ANSWER THAT BEST CORRESPONDS TO YOUR AGGREEMENT OR DISAGREEMENT.
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Circle “SD” if the statement is definitely false or if you strongly disagree. Circle “D” if the statement is most false or if you disagree. Circle “N” if the statement is about equally true or false, if you cannot decide, or if you are neutral on the statement. Circle “A” if the statement is most true or if you agree. Circle “SA” if the statement is definitely true or if you strongly agree.
THERE ARE NO RIGHT OR WRONG ANSWERS, AND YOU NEED NOT BE AN “EXPERT” TO COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE. DESCRIBE YOURSELF HONESTLY AND STATE YOUR OPINION AS ACCURATELY AS POSSIBLE. ANSWER EVERY ITEM. NOTE THAT THE ANSWERS ARE NUMBERED DOWN THE COLUMNS ON THE ANSWER SHEET. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOUR ANSWER IS MARKED IN THE CORRECTLY NUMBERED SPACE. IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE OR CHANGE YOUR MIND, DO NOT ERASE! MAKE AN “ X” THROUGH THE INCORRECT RESPONSE AND THEN DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THE CORRECT RESPONSE. AFTER YOU HAVE ANSWERED THE 240 ITEMS, ANSWER THE THREE QUESTIONS LABELED A, B, AND C ON THE ANSWER SHEET. TURN TO PAGE 3 IN THIS BOOKLET AND BEGIN WITH ITEM 1.
SCORING
The hand scoring answer sheet is a two-part, carbonless-paper form designed for use with either Form S or Form R item booklets. The 3 validity check items of the NEO PI-R are also presented on the answer sheet. The bottom sheet provides scoring keys for easily scoring the facet and domain scales of the NEO PI-R items. Missing Responses
Examine the answer sheet to be sure that a response has been given for each item. If unanswered items are found, the respondent should be asked to complete 3
them. If a respondent is unsure of the meaning of an item or is unsure of how to respond, he may be told to use the neutral response option. The NEO PI-R should not be scored if 41 or more responses are missing. If fewer than 41 responses are missing, the missing items should be scored as if the neutral response option was selected. Individual facet scores should be interpreted with caution when more than 3 responses are missing from that scale. Validity Checks
Items A,B, and C presented on the answer sheet provide simple validity checks and help ensure that the respondent has completely and accurately completed the NEO PI-R. Item A asks if the respondent has responded to the items in an honest and accurate manner. A disagree or strongly disagree response to item A normally invalidates formal scoring of the NEO PI-R. Items B & C, which ask if the respondent has answered all the items and has marked his responses in the correct spaces, are intended chiefly as reminders and prompts to the respondent to complete missing items & to double-check the location of his/her answers. If the respondent has answered “No” to item B, the examiner may wish to explore with the respondent the reason for the missing responses and will need to attend closely to the instructions for treating missing items. The response of “No” to item C may indicate careless responding and normally invalidates formal scoring of NEO PI-R. Acquiescence
This means that respondents who use an excessive number of agree or strongly agree responses will tend to receive average scores instead of extreme-and often extremely misleading—scores. To screen for acquiescence, count the number of agree or strongly agree responses made across all items. Thus, if the respondent has 150 or more agree or strongly agree responses, the NEO PI-R should be interpreted with caution because a strong acquiescence bias may have influenced the results. Nay-saying
It is indicated by a paucity of agree or strongly agree responses. To screen fro nay-saying, count the number of agree or strongly agree responses made across all items. If the respondent endorsed 50 or fewer items as agree or strongly agree, the NEO PI-R should be interpreted with caution.
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Random Responding
One common form of random responding patterns can be evaluated by visually inspecting the answer sheet to determine whether the same response option has been used over a long series of items. Based upon the results of item response patterns, endorsements of strongly disagree to more than 6 consecutive items, disagree to more than 9 consecutive items, neutral to more than 10 consecutive items, agree to more than 14 consecutive items, or strongly agree to more than 9 consecutive items invalidate formal scoring and interpretation of the NEO PI-R. Calculating Scores (Hand scoring)
Tear off the top stub of the answer sheet and remove the top page. Locate the first row of items (i.e., items 1, 31, 61, 91, 121, 151, 181, and 211) and sum the values of the circled responses to these eight items. Enter this sum (as raw score) in the space labeled “N1” located to the right of the row. Use an analogous procedure to calculate the remaining facet raw scores. After all the facet scores have been calculated, add the scores for facets N1 to N6. Locate the space labeled “DOMAIN RAW SCORES” at the bottom of the answer sheet. Enter this sum (as raw score) in the box labeled “N”. Use an analogous procedure to calculate the remaining domain raw scores. Profiling Scores
When the hand-scoring answer sheet is used, NEO PI-R results may be presented on a profile form to facilitate raw score to standard score conversion. Separate profile forms are available for adults and college-age individuals for Form S and for adults for Form R. The adult profile forms are appropriate for use with individuals aged 21 and u p. The college-age profile forms are appropriate for use with individuals aged 17 to 20 , whether or not they attend college. Profiles are plotted separately for men and women. Select the appropriate profile form based on the form of the NEO PI-R administered and the relevant comparison group. Complete the demographic information at the top of the profile form. Locate the raw score for the N domain at the bottom of the answer sheet and transcribe this score to the space at the top of the profile form labeled “Neuroticism (N)”. Use the same procedure to transcribe the remaining raw domain scores. Locate the raw score for the N1 facet at the right side of the answer sheet and transcribe this score to the space at the top of the 5
profile form labeled “Anxiety (N1)”. Add the transcribed facet scores for N1 to N6 and enter this number in the space labeled “Total (N)” at the top of the profile form. Compare this number to the N domain raw score entered at the top of the profile form. If the numbers do not match, an error in addition or transcription has been made. Locate and correct the error. Do the same to check the accuracy of the remaining facet scores. Examine the respondent’s T score for the N domain or factor. T scores of 56 or higher are considered high, T scores ranging from 55 to 45 are considered average, and T scores of 44 or lower are considered low. Locate the first row of descriptive terms on Your NEO Summary form. This row corresponds to descriptions for the Neuroticism domain. If the respondent’s score is high, place a check mark in the left-hand box. If the respondent’s score is average, place a check mark in the middle box. If the respondent’s score is low, place a check mark in the right-hand box. Use the same procedure with the remainder of the form. The 2nd to 5 th rows of descriptive terms correspond to the E, O, A, and C domains, respectively. Your NEO Summary does not characterize scores as high or low. CONCEPTUALIZATION & INTERPRETATION
The scales of the NEO PI-R measure traits that approximate normal, bellshaped distributions. Characteristics are compared across people, rather than within the individual. Thus, a person who scores at the 75 th percentile on Depression and the 25 th percentile on Positive Emotions is more likely to feel depressed and less likely to feel happy than most other people. But because happiness is much more common than depression, such an individual is still likely to be happy more often than depressed. In designing the profile forms & interpretive reports for the NEO PI-R, it is useful to summarize results in terms of 5 levels: very low, low, average, high, and very high (just as test takers are asked to respond along a 5-point scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree). In NEO PI-R, no single cut-off separates those who “have” a trait from those who do not, and being low or average on a scale can be as informative as being high. For several reasons, profile forms have not been developed for clinical groups.
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THE 5 DOMAINS Neuroticism (N)
The most pervasive domain of personality scales contrasts adjustment or emotional stability with maladjustment or neuroticism. The general tendency to experience negative affects such as fear, sadness, embarrassment, anger, guilt, and disgust is the core of the N domain. However, N includes more than susceptibility to psychological distress. Men and women high in N are also prone to have irrational ideas, to be less able to control their impulses, and to cope more poorly than others with stress. The N scale, like all the other scales, also measures a dimension of normal personality. High scorers may be at risk for some kinds of psychiatric problems, but the N scale should not be viewed as a measure of psychopathology. For example, an individual may have an Antisocial Personality Disorder without having an elevated N score. Individuals who score low on N are emotionally stable. They are usually calm, even-tempered, and relaxed, and they are able to face stressful situations without becoming upset or rattled. Extraversion (E)
Sociability is only one of the traits that comprise the domain of Extraversion. In addition to liking people and preferring large groups and gatherings, extraverts are also assertive, active, and talkative. They like excitement and stimulation and tend to be cheerful in disposition. They are upbeat, energetic, and optimistic. On the other hand, introverts are reserved rather than unfriendly, independent rather than followers, even-paced rather than sluggish. Introverts may say they are shy when they mean that they prefer to be alone: they do not necessarily suffer from social anxiety. They are not unhappy or pessimistic. Openness (O)
The elements of O include active imagination, aesthetic sensitivity, attentiveness to inner feelings, preference for variety, intellectual curiosity, and independence of judgment. Open individuals are curious about both inner and outer worlds, and their lives are experientially richer. They are willing to entertain novel ideas and unconventional values, and they experience both positive and negative emotions more keenly than do closed individuals. Openness is especially related to aspects of intelligence, such as divergent thinking, that contribute to creativity (Mc Crae, 1987). But Openness is by no means equivalent to intelligence. Those who score low on O tend to be conventional in behavior and conservative in outlook. They prefer the familiar to the novel, and their emotional 7
responses are somewhat muted. “Closed” people should not be viewed as authoritarians. These qualities are more likely to be signs of extremely low Agreeableness. The value of openness or closedness depends on the requirements of the situation, and both open and closed individuals perform useful functions in society. Agreeableness (A)
The agreeable person is fundamentally altruistic. He/She is sympathetic to others and eager to help them, and believes that others will be equally helpful in return. By contrast, the disagreeable or antagonistic person is egocentric, skeptical of others’ intentions, and competitive rather than cooperative. Low A is associated with Narcissistic, Antisocial, and Paranoid Personality Disorders, whereas high A is associated with the Dependent Personality Disorder. Conscientiousness (C)
The conscientious individual is purposeful, strong-willed, and determined. Digman and Takemoto-Chock (1981) refer to this domain as Will to Achieve. High C is associated with academic and occupational achievement; on the negative side, it may lead to annoying fastidiousness, compulsive neatness, or workaholic behavior. Conscientiousness is an aspect of what was once called character ; high C scorers are scrupulous, punctual, and reliable. Low scorers are not necessarily lacking in moral principles, but they are less exacting in applying them, just as they are more lackadaisical in working toward their goals. There is some evidence that they are more hedonistic and interested in sex (Mc Crae, Costa, & Busch, 1986) THE FACET SCALES
Each of the 5 domains of the NEO PI-R is represented by 6, more specific scales that measure facets of the domain. There are several advantages to the strategy of assessing a variety of facets. First, it ensures that the items used to measure the domain will cover as wide a range of relevant thoughts, feelings, and actions as possible. Second, having several independent facet scales permits internal replication of findings. A third, crucial, advantage to the multifaceted approach to the measurement of the 5 factors arises from the fact that meaningful individual differences can be seen within domains.
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Neuroticism Facets N1: Anxiety. The scale does not measure specific fears or phobias, but high scorers are more likely to have such fears, as well as free floating anxiety. Low scorers do not dwell on things that might go wrong. N2: Angry Hostility. It represents the tendency to experience anger, frustration and bitterness. Disagreeable people often score high on this scale. Low scorers are easygoing and slow to anger. N3: Depression. High scorers are prone to feelings of guilt, sadness, hopelessness, and loneliness. Low scorers rarely experience such emotions, but they are not necessarily cheerful and lighthearted (characteristics associated instead with Extraversion). N4: Self-Consciousness. Self-conscious individuals are uncomfortable around others, sensitive to ridicule, and prone to feelings of inferiority. Low scorers do not necessarily have poise or good social skills, but are simply less disturbed by awkward social situations. N5: Impulsiveness. It refers to the inability to control cravings and urges. It should not be confused with spontaneity, risk-taking, or rapid decision time. Low scorers find it easier to resist such temptations, having a high tolerance for frustration. N6: Vulnerability. High scorers on vulnerability feel unable to cope with stress, becoming dependent, hopeless, or panicked when facing emergency situations. Low scorers perceive themselves as capable of handling themselves in difficult situations. Extraversion Facets E1: Warmth. Warm people like people and easily form close attachments to others. Low scorers are neither hostile nor necessarily lacking in compassion, but are more formal, reserved & distant in manner than high scorers. E2: Gregariousness. Gregarious people enjoy the company of others, and the more the merrier. Low scorers tend to be loners who do not seek-or who even actively avoid-social stimulation.
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E3: Assertiveness. High scorers speak without hesitation and often become group leaders. Low scorers prefer to keep in the background & let others do the talking. E4: Activity. Active people are in a need to keep themselves busy and lead fast paced lives. Low scorers are more leisurely and relaxed in tempo, although they are not necessarily sluggish or lazy. E5: Excitement-Seeking. High scorers like bright colors and noisy environments. Low scorers feel little need for thrills & prefer a life that high scorers might find boring. E6: Positive Emotions. High scorers laugh easily and often. Low scorers are exuberant & high spirited. Openness Facets O1:Fantasy. High scorers are open to fantasy, have a vivid imagination & an active fantasy life. They daydream not simply as an escape but as a way of creating for themselves an interesting inner world. Low scorers are more prosaic and prefer to keep their minds on the task at hand. O2: Aesthetics. High scorers are moved by poetry, absorbed in music, and intrigued by art. Low scorers are relatively insensitive to and uninterested in art & beauty. O3: Feelings. High scorers experience deeper and more differentiated emotional states and feel both happiness & unhappiness more intensely than others. Low scorers have somewhat blunted affects and do not believe that feeling states are of much importance. O4: Actions. High scorers prefer novelty and variety to familiarity and routine. Low scorers find change difficult and prefer to stick with the tried-and-true. O5:Ideas. High scorers enjoy both philosophical arguments and brain-teasers. Low scorers on the scale have limited curiosity and, if highly intelligent, narrowly focus their resources on limited topics. O6: Values. High scorers have readiness to re-examine social, political, and religious values. Low scorers tend to accept authority and honor tradition and as a consequence are generally conservative, regardless of political party affiliation. 10
Agreeableness Facets A1:Trust. High scorers have a disposition to believe that others are honest and well-intentioned. Low scorers tend to be cynical and skeptical and to assume that others may be dishonest or dangerous. A2: Straightforwardness. Straightforward individuals are frank, sincere, and ingenuous. Low scorers are more willing to manipulate others through flattery, craftiness, or deception. It should not be regarded as a lie scale. A3: Altruism. High scorers have active concern for others’ welfare as shown in generosity, consideration of others, and a willingness to assist others in need of help. Low scorers are somewhat more self-centered and are reluctant to get involved in the problem of others. A4: Compliance. High scorers tend to defer to others, to inhibit aggression, and to forgive and forget. Low scorers are aggressive, prefers to compete than to cooperate, and has no reluctance to express anger when necessary. A5: Modesty. High scorers on this scale are humble and self effacing although they are not necessarily lacking in self-confidence or self-esteem. Low scorers believe they are superiors and may be considered conceited or arrogant by others. A6: Tender-Mindedness. High scorers are moved by others’ needs and emphasize the human side of social policies. Low scorers are more hardheaded and less moved by appeals to pity. Conscientiousness Facets C1: Competence. It is most highly associated with self-esteem and internal locus of control. High scorers feel well-prepared to deal with life. Low scorers have a lower opinion of their abilities and admit that they are often unprepared and inept. C2: Order. Orderly people are neat, tidy, and well-organized. Low scorers are unable to get organized and describe themselves as unmethodical. C3: Dutifulness. High scorers strictly adhere to their ethical principles and scrupulously fulfill their moral obligations. Low scorers are more casual about such matters and may be somewhat undependable or unreliable. 11
C4: Achievement Striving. High scorers work hard to achieve their goals, diligent, purposeful and have a sense of direction in life. Very high scorers may invest too much in their careers and become workaholics. Low scorers are lackadaisical and perhaps even lazy. They are not driven to succeed but often perfectly content with their low levels of achievement. C5: Self-Discipline. High scorers have the ability to motivate themselves to get the job done. Low scorers procrastinate in the beginning and are easily discouraged, eager to quit and cannot force themselves to do what they want themselves to do. C6: Deliberation. High scorers are cautious and think carefully before acting. Low scorers are hasty and often speak or act without considering the consequences, but are able to make snap decisions when necessary. INTERPRETING PROFILES The set of scores an individual receives can be plotted on a profile form to see the overall configuration of his or her personality, relative to the appropriate normative group. In clinical use, the NEO PI-R profile should be considered in the context of the client’s history, presenting problems, and other psychological test data, such as spouse ratings on Form R of NEO PI-R. In some cases, it may be appropriate to discuss the profile with the client, a process that can help both client and therapist understand the ways in which these personality traits are manifested in the client’s life. One way of interpreting the profile is by considering the relations of facet scales across domains. It may also be useful to consider pairs of domain scores in terms of 2-dimensional planes, which correspond in many cases to particular areas of life.
An example, the affective plane defined by N and E, which represents the individual’s basic emotional styles. At least 4 of the remaining 7 possible combinations are of potential interest. E and C appear to jointly determine patterns of activity; O and A are relevant attitudes; O and C are particularly important for academic performance; A and C represent the basic dimensions of character. Alternatively, the 2 (or more) profiles can be plotted on the same form, and the interpretations can focus on points of agreement and disagreement.
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