Description

The Big Five Inventory (BFI) is a widely used personality assessment tool that measures the five major dimensions of personality, known as the “Big Five” model. These dimensions are Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability (Neuroticism), and Openness to Experience. The BFI was developed to provide a brief yet reliable and valid measure of these dimensions.

Purpose

The main purpose of the BFI is to assess the five major dimensions of personality in a short and easy-to-use format. This tool is widely applied in psychological research, clinical assessment, personnel selection and development, as well as in self-awareness and personal growth.

Structure

The BFI consists of 44 statements, each of which evaluates one of the five personality dimensions:
Extraversion: Assesses sociability, energy, and the tendency toward positive emotions.
Example statement: “I like to be the center of attention.”
Agreeableness: Assesses the tendency toward sympathy, cooperation, and kindness toward others.
Example statement: “I am considerate of others and their needs.”
Conscientiousness: Assesses the tendency toward organization, diligence, and responsibility.
Example statement: “I am organized and keep my belongings in order.”
Emotional Stability (Neuroticism): Assesses the tendency toward emotional balance and resilience to stress.
Example statement: “I get easily stressed and often worry.”
Openness to Experience: Assesses imagination, creativity, and interest in new experiences.
Example statement: “I have a vivid imagination and an interest in new ideas.”
Participants are asked to respond to each statement using a Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).

Scoring

The total score for each dimension is calculated by summing the scores of the statements related to that dimension. Higher scores indicate a stronger presence of the specific trait. Scores can be analyzed to identify an individual’s strengths and weaknesses across the five personality dimensions.

References

John, O. P., Donahue, E. M., & Kentle, R. L. (1991). The Big Five Inventory—Versions 4a and 54. Berkeley, CA: University of California, Berkeley, Institute of Personality and Social Research.
John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. In L. A. Pervin & O. P. John (Eds.), Handbook of personality: Theory and research (pp. 102–138). New York: Guilford Press.
Soto, C. J., & John, O. P. (2017). The Next Big Five Inventory (BFI-2): Developing and assessing a hierarchical model with 15 facets to enhance bandwidth, fidelity, and predictive power. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(1), 117–143.
Benet-Martínez, V., & John, O. P. (1998). Los Cinco Grandes across cultures and ethnic groups: Multitrait multimethod analyses of the Big Five in Spanish and English. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(3), 729–750.
McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (2004). A contemplated revision of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory. Personality and Individual Differences, 36(3), 587–596.