Personality Inventory Exercise

Purpose
The attached inventory is the NEO-Five Factor Inventory, a measure of “normal”
personality sometimes used for employment purposes. I am asking you to complete and
turn in the inventory for two reasons:
1. For those of you who have never taken a personality test, this will give you a feeling
for what one looks like. Having experienced one may make it easier to discuss
personality testing in class
2. I want to do a little “demonstration” for class. The demonstration is to see how well
interviewer’s ratings of personality match up with self-ratings of personality. To do
this, I’ll match your self-ratings (on this form) with ratings collected during the mock
interviews. We’ll then see how possible it is for interviewers to accurately assess
interviewee’s personality.

Instructions
1. The answer sheets follow the inventory. Circle the number corresponding with how
strongly you agree or disagree with each statement. I’ll explain in class how to score
your answers.
2. Please answer the questions on the inventory as honestly as you can (so we can
make an accurate test of interviewer’s ability to assess your personality). The best
approach is to simply give the first answer that comes into your head.

Confidentiality
1. Only my Research Assistant will be handling and scoring the forms. I will not see
your individual scores—I will only see anonymous summary results (which I will then
report back to the class).
2. I will not release your scores to anyone else. In fact, the forms will be destroyed
once they have been scored.
 Personality Inventory
Answer each of the questions in terms of how you USUALLY feel or act. Answer honestly, on
the attached answer sheet, using the following scale:

SA = Strongly Agree N = Neither Agree nor SD = Strongly Disagree

1. I am not a worrier.
2. I like to have a lot of people around me.
3. I don't like to waste my time daydreaming.
4. I try to be courteous to everyone I meet.
5. I keep my belongings clean and neat.
6. I often feel inferior to others.
7. I laugh easily.
8. Once I find the right way to do something, I stick to it.
9. I often get into arguments with my family and co-workers.
10. I'm pretty good about pacing myself so as to get things done on time.
11. When I'm under a great deal of stress, sometimes I feel like I'm going to pieces.
12. I don't consider myself especially “light-hearted.”
13. I am intrigued by the patterns I find in art and nature.
14. Some people think I'm selfish and egotistical.
15. I am not a very methodical person.
16. I rarely fee1 lonely or blue.
17. I really enjoy talking to people.
18. I believe letting students hear controversial speakers can only confuse and mislead them.
19. I would rather cooperate with others than compete with them.
20. I try to perform all the tasks assigned to me conscientiously.
21. I often feel tense and jittery.
22. I like to be where the action is.
23. Poetry has little or no effect on me.
24. I tend to be cynical and skeptical of others' intentions.
25. I have a clear set of goals and work toward them in an orderly fashion.
26. Sometimes I feel completely worthless.
27. I usually prefer to do things alone.
28. I often try new and foreign foods
29. I believe that most people will take advantage of you if you let them.
30. I waste a lot of time before settling down to work.
31. I rarely feel fearful or anxious.
32. I often feel as if I'm bursting with energy.
33. I seldom notice the moods or feelings that different environments produce.
34. Most people I know like me.
35. I work hard to accomplish my goals.
36. I often get angry at the way people treat me.
37. I am a cheerful, high-spirited person.
SA = Strongly Agree N = Neither Agree nor SD = Strongly Disagree
A = Agree Disagree D = Disagree

38. I believe we should look to our religious authorities for decisions on moral issues.
39. Some people think of me as cold and calculating.
40. When I make a commitment, I can always be counted on to follow through.
41. Too often, when things go wrong, I get discouraged and fee1 like giving up.
42. I am not a cheerful optimist.
43. Sometimes when I am reading poetry or looking at a work of art, I feel a chill or wave of
excitement.
44. I'm hard-headed and tough-minded in my attitudes.
45. Sometimes I'm not as dependable or reliable as I should be.
46. I am seldom sad or depressed.
47. My life is fast-paced.
48. I have little interest in speculating on the nature of the universe or the human condition.
49. I generally try to be thoughtful and considerate.
50. I am a productive person who always gets the job done.
51. I often feel helpless and want someone else to solve my problems.
52. I am a very active person.
53. I have a lot of intellectual curiosity.
54. If I don't like people, I let them know it.
55. I never seem to be able to get organized.
56. At times I have been so ashamed I just wanted to hide.
57. I would rather go my own way than be a leader of others.
58. I often enjoy playing with theories or abstract ideas.
59. If necessary, I am willing to manipulate people to get what I want.
60. I strive for excellence in everything I do
Circle the number that corresponds to how strongly you agree or disagree with each numbered question

SA = Strongly Agree SD = Strongly Disagree

SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA
1 4 3 2 1 0
2 0 1 2 3 4
3 4 3 2 1 0
4 0 1 2 3 4
5 0 1 2 3 4
6 0 1 2 3 4
7 0 1 2 3 4
8 4 3 2 1 0
9 4 3 2 1 0
10 0 1 2 3 4
11 0 1 2 3 4
12 4 3 2 1 0
13 0 1 2 3 4
14 4 3 2 1 0
15 4 3 2 1 0
16 4 3 2 1 0
17 0 1 2 3 4
18 4 3 2 1 0
19 0 1 2 3 4
20 0 1 2 3 4
21 0 1 2 3 4
22 0 1 2 3 4
23 4 3 2 1 0
24 4 3 2 1 0
25 0 1 2 3 4
26 0 1 2 3 4
27 4 3 2 1 0
28 0 1 2 3 4
29 4 3 2 1 0
30 4 3 2 1 0
31 4 3 2 1 0
32 0 1 2 3 4
33 4 3 2 1 0
34 0 1 2 3 4
35 0 1 2 3 4
36 0 1 2 3 4
37 0 1 2 3 4
 SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA SD D N A SA
38 4 3 2 1 0
39 4 3 2 1 0
40 0 1 2 3 4
41 0 1 2 3 4
42 4 3 2 1 0
43 0 1 2 3 4
44 4 3 2 1 0
45 4 3 2 1 0
46 4 3 2 1 0
47 0 1 2 3 4
48 4 3 2 1 0
49 0 1 2 3 4
50 0 1 2 3 4
51 0 1 2 3 4
52 0 1 2 3 4
53 0 1 2 3 4
54 4 3 2 1 0
55 4 3 2 1 0
56 0 1 2 3 4
57 4 3 2 1 0
58 0 1 2 3 4
59 4 3 2 1 0
60 0 1 2 3 4
Neuroticism Extraversion Openness to Exp Agreeableness Conscientiousness

Sum = Sum = Sum = Sum = Sum =

Sum the scores in each of the five columns