NEO Personality Inventory Revised: (NEO-PIR): what is it and what does it measure?

The NEO-PIR is a well-known personality test created by Paul T. Costa and Robert R. McCrae.

Personality psychology is concerned with the search for universal personality factors that can define what people are like. The most widely accepted model has been the Big Five Model by Costa and McCrae (1992).

In this article we will learn about the NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PIR), a personality test that assesses these 5 factors. that assesses these 5 factors. We will learn about these factors, as well as the traits or facets that make them up. We will also see what characteristics the NEO-PIR has.

NEO Personality Inventory Revised: what is it?

The NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PIR or NEO-PI-R) is a personality measurement instrument; that is, a test that assesses personality. Specifically, it assesses 5 personality factors; in turn, each factor is composed of six traits or dimensions.

This inventory was developed in 1999 by Paul T. Costa and Robert R. McCrae.. The original version of this personality test dates back to 1983 and was developed by the same authors. The theoretical model on which this test is based is the Big Five Model (or Big Five Models, 1992) of personality (the 5 big factors), also by the same authors.

Big Five Model

The Big Five Model is one of the most important models in personality psychology, and proposes several factors that make up the personality of all people; the higher or lower scores on each factor would determine individual differences in personality..

These 5 factors proposed by the Big Five are: Neuroticism (represented by N), Extraversion (E), Openness to Experience (O), Agreeableness (A) and Responsibility (C). As we will see throughout the article, these factors can also adopt other names, used as synonyms.

Characteristics of the NEO-PIR

In terms of format and structure, the NEO Personality Inventory Revised is a self-report inventory, consisting of 240 items on 5-point Likert-type scales (from 0 to 4). (from 0 to 4). Each of the 5 factors it evaluates consists of 48 items. In turn, each factor is made up of 6 traits, which we will detail below, and which make up 30 specific scales (each with 8 items).

As we have seen, the NEO Personality Inventory Revised assesses all the factors of the "Big Five" model (5 factors), widely known in personality psychology and psychological assessment.

The main difference with the previous version (the NEO-PI), is that the NEO Personality Inventory Revised assesses the last two factors introduced (conformity and conscientiousness) explicitly, rather than implicitly.. Later we will see the characteristics of the NEO-PI version and those of its predecessor (the NEO).

Personality Factors

Specifically, the NEO-PIR evaluates the 5 factors mentioned, and which we will see below. Let's also see what it means to obtain high and low scores on each of the factors:

1. Neuroticism

Neuroticism is a first-order factor that consists of the following traits: anxiety, hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsivity, and vulnerability..

Neuroticism is a personality factor or trait that indicates a certain lability and hypersensitivity. indicates a certain emotional lability and hypersensitivity, as well as a tendency to experience frequent negative emotions and somatic disturbances. and to suffer somatic alterations. These characteristics would appear in people who have scored high in neuroticism.

On the other hand, obtaining a low score in neuroticism indicates an emotionally stable person.

2. Extraversion

The second first-order factor, like all the factors of the NEO Personality Inventory Revised, also corresponds to the Big Five Model. Extraversion (also called emergence) consists of six traits: warmth, gregariousness, assertiveness, activity, seeking, and emotionality..

Scoring high in extraversion indicates being an expansive, uninhibited, social person, with a tendency to action and to experience strong emotions. It is also a trait of impulsive people. On the other hand, scoring low indicates an introverted, rather quiet, reserved, reflective, orderly and withdrawn person.

3. Openness to experience

The third factor of the NEO Personality Inventory Revised is openness to experience. This factor consists of the following traits: fantasy, values, ideas, aesthetics, sensitivity, and action.. This factor has also been called "culture" at times.

A high score on openness to experience is characteristic of people who seek and appreciate experiences, who have a taste for the unknown and who like to explore new terrain or fields.

Scoring low on this factor is more typical of "homebodies" (people who like to stay at home), who find it hard to get out of their "comfort zone", who are not interested in trying new things and experimenting, etc.

4. Conformity

The conformity factor also has synonyms in the NEO Personality Inventory Revised; thus, is also known as cordiality or friendliness.. Its opposite would be antagonism/oppositionism.

Conformity is made up of the following traits: trust, altruism, compliance, tenderness, modesty, and obedience.

Obtaining high scores on this trait implies being an empathetic and cooperative person. This factor actually corresponds to a quality of social interactions and to a self-concept, a social attitude and a philosophy of life, which are related to this empathy and cooperativeness. It is typical of people who are sensitive to others and have a cooperative attitude..

On the other hand, a low score in conformity indicates people who are rather selfish, who do not think so much of others, and even a bit haughty (not very humble or modest).

5. Conscientiousness

The last factor of the NEO Personality Inventory Revised is conscientiousness (also called responsibility). Its traits are: order, competence, freedom, achievement, discipline, and reflection..

People who present this factor are organized, persistent, in control of situations, and motivated by goal-directed behaviors. According to the NEO Personality Inventory Revised, the opposite factor would be negligence.

Earlier versions

There are two versions that precede the NEO Personality Inventory Revised (NEO-PIR); the NEO and the NEO-PI, as well as a shortened version of the NEO-PIR. Let's see what each of them assesses:

NEO (McCrae and Costa, 1983) 2.

Thus, as we mentioned, the original version of this inventory was the NEO of McCrae and Costa (1983), which assesses the following factors: neuroticism, extraversion, and openness to experience. assesses the following factors: neuroticism, extraversion and openness to experience..

2. NEO-PI (McCrae and Costa, 1985)

The second version of the NEO Personality Inventory was the NEO-PI, which was elaborated in 1985. It assesses the previous factors, together with two new ones: conformity and conscientiousness. These two factors are assessed implicitly in the inventory.

3. NEO-FFI (reduced version)

There is a reduced version of the NEO Personality Inventory Revised, called NEO-FFI; this version consists of only 60 items. consists of only 60 items, and assesses the same factors as the NEO-PIR..

Bibliographical references:

• Bermudez, J. (2003). Personality psychology. Teoría e investigación (vol. I and II). Madrid: UNED.
• Buela-Casal, G.; Sierra, J.C. (1997). Manual de evaluación psicológica. Ed. Siglo XXI. Madrid.
• Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992b). The five-factor model of personality and its relevance to personality disorders. Journal of Personality Disorders, 6: 343-359.
• Moreno, C. (2005). Psychological assessment. Concept, process and application in the areas of development and intelligence. Ed. Sanz y Torres. Madrid