PlayInfoBox

Home /Personality /Cattell's 16 Personality Factors (16PF)

Cattell's 16 Personality Factors (16PF)

From Warmth to Tension — 16 personality dimensions identified through factor analysis.

A · Warmth

Low: tends to be businesslike and keeps some distance from others. High: tends to be warm and people-oriented.

B · Reasoning

Low: prefers concrete, practical thinking. High: prefers abstract thinking and grasps concepts quickly.

C · Emotional Stability

Low: has larger mood swings and is easily rattled. High: stays calm and handles stress well.

E · Dominance

Low: tends to be accommodating and cooperative. High: tends to be assertive and competitive.

F · Liveliness

Low: tends to be serious and cautious. High: tends to be spontaneous and energetic.

G · Rule-Consciousness

Low: interprets rules flexibly. High: follows rules and principles closely.

H · Social Boldness

Low: tends to be shy and holds back. High: tends to be bold and unfazed by unfamiliar situations.

I · Sensitivity

Low: values realistic, objective judgment. High: is emotionally attuned and sensitive to aesthetics.

L · Vigilance

Low: tends to trust others readily. High: tends to be suspicious and guarded.

M · Abstractedness

Low: focuses on practical, real-world matters. High: is imaginative and idea-oriented.

N · Privateness

Low: is open and candid about themselves. High: is discreet and reveals little of their inner thoughts.

O · Apprehension

Low: tends to be self-assured and unshaken. High: tends to worry a lot and doubt themselves.

Q1 · Openness to Change

Low: prefers tradition and familiar methods. High: enjoys trying new things and embracing change.

Q2 · Self-Reliance

Low: prefers belonging to and working within a group. High: prefers independence and making decisions alone.

Q3 · Perfectionism

Low: tends to be flexible and spontaneous. High: tends to be organized and highly self-disciplined.

Q4 · Tension

Low: tends to be relaxed and easygoing. High: tends to be impatient and highly keyed up.

What Is 16PF?

16PF (the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire) was developed in the 1940s and 50s by British-born psychologist Raymond Cattell. Cattell used factor analysis, a statistical technique, to boil down thousands of words describing personality into 16 distinct source traits. The widely used Fifth Edition system dates to 1993, and the alphabetical codes shown here (A, B, C, E, F, G, H, I, L, M, N, O, Q1-Q4) come from that version.

How Does It Compare to the Big Five?

Where the Big Five summarizes personality at a higher level, using five broad traits, 16PF breaks personality down into 16 more granular dimensions. Researchers have shown that grouping 16PF's sub-factors back together tends to produce dimensions similar to the Big Five, suggesting the two frameworks aren't really in conflict, just operating at different levels of detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is one end of each factor considered better than the other?

No. Each factor is a value-neutral spectrum, low and high represent different tendencies, not better or worse ones. That said, one end can be more advantageous in a specific job or situation.

Why are D, J, K, and P missing from the codes?

During early development, some candidate factors didn't hold up as statistically distinct or ended up being absorbed into other factors, so those letters were never assigned in the final 16-factor system that's used today.