Evoke Development

The 16 P-F is an objective personality test developed by Dr. Raymond Cattell. Using factor analysis, Cattell categorized 170 adjectives that described human behavior into sixteen dimensions or factors. These 16 source traits were then used to form his personality questionnaire.

Factor Analysis

Cattell divided his data up into three categories for the factor analysis:

• L-data (information regarding the individual’s life history according to school and work records)
• Q-data (responses to questionnaires and individuals given to either the individual or his/her acquaintances)
• T-data (information from test taken)

Example: “Source traits are basic, underlying structures of personality” that cause individuals to react a certain way (Ross, 1992, p. 105).

Global Factors

Global factors measured include:

• Extroversion
• Anxiety
• Tough-Mindedness
• Independence
• Self-Control

Scale

The response style is measured on 3 scales: 

• Impression Management
• Infrequency
• Acquiescence

16 P-F Traits

The table below identifies the 16 traits the instrument measures (Russell & Karol, 1994).

Trait	IF they score…	THEN they tend to…
Warmth	(+) Outgoing	Demonstrate sociability (warmth). Show more interest in others. Look for jobs working with people.
	(-) Reserved	Be more reserved. Prefer working alone. Being more cautious interacting with others and building relationships.
Reasoning	(+) Concrete	Be good problem solvers. Use verbal, numeric, and logical reasoning easily.
	(-) Abstract	Be distracted by environmental stimuli. Spend limited time determining correct answers.
Emotional Stability	(+) Adaptive	Manage daily life and challenges in a proactive, balance, and adaptive way. Be