What is the 16PF Questionnaire?

The 16PF Questionnaire is a self-report personality test developed by Raymond Cattell, Maurice Tatsuoka, and Herbert Eber using factor analysis. It measures sixteen primary personality traits as well as secondary global factors, providing a multi-level profile of an individual. Psychologists and clinicians use it for clinical diagnosis, therapy planning, career assessment, and occupational selection.

What we know

• The 16PF Questionnaire was developed over several decades through empirical research by Raymond B. Cattell, Maurice Tatsuoka, and Herbert Eber. [1, 2]
• The test measures 16 primary trait constructs at the primary level and includes a version of the Big Five secondary traits at the secondary level. [2, 3]
• Clinicians use the 16PF as a normal-range clinical instrument to help diagnose psychiatric disorders, aid in prognosis, and plan therapy. [2]
• The 16PF has been translated into over 30 languages and dialects and is widely used internationally. [2]

Where to go next

• whoWho was Raymond Cattell?
• how it workedHow does factor analysis uncover personality traits?
• compared withWhat is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory?
• what followedHow are personality tests used in employment selection?
• the bigger pictureWhat are personality tests?
• an unexpected connectionHow did intelligence testing intersect with Cattell's personality research?Cattell applied his multivariate research and factor-analytic approach not only to personality traits through the 16PF, but also to cognitive abilities, leading to his theories of fluid and crystallized intelligence and the Culture Fair Intelligence Test.

Sources

• [1]16PF questionnaire (Wikidata Q2428138) · CC0 1.0
• [2]16PF Questionnaire · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Raymond Cattell · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Personality test · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]Individual psychological assessment · CC BY-SA 4.0