Extraversion Test (Big Five personality subdomains, 24-item)

Your score on Extraversion is very low, indicating you are introverted, reserved, and quiet. You enjoy solitude and solitary activities. Your socializing tends to be restricted to a few close friends.

This report also estimates your levels on the six subdomains within the extraversion domain in the Big Five model of personality.

Scores range from 0 to 16 for each subdomain. Interpret your scores by comparing them to the low, average, and high score ranges.

The descriptions below are borrowed from John A. Johnson at the Pennsylvania State University, who hosts a page of descriptions.

Your subdomain scores

Friendliness: 0

0–9: Low

10–12: Average

13–16: High

Friendly people genuinely like other people and openly demonstrate positive feelings toward others. They make friends quickly and it is easy for them to form close, intimate relationships. Low scorers on Friendliness are not necessarily cold and hostile, but they do not reach out to others and are perceived as distant and reserved.

Gregariousness: 0

0–7: Low

8–10: Average

11–16: High

Gregarious people find the company of others pleasantly stimulating and rewarding. They enjoy the excitement of crowds. Low scorers tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. They do not necessarily dislike being with people sometimes, but their need for privacy and time to themselves is much greater than for individuals who score high on this scale.

Assertiveness: 8

0–8: Low

9–11: Average

12–16: High

High scorers on Assertiveness like to speak out, take charge, and direct the activities of others. They tend to be leaders in groups. Low scorers tend not to talk much and let others control the activities of groups.

Activity level: 12

0–7: Low

8–11: Average

12–16: High

Active individuals lead fast-paced, busy lives. They move about quickly, energetically, and vigorously, and they are involved in many activities. People who score low on this scale follow a slower and more leisurely, relaxed pace.

Excitement-seeking: 5

0–7: Low

8–10: Average

11–16: High

High scorers on this scale are easily bored without high levels of stimulation. They love bright lights and hustle and bustle. They are likely to take risks and seek thrills. Low scorers are overwhelmed by noise and commotion and are adverse to thrill-seeking.

Cheerfulness: 6

0–10: Low

11–12: Average

13–16: High

This scale measures positive mood and feelings, not negative emotions (which are a part of the Neuroticism domain). Persons who score high on this scale typically experience a range of positive feelings, including happiness, enthusiasm, optimism, and joy. Low scorers are not as prone to such energetic, high spirits.

A note on terminology. Personality traits describe, relative to other people, the frequency or intensity of a person's feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. Possession of a trait is therefore a matter of degree. We might describe two individuals as extraverts, but still see one as more extraverted than the other. This report uses expressions such as "extravert" or "high in extraversion" to describe someone who is likely to be seen by others as relatively extraverted. This report classifies you as low, average, or high in a trait according to whether your score is approximately in the lowest 30%, middle 40%, or highest 30% of scores obtained by college students in the U.S.

Please keep in mind that "low," "average," and "high" scores on a personality test are neither absolutely good nor bad. A particular level on any trait will probably be neutral or irrelevant for a great many activites, be helpful for accomplishing some things, and detrimental for accomplishing other things. As with any personality inventory, scores and descriptions can only approximate an individual's actual personality. High and low score descriptions are usually accurate, but average scores close to the low or high boundaries might misclassify you as only average. On the six subdomain scales it is somewhat uncommon but certainly possible to score high in some of the subdomains and low in the others. In such cases more attention should be paid to the subdomain scores than to the broad domain score. Questions about the accuracy of your results are best resolved by showing your report to people who know you well.

If you found this test useful or interesting, please give it a high rating.

Extended description of the extraversion domain

Extraversion is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, are full of energy, and often experience positive emotions. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented, individuals who are likely to say "Yes!" or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves.

Introverts lack the exuberance, energy, and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and disengaged from the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression; the introvert simply needs less stimulation than an extravert and prefers to be alone. The independence and reserve of the introvert is sometimes mistaken as unfriendliness or arrogance. In reality, an introvert who scores high on the agreeableness dimension will not seek others out but will be quite pleasant when approached.

Other Big Five tests

A 20-item Big Five personality test measuring the five broad personality domains is available. Tests measuring the subdomains within the four other broad domains will become available as I finish working on them.

Test details and references

The scales in this test are from the IPIP-NEO-120:

Johnson, J. A. (2011). Development of a short-form of the IPIP-NEO personality inventory. Riverside, California: 2nd Biennial Conference of the Association for Research in Personality.

The 'low', 'average', and 'high' score ranges correspond approximately to the lowest 30%, middle 40%, and highest 30% of scores obtained in a sample of 529 college students in the U.S. (McAdams & Donnellan, 2009). To be more precise, the cutoffs are ±0.5 SD of the mean, which is the convention in the literature. ('Very low' and 'very high' cutoffs for the broad domain score are ±1 SD of the mean, which correspond approximately to the lowest 15% and highest 15% of scores.)

As previously stated, much of the writing in this report is borrowed from John A. Johnson's page of descriptions.