A circle of traits: A perceptual mapping of the NEO-PI-R

• Published in: Personality and individual differences Vol. 48; no. 1; pp. 34 - 39
• Main Authors: Tiliopoulos, Niko, Pallier, Gerry, Coxon, Anthony P.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Big-3; Big-5; Biological and medical sciences; Centrality; Circular regression; Five factor model; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mapping; Multidimensional scaling; NEO; Personality; Personality. Affectivity; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Psychometrics; Radex; Scaling; Traits; Circular regression; Big-3; NEO; Radex; Big-5; Multidimensional scaling; Traits; Human; Personality test; Psychometrics; Personality; NEO Personality Inventory Costa McCrae; Big Five personality model; Three factors model of personality Eysenck
• ISSN: 0191-8869; 1873-3549
• DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2009.08.010

The five factor model, a dominant model of personality today, is based on the pre-structuring of test-components and factor analytic (FA) interpretations. These procedures have been criticised, especially FA’s limitation to accurately identify the underlying structure of constructs. This paper examined whether the NEO-PI-R revealed the same trait structures when analysed through alternative statistical procedures. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) was employed alongside FA techniques ( N = 384). FA indicated the presence of five factors, but NMDS suggested a more parsimonious arrangement, comprising three (similar to Eysenck’s PEN model), or even two “super structures”. Furthermore, a circular trait arrangement was a reasonable alternative, suggesting that traits can be meaningfully (re)classified based on their kind and their integrative centrality. Over-reliance on FA models might not be the most appropriate approach for a better understanding of personality.