Cattell’s 16-Factor Personality Model

Trait theorists believe personality can be understood via the approach that all people have certain traits, or characteristic ways of behaving. Do you tend to be sociable or shy? Passive or aggressive? Optimistic or pessimistic? Moody or even-tempered? Early trait theorists tried to describe all human personality traits.

For example, one trait theorist, Gordon Allport, found 4,500 words in the English language that could describe people. He organized these personality traits into three categories: cardinal traits, central traits, and secondary traits. A cardinal trait is one that dominates your entire personality, and hence your life—such as Ebenezer Scrooge’s greed and Wesley Autry – the Subway Hero’s - altruism. Cardinal traits are not very common: Few people have personalities dominated by a single trait. Instead, our personalities typically are composed of multiple traits. Central traits are those that make up our personalities (such as loyal, kind, agreeable, friendly, sneaky, wild, and grouchy). Secondary traits are those that are not quite as obvious or as consistent as central traits. They are present under specific circumstances and include preferences and attitudes. For example, one person gets angry when people try to tickle him; another can only sleep on the left side of the bed; and yet another always orders her salad dressing on the side. And you—although not normally an anxious person—feel nervous before making a speech in front of your English class.

In an effort to make the list of traits more manageable, Raymond Cattell (1946, 1957) narrowed down the list to about 171 traits. However, saying that a trait is either present or absent does not accurately reflect a person’s uniqueness, because all of our personalities are actually made up of the same traits; we differ only in the degree to which each trait is expressed. Cattell identified 16 factors or dimensions of personality: warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, liveliness, rule-consciousness, social boldness, sensitivity, vigilance, abstractedness, privateness, apprehension, openness to change, self-reliance, perfectionism, and tension. He developed a personality assessment based on these 16 factors, called the 16PF. Instead of a trait being present or absent, each dimension is scored over a continuum, from high to low. For example, your level of warmth describes how warm, caring, and nice to others you are. If you score low on this index, you tend to be more distant and colder. A high score on this index signifies you are supportive and comforting.

The 16 Personality Factors

The following personality trait list describes some of the descriptive terms used for each of the 16 personality dimensions described by Cattell.

1. Warmth (Outgoing versus reserved)

Warmth means the extent of friendliness or sociability in a person. Cattell named this Factor A. Based on the level of warmth, a person can be outgoing or reserved.

2. Reasoning (Abstract versus concrete)

This is Cattell’s Factor B. It denotes the intelligence of a person. It gives a measure of how a person can do an action or task in a logical or sensible way.

3. Emotional Stability (Calm versus high-strung)

Emotional stability allows a person to develop an integrated and balanced way of responding to the problems faced in daily life. This was Cattell’s Factor C.

4. Dominance (Forceful versus submissive)

In simple terms, dominance refers to an individual’s power and authority over others. Some people prefer to be dominant while others prefer to be submissive. Cattell called this his Factor E.

5. Liveliness (Spontaneous versus restrained)

Cattell termed this as Factor F. Liveliness refers to the quality of being outgoing, energetic, and enthusiastic.

6. Rule-consciousness (Conforming versus non-conforming)

As one can understand from the name, rule-consciousness means an individual’s will to follow rules or disregard them. This was Cattell’s Factor G.

7. Social boldness (Uninhibited versus shy)

Social boldness implies how comfortably a person acts and feels in social situations. Cattell called this Factor H.

8. Sensitivity (Tender-hearted versus tough-minded)

In simple terms, the sensitivity means the quality or condition of being sensitive. Cattell named this Factor I.

9. Vigilance (Suspicious versus trusting)

Vigilance means keeping a careful watch for possible danger or difficulties. This was Cattell’s Factor L.

10. Abstractedness (Imaginative versus practical)

In simple words, this refers to a state of mind characterized by detachment from reality. It means how preoccupied a person is in their own thoughts. This is the Factor M.

11. Privateness (Discreet versus open)

Cattell termed this as his Factor N. This indicates how discreet or open a person prefers to be in his or her daily life.

12. Apprehension (Worried versus confident)

This refers to the fear that something bad or unpleasant will happen. Cattell called this Factor O.

13. Openness to change (Flexible versus attached to the familiar)

This was the Factor Q1. It indicates how open-minded a person is.

14. Self-reliance (Self-sufficient versus dependent)

Cattell called this Factor Q2. It denotes the extent of autonomy of a person. It indicates how self-sufficient an individual is.

15. Perfectionism (Controlled versus undisciplined)

This denotes the extent to which an individual strives to be flawless in everything they do. It also gives an idea about the self-criticizing tendencies of a person. Cattell termed this as Factor Q3.

16. Tension (Inpatient versus relaxed)

This gives an idea of whether an individual tends to be impatient or relaxed. This is the last of the personality factors described by Cattell. He marked this as Factor Q4.

Uses of the 16 Personality Factors

Cattell's 16-Factor Personality Model has been used for various practical purposes in the field of psychology and beyond. Here are some of the ways in which the model has been applied:

1. Personnel Selection and Job Placement: The 16PF has been used to assess candidates' suitability for specific job roles. By matching individuals' personality traits to job requirements, employers can make more informed hiring decisions, resulting in better job-person fit and increased job satisfaction.

2. Career Counseling and Development: Career counselors use the 16PF to help individuals understand their strengths and weaknesses, as well as identify potential career paths that align with their personality traits. This assists individuals in making informed decisions about their educational and professional pursuits.

3. Psychological Assessment and Diagnosis: Clinicians and psychologists use the 16PF to assess and diagnose various psychological disorders. Personality traits can provide insights into an individual's coping mechanisms, vulnerabilities, and areas of concern.

4. Couples Counseling: The model has been used to assess compatibility between romantic partners. By identifying areas of alignment and potential conflicts in personality traits, couples counselors can provide tailored guidance to improve relationships.

5. Team Building: Understanding the mix of personality traits within a team can help leaders optimize team dynamics. Balancing traits such as dominance, sensitivity, and social boldness can lead to more effective collaboration and communication.

6. Educational Settings: Teachers and educators can use the 16PF to understand their students' learning styles, preferences, and potential challenges. This information can inform instructional strategies and help create a more supportive learning environment.

7. Leadership Development: The model can aid in identifying individuals with leadership potential based on factors such as dominance, self-reliance, and emotional stability. Leadership training and coaching can then be tailored to address specific areas of development.

8. Personal Growth and Self-Understanding: Individuals can use the 16PF as a tool for self-reflection and self-improvement. By gaining insights into their personality traits, strengths, and areas for growth, individuals can work towards personal development goals.

9. Research and Psychometrics: The 16PF has been extensively used in psychological research to explore relationships between personality traits and various outcomes, such as academic performance, job satisfaction, and mental health.

10. Cultural Studies: Researchers have applied the model to cross-cultural studies to examine how personality traits manifest in different cultural contexts and whether the model's factors hold across diverse populations.

Online Test

The following website allow to perform free measurement online of Cattell's 16 personality factors

https://openpsychometrics.org/tests/16PF.php

This personality test consists of 164 statements about yourself, for each indicate how accurate it is on the scale of (1) disagree (2) slightly disagree (3) neither agree nor disagree (4) slightly agree (5) agree. It will take most people around ten minutes to complete.

Test Interpretation of 16PF Test

Based on the answers to the questions, each of the 16 traits can get a score ranging from 0 to 4. A score of 1.6 or less indicates a “low score”. 2.8 or more indicates a “high score”. Note that these are personality traits. So, a low score does not mean that someone has done poorly on the test. Similarly, a high score does not mean someone has done well. These just indicate that people have different kinds of character traits.