Big Five Inventory-2

Soto and John developed the BFI-2 in 2017 by revising the original BFI. Its hierarchical structure measures five broad traits—Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness—and 15 more specific facets. It expands the original 44 items to 60 to improve reliability and validity, uses clearer wording, and strengthens cross-cultural applicability. It retains the original's efficiency while offering a more detailed personality profile.

The BFI-2 uses a five-point scale, from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree, and includes 30 reverse-scored items. Each broad trait has 12 items and a score of 12–60; each facet has four items and a score of 4–20. Interpretation focuses on percentiles: above 85% is very high, 65–85% high, 35–65% moderate or within the usual range, 15–35% low, and below 15% very low. Traits are not inherently good or bad. Each brings strengths and challenges; the aim is to understand your pattern and make use of your strengths.

The BFI-2 is intended for adults aged 18 and over. It has shown good reliability and validity across groups including university students, working-age adults, and retirees. Uses include self-understanding and growth, career planning, team development and collaboration, personality assessment alongside counseling or therapy, and research into relationships between personality and other variables. It takes about six minutes, making it suitable for brief assessments.

Extraversion covers sociability, assertiveness, and energy: higher scorers are enthusiastic, talkative, and sociable; lower scorers are reserved, quiet, and enjoy solitude. Agreeableness covers compassion, respect, and trust: higher scorers are kind, cooperative, and trusting; lower scorers are independent, competitive, and skeptical. Conscientiousness covers organization, productivity, and responsibility: higher scorers are disciplined and dependable; lower scorers are spontaneous, flexible, and less concerned with details. Neuroticism describes emotional stability: higher scorers are more anxious and emotionally changeable; lower scorers are steadier and calmer. Openness covers curiosity, aesthetic sensitivity, and creativity: higher scorers are imaginative and exploratory; lower scorers are practical, traditional, and prefer the familiar.

Each broad trait has three facets: Extraversion includes Sociability, Assertiveness, and Energy Level; Agreeableness includes Compassion, Respectfulness, and Trust; Conscientiousness includes Organization, Productivity, and Responsibility; Neuroticism includes Anxiety, Depression, and Emotional Volatility; Openness includes Curiosity, Aesthetic Sensitivity, and Imagination. This structure reveals differences within a trait: someone may be sociable without being assertive. It helps target personal development, provides more detailed guidance for career choices, and provides richer material for counseling. The facets turn a broad outline into a more detailed picture.

Personality is relatively stable, but not fixed. Core traits usually change slowly in adulthood with age and experience. Agreeableness and conscientiousness tend to rise slightly with age, while neuroticism tends to decline. Major events, trauma, therapy, and important relationships may bring changes. Deliberate development and practice can also shift some traits to an extent. No trait is absolutely good or bad; understanding your pattern helps you use strengths and manage difficulties. Personality is not destiny. Consider repeating the assessment every one or two years to observe changes.