Scale Overview
The Buchanan Online Five-Factor Inventory – IPIP-41 was developed by Tom Buchanan, Lewis R. Goldberg, John A. Johnson (2005). It is designed to measure Big Five Personality Traits. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 41 items organized into 5 factors/subscales: Extraversion, Neuroticism, Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, Openness.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Extraversion |
5,6,13,16,18,27,32,40,41 |
9 |
| Neuroticism |
2,3,9,12,22,28,33,36 |
8 |
| Conscientiousness |
7,8,14,20,21,26,29,31,34,39 |
10 |
| Agreeableness |
10,11,19,24,30,37,38 |
7 |
| Openness |
1,4,15,17,23,25,35 |
7 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = Strongly Disagree to 5 = Strongly Agree).
The scale includes 20 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 1 to 5. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low: 1 – 2
- Moderate: 3 – 3
- High: 4 – 5
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Openness: 0.88, Conscientiousness: 0.84, Extraversion: 0.88, Agreeableness: 0.76, Neuroticism: 0.83.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 7 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.