Open-Source Psychometrics Project
This page serves as documentation for the OSPP Enneagram of Personality Scales.
The Enneagram of Personality is a model of personality with nine personality types. The theory has been developed and promoted by many different people and groups over the years, so there is no definitive test. All previous Enneagram tests have been developed by their authors generating items based on their intuition and own personal ideas of what the Enneagram types are. That method has the problem that some questions could be poor measures or out of line with other conceptions of the types, and we would never know.
This test was developed with the goal of making scales that had the highest possible agreement with self reported Enneagram type in a sample of people who said they knew a lot about the Enneagram.
The first alpha version of the test contained 72 items that were generated by the test creator after reading descriptions of the nine types in various different sources. This early version of the test was offered on-line, after users had completed it they were asked if they already thought they knew their Enneagram type, and how much they knew about the Enneagram model of personality.
7,898 survey responses were collected from people who knew their type, had spent at least several hours learning about the Enneagram and were confident in their self type. The table below shows for each item in the test, how users of each self reported type scored relative to the overall average on that item. For example, the 555 people who reported being Type 1 rated the item "I am always thinking about how I could have done something better" 0.3593 points above average. The table is colored red for the type that scores highest on a question, a blue for the type that scores lowest.
| Item | Type 1 (n=555) | Type 2 (n=1125) | Type 3 (n=639) | Type 4 (n=1382) | Type 5 (n=1435) | Type 6 (n=579) | Type 7 (n=603) | Type 8 (n=696) | Type 9 (n=844) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I am always thinking about how I could have done something better. | 0.3593 | 0.0105 | 0.1574 | 0.0738 | 0.1228 | 0.136 | -0.4327 | -0.2333 | -0.265 |
| Part of me criticizes everything I do. | 0.3349 | -0.0796 | -0.1252 | 0.3931 | 0.1447 | 0.3176 | -0.5556 | -0.5339 | -0.2373 |
| I am critical of people who do not take responsibility for their own lives. | 0.4631 | -0.1841 | 0.2149 | -0.2707 | 0.1382 | 0.1013 | -0.0906 | 0.4187 | -0.3421 |
| I often have to redo other peoples work. | 0.5143 | -0.1704 | 0.3262 | -0.1639 | 0.16 | -0.0442 | -0.3111 | 0.293 | -0.322 |
| I keep my belongings in order. | 0.7284 | 0.0755 | 0.3075 | -0.3259 | -0.0583 | 0.1192 | -0.3967 | 0.1874 | -0.1488 |
| I am a perfectionist. | 0.8952 | -0.1563 | 0.1874 | 0.0849 | 0.142 | -0.0418 | -0.5277 | -0.1334 | -0.3614 |
| I pay careful attention to details. | 0.5474 | 0.0146 | 0.171 | -0.1687 | 0.1473 | 0.1504 | -0.5948 | -0.0412 | -0.1438 |
| I have difficulty saying \"no\". | -0.2165 | 0.7538 | -0.1589 | 0.0603 | -0.4316 | 0.2544 | -0.0037 | -0.9618 | 0.5274 |
| I am very accepting and flexible. | -0.6391 | 0.3872 | 0.0363 | -0.0858 | -0.2287 | -0.2453 | 0.5086 | -0.4407 | 0.5475 |
| I sometimes feel as if everything I do is taken for granted. | 0.1034 | 0.2687 | -0.1244 | 0.0628 | -0.0745 | 0.208 | -0.3459 | -0.1392 | -0.0525 |
| People always seem to want to tell me their secrets. | -0.1883 | 0.5004 | -0.0088 | -0.0996 | -0.3387 | -0.0648 | 0.155 | 0.0508 | 0.1191 |
| I get lots of satisfaction from helping others achieve their goals. | 0.0556 | 0.6136 | 0.1834 | -0.2481 | -0.48 | -0.0294 | 0.025 | 0.01 | 0.2112 |
| I like it when people come to me for guidance. | 0.0294 | 0.3715 | 0.1913 | -0.0647 | -0.368 | -0.0757 | 0.0066 | 0.1416 | 0.004 |
| My relationships with others are what my life is about. | -0.255 | 0.8811 | 0.0624 | -0.0108 | -0.9147 | 0.1688 | 0.4195 | -0.1834 | 0.2749 |
| I work hard. | 0.4825 | 0.2332 | 0.4697 | -0.4307 | -0.1718 | -0.0085 | -0.0741 | 0.2947 | -0.1768 |
| I strive for efficiency. | 0.5528 | -0.0993 | 0.5463 | -0.5237 | 0.2014 | 0.058 | -0.1735 | 0.4006 | -0.375 |
| I put work first. | 0.4616 | -0.1242 | 0.7429 | -0.4231 | 0.1533 | 0.0142 | -0.3032 | 0.3431 | -0.38 |
| I hate incompetent people. | 0.5279 | -0.4984 | 0.331 | -0.1908 | 0.3509 | 0.1061 | -0.1976 | 0.5065 | -0.5238 |
| Money is important to my happiness. | 0.0318 | -0.2321 | 0.5364 | -0.0829 | -0.0527 | 0.1685 | 0.0654 | 0.234 | -0.2602 |
| I step forward when a leader is needed. | 0.3493 | 0.1086 | 0.6853 | -0.4592 | -0.3477 | -0.2622 | 0.3623 | 0.9559 | -0.4079 |
| I like to stand out. | -0.3236 | -0.2248 | 0.6705 | 0.3789 | -0.3071 | -0.5717 | 0.5664 | 0.5601 | -0.5817 |
| I really enjoy feeling bitter sweet. | -0.2188 | -0.1992 | -0.1621 | 0.6254 | 0.0623 | -0.1363 | -0.2859 | -0.109 | -0.2014 |
| I cry. | -0.3116 | 0.5188 | -0.2231 | 0.5887 | -0.5802 | 0.2083 | -0.076 | -0.525 | 0.0451 |
| I can be moved by news stories. | -0.0836 | 0.3378 | -0.0846 | 0.2782 | -0.4198 | 0.0217 | 0.0672 | -0.3247 | 0.1145 |
| My intuition is good guide. | 0.0077 | 0.0227 | 0.0666 | 0.1042 | -0.1147 | -0.2632 | 0.0912 | 0.1892 | -0.0976 |
| I daydream about being in love. | -0.3906 | 0.2212 | -0.2479 | 0.7115 | -0.3781 | 0.0139 | -0.0317 | -0.4488 | 0.0219 |
| I can feel overcome with wonder in nature. | -0.2651 | 0.1035 | -0.3377 | 0.3922 | -0.0881 | -0.2446 | 0.169 | -0.4539 | 0.1996 |
| My unique perspective on life helps cheer other people up. | -0.3644 | 0.3377 | 0.2451 | 0.0518 | -0.5239 | -0.342 | 0.6886 | -0.026 | 0.1612 |
| I spend hours alone with my hobbies. | 0.023 | -0.6269 | -0.4649 | 0.5087 | 0.7111 | -0.1829 | -0.5018 | -0.3366 | -0.0804 |
| I spend so much time planning I run out of energy for the doing. | -0.0279 | -0.092 | -0.195 | 0.2023 | 0.2706 | 0.2308 | -0.2625 | -0.5025 | -0.0602 |
| I am curious about everything. | -0.1586 | -0.2407 | -0.1144 | 0.075 | 0.3353 | -0.3026 | 0.3045 | 0.0045 | -0.1755 |
| I must always be having new experiences. | -0.431 | -0.1496 | 0.3615 | 0.1436 | -0.238 | -0.4883 | 1.0477 | 0.3395 | -0.3572 |
| I have a hard time showing emotions. | 0.1409 | -0.7163 | -0.1032 | -0.3413 | 0.9649 | 0.0001 | -0.3999 | 0.1865 | 0.0038 |
| I spend most of my time trying to understand things. | -0.0986 | -0.3227 | -0.2668 | 0.2318 | 0.6235 | -0.1398 | -0.2357 | -0.2967 | -0.2242 |
| I try and hide the fact that I am sensitive. | 0.0445 | -0.3145 | -0.1039 | 0.0558 | 0.3713 | 0.1129 | -0.184 | -0.0936 | -0.0823 |
| I am loyal. | 0.0868 | 0.2569 | -0.0841 | -0.1419 | -0.1645 | 0.2665 | -0.1003 | 0.0317 | 0.0462 |
| I put family first. | 0.0829 | 0.5766 | 0.0725 | -0.2552 | -0.458 | 0.2518 | -0.0056 | -0.0861 | 0.2111 |
| I am annoyed by how most people are not as responsible as me. | 0.7076 | -0.0691 | 0.348 | -0.3446 | 0.1297 | 0.216 | -0.472 | 0.4002 | -0.4273 |
| I get input from others before I make a decision. | -0.1047 | 0.3361 | 0.0909 | -0.0642 | -0.3105 | 0.4078 | 0.0204 | -0.3759 | 0.2022 |
| I prefer it when leaders are decisive. | 0.2342 | -0.094 | 0.2181 | -0.2754 | -0.0124 | 0.1716 | -0.0435 | 0.3754 | -0.107 |
| It is good to wake up to a full day of planned activities. | 0.278 | 0.0944 | 0.5516 | -0.324 | -0.1789 | -0.0241 | 0.1473 | 0.2919 | -0.2603 |
| I'd take a stiff jail sentence over ratting on a friend. | -0.1661 | 0.0909 | -0.1549 | 0.0673 | -0.0916 | 0.04 | 0.0241 | 0.1414 | 0.0228 |
| I always try to break the tension with a good joke. | -0.3084 | 0.1008 | 0.1975 | -0.1754 | -0.2949 | -0.0166 | 0.7245 | 0.0992 | 0.1502 |
| I can keep a conversation going with anyone about anything. | -0.2364 | 0.4986 | 0.5357 | -0.3457 | -0.6571 | -0.2974 | 0.9184 | 0.52 | -0.133 |
| I can see a use for most things people think are junk. | -0.2235 | -0.0868 | -0.1373 | 0.1088 | 0.1859 | -0.1941 | 0.1597 | -0.0003 | -0.1033 |
| I like mental challenges. | 0.1105 | -0.2915 | 0.145 | -0.188 | 0.4297 | -0.2487 | 0.0094 | 0.2877 | -0.2615 |
| I do not like it when people expect me to be great, even if I want to be. | -0.2235 | -0.1641 | -0.534 | 0.3049 | 0.2754 | 0.3188 | -0.2118 | -0.5931 | 0.2142 |
| I am uninhibited. | -0.3162 | -0.0179 | 0.2036 | -0.037 | -0.2422 | -0.3926 | 0.7659 | 0.5743 | -0.1994 |
| I love to travel. | -0.123 | 0.0728 | 0.1539 | 0.0647 | -0.2745 | -0.2291 | 0.4609 | 0.1418 | -0.0487 |
| I know what is right and what is wrong. | 0.3243 | 0.1575 | 0.0869 | -0.1397 | -0.1692 | 0.0321 | -0.1556 | 0.1538 | -0.0037 |
| Fear of being taken advantage of keeps me from being more trusting. | -0.0297 | -0.3387 | -0.2066 | 0.074 | 0.3951 | 0.46 | -0.4076 | 0.1762 | -0.3167 |
| I want people to tell me the truth, not spare my feelings. | 0.1266 | -0.2163 | 0.0356 | -0.2133 | 0.293 | -0.1202 | 0.0159 | 0.4657 | -0.2915 |
| I naturally emerge as a leader. | 0.3938 | 0.0694 | 0.8206 | -0.5371 | -0.3498 | -0.4119 | 0.417 | 1.1928 | -0.5053 |
| I like a conversation where no one agrees. | -0.1609 | -0.3908 | 0.0728 | -0.0172 | 0.3998 | -0.3441 | 0.2187 | 0.5128 | -0.4084 |
| I side with the rebels over the establishment. | -0.3737 | -0.3818 | -0.3196 | 0.4608 | 0.1831 | -0.308 | 0.3361 | 0.2452 | -0.244 |
| I do not conform. | -0.1857 | -0.4048 | -0.2208 | 0.3826 | 0.2835 | -0.4615 | 0.2614 | 0.3918 | -0.4318 |
| When other people are arguing, I leave the room. | -0.1611 | 0.1072 | -0.3415 | 0.1956 | 0.0814 | 0.1507 | -0.2274 | -0.9105 | 0.6021 |
| I can have difficulty making choices, all options just seem so good. | -0.6524 | 0.1192 | -0.3808 | 0.2372 | -0.0355 | 0.2388 | 0.4421 | -0.8515 | 0.4337 |
| I want to feel one with nature. | -0.2736 | 0.1154 | -0.3419 | 0.343 | -0.106 | -0.2495 | 0.1558 | -0.4207 | 0.2739 |
| I avoid confrontation. | -0.2752 | 0.2479 | -0.3848 | 0.2141 | 0.0547 | 0.2864 | -0.2896 | -1.3399 | 0.8464 |
| I like listening to people talk about their problems. | -0.2281 | 0.5909 | -0.1539 | 0.1579 | -0.4459 | 0.0191 | -0.0419 | -0.2734 | 0.2224 |
| I keep my thoughts to myself, to prevent trouble. | -0.1378 | -0.0738 | -0.3754 | 0.1218 | 0.4057 | 0.1947 | -0.5724 | -0.8782 | 0.5811 |
| I hate war. | -0.0538 | 0.2041 | -0.2257 | 0.2431 | -0.1456 | 0.0388 | 0.0825 | -0.7149 | 0.3079 |