The Big Five Inventory-44 (BFI-44) by John & Srivastava (1999) measures Extraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Neuroticism, and Openness. 5-point Likert scale, 44 items.

What Is the BFI-44?

The Big Five Inventory-44 (BFI-44) is a 44-item personality assessment developed by John & Srivastava (1999). It is one of the most widely used Big Five measures in academic research, alongside the longer NEO-PI-R.

The BFI-44 uses short, accessible phrases (e.g., "Is talkative") with 8-10 items per dimension, offering a concise yet psychometrically sound alternative to longer instruments.

The Five Dimensions

Extraversion (E) — 8 items High: Outgoing, talkative, energetic, seeks social stimulation Low: Reserved, quiet, independent, prefers solitude

Agreeableness (A) — 9 items High: Compassionate, trusting, cooperative, avoids conflict Low: Critical, competitive, skeptical, prioritizes self-interest

Conscientiousness (C) — 9 items High: Organized, disciplined, reliable, achievement-oriented Low: Spontaneous, flexible, easygoing, adaptable

Neuroticism (N) — 8 items High: Emotionally sensitive, anxious, prone to worry and mood swings Low: Emotionally stable, calm, resilient, handles stress well

Openness to Experience (O) — 10 items High: Curious, creative, open-minded, enjoys novel experiences Low: Practical, conventional, prefers familiarity, cautious with new ideas

Psychometric Properties

The BFI-44 has demonstrated strong psychometric properties across diverse samples:

  • Test-retest reliability: r = 0.80-0.90 over 3 months (John & Srivastava, 1999)
  • Internal consistency: alpha = 0.75-0.90 across dimensions
  • Convergent validity: r = 0.70-0.85 with NEO-PI-R corresponding dimensions
  • Cross-cultural validation: confirmed in 56+ countries

Scoring

Each item scored 1 (Disagree Strongly) to 5 (Agree Strongly). Select items are reverse-scored. Dimension scores are computed as means (1-5 scale), reflecting your relative standing on each trait.

Scoring Guide

Five dimension scores: Extraversion (8 items), Agreeableness (9 items), Conscientiousness (9 items), Neuroticism (8 items), Openness (10 items). Items scored 1-5, reverse-scored per key, compute dimension means.

Result Interpretation

After completing the 44 questions, you'll receive an immediate, detailed report with:

  • Your score — calculated automatically based on your responses
  • Score interpretation — what your score means in practical terms
  • Dimension breakdown — separate scores for each sub-scale
  • Context — how your results compare to general population norms where available

All results are displayed instantly on screen. No account, email, or login required.