The six-factor model of personality: Facets from the big five

One hundred and forty-one respondents completed two scales designed to measure desirability responding, in addition to the NEO Personality Inventory-Revised (NEO-PI-R), and the Six-Factor Personality Questionnaire (6FPQ), a new personality questionnaire designed to appraise six broad factors of personality with 18 facet scales. Scores were subjected to principal components factor analysis and rotated to a seven-factor solution targeting six content factors and a desirability factor. Coherent content factors, corresponding to four of the ‘big five’ personality factors, emerged: Extraversion, Agreeableness, Independence (low Neuroticism) and Openness to Experience. Two additional content factors were identified as Methodicalness and Industriousness, which we interpreted as distinct aspects of Conscientiousness. A seventh factor, Desirability, also emerged, defined by the desirability marker scales and several NEO-PI-R scales. It was concluded that the six identified content factors could be well represented by the appropriate 6FPQ scales, as well as by certain scales from the NEO-PI-R.