A comparative study of Zuckerman's three structural models for personality through the NEO-PI-R, ZKPQ-III-R, EPQ-RS and Goldberg's 50-bipolar adjectives

Abstract

This study was designed to explore the inter-relationships of the personality inventories NEO-PI-R, ZKPQ-III-R and EPQ-RS, within the framework of the structural models of 3, 4 and 5 factors proposed by Zuckerman, Kuhlman, Teta, Joireman, and Kraft [(1993). A comparison of three structural models of personality: the Big Three, the Big Five, and the alternate Five. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 757-768]. As an additional measure of the Big Five, Goldberg's bipolar adjectives were added. Extraversion and Neuroticism were quite similar across all three models. With a three-factor solution, the different measures of personality can be grouped into Neuroticism, Extraversion and Psychoticism factors. Openness of the NEO-PI-R, Sociability and Activity of the ZKPQ-III-R are clearly located on the Extraversion factor, while Conscientiousness and Agreeableness come within the Psychoticism factor, together with Impulsive Sensation Seeking and Aggressivity-Hostility of the ZKPQ-III-R. The four-factor structure suggests that Psychoticism is split into two factors. The first one was formed by Conscientiousness, Impulsive Sensation Seeking and Psychoticism, and the other by Agreeableness and Aggression-Hostility. The five-factor model seems to be similar to the four-factor one, except for Openness markers that forms an independent factor. The relationship of Openness with Psychoticism and Extraversion is discussed.