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EPQ

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was developed in 1975 by Hans and Sybil Eysenck as a revised version of the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) from 1964. The EPQ measures three dimensions of personality: Psychoticism, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. It was further revised in 1985 as the EPQ-R in response to criticism of the psychoticism scale. The EPQ and its revisions are widely used, standardized personality tests available in multiple language translations. Scoring involves converting raw scores on the dimensions into sten scores using norms to indicate average or higher/lower strength on each factor. Eysenck's personality theory underlying the EPQ proposes a four-

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Harsh Mehta
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EPQ

The Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was developed in 1975 by Hans and Sybil Eysenck as a revised version of the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI) from 1964. The EPQ measures three dimensions of personality: Psychoticism, Extraversion, and Neuroticism. It was further revised in 1985 as the EPQ-R in response to criticism of the psychoticism scale. The EPQ and its revisions are widely used, standardized personality tests available in multiple language translations. Scoring involves converting raw scores on the dimensions into sten scores using norms to indicate average or higher/lower strength on each factor. Eysenck's personality theory underlying the EPQ proposes a four-

Uploaded by

Harsh Mehta
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ)

Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) was developed in 1975 by Hans and Sybil
Eysenck. EPQ was introduced as a revised version of Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI)
which was developed in 1964.
EPQ was further revised in 1985 as EPQ-R as a result of criticism of psychoticism scale. A
short form of EPQR-S was also developed in this year as well. EPI measured two dimensions
of personality i.e. Extraversion-Introversion and Neuroticism-Stability. The third dimension
of Psychoticism-Superego was added later when EPQ was developed. Also, the extraversion
was operationalised in this version.
EPI was extended to children from 7 to 16 years of age by Sybil Eysenck in 1965. EPQ has
both adult and junior versions available. EPQ-R can be administered on people who are 16
and above. The test can be administered individually as well as in group.
The reliability ranges from .80 to .90 and the validity of the test is also satisfactory. EPQ
contains 90 items whereas EPQ-R has 100 items. The test also provides lie scores. The test
has no time limit. The tests have dichotomous response format i.e. the statements are
responded as either Yes or No.
The test was standardized on 2,312 male and 3,262 female subjects.
EPQ-R has been translated to many languages including Dutch, Hebrew, Persian, Japanese
and Hindi.
Scoring: With the help scoring key, the answers are given score of one as according to the
key. The raw scores on P, E, N and L are obtained through the test. Later these raw scores are
converted into sten scores with the help of norms. Scores of 5 and 6 denote average strength
of the factor. Scores of 7 to 10 indicate gradual increase in the strength of the factor and
scores of 4 to 1 indicate gradual decrease in the strength of the factors P, E, N and L.
Theory: Eysenck’s personality theory is based on psychometric and biological components.
He gave four level hierarchy of behavioural organisation. According to this hierarchy, at the
lowest level there are specific acts of a person in particular situation. Habitual acts are on
next level, which are the responses that are given in similar situations. The third level is trait.
If the habitual acts are demonstrated constantly then they can be called as traits. And several
interrelated traits make the fourth level of hierarchy that is types or superfactors. Eysenck
gave three general superfactors namely, Psychoticism, Extraversion and Neuroticism. All the
three factors were bipolar i.e. Introversion was on the opposite side of Extraversion, Stability
on the opposite side of Neuroticism and Superego function on the other side of Psychoticism.
All the factors are unimodally and normally distributed and are considered as normal
personality structure.
Extraversion-Introversion: Impulsiveness, liveliness, sociability, optimism etc. are some of
the common characters of extraversion whereas, passive, reserved, quiet, unsociable,
controlled are some of the characteristics of introversion. According to Eysenck, the
difference in extraversion and introversion is caused by the level of cortical arousal which is
an inherited factor. Extraverts have low level of cortical arousal which increases the threshold
of sensory stimulation. Whereas the introverts have high level of cortical arousal and lower
threshold for sensory stimulation. Hence people high on extraversion need to seek more and
more sensory stimulation to reach to optimal level of cortical arousal and people high on
introversion try to avoid the situations of extra sensory stimulation to keep the level of
cortical arousal optimal.
Neuroticism-Stability: Through many studies including the twin studies Eysenck reported
that neurotic traits like obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety, hysteria etc. have genetic
evidence. That people high on neuroticism are worriers. They experience negative affect like
depression and anxiety. They generally overreact emotionally and take longer to come back
to normal state. Neuroticism and Stability factors differ in the activation thresholds in
sympathetic nervous system or visceral brain which control fight-flight response. People high
on neuroticism factor have low activation thresholds which means that they have difficulty in
controlling their emotions and as a result of it they experience negative affect minor stressors
as opposed to the people high on stability have high activation thresholds and can keep calm
and control their emotions even in high stressful situation.
Psychoticism-Superego Function: People high on psychoticism are nonconforming, cold,
aggressive, egocentric etc. whereas people high on superego function are empathic,
conventional, caring, altruistic etc. Psychoticism and Superego function differ in the level of
testosterone hormone in body. People high on psychoticism have high level of testosterone
whereas people high on superego function have low level of testosterone.

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