The Townsend Personality Questionnaire (TPQ) is developed for personal and workplace development. Unlike most assessments that are based on theories of personality that have resulted from one particular psychologist’s theory and opinion about human nature, the TPQ® is based on the Five-Factor model – a concept that it is founded on the idea that five main factors are necessary and sufficient for broadly describing human personality. What separates the TPQ from many other personality assessments is that it is based on language and the ‘natural’ systems that people use to understand one another.

1. OVERVIEW
MODEL
DIM & FACETS
ACCESS LINKS

3. PURPOSE
The Townsend Personality
Questionnaire (TPQ®)
measures individual
personality style in relation to
others in order to optimise
effective functioning in society,
at school, or in the workplace.
self-
understanding
interpersonal
interaction
workplace &
career dynamics
leadership
ability
management
qualities

4. PURPOSE
The TPQ® is based on the Five-Factor model – a
concept that it is founded on the idea that five
main factors are necessary and sufficient for
broadly describing human personality.
What separates the TPQ® from many other
personality assessments is that it is based on
language and the ‘natural’ systems that
people use to understand one another not a
theory of personality.

5. BACKGROUND
05
04
03
02
01
1978
1980
1985
1989
1992
NEO Origen
First stab by Costa & McCrae at a
Trait-based Personality Assessment.
Initially on Neuroticism (N),
Extraversion (E), & Openess to
Experience (O) hence the NEO.
Five Factor Model
FFM surfaced from work on
Natural Language of Personality
Traits. Anchored using a 5-point
Likert Scale.
NEO-PI
NEO-PI was first published. Consisted of 180
items and six facet scales for each of the
following: Neuroticism (N), Extraversion (E),
Openess to Experience (O), Agreeableness (A), &
Conscientiousness (C).
NEO-FFI
The NEO-FFI was framed to
accommodate new norms for
College level students and Adults.
NEO-PI-R
New facet scales for
Agreeableness &
Conscientiousness.
Replacement of 10 of the
original N,E,O items.

6. BACKGROUND
10
09
08
07
06
1994
2005
2010
2017
2020
Languages
Translated into 40 languages.
NEO-PI-3 & -FFI-3
Published to accommodate the use
by Adolescents (12+) and Adults.
TPQ Development
Townsend Personality Questionnaire developed
based on the FFM. Consists of 120 items
comprising 5 Dimensions and 30 Facets. Reframed
Agreeableness as Sociability, Neuroticism as
Constancy, & Openess to Experience as Originality.
TPQ Publication
TPQ published in the Journal of
Applied Quantitative Methods.
Development and validation using
Rasch Methodology.
TPQ Automation
The TPQ is available on the
fully automated Skillworx
Africa Assessment Platform at
www.skillworxafrica.com.

7. STRUCTURE
THEORETICAL BIG 5
 Surgency or Extraversion (Extraversion as defined in the TPQ®),
 Agreeableness (Sociability as defined in the TPQ®),
 Neuroticism or Emotional Regulation (Constancy as defined in the TPQ®),
 Conscientiousness and,
 Intellect, Imagination, or Openness to Experience (Originality as defined
in the TPQ®)

8. STRUCTURE
PRIMARY PERSONALITY STYLES
 The TPQ report has a specific section that
provides a synopsis of each Dimension based
on the summary Scores of each Dimension.
 These summary Narratives are general
descriptors of scores falling one standard
deviation to the left and right of the mean and
above and below -1SD & +1SD

9. STRUCTURE
PERSONALITY STYLES - Comparison of two
or more Dimensions. For example:
 Personality Style: Impulse Control
 Based on: Scores for Constancy (C) and
Conscientiousness (CO)
 Where:
 High ↑ C (Rational) & ↑ CO (Diligent)
is called Over-controlled;
 ↑ C (Rational), ↓ CO (Undirected) is
Under-controlled;

10. STRUCTURE
 EXTRAVERSION - energy, positive emotions, surgency, and the tendency to seek
stimulation and the company of others.
TPQ® CONSTITUENT TRAITS
 SOCIABILITY - a tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious
and antagonistic towards others.
 CONSTANCY - a tendency to be less easily upset and less emotionally reactive; tend to
be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings.
 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS - a tendency to show self-discipline, act dutifully, and aim for
achievement; planned rather than spontaneous behaviour.
 ORIGINALITY - appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of
experience.

11. STRUCTURE
FACET-LEVEL COMPARISON - For example:
 Two individuals with exact same
Extraversion scores but:
 Person A: Scores high on the Assertive Facet
(E3) & mid-range on the Engaging Facet (E6)
 Person B: Scores mid-range on the Assertive
Facet (E3) & high on the Engaging Facet (E6)
 Therefore: Both have the same levels of
Extraversion, but different Interpersonal
Styles – one forceful & detached and another,
skeptical & invested

13. DIMENSIONS
 EXTRAVERSION
 SOCIABILITY
 CONSTANCY
 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
 ORIGINALITY

14. FACETS
 EXTRAVERSION
 Sociable, Contracted,
Assertive, Thrill-seeking,
Unguarded, Engaging
 SOCIABILITY
 Candid, Compassionate,
Altruistic, Modest, Empathic,
Collaborative
 CONSTANCY
 Relaxed, Resilient, Optimist,
Impervious, Self-controlled,
Tempered

15. FACETS
 CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
 Self-disciplined, Dutiful,
Competent, Structured,
Cautious, Directed
 ORIGINALITY
 Creative, Complex,
Composed, Conceptual,
Conversant, Unconventional

16. Standardised
Scores Sten = (Z x 2) + 5.5
Average of all Extraversion Facets
EXTRAVERSION
People low in extraversion tend
to be energised within their own
space and are generally quieter
and more reserved.
People high in extraversion are
energised around people and
seek out the company of
others.
DIMENSION (E) EXAMPLE
Sociable
(1.0 x 2) + 5.5 = 7.5
Avoids interaction with people,
only comfortable with close
friends, quiet and reserved in
groups
Comfortable interacting with
people, animated in groups,
enjoys attention, socially
adept, talkative, seeks out
social interaction
FACET (E1) EXAMPLE

17. Standardised
Scores
2% 14% 34% 34% 14% 2%
Standard (x) -3.0 -2.5 -2.0 -1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0
T-Score 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80
Percentiles 0.1 0.8 2.28 6.68 15.87 30.85 50 69.15 84.13 93.32 97.72 99.20 99.90
Stens 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
IQ Score (σ = 16) 52 60 68 76 84 92 100 108 116 124 132 140 148
Indicates a relatively strong
sense of comfort
interacting with people.
Indicates an exceptional
need for solitude and
quiet.
Sociable
EXTRAVERSION

19. DIMENSIONS
The dimension Extraversion comprises three anchors namely,
 Introvert (-),
 Bivert (<>), &
 Extrovert (+)

20. FACETS
Extraversion comprises six (6) related facets namely,
 Sociable
 Contracted
 Assertive
 Thrill-Seeking
 Unguarded
 Engaging

21. DIMENSIONS
The dimension Sociability comprises three anchors namely,
 Antagonistic (-)
 Affable (<>)
 Agreeable (+)

22. FACETS
Sociability comprises six (6) related facets namely,
 Candid
 Compassionate
 Altruistic
 Modest
 Empathic
 Collaborative

23. DIMENSIONS
The dimension Constancy comprises three anchors namely,
 Fixated (-)
 Reactive (<>)
 Rational (+)

24. FACETS
Constancy comprises six (6) related facets namely,
 Relaxed
 Resilient
 Optimistic
 Impervious
 Self-controlled
 Tempered

25. DIMENSIONS
The dimension Conscientiousness comprises three anchors namely,
 Undirected (-)
 Attentive (<>)
 Diligent (+)

26. FACETS
Conscientiousness comprises six (6) related facets namely,
 Self-disciplined
 Dutiful
 Competent
 Structured
 Cautious
 Directed

27. DIMENSIONS
The dimension Originality comprises three anchors namely,
 Pragmatic (-)
 Resourceful (<>)
 Creative (+)

28. FACETS
Originality comprises six (6) related facets namely,
 Creative
 Complex
 Composed
 Conceptual
 Conversant
 Unconventional

29. ACCESS LINKS
WWW.SKILLWORXAFRICA.COM
WWW.SKILLWORXAFRICA.COM/LMS
INFO@SKILLWORXAFRICA.COM
WWW.SKILLWORXAFRICA.COM/PROFILETPQ