I took the NEO-IPIP late in 2005 for the first time and the results were FASCINATING. Most interesting to me was that I did not judge myself as being very moral. Morality is a subcategory under Agreeableness, and I scored a 17 out of 100. That is frighteningly low. However the meaning of this isn’t so obvious. The test has this to say,
“High scorers on this scale see no need for pretense or manipulation when dealing with others and are therefore candid, frank, and sincere. Low scorers believe that a certain amount of deception in social relationships is necessary. People find it relatively easy to relate to the straightforward high-scorers on this scale. They generally find it more difficult to relate to the unstraightforward low-scorers on this scale. It should be made clear that low scorers are not unprincipled or immoral; they are simply more guarded and less willing to openly reveal the whole truth. Your level of morality is low.”
Sorry kids. Secrets—I got’em and they’re all the way down there.
So I took the test again tonight. Guess what has changed about my morality in 3 years? Absolutely nothing. Matter of fact it’s one of only two scores that didn’t change; the other being intellect (which is not to be equated with intelligence). Every major category (O-C-E-A-N) and every one of their subcategories had at least a three point change up or down except for morality or intellect. Which was also the third lowest score on the test (It was worsted by Gregariousness at 7 and tied with Self-Discipline at 17). Amazing. I see myself as very guarded, and that’s the one thing that hasn’t changed over the years.
Here’s the snapshot of the change.
Full graph after the jump