Instruments

The tools behind each trait dimension.

VSX Traits keeps the taxonomy and the measurement source attached to each other. That prevents one vague “personality score” layer from flattening instruments with very different legal and scientific constraints.

HEXACO

HEXACO-PI-R 100

25 mapped dimensions
Items
100 items
Scoring
1-5 Likert, normed to percentiles
Availability
Free non-commercial; IPIP-HEXACO is the public-domain fallback
Licensing
Commercial use requires care; public-domain fallback exists
Embed policy
Can be used for taxonomy mapping; direct embedded use needs licensing review
Role
Primary tool for core dispositions across 25 facet-level dimensions
Example dimensions
hexaco.honesty_humility.sincerityhexaco.honesty_humility.fairnesshexaco.honesty_humility.greed_avoidancehexaco.honesty_humility.modestyhexaco.emotionality.fearfulnesshexaco.emotionality.anxiety
SD3

Short Dark Triad (SD3)

3 mapped dimensions
Items
27 items
Scoring
Likert subscale totals for each dark-side construct
Availability
Free for research use
Licensing
Commercial use should be rechecked
Embed policy
Good for mapping; product embedding needs legal review
Role
Maps narcissism, machiavellianism, and psychopathy
Example dimensions
dark.narcissismdark.machiavellianismdark.psychopathy
SD4

Short Dark Tetrad (SD4)

1 mapped dimensions
Items
Optional extension
Scoring
Adds a sadism score to the dark-side battery
Availability
Free research instrument in many contexts
Licensing
Commercial use should be rechecked
Embed policy
Treat as optional and review before embedding
Role
Optional fourth dark-side dimension
Example dimensions
dark.sadism
PVQ-21

Portrait Values Questionnaire 21

10 mapped dimensions
Items
21 items
Scoring
Value priorities scored relative to the person's own profile
Availability
Free, ESS version
Licensing
Generally accessible, but keep model version consistent
Embed policy
Safe to map in product taxonomy
Role
v1 uses the 10-value Schwartz model rather than the refined 19-value model
Example dimensions
values.self_directionvalues.stimulationvalues.hedonismvalues.achievementvalues.powervalues.security
VIA-IS

VIA Inventory of Strengths

24 mapped dimensions
Items
24 strengths
Scoring
External strength ranking
Availability
Available through viacharacter.org
Licensing
Do not embed; link out instead
Embed policy
External only
Role
Tier 4 exists in taxonomy but should stay link-out only
Example dimensions
via.wisdom.creativityvia.wisdom.curiosityvia.wisdom.judgmentvia.wisdom.love_of_learningvia.wisdom.perspectivevia.courage.bravery
ECR-R

Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised

2 mapped dimensions
Items
36 items
Scoring
Anxiety and avoidance subscales
Availability
Free
Licensing
Generally usable with normal attribution hygiene
Embed policy
Suitable for mapping and likely embeddable after normal review
Role
Attachment style is stored as two dimensions rather than one label
Example dimensions
style.attachment.anxietystyle.attachment.avoidance
Grit-S

Short Grit Scale

2 mapped dimensions
Items
8 items
Scoring
Consistency of interest and perseverance of effort
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Separates stable interest from sustained effort
Example dimensions
style.grit.consistency_of_intereststyle.grit.perseverance_of_effort
RFQ

Regulatory Focus Questionnaire

2 mapped dimensions
Items
11 items
Scoring
Promotion and prevention orientation
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Useful for motivation framing and behavior design
Example dimensions
style.regulatory_focus.promotionstyle.regulatory_focus.prevention
Rotter I-E

Rotter Internal-External Scale

1 mapped dimensions
Items
Single bipolar score
Scoring
Internal to external control orientation
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Best stored as a bipolar dimension
Example dimensions
style.locus_of_control.locus_of_control
GSE

General Self-Efficacy Scale

1 mapped dimensions
Items
10 items
Scoring
Single self-efficacy score
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Measures perceived ability to handle challenges
Example dimensions
style.self_efficacy.self_efficacy
NCS-18

Need for Cognition Scale

1 mapped dimensions
Items
18 items
Scoring
Single enjoyment-of-thinking score
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Good complement to curiosity and openness
Example dimensions
style.need_for_cognition.need_for_cognition
ERQ

Emotion Regulation Questionnaire

2 mapped dimensions
Items
10 items
Scoring
Reappraisal and suppression
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Tier 6 emotional regulation pair
Example dimensions
cog.emotion_regulation.reappraisalcog.emotion_regulation.suppression
IRI

Interpersonal Reactivity Index

4 mapped dimensions
Items
28 items
Scoring
Four empathy subscales
Availability
Free
Licensing
Low-friction use
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration
Role
Distinguishes cognitive and affective empathy components
Example dimensions
cog.empathy.perspective_takingcog.empathy.fantasycog.empathy.empathic_concerncog.empathy.personal_distress
DOSPERT

Domain-Specific Risk-Taking Scale

5 mapped dimensions
Items
30 items
Scoring
Five risk domains
Availability
Free for research use
Licensing
Commercial use should be rechecked
Embed policy
Map now, license-check before embedding
Role
Captures asymmetric risk appetite by context
Example dimensions
cog.risk_tolerance.financialcog.risk_tolerance.health_safetycog.risk_tolerance.recreationalcog.risk_tolerance.ethicalcog.risk_tolerance.social
5DC

Five-Dimensional Curiosity Scale

5 mapped dimensions
Items
5 dimensions
Scoring
Five curiosity subscales
Availability
Free
Licensing
Generally low-friction
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration with normal review
Role
Useful v2 complement to openness
Example dimensions
cog.curiosity.joyous_explorationcog.curiosity.deprivation_sensitivitycog.curiosity.stress_tolerancecog.curiosity.social_curiositycog.curiosity.thrill_seeking
MEQ / uMEQ

Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire

1 mapped dimensions
Items
Single chronotype score
Scoring
Morningness to eveningness
Availability
Free
Licensing
Generally low-friction
Embed policy
Suitable for product integration with normal review
Role
Chronotype is best represented as one bipolar score
Example dimensions
cog.chronotype.chronotype