Advancing the Measurement of Personal Intelligence with the Test of Personal Intelligence, Version 5 (TOPI 5)

Abstract

People use their personal intelligence (PI) to understand the personality in themselves and others. In Studies 1 and 2 (Ns = 961 and 548), individuals completed the Test of Personal Intelligence, Version 5 (TOPI 5), which is introduced here. The TOPI 5 is an ability assessment with a broader range of content and more challenging items than the earlier test versions. In past research, the factor analyses indicated that people employ two distinct, but highly correlated, abilities to problem-solve in this area. Our two-factor models, however, exhibited instabilities and limited applicability between the TOPI 4 and 5 (a matter we examine more closely in the Supplementary Materials). In Study 3, we successfully test the one-factor models of the TOPI with the present data and archival data sets (Narchival = 19,627). We then use the one-factor models to develop a pair of new test forms: one that is compatible with all the TOPI test versions and another, TOPI 5E, that is better at distinguishing among people scoring in the higher range of performance relative to previous measures.

Keywords

• personality
• personal intelligence
• intelligence
• measurement
• factor analysis