Feldman & Johnston (2014). Political Psychology, 35(3), 337–358
Empirical basis for ideology being several independent axes, not one.
The research behind it
Every Psique test draws on instruments published in peer-reviewed journals. They are all here, with a link to the original paper and to Google Scholar in case the DOI sits behind a paywall.
35 references · 12 tests
Honesty first: Psique is not a validated adaptation of these instruments. The items are rewritten in everyday language and shortened, the comparison sample is not representative of any population, and results are not a diagnosis. What is real: the trait structure and the relationships between traits come from this literature, not from thin air.
🧭 Political spectrum
See the test →🧠 Big Five personality
See the test →Goldberg (1992). Psychological Assessment, 4(1), 26–42
The paper that established the markers for the five factors.
International Personality Item Pool (IPIP)
Public-domain item bank the format is adapted from.
Soto & John (2017). BFI-2. JPSP, 113(1), 117–143
Modern version of the inventory, with revised facets.
🌱 Self-esteem test
See the test →Rosenberg (1965). Society and the Adolescent Self-Image. Princeton UP
The original 10-item scale, the most widely used short instrument in psychology
Sowislo & Orth (2013). Psychological Bulletin, 139(1), 213–240
Longitudinal meta-analysis: low self-esteem precedes depression, not the other way round
Orth & Robins (2014). Current Directions in Psychological Science, 23(5)
How self-esteem develops across the lifespan (it rises until about 60)
⚖️ Moral foundations
See the test →Graham, Haidt & Nosek (2009). JPSP, 96(5), 1029–1046
The study showing that progressives and conservatives draw on different foundations.
Graham et al. (2011). Mapping the moral domain. JPSP, 101(2), 366–385
Validation of the questionnaire and the full map of the moral domain.
Iyer et al. (2012). Libertarian morality. PLoS ONE, 7(8), e42366
Adds the liberty foundation, missing from the original version.
💎 Your values
See the test →Schwartz (1992). Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 25, 1–65
The original theory of the ten universal values and their circular structure.
Schwartz et al. (2001). PVQ. J. Cross-Cultural Psychology, 32(5), 519–542
The PVQ questionnaire, the format this test is modelled on.
European Social Survey — Human Values Scale
The version used in the European Social Survey since 2002.
💘 Attachment style
See the test →Brennan, Clark & Shaver (1998). ECR — Attachment Theory and Close Relationships
The original ECR questionnaire, the basis of nearly all later research.
Wei et al. (2007). ECR Short Form. J. Personality Assessment, 88(2), 187–204
The validated short form this test is modelled on.
Fraley, Waller & Brennan (2000). ECR-R. JPSP, 78(2), 350–365
Psychometric revision confirming the two continuous dimensions.
🧘 Emotional intelligence test
See the test →Salovey & Mayer (1990). Imagination, Cognition and Personality, 9(3), 185–211
The original model: emotional intelligence as a set of skills, not a trait
Wong & Law (2002). The Leadership Quarterly, 13(3), 243–274
The 4 dimensions (own, others, use, regulation) and the reference scale (WLEIS)
Joseph & Newman (2010). Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 54–78
Meta-analysis: EI predicts performance beyond personality and IQ
🤡 Sense of humour test
See the test →Martin et al. (2003). Journal of Research in Personality, 37(1), 48–75
The original instrument: the Humor Styles Questionnaire and its 4 styles
Schneider, Voracek & Tran (2018). Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 59(3)
Meta-analysis: which styles track with wellbeing and which with distress
Plessen et al. (2020). Personality and Individual Differences, 154, 110218
Meta-analysis: how humour styles map onto the Big Five
😈 Evil test
See the test →🗣️ Pushover test
See the test →Rathus (1973). Behavior Therapy, 4(3), 398–406
The classic assertive behaviour schedule.
Rahim (1983). Academy of Management Journal, 26(2), 368–376
Styles of handling interpersonal conflict.
Hill & Hill (1993). Sociotropy & the need for approval
Need for approval and sociotropy.
🎭 Honesty-Humility
See the test →Lee & Ashton (2004). Multivariate Behavioral Research, 39(2), 329–358
The paper that established the six-factor model.
Ashton & Lee (2009). HEXACO-60. J. Personality Assessment, 91(4), 340–345
The brief 60-item version, the reference format.
hexaco.org — inventario y baremos
Official inventory site, with country norms.
🕹️ Locus of control test
See the test →Rotter (1966). Psychological Monographs, 80(1), 1–28
The original construct: internal vs external expectancies of reinforcement control
Ng, Sorensen & Eby (2006). Journal of Organizational Behavior, 27(8)
Workplace meta-analysis: internal locus tracks with satisfaction and performance
Cheng, Cheung, Chio & Chan (2013). Psychological Bulletin, 139(1)
Cross-cultural meta-analysis: the locus–anxiety–depression link across countries