A general factor of personality in the Comrey Personality Scales, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2, and the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire

In three studies, we analyzed validation data from personality questionnaires to test whether a general factor of personality (GFP) occupies the apex of the multi-factorial hierarchy. In Study 1, we carried out a cross-validation study of the Comrey Personality Scales (Ns = 746, 2097) and found a GFP explained 41% of the reliable variance in a model that went from the eight primary traits to three higher-order factors (Extraversion, Conscientiousness, Empathy), and from there to the GFP. In Study 2, we analyzed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (N = 2600) and found a GFP explained 49% of the variance in two second-order factors and 20% of the total reliable variance in a model that went from the 10 clinical scales to four higher-order factors to two second-order factors to the big one. In Study 3, we analyzed the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (N = 840) and found a bi-factor model in which a GFP accounted for 41% of the reliable variance with significant loadings on four of the five factors (Open-Mindedness, 0.49; Social Initiative, 0.36; Emotional Stability, 0.38; and Flexibility, 0.95). © 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.