PrismaTest
EN

Eysenck Personality Test: Extraversion, Neuroticism And Psychoticism

Thirty original statements score you on Hans Eysenck's three personality dimensions, extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism, with what each one means.

  • 30 questions
  • About 5 min
  • Free, no sign-up
  • Based on Hans Eysenck's PEN model

30 questions, about 5 min

Answer quickly and honestly about how you usually feel and behave. There are no right or wrong answers.

30 statements, 5 answer options. You get a score and reading for each of Eysenck's three dimensions: extraversion, neuroticism and psychoticism (toughness).

Eysenck’s Three Dimensions

German-British psychologist Hans Eysenck (1916 to 1997) argued that personality could be described with just a few broad, biologically based dimensions. His final model, known as PEN, has three:

DimensionHigh endLow end
Extraversion (E)Sociable, lively, seeks excitementReserved, quiet, reflective
Neuroticism (N)Anxious, moody, emotionally reactiveCalm, stable, even-tempered
Psychoticism (P)Tough-minded, nonconformist, risk-takingConsiderate, conventional, caring

The Temperament Connection

Eysenck noticed that combining extraversion and neuroticism reproduces the four ancient temperaments:

Stable (low N)Unstable (high N)
ExtravertSanguineCholeric
IntrovertPhlegmaticMelancholic

Take our temperament test to explore these in depth.

How This Test Works

You rate 30 statements, ten per dimension, with about a third reversed. Each dimension is shown as a percentage with a high, average or low reading.

Important: these are original PrismaTest statements written to reflect Eysenck’s published definitions. This is not the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ) or Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), which are copyrighted instruments. Our test also has no “lie scale”.

The Theory Behind It

Eysenck tied each dimension to biology:

  • Extraversion reflected differences in cortical arousal. Introverts, he proposed, are naturally more aroused and so avoid stimulation; extraverts seek it.
  • Neuroticism reflected the reactivity of the limbic system, which governs emotional responses.
  • Psychoticism was linked, more controversially, to hormones and to vulnerability to unusual thinking.

Extraversion and neuroticism have held up well and appear in almost every modern model, including the Big Five. Psychoticism has been more criticised and is now often viewed as a mix of low agreeableness and low conscientiousness.

Eysenck was also a controversial figure. In 2019 several of his papers with Ronald Grossarth-Maticek on personality and cancer were retracted after investigations. His core personality dimensions, however, remain widely studied.

Interpreting Your Profile

  • High E, low N: confident, relaxed and social (sanguine).
  • Low E, high N: sensitive and introspective (melancholic).
  • High P: independent and unconventional; watch for being too blunt or risky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does a high psychoticism score mean I am psychotic?

No. Despite the name, the scale measures toughness and nonconformity, not mental illness.

Is Eysenck’s model still used?

Yes. Extraversion and neuroticism in particular are central to modern personality research.

How does this compare with the Big Five?

E and N map closely onto Big Five extraversion and neuroticism; P relates to low agreeableness and conscientiousness. Try the Big Five personality test to compare.

Related Tests

See how calm you are with the easygoing personality test or check your energy with the introvert or extrovert test.

For self-reflection. Not the official EPQ. See how we build our tests.