Measurement error in "big five factors" personality assessment: Reliability generalization across studies and measures

Meta-analysis was used to cumulate reliabilities of personality scale scores. A total of 848 coefficients of stability and 1,359 internal consistency reliabilities across the Big Five factors of personality were examined. The frequency-weighted mean coefficients of stability were .75 (SD = .10, K = 221), .76 (SD = .12, K= 176), .71 (SD = .13, K = 139), .69 (SD = .14, K = 119), and .72 (SD = .13, K = 193) for Emotional Stability, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness, respectively. The corresponding internal consistency reliabilities were .78 (SD = .11, K = 370), .78 (SD = .09, K = 307), .73 (SD = .12, K = 251), .75 (SD = .11, K = 123), and .78 (SD = .10, K = 307). Sample-size-weighted means also were computed. The dimension of personality being rated does not appear to strongly moderate either the internal consistency or the test-retest reliabilities. Implications for personality assessment are discussed.