The science behind Elementals
Personality measurement built on the strongest scientific foundation
Elementals measures personality using the Big Five model — the most validated personality model in academic psychology. With over 80 years of research, validation in 50+ countries and 10,000+ peer-reviewed publications, it is the most reliable foundation for personality measurement available.
Spectrum, not boxes
The fundamental difference with popular tools like MBTI: Elementals measures personality as a continuous spectrum.
Type approach (MBTI): "You are an INTJ." Binary, categorical. Someone scoring 51% towards extraversion gets the same label as someone scoring 99%.
Trait approach (Elementals): "You score 72 on Extraversion." Continuous, nuanced. The Norse archetypes are a narrative enrichment, not a replacement for the spectrum.
Three layers, one profile
Elementals presents your personality through three complementary layers. Information flows from scientific measurement to narrative enrichment to visual recognition.
Five Elements
Visual gateway — an intuitive layer that makes abstract psychology tangible
Norse Archetypes
Narrative enrichment — 16 archetypes make your results memorable and personal
Big Five (OCEAN)
Scientific foundation — 5 continuous dimensions + 15 facets, psychometrically validated
Why Big Five?
The choice for Big Five over other models is based on five scientific criteria.
10,000+ publications
More peer-reviewed research than all other personality models combined
Continuous spectrum
No boxes or types — your personality is measured as a nuanced spectrum, not a label
15 facets
Not just five dimensions, but three facets per dimension for in-depth insight
50+ countries
Cross-culturally validated — the model works regardless of language, culture or background
r = 0.80+ reliability
The Big Five model has excellent test-retest reliability in validated instruments (r≈0.80 over months)
Open methodology
No black box — scoring is transparent and publishable
The five dimensions
Each dimension describes a fundamental aspect of your personality. Together they form a complete and nuanced profile.
Openness
WindThe degree to which you are intellectually curious, creative and receptive to new ideas and experiences.
Actively seeks new experiences, thinks in possibilities, values art and creative expression
Prefers the tried and tested, thinks concretely and practically, has stable interests
Conscientiousness
EarthThe degree to which you are organised, reliable, goal-oriented and self-disciplined. The strongest predictor of work performance.
Plans ahead, works methodically, completes tasks, keeps environment organised
Acts spontaneously, works in bursts, follows inspiration, has a flexible rhythm
Extraversion
FireThe degree to which you draw energy from social interaction, take an active stance and experience positive emotions intensely.
Feels energised in company, takes initiative, has a broad social network
Needs alone time, prefers to observe first, invests deeply in select relationships
Agreeableness
WaterThe degree to which you are cooperative, empathetic and trusting. It concerns your fundamental attitude towards others.
Seeks consensus, often puts others first, communicates diplomatically and gently
Defends own position, prioritises own goals, communicates directly and unfiltered
Emotional sensitivity
AetherThe degree to which you experience emotions intensely and are sensitive to stress. Not whether you have emotions, but how deeply and how long you experience them.
Experiences emotions intensely, notices subtle signals, has a rich inner life
Bounces back quickly from setbacks, stays calm under pressure, has a stable emotional baseline
15 facets for in-depth insight
Each Big Five dimension contains three facets that reveal further nuance. Two people with the same dimension score can have very different facet profiles.
Openness
Intellectual curiosity, Aesthetic sensitivity, Creative imagination
Conscientiousness
Organisation, Productiveness, Responsibility
Extraversion
Sociability, Assertiveness, Energy level
Agreeableness
Compassion, Respectfulness, Trust
Emotional sensitivity
Anxiety sensitivity, Despondency, Emotional volatility
Facet scores are available with the Professional assessment (60 items).
How does Big Five compare to other models?
An objective comparison based on scientific criteria.
| Criterion | Elementals | MBTI | DISC | Insights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific basis | Strong (10,000+) | Weak (~200) | None (~50) | Weak (<20) |
| Measurement scale | Continuous spectrum | Type (16 binary) | Type (4) | Type (8) |
| Facets | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Growth measurement | Yes (retest) | No | No | No |
| Shadow side | Yes (detailed) | Limited | No | Yes |
| Transparency | Open methodology | Proprietary | Proprietary | Proprietary |
| Price (individual) | Free → €7.99/mo | €50–150 | €30–80 | €200+ |
80+ years of scientific research
The Big Five model was not invented by one person — it was discovered through decades of independent research worldwide.
Allport & Odbert identify 4,504 personality terms in the English language
Goldberg rediscovers five robust factors through lexical analysis and coins the term "Big Five"
Costa & McCrae develop the NEO-PI-R: the first validated Big Five instrument with 30 facets
John & Srivastava publish the Big Five Inventory (BFI): compact and freely available
Soto & John publish BFI-2: 15 facets, improved psychometric qualities — the foundation for Elementals
Academic references
The scientific sources on which Elementals is built.
- Allport, G.W., & Odbert, H.S. (1936). Trait-names: A psycho-lexical study. Psychological Monographs, 47(1).
- Barrick, M.R., & Mount, M.K. (1991). The Big Five personality dimensions and job performance. Personnel Psychology, 44(1), 1-26.
- Costa, P.T., & McCrae, R.R. (1992). Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) and NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) professional manual.
- Donnellan, M.B., Oswald, F.L., Baird, B.M., & Lucas, R.E. (2006). The Mini-IPIP scales. Psychological Assessment, 18(2), 166-174.
- Goldberg, L.R. (1981). Language and individual differences: The search for universals in personality lexicons. Review of Personality and Social Psychology, 2, 141-165.
- Goldberg, L.R. (1992). The development of markers for the Big-Five factor structure. Psychological Assessment, 4(1), 26-42.
- Gosling, S.D., Rentfrow, P.J., & Swann, W.B. (2003). A very brief measure of the Big-Five personality domains. Journal of Research in Personality, 37(6), 504-528.
- John, O.P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big Five trait taxonomy: History, measurement, and theoretical perspectives. Handbook of personality: Theory and research, 102-138.
- McCrae, R.R., & Costa, P.T. (1997). Personality trait structure as a human universal. American Psychologist, 52(5), 509-516.
- Pittenger, D.J. (1993). Measuring the MBTI... and coming up short. Journal of Career Planning and Employment, 54(1), 48-52.
- Pittenger, D.J. (2005). Cautionary comments regarding the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Consulting Psychology Journal, 57(3), 210-221.
- Soto, C.J., & John, O.P. (2017). The next Big Five Inventory (BFI-2). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(1), 117-143.
- Soto, C.J., & John, O.P. (2017). Short and extra-short forms of the Big Five Inventory-2. Journal of Research in Personality, 68, 69-81.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Big Five model?
The Big Five model (also called OCEAN) is the most researched personality model in psychology. It measures five dimensions — Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness and Neuroticism — discovered through statistical analysis of thousands of personality descriptions, across dozens of languages and cultures.
How does Big Five differ from MBTI?
MBTI sorts people into 16 binary types (you are either introverted or extraverted). Big Five measures personality as a continuous spectrum: you can be 30% or 70% extraverted. Furthermore, Big Five has a much stronger scientific foundation with over 10,000 peer-reviewed publications, while MBTI's test-retest reliability is low.
Are personality traits stable?
Largely yes. Research shows that Big Five traits are relatively stable after age 30, although gradual change remains possible. Conscientiousness and Agreeableness tend to increase with age on average, while Neuroticism often decreases slightly. Traumatic or transformative experiences can cause faster shifts.
What are the 15 facets?
Each Big Five dimension contains three facets — sub-dimensions that capture the specific flavor of your score. For example, Extraversion contains the facets Sociability, Assertiveness and Energy. Two people with the same Extraversion score can be very different if their facet scores diverge. Elementals measures all 15 facets for maximum precision.
How reliable is a Big Five test?
Reliability means you get similar scores when you retake the test. The Big Five scores high here: test-retest correlations typically range from 0.70 to 0.90 over weeks and months. That is fundamentally better than type-based models like MBTI, where roughly half of people get a different type on retest. Reliable measurement starts with continuous scales instead of fixed boxes.
How are my scores calculated?
Your answers are summed per dimension and converted into a percentile score: where you stand relative to a reference group. A score of 70 on Conscientiousness means you are more conscientious than 70% of people — not that you are '70% conscientious'. Elementals uses a deterministic calculation, not AI guesswork, so the same answers always produce the same score.
Can you score badly on a personality test?
No. There are no right or wrong outcomes — no combination of traits is 'better' than another. High Conscientiousness helps with structure, low helps with flexibility; every pole has strengths and weaknesses depending on context. The goal is self-insight, not a grade. Answering honestly gives you the most useful profile.
What happens to my test results?
Your results are yours. They are stored encrypted and never sold or shared without your consent. You can view, export or delete your profile at any time from your account, in line with the GDPR.
Read more
At what age does personality stabilize? What research says
Is there a single age at which your character becomes fixed? Research points to gradual stabilization between 18 and 50, not one magical moment. A scientific FAQ on personality and age.
How reliable is the Big Five personality test? What science says
The Big Five is the most validated personality model in psychology. Explore test-retest reliability, cross-cultural validity, and why it outperforms MBTI.
The scientific foundation of Elementals assessments
Elementals combines the Big Five model with Norse archetypes and five elements. Discover the three layers of the assessment and the science behind them.
Deep dive articles
Read more about the models, archetypes and facets behind Elementals.
Discover your profile
Curious what your personality profile looks like? Take the free assessment — scientifically grounded, narratively enriched.