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.