17 Predictive Index Personality Types: Complete 2025 Guide
The Predictive Index 17 reference profiles, also referred to as personality types, describe common workplace personalities based on the theory behind the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment. A reference profile is created for each candidate, highlighting their strengths and weaknesses.
On this page, we will review all 17 Predictive Index personality types and the four reference profile categories, and explain what the four PI personality factors are and how they fit into each of the 17 reference profiles.
By identifying your closest PI Index reference profile, you'll gain an advantage in approaching the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment. For free sample questions, see the Free Predictive Index Behavioral and Cognitive Assessment pages.
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💡The PI Behavioral Assessment has many names: PI Behavioral Assessment Survey, Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment, The Predictive Index (BA), PI Index Test (BA), Predictive Index Personality Types Test, PI Behavioral Assessment Types Test. This page provides preparation for all of them.
What is the Predictive Index?
The Predictive Index is a science-backed tool that helps forecast job performance. Developed by Arnold Daniels in the 1950s, the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment has been used for nearly 70 years by thousands of companies to find the best candidates.
💡Important things to know:
- Score: The Predictive Index (PI) score isn't a pass/fail measure, but a tool to assess strengths. The focus is on matching candidate profiles to job requirements, with employers setting target scores.
- Purpose: The Predictive Index measures behavioral drives and cognitive ability to help leaders assess role, team, or project needs and gather employee data.
- Cost: Companies invest time and money in finding the best candidate. The cost of PI software depends on the company's needs, with annual plans ranging from $4,950 to $75,000
Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment
To better understand what PI practice tests are like, try our interactive PI Behavioral sample questions.
17 Predictive Index Personality Types
The Predictive Index 17 reference profiles are created based on the results of the PI behavioral assessment, a unique personality test in which you must select personality characteristics/adjectives from a list of 86 that describe how you see yourself and how you believe you are supposed to behave at work.
Based on your choices, a profile is created based on four factors, which are essentially groups of personality characteristics.
Each one of the PI personality types has a different balance of the four factors, reflecting unique workplace characters with different work styles, social preferences, and preferred environments.
By learning about the Predictive Index reference profiles and the theory behind them, you will be able to understand what your assessor is looking for, and arrive well prepared to your.
The Four Factors
The four PI personality factors are categories that each of the 86 personality traits belong to. After completing the test the answers give weight to each of the factors, and through calculating how high or low each factor is, the Predictive Index profiles are created.
- Dominance: represents the drive to exert influence on people or events.
- Extraversion: represents the drive for social interactions with others.
- Patience: represents the drive for consistency and stability.
- Formality: represents the drive to conform to rules and structure.
The idea that certain fundamental traits exist within a limited number of domains, and that different combinations of these traits form distinct "personality profiles," is the basis of many personality theories.
Examples of questionnaires that use the "Trait Theories" approach include the Big Five model, the SHL Occupational Personality Questionnaire, the 16 Personalities Test, and the MMPI.
The Predictive Index Personality Types
Within the 17 Predictive Index profiles there is a further division into four types of profiles, which group together the types that have similar scores in the four predictive index factors which are: analytical profiles, social profiles, stabilizing profiles, and persistent profiles.
Analytical Profiles – Predictive Index reference profiles belonging to this group are more task oriented than people-oriented, work at a faster pace, and are more dominant and formal than socially extroverted.
Full PI Analytical Profiles Breakdown:
Analyzer – the main personality characteristics for this profile are those connected with assertiveness, pensiveness, intensity, and thoroughness.
This reference profile ranks high in dominance and formality, and low in extraversion and patience. Analyzers are highly disciplined, analytical, innovative, and driven, and take ownership of their tasks.
They might also be seen as having excessively high standards and requirements that can slow them down.
Controller – the main personality characteristics for this profile are autonomy, matter-of-factness, impatience, and precision.
This reference profile is high in formality, low in patience, and medium in dominance and extraversion. People belonging to this profile control their work closely and don’t like to delegate, and are conservative and risk-averse.
While they are well-organized and results-oriented, they don’t always do well in ambiguous situations.
Specialist – the main personality characteristics for this profile are matter-of-factness, precision, acceptance, and efficiency.
The specialist reference profile is very high in formality, and low in dominance, extraversion, and patience.
Specialists are very disciplined and thorough, but can be overly cautious in their work and have difficulties communicating effectively.
Strategist – the main personality characteristics for this profile are related to independence, reflectiveness, intensity, and organization.
The strategist reference profile is highest in dominance, slightly high in formality, average in extraversion, and low in patience.
Strategists are very results-oriented and driven, with an emphasis on innovation and decisions made on deep analysis.
They see the big picture and therefore at good at foreseeing problems and being able to prioritize multiple responsibilities. Interpersonally they might be perceived as hard-headed and impatient.
Venturer – born rebels, built for impact. High dominance fuels their drive and assertiveness, pushing them to analyze and conquer big goals.
Forget short-term, they crave innovation! While independence thrives, structure stifles. Unleash them, and watch your organization transform.
💡 Check out our PI Prep Course to learn more about personality styles.
Social Profiles – Predictive Index reference profiles belonging to this category are relationship-focused and highly extroverted in comparison to others.
Full Social Profiles Breakdown:
Altruist – High on collaboration and efficiency, Altruists thrive in fast-paced, social environments. Forget dominance, they excel with organization and good work ethic, building cohesive teams.
Expect frustration if they can't interact and collaborate – freedom to connect fuels their fire!
Captain - The main personality characteristics for this profile are related to competitiveness, enthusiasm, drive, and nonconformity.
Captains thrive when asked to solve problems, and in environments where there is change and innovation.
They are also strategic thinkers who focus on the big picture. They are outgoing and sociable, able to handle pressure, and tend to be natural leaders.
Collaborator - The main personality characteristics for this profile are cooperation, empathy, casualness, and patience.
The collaborator personality type is high in patience and extraversion and low in dominance and formality. Collaborators are great team players who are highly friendly, understanding, and willing.
They like to bring others into their decisions and are highly approachable and open to helping colleagues. They also dislike risks and tend to be more reactive than proactive, and don’t handle pressure or unsupportive work environments well.
Maverick - the main personality characteristics for this profile are enthusiasm, drive, and adventurousness. This reference profile is high in dominance, slightly less high in extraversion, a little below average in patience, and low in formality.
Mavericks are innovative and are not scared of failing while looking for creative solutions.
They respond well to pressure and are very goal-oriented, while also being good team players who delegate freely and like to influence others.
They also don’t always react well to strict authority or structure, and may be intolerant of things that slow them down.
Persuader - born influencers, built for results. Confidence + casualness = change agents! Persuaders are risk-taking motivators who thrive on open, dynamic environments.
High extraversion and dominance make them team-building powerhouses, driving results with a proactive, casual charm.
Expect rule-bending, not rule-following, but trust their ability to avoid stagnation and get things done!
Promoter - the main personality characteristics for this profile are patience, flexibility, collaboration, and openness.
People belonging to this reference profile are high in extraversion, average in patience, lower than average in dominance, and low in formality.
Promoters are highly gregarious and thrive in social situations, meaning they are good team workers who increase harmony.
They are outside-the-box thinkers and good motivators, so they can often be the source of new directions in the workplace.
Their extraversion and need for acceptance can also be a source of frustration if they feel unappreciated.
💡 Practice using our PI Prep Course.
Taking it along with the PLI Cognitive Assessment? Use our PI bundle pack.
Stabilizing Profiles – Predictive Index profiles belonging to this category are low in dominance and extraversion, and high in formality. People belonging to PI stabilizing profiles work well in highly structured and formal environments.
Full Stabilizing Profiles Breakdown:
Craftsman - analytical, deliberate, meticulous: Craftsman thrive on planning, accuracy, and structure. Forget extraversion, they shine in quiet, detail-oriented roles.
Think problem-solving wizards, communicating clearly, and foreseeing issues. Give them structure, and they'll deliver flawless results. Ambiguity and criticism? Not their forte.
Operator - the main personality characteristics for this profile are cooperative, pragmatic, stable, and thorough. People in this reference profile are high in patience, above average in formality, below average in extraversion, and low in dominance.
Operators are excellent team players since they have a lot of respect for others’ ideas, and have a relaxed and cooperative work style.
They are highly patient and conscientious, meaning they have the ability to get tasks done effectively and without fuss.
Their focus on getting tasks done can sometimes be perceived as being too narrow and lacking in strategic thinking.
Guardian - Stability, structure, and dependability: The guardians are well-suited for roles that require precision and adherence to rules.
They often thrive in positions that involve careful planning, organization, and risk management.
Adapter – the main personality characteristics for this profile are versatility and flexibility, and people belonging to this reference profile are average in all four factors.
Adapters are good bridge builders in a team since they have a strong drive that causes friction with others.
They can easily work with a variety of people and in a variety of situations, adapting themselves to fit what’s needed for the mission at hand.
Since they are so adaptable and don’t have strong preferences they put first, they might appear hard to understand on a deeper level.
Persistent Profiles – Predictive Index profiles belonging to this category are high in the dominance and patience factors and low in extraversion. People belonging to these profiles are very detail-oriented and prefer having high levels of control over their work.
Full Persistent Profiles Breakdown:
Individualist - Confidence + analysis + nonconformity = progress pioneers! Individualists are persistent, results-driven mavericks, fueled by independence and low extraversion/formality.
Get ready for change! They push boundaries and avoid stagnation, but collaboration and open-mindedness might clash with their stubborn individuality.
Scholar - The Scholar personality type is highly analytical, introspective, and independent. Scholars crave quiet mastery in their chosen field.
Think data-driven, meticulous, and disciplined experts, happiest with solo projects demanding technical depth.
While the scholar personality type might find teams challenging, their strong dominance and patience make them invaluable assets for organizations seeking accuracy and innovation.
Get Ahead on Your PI Behavioral Assessment!
Unlock the key to acing your PI Behavioral Assessment with our expert-designed preparation course. Understand how to showcase your strengths, choose the right adjectives, and maximize your chances of success.
Course Highlights:
- Choose the Right Adjectives: Know which words highlight your strengths for your role.
- Tailored Practice Tests: Get comfortable with the assessment format.
- Job-Specific Tips: Focus on the qualities that matter most for your position.
Taking Both Tests? Get the complete PI Behavioral & Cognitive Bundle for full coverage!
Understanding Your Predictive Index Test Scores
There isn't a single "good" Predictive Index (PI) score, as it's designed to assess behavioral and cognitive strengths rather than being a pass/fail test. The focus is on aligning candidate profiles with job requirements, with employers setting their own target scores. Here’s a simplified breakdown of interpreting PI scores:
- Assessment Types:
- Behavioral: Measures personality traits through free-choice descriptors.
- Cognitive: Measures cognitive abilities with a raw score converted into a scaled score.
- Cognitive Assessment:
- Raw Score: Correct answers out of 50.
- Average Score: under 20 correct answers.
- Percentiles: Scaled score is compared to a reference group.
- Target Scores: Employers set target scores based on the role.
- Behavioral Assessment:
- No Pass/Fail: It identifies behavioral tendencies, not a pass/fail score.
- Match Score: Ranges from 1-10, measuring how well a candidate matches the job target.
- M Score: Represents selected adjectives and can indicate stability in factor scores.
Learn more on our Predictive Index Test Scores Page.
The Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment
Employers are often interested in measuring cognitive ability to complete the profile provided by personality tests. Therefore, there is a good chance you will also need to prepare for the Predictive Index cognitive assessment.
Check out JobTestPrep's PI Cognitive Assessment PrepPack, which includes extensive PI cognitive assessment practice resources that will help you land that job. We also have a Free PI Cognitive Test for you to test your skills!
FAQs
The Predictive Index identifies 17 unique Reference Profiles, each representing a distinct combination of behavioral drives and needs. These profiles were carefully crafted by the PI Science Team after analyzing millions of Behavioral Assessments, essentially creating a "behavioral map" for different types of people. Think of these Reference Profiles as easily understandable groups that categorize individuals based on their shared workstyle preferences and motivations. So, while there isn't a single personality "type" label assigned, the 17 Reference Profiles offer a more nuanced and accurate picture of individual work styles.
The Persuader is a personality profile frequently found in sales and leadership positions. Persuaders naturally prioritize people over tasks, thriving on social interaction and effective verbal communication.
When Persuaders assume CEO roles, it's essential that they maintain a high degree of self-awareness, clearly recognizing their inherent strengths as well as areas that require careful attention or improvement.
The Predictive Index assesses an individual's personality traits by evaluating their behavioral drives across four key parameters: dominance, extroversion, patience, and formality, as well as their cognitive ability.
The test provides insights into your natural behavioral tendencies and cognitive abilities. It can help you understand how you prefer to interact with others, how you react under pressure, your level of social engagement, and your approach to rules and structure.
By analyzing your results, you can gain a deeper understanding of your strengths, challenges, and how you may approach tasks and relationships in both professional and personal settings.
An average PI Index score typically falls between 17 and 23 correct answers, with an average of around 20. The scaled score ranges from 100 to 450, with 250 being the average. Each employer sets its own target PI Cognitive Assessment™ score based on the specific requirements for a given job role.
Remember, the PI assessment focuses on behavioral drives and needs, not cognitive ability. Understanding your Reference Profile, which emerges from your score, gives valuable insights into your ideal work environment and motivations, helping you find roles where you can excel and be satisfied.
Forget personality types, think workstyle! The Scholar in Predictive Index craves expertise, tackling tasks with laser focus and meticulousness. They're analytical data wizards, thriving in structured, independent roles like research or data analysis. While disciplined and persistent, their cautious nature may mean they prefer solo dives over team sprints. Overall, Scholars shine in environments that fuel their expertise journey with autonomy and clear structure.
The Predictive Index focuses on understanding workstyles through four key behavioral drivers:
- Dominance (Drive A): This measures your desire to influence and lead, reflecting assertiveness and a focus on results.
- Extraversion (Drive B): This gauges your need for social interaction and collaboration, indicating how much you enjoy working with others.
- Patience (Drive S): This assesses your preference for stability and consistency, reflecting how comfortable you are with routine and structure.
- Formality (Drive C): This measures your adherence to rules and procedures, indicating your comfort with established processes and hierarchy.
The rarest Predictive Index profile is the Analyzer, making up just 2.95% of over 30 million assessments. Analyzers are task-focused, work quickly, and are more dominant and formal than socially extroverted. T
hey have a strong attention to detail, high standards, and a drive for perfection. Typically reserved and introspective, Analyzers prefer to observe, analyze, and work independently in structured environments.
For optimal preparation, follow the following steps:
- Familiarize Yourself with the Question Format: Understand the structure of the questions and the test itself.
- Practice with Sample Tests: Take practice tests to replicate the real experience and improve your pacing.
- Embrace Imperfection: Focus on providing honest answers rather than striving for perfection.
- Review Sample Questions: Study sample questions to get a feel for the test’s style and improve decision-making.
- Understand What the Test Measures: Know that the test evaluates your behavioral drives and cognitive abilities.
- Be Honest in Your Responses: Answer truthfully to reflect your true personality and tendencies.
- Prepare Mentally for the Test: Take the test when you're well-rested, focused, and calm.
- Manage Your Time Effectively: Use your time wisely, skipping tough questions and returning to them later if needed.
Popular Personality Tests
Click the links below for accurate practice for some of the personality tests most commonly used in the recruitment process of leading companies:
- PEAK Performance Test taken for Procter & Gamble
- Hogan Personality Tests
- Free Hogan Personality Inventory (HPI) Practice Test
- Caliper Assessment
- Free Caliper Assessment Practice Test
- MMPI test (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory)
- Gallup's StrengthsFinder Personality Test
- Leadership Assessment Test
- TTI Success Insights Personality Test
- 16 Personality Factor (16PF) Test Preparation
- SHL OPQ Personality Test
- DDI Leadership Assessment Test
- Myers Briggs Personality Test (MBTI)
- Korn Ferry Leadership Assessment Test
- Management Personality Test Practice
- Tips for How to Pass A Pre-Employment Personality Test
- CPP Personality Test
- Pre-employment Personality Assessment
- GIC PLI Test
- Psychometric Test
Want to try sample questions that will give you a taste of what the test is all about? Click here for our PI behavioral assessment questions page.
