The 16 PF and CPI: a comparison.

This study assessed the cross-inventory generalizability of personality characterizations for Cattell's 16 PF and Gough's CPI. The univariate and multivariate relationships of these scales to their measures of impression management and general aptitude also were explored. Although many PF and CPI content scales and highly similar descriptions, all were found to have poor and inconsistent cross-inventory convergences. The 16 PF and CPI correlates of the desirability scales were found to be similar and consistent with prior research, although the number and magnitude of those for some CPI scales seemed somewhat inappropriate (as were some between the CPI and general aptitude). The relationships of the desirability scales to the content scales of each inventory were found to be heavily dependent upon rotation after factor analysis. It was concluded that the high degree of scale dissimilarity between the 16 PF and CPI must caution against clinical and research generalization across these two inventories. In addition, further investigation of these current impression management scales seems worth pursuing because they appeared to represent the most consistent characteristics measured.