What is my interpersonal style?

Assured-dominant

High. People who score high say they demand attention, do most of the talking and speak loudly. In daily life that shows as leading conversations and expecting to be heard. On the circumplex this is the top: pure dominance, neither warm nor cold.

Low. People who score low leave the floor to others and do not demand to be the centre of interest. On the circumplex a low score here goes with the submissive side; it describes how much space you take in a room, not how much you have to say.

Arrogant-calculating

High. People who score high say they cut others to pieces, contradict others, snap at people and have a sharp tongue. In daily life that shows as winning arguments and being feared a little. This is the dominant, cold octant; its strengths are directness and not being pushed around.

Low. People who score low do not contradict or snap, and keep their tongue in check. A low score sits towards the warm, submissive side of the circle; it says nothing about honesty or courage, only about how much edge there is in how you deal with people.

Cold-hearted

High. People who score high say they believe people should fend for themselves, do not fall for sob stories and are not interested in other people's problems. In daily life that shows as a firm line around their own affairs and an immunity to being guilt-tripped. It is the cold side of the circle, not a lack of loyalty to their own.

Low. People who score low are moved by other people's troubles and find it hard not to get involved. A low score sits on the warm side of the circle; its cost is being imposed on, and its benefit is being the person others turn to.

Aloof-introverted

High. People who score high say they are quiet around strangers, very private, do not talk a lot and have little to say. In daily life that shows as listening more than speaking and keeping their own counsel. This is the cold, submissive octant: the opposite of gregarious, not of kind.

Low. People who score low are talkative and open about themselves. A low score sits towards the warm, dominant side of the circle, where conversation comes easily. It describes how much you give away in company, not whether you enjoy it.

Unassured-submissive

High. People who score high say they speak softly, let others finish what they are saying, seldom toot their own horn and dislike being the centre of attention. In daily life that shows as patience in conversation and a reluctance to self-promote. This is the bottom of the circle: pure submissiveness, neither warm nor cold.

Low. People who score low interrupt, speak up and do not mind attention. A low score sits towards the dominant side of the circle. The scale measures how much you yield in conversation, not confidence or competence.

Unassuming-ingenuous

High. People who score high say they tolerate a lot from others, take things as they come, think of others first and seldom stretch the truth. In daily life that shows as an easy-going, trusting manner that others may take advantage of. This is the warm, submissive octant.

Low. People who score low put themselves first more readily and give less benefit of the doubt. A low score sits towards the cold, dominant side of the circle; it is about how much you yield to others, not about honesty.

Warm-agreeable

High. People who score high say they are interested in people, reassure others, inquire about others' wellbeing and get along well with others. In daily life that shows as being easy to be with and remembered for kindness. This is the warm side of the circle: pure warmth, neither dominant nor submissive.

Low. People who score low are less inclined to ask after people or to reassure them. A low score sits on the cold side of the circle; it describes warmth of manner, and many people with a cool manner are loyal and fair.

Gregarious-extraverted

High. People who score high say they feel comfortable around people, start conversations, talk to a lot of different people at parties and love large parties. In daily life that shows as being the social glue of a group. This is the warm, dominant octant: extraversion in its most sociable form.

Low. People who score low are less drawn to parties and conversation with strangers. A low score sits towards the cold, submissive side of the circle, next to aloof-introverted; it is a preference about company, not a judgement of social skill.

No reliability figures are published for this instrument.

No published norms exist for this instrument, so the results show raw scores against the possible range and no percentiles.

The IPIP key page gives no reliability figures for the IPIP-IPC; Markey and Markey (2009) report them in the source paper. The circumplex arranges the eight styles in a circle of two axes, dominance and warmth, so adjacent styles correlate and opposite styles do not.

Limits worth knowing: four items per style is short, and the eight styles overlap by design, so read your highest two or three together rather than any one alone. No norm sample is published, so there are no percentiles.

• The Big Five, with the facets The circle is made from extraversion and agreeableness.
• How do I handle emotions? Seven components of emotional style.
• All tests Grouped by what you want to know.