EASI-III Temperament Scale

Abstract

The EASI-III Temperament Scale, developed by Arnold H. Buss and Robert Plomin in 1975 and revised in 1984, is a self-report instrument designed to measure four fundamental dimensions of temperament: Emotionality, Activity, Sociability, and Impulsivity. The scale comprises 50 items distributed across these four major factors, which are further broken down into 10 distinct subscales. The EASI-III aims to capture early-developing, stable personality traits, making it a cornerstone instrument in behavioral genetics and developmental psychology research focused on the heritability and stability of dispositional characteristics.

Keywords

EASI-III, Temperament, Emotionality, Activity, Sociability, Impulsivity, Buss and Plomin, Personality, Psychometric Scale, Behavioral Genetics

Authors

Arnold H. Buss, Robert Plomin

Purpose

The primary purpose of the EASI-III Temperament Scale is to provide a standardized, quantitative measure of the four core dimensions of temperament identified by Buss and Plomin’s theoretical model. This model posits that temperament represents stable, genetically influenced aspects of personality that emerge early in life. The scale is utilized extensively in research to differentiate between environmentally influenced behaviors and inherited predispositions, particularly in studies concerning child development, adult personality structure, and the genetic underpinnings of behavior.

The instrument facilitates the systematic study of individual differences in behavioral style, focusing on traits that are observable and measurable from infancy onward. By capturing dimensions like the intensity of emotional reactions (Emotionality) and the preferred pace of movement (Activity), the EASI-III helps researchers map these foundational traits onto broader psychological outcomes and clinical presentations.

Construct

The EASI-III measures the core psychological construct of temperament, operationalized through four primary, relatively independent dimensions: Emotionality (E), Activity (A), Sociability (S), and Impulsivity (I). The scale is structured hierarchically, with 50 items loading onto 10 specific subscales, ensuring a detailed assessment of each primary dimension.

The scale dimensions are defined as follows: Emotionality refers to the tendency to become easily and intensely aroused, encompassing subscales for general emotionality, fear, and anger. Activity measures the preferred tempo and vigor of movement and behavior, subdivided into tempo and vigor. Sociability reflects the preference for being with others versus being alone. Finally, Impulsivity assesses the degree of behavioral control and responsiveness to immediate stimuli, broken down into inhibitory control, decision time, sensation seeking, and persistence.

Validity

While the source content does not provide specific coefficients for validity, the EASI-III has been widely employed in psychological research, suggesting robust construct and predictive validity across numerous studies. The scale’s theoretical foundation—that temperament traits are heritable and stable—has been supported by findings in behavioral genetics, lending strong support to its construct validity.

A psychometric investigation conducted by Braithwaite, Duncan-Jones, Bosly-Craft, & Goodchild (1984) confirmed the usefulness and structure of the EASI-III in the Australian general population, suggesting cross-cultural applicability and criterion validity against related measures of personality. The clear demarcation of the four factors and their underlying subscales contributes to the instrument’s factorial validity.

Reliability

The EASI-III demonstrates acceptable to good internal consistency, as determined by Alpha reliability coefficients calculated in psychometric studies. Braithwaite et al. (1984) reported the following coefficients for the four primary dimensions in their study of the Australian general population:

• Emotionality: .80
• Activity: .72
• Sociability: .69
• Impulsivity: .69

These figures indicate that the Emotionality and Activity scales possess sound internal consistency, while Sociability and Impulsivity are marginally below the generally preferred threshold of .70, yet still acceptable for research purposes, especially considering the relatively small item count (5 items for Sociability).

Factor Analysis

The EASI-III is structured around a clear four-factor model (Emotionality, Activity, Sociability, Impulsivity), which has been consistently supported through factor analytic studies. The 50 items are designed to load onto 10 specific subscales, with each subscale comprising five items.

The factor structure is distributed as follows: Emotionality loads onto three subscales: general emotionality, fear, and anger. Activity is composed of two subscales: tempo (rate of movement) and vigor (intensity of movement). Sociability is unique in that it consists of only five items, serving as both a subscale and a primary temperament dimension. Impulsivity is the most differentiated factor, divided into four subscales: inhibitory control, decision time, sensation seeking, and persistence. This detailed factor structure allows for nuanced analysis beyond the four overarching dimensions.

Instrument

Test Type: Self-report Questionnaire / Temperament Inventory

Format: 50 items, utilizing a 5-point Likert-style response scale.

Language Available: Primarily English (used in Australian and US populations in key studies).

Population Group: General population.

Age Group: Typically utilized with adults and adolescents, though the underlying temperament theory applies across the lifespan.

Population Details: The scale was validated for use in the general population, including specific psychometric testing in the Australian general population (Braithwaite et al., 1984).

Test Methodology: Respondents rate the degree to which each statement is characteristic of them using the following scale: A= Not very characteristic of me, B= A little characteristic of me, C= Somewhat characteristic of me, D= Frequently characteristic of me, E= Very characteristic of me. Scoring typically involves reverse-scoring items where necessary and summing scores for the 10 subscales and the four main dimensions.

The original PDF of this instrument can be accessed here: https://repositories.tdl.org/ttu-ir/bitstream/handle/2346/20640/31295007728289.pdf?sequence=1

Keywords

Emotionality, Activity level, Sociability, Impulsivity, Fear, Anger, Tempo, Vigor, Inhibitory control, Sensation seeking, Persistence, Psychometric properties

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not Provided

Affiliation Email addresses: Not Provided

Correspondence Address: Not Provided

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The EASI-III scale was initially conceptualized and published in 1975, with the refined structure published in 1984 by Buss and Plomin. Given its established status in academic research, the scale is frequently used without formal fee requirements in non-commercial academic settings, though researchers should verify current usage permissions with the authors’ estates or academic publishers (Wiley & Sons; Erlbaum).

Reference’s

• Buss, A.H., & Plomin, R. (1975). A Temperament Theory of Personality and Development. New York: Wiley & Sons.
• Buss, A.H. & Plomin, R. (1984). Temperament: early developing personality traits. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Braithwaite, V. Duncan-Jones, P., Bosly-Craft, R., & Goodchild, M. (1984). A psychometric investigation of the usefulness of the EASI-III temperament survey in the Australian general population. Australian Journal of Psychology. 36, 85-95.

Items of the EASI-III Temperament Scale

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

1. I frequently get upset.
2. I am almost always calm—nothing ever bothers me .
3. I get excited easily.
4. I am somewhat emotional.
5. I often feel like crying.
6. I am easily frightened.
7. I often feel insecure.
8. I tend to be nervous in new situations.
9. I have fewer fears than most people my age.
10. When I get scared, I panic.
11. When displeased, I let people know it right away.
12. It takes a lot to get me mad.
13. I am known as hot-blooded and quick-tempered.
14. I yell and scream more than most people my age.
15. There are many things that annoy me.
16. I usually seem to be in a hurry.
17. For relaxation I like to slow down and take things easy.
18. I like to be off and running as soon as I wake up in the morning.
19. I like to keep busy all the time.
20. My life is fast paced.
21. I like to wear myself out with exertion.
22. I often feel sluggish.
23. I often feel as if I’m bursting with energy.
24. When I do things, I do them vigorously.
25. My movements are forceful and emphatic.
26. I make friends very quickly.
27. I am very sociable.
28. I tend to be shy.
29. I usually prefer to do things alone.
30. I have many friends.
31. I have trouble controlling my impulses.
32. Usually I can’t stand waiting.
33. I can tolerate frustration better than most.
34. I have trouble resisting my cravings (for food, cigarettes, etc.).
35. I like to spend my money right away rather than save it for long-range goals.
36. I often say the first thing that comes into my head.
37. I often have trouble making up my mind.
38. I like to plan things way ahead of time.
39. I often act on the spur of the moment.
40. I like to make detailed plans before I do something.
41. I generally like to see things through to the end.
42. I’ll try anything once.
43. I sometimes do “crazy” things just to be different.
44. I’m happiest in familiar surroundings.
45. I get bored easily.
46. I generally like to see things through to the end.
47. I tend to hop from interest to interest quickly.
48. I tend to give up easily.
49. Unfinished tasks really bother me.
50. Once I get going on something I hate to stop.