Free self-tests · 2 min · 10 questions
Assertiveness test: do you take the lead or hold back?
In personality research, assertiveness means the tendency to speak up, take charge and influence what happens, rather than waiting for others to lead. It is one facet of extraversion in the Big Five.
This 10-item scale comes from the International Personality Item Pool, a public-domain collection used by researchers worldwide. It measures a style, not a skill you have failed at, and holding back can be a sensible choice in some settings. It is not a diagnosis.
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Describe yourself as you generally are now, not as you wish to be in the future. Describe yourself as you honestly see yourself, in relation to other people you know of the same sex as you are, and roughly your same age. So that you can describe yourself in an honest manner, your responses will be kept in absolute confidence. Indicate for each statement whether it is 1. Very Inaccurate, 2. Moderately Inaccurate, 3. Neither Accurate Nor Inaccurate, 4. Moderately Accurate, or 5. Very Accurate as a description of you.
Your results
This is a self-report questionnaire, not a diagnosis. Only a qualified professional can assess you properly.
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The IPIP doesn't publish clinical cut-offs or population norms for this scale. The bands above simply divide the answer range, so treat them as a description of how you see yourself, not a grade.
This scale measures leadership-style assertiveness: taking charge and influencing others. That is a little different from the everyday sense of being able to say no, ask for what you need or hold a boundary. Some people score low here and are perfectly able to stand their ground when it matters, and some high scorers still find it very hard to say no to family.
Many women, especially those raised in families or cultures that value harmony and respect for elders, learn early that keeping quiet keeps the peace. That learning made sense, and it can still be costly. If holding back is linked to fear, low mood or a relationship where you feel unsafe, please talk to a GP or see the helplines page.
Counselling can be a place to find your own voice at your own pace. I am a trainee person-centred counsellor working under supervision. You can read about people-pleasing, boundaries with family and family duty and the self.
How the IPIP-NEO facet E3, 10 items score works
10 questions, scored as the average of your answers; 5 are reverse-scored. These are the score ranges this page uses to describe your result. Where the questionnaire's authors publish official cut-offs, the ranges follow them; the sources are listed below.
| Score | Range |
|---|---|
| Lower assertiveness | 1 to 2.49 |
| Moderate assertiveness | 2.5 to 3.5 |
| Higher assertiveness | 3.51 to 5 |
About this questionnaire
IPIP Assertiveness scale (IPIP-NEO facet E3, 10 items) by Lewis R. Goldberg and colleagues, International Personality Item Pool (1999).
Goldberg, L. R., Johnson, J. A., Eber, H. W., Hogan, R., Ashton, M. C., Cloninger, C. R., & Gough, H. G. (2006). The international personality item pool and the future of public-domain personality measures. Journal of Research in Personality, 40(1), 84–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2005.08.007
Used in line with the published terms of use.
Questions people ask
What does assertiveness mean in personality tests?
In the Big Five model, assertiveness is a facet of extraversion. It covers taking charge, speaking up and influencing others. A higher score means you more often lead and voice opinions; a lower score means you more often let others lead.
Is it bad to score low on assertiveness?
No. A low score describes a style, not a failing. Quieter people are often good listeners and careful thinkers. It only becomes a problem if holding back means your needs are regularly ignored or you feel unable to speak when it matters.
Where do these questions come from?
They are the ten items of the IPIP scale written to measure the same idea as the Assertiveness facet of the NEO personality inventory. The International Personality Item Pool is a public-domain resource developed by Lewis Goldberg and colleagues.
Are my answers private?
Yes. Everything is scored in your browser. Nothing is stored or sent, and refreshing the page clears your answers. There is no account, no email and no tracking of your answers. If you want to keep your result, a screenshot is the simplest way.