Predictive Index - PI Behavioral and Cognitive Assessment
Predictive Index (PI) is a ubiquitous and well-regarded publisher of both cognitive and personality tests. This page will go over what assessment takers can expect from their Predictive Index test.
There are two PI assessments:
- The PI Behavioral Assessment - a personality test.
- The Predictive Insex Learning Indicator (PI LI) - a cognitive ability test.
This page includes practice questions for both assessments to help you get started. JobTestPrep offers complete PrepPacks with all the necessary material to ace your test. Click to start now.
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Or read on to learn more and solve sample questions for each Predictive Index test.
What is the Predictive Index (PI) Behavioral and Cognitive Assessment?
The Predictive Index (PI) is a theory-based self-report tool designed for measuring work-related personality traits in assessment takers. It offers insights into a candidate's Behavioral and Cognitive abilities.
The PI behavioral assessment focuses on four key drives: Dominance, Extroversion, Patience, and Formality. Participants choose adjectives from two lists of 86 descriptors, reflecting their self-perception and how they believe others expect them to behave.
The PI Learning Indicator or Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment is a tool to help companies predict what cognitive skills they might bring to the workplace. It covers cognitive ability tests such as Verbal Ability, Numerical Reasoning, and Abstract Reasoning. It's a fast-paced 50-question test with a 12-minute time limit.
Navigate the Predictive Index Category:
key pages: PI Scores | PI Personality Types | Free PLI Cognitive Assessment Questions
Companies using PI: Maersk | Ikea | DBS Bank | GIC | Nestle
Below are several example questions. You can also take our full PI LI practice test.
PI Cognitive Test - Verbal Question (Word Analogies)
Vows is to wedding as:
A. Poem is to letters
B. Concert is to song
C. Text is to book
D. Words is to dialogue
Answer:
The correct answer is (D).
For questions like this one, it often helps to compose a sentence describing the exact nature of the relationship between the words in the prompt. Make sure to be as accurate as possible, though!
In this example, you might be tempted to use "X is a part of Y": "Vows are a part of a wedding". But this would also work for C, as text is part of the book. A more accurate sentence is "X are exchanged in a Y". This leaves only answer D.
PI Cognitive Test - Numerical Question (Number Series)
What is the next number in the following sequence?
46 | 50 | 42 | 58 | 26 | ?
A. 84
B. 90
C. 72
D. 60
Answer:
The correct answer is (B).
The key to solving this series lies within the intervals.
After understanding that the intervals represent a series of (-2) to the power of a number that increases by 1 in each step, we can deduce that the missing number equals:
26 + (-2)6 = 26 + 64 = 90.
Another way to look at this series would be by exploring the intervals; Each time, the previous interval multiplies by -2. The intervals begin at +4. Thus, the intervals are:
+4
4*(-2) = -8
(-8)*(-2) = +16
16*(-2) = -32
(-32)*(-2) = +64.
Hence, 26 +64 = 90.
PI Cognitive Test - Abstract Question (Odd One Out)
Which figure doesn't belong?
Answer:
The correct answer is (B).
Explanation: Each frame has a shape and 2-3 small circles. Frames 1, 3, 4 and 5 have at least one circle inside the shape. In frame 2, the pentagon is empty. Hence, the correct answer is 2.
Distracters:
- The space around the shape includes circles sometimes.
- Two of the shapes are three-dimensional.
- All shapes have a different number of sides.
Remember, the real test gives you an average of 15 seconds per question.
Now that you understand the basics of the Predictive Index Cognitive Assessment, take your preparation to the next level:
More Free Cognitive Assessments
The Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment - PI's Personality Index
The Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment is a personality test that requires selecting words that describe you out of two lists containing 86 adjectives each. Based on your chosen list of adjectives, you will be assigned one of 17 personality types. Your Predictive Index profile will provide valuable insights to your employer regarding your expected workplace behavior.
- In the first list, you are instructed to choose adjectives that you believe describe the way you are expected to behave by others.
- In the second list, you are asked to choose adjectives that you believe describe you.
As with other behavioral assessments, there is a key to choosing adjectives in order to maximize your potential and get the most out of the hiring process.
Each of the 86 adjectives in the Predictive Index test relates to one of four key factors. Together, these factors describe the expected behavioral tendencies and traits in relation to the desired position:
- 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.
See if you can recognize which adjectives indicate high patience on the Predictive Index Test:
A. Serious
B. Social
C. Rational
D. careful
Answer:
Being careful is a personality trait associated with high patience.
Seriousness is associated with high dominance, being social contributes to the extraversion factor, and rationality indicates high formality.
The correct answer is the D
Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment Questions and Answers
The PI Behavioral Personality test results are compared to an ideal profile for the position in question to determine your compatibility and expected job performance. As such, a good score on the test means your characteristics align with the position's requirements.
Below is a review of several positions and their appropriate adjectives based on the 4 factors: Managers and Team Leaders | Public Relations| Human Resources | Customer Success| Sales| Analyst Positions
Successful team leaders must be highly dominant, guiding and leading a team toward meeting company objectives. Excellent interpersonal skills are essential for building trust and effectively communicating with senior management and team members. The ability to foster a collaborative and efficient work environment is also essential.
What adjectives fit most for team leaders?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is A.
The most prominent factor regarding team leaders should be Dominance. Dominant team leaders can decisively guide projects, minimizing confusion and indecision. Their assertive approach can foster a clear hierarchical structure, which may streamline communication and task delegation.
Headed toward a managerial position? Learn all you need about Leadership Assessment Tests. You can also check out our Hogan Assessment Tests and HPI Practice Test.
In public relations, staying attuned to evolving public sentiment and media landscapes is key. The role is highly relational, requiring connecting with various stakeholders like media and influencers. A congenial attitude is often crucial, especially when delicately handling crises. It blends awareness, social savvy, and approachability to shape an organization's public image.
What adjectives fit most for public relations positions?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is C.
Extraversion in public relations helps build and maintain essential relationships with media, influencers, and stakeholders. An outgoing demeanor can also enhance a brand's image, making it more relatable and approachable to the public.
How to Pass the Predictive Index Assessments?
The Predictive Index Tests are a daunting task. The Cognitive Ability Test requires being familiar enough with the subject matter to solve questions in a matter of seconds. Practicing can significantly improve your ability to do so.
To ace the Predictive Index Behavioral assessment, you must tailor your answers to the qualifications of the desired job. You will have to answer and emphasize the personality traits required by your future position and fully understand how to categorize each quality. It's essential to familiarize yourself with the test format and practice your approach to the test.
On our complete Predictive Index assessment PrepPack, you can access comprehensive guides with a full list of all 86 adjectives divided into the four PI Behavioral factors. It is designed to help you learn how to classify adjectives correctly, and how to recognize the most to least important factors for your position with customized PI Behavioral Assessment practice tests.
Or, learn about the PI Bundle Course, which features preparation for the behavioral and cognitive PI Assessment
In a human resources role, adhering to established policies and procedures is often vital for ensuring a fair and organized work environment. The position demands a grounded perspective on what can be feasibly achieved regarding employee benefits and organizational goals. Decision-making often requires a systematic approach, prioritizing clear reasoning and information over emotion or speculation.
What adjectives fit most for human resources roles?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is B.
Formality in public relations establishes credibility and trust, reinforcing the brand's reputation as reliable and professional. A formal approach also ensures clear and consistent communication, minimizing misunderstandings that could jeopardize the organization's public image.
Customer Support Representative
In a customer support role, maintaining a calm demeanor is crucial, especially when navigating complex or stressful situations with customers. The job requires a reliable presence, as clients often seek prompt and uniform solutions to their problems. Offering dependable assistance, no matter the issue or the frequency of such issues, is fundamental to the position.
What adjectives fit most for customer support positions?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is D.
Patience in customer support fosters a positive experience, allowing clients to feel heard and understood. A patient approach also aids in problem-solving, leading to more effective and lasting solutions for customer issues.
In the role of a sales representative, staying keenly aware of market trends and customer needs is essential for identifying and capitalizing on business opportunities. The job naturally leans on one's ability to connect with people, as networking and relationship-building are vital for cultivating a loyal client base. A proactive approach is often required, especially when negotiating deals or trying to close a sale.
What adjectives fit most for sales-oriented positions?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is C.
Extraversion in a sales representative helps quickly establish rapport and engage clients, thereby increasing the likelihood of a successful sale. Dominance ensures the ability to guide negotiations and close deals effectively, giving the sales representative greater control over the sales process.
In an analyst role, adhering to established methodologies and best practices often provides the most accurate and reliable insights. The job demands a tenacious approach to problem-solving, as digging deep into data sets and trends is essential for meaningful analysis. Reasoning skills are central to the position, as conclusions must be drawn based on empirical evidence rather than intuition or speculation.
What adjectives fit most for data analysts?
A. Assertive, determined, bold.
B. Conventional, realistic, logical.
C. Alert, sympathetic, pleasant.
D. Serene, stable, consistent.
Answer:
The correct answer is B.
Formality in a data analyst ensures that the presentation and interpretation of findings adhere to professional standards, enhancing the credibility of the analysis. Dominance allows the analyst to assert the importance of data-driven decision-making within the organization, ensuring that empirical evidence precedes intuition or conjecture.
Find Your Personality Test
Explore other assessments of personality, integrity, leadership, and culture fit:
16Personalities | Adept-15 | California Psychological Inventory | Caliper | CliftonStrengths | Cubiks PAPI | DDI Leadership Test | Hogan HDS | Hogan HPI | Plum Assessment | Korn Ferry | Kolbe | McQuaig Word Survey | MMPI | Myers-Briggs | OPQ32 | Police Psychological Exam | Talogy | TTI Success Insight | WorkKeys Fit | WorkKeys Talent
How to Answer PI Behavioral Assessment Questions?
The analysis of different positions reveals that each position highlights different factors that should be described by adjectives related to that factor. In addition, most positions require demonstrating more than one factor when answering the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment, with varying importance levels for each factor.
If we look back at the adjectives list at the beginning of the page, we can divide it as such:
| Dominance | Formality | Extraversion | Patience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Serious | Rational | Sympathetic | Careful |
| Observant | Organized | Outgoing | Polite |
| Assertive | Conventional | Alert | Serene |
| Determined | Realistic | Social | Stable |
| Bold | Logical | Pleasant | Consistent |
How Many Adjectives Should You Select to Show Important Traits?
Each position profile is assembled by a combination of several factors, some more important and some less important. As we have seen above, a sales representative is expected to be an extrovert, but would also be expected to show high dominance. A data analyst should be formal but should also express dominance in his work. The rest of the positions do have a leading factor but should express the other factors to a certain degree as well.
To show more and less dominant factors in your personality, you need to choose several adjectives according to their level of importance for your position. Also, keep in mind the four key factors of behavior. The more adjectives you choose for one factor, the higher/lower that factor will appear in the results.
Try evaluating how important each factor is for a research scientist position:
A. Dominance > Formality > Extraversion > Patience
B. Extraversion > Dominance > Formality > Patience
C. Patience > Dominance > Extraversion > Formality
D. Formality > Patience > Dominance > Extraversion
Answer:
The correct answer is D.
Since accurate scientific research requires strict adherence to rules and regulations, a high degree of consistency, and methodical work, the formality and patience factors should be higher in the hierarchy. Extraversion and dominance, on the other hand, are not attributes that are essential to the work of most scientists.
How Many Adjectives Should You Choose Overall?
Other than the specific adjectives you choose to describe yourself, the number of words you choose also influences your Predictive Index Behavioral test results. We recommend choosing between 20-50 words on each list, and not more than 80 words on both lists. Choosing less or more than this range may indicate indecisiveness and difficulty analyzing and recognizing your strengths and weaknesses.
Should You Select the Same Adjectives on the Second List?
The first list asks you to select adjectives based on how you think people expect you to behave, which creates your “self-concept”, who you wish to be, while the second list asks about who you are now.
- Since a gap between the lists is natural and indicates room for self-development, choosing more words on the first list (“self-concept”) is recommended than on the second list.
- It is still essential to maintain the same ratio of adjectives you choose from each factor so that in both lists, the most essential qualities for the position are the most dominant ones.
- When choosing adjectives for the second time, try to select slightly different adjectives for each factor. This shows that you take the time to think about what you are being asked about.
Get the Best Results for Your PI Exam
Our team of psychologists has created a detailed preparation course designed to help you learn how to identify which adjectives are viewed positively for your position, which adjectives are more and less important, and how to ensure your answer shows that.
It includes:
- Guidance and PI behavioural assessment practice tests for correctly classifying adjectives into each of the 4 assessed personality factors.
- Guidance and practice in analyzing job descriptions and identifying which are the more and less important qualities for your position.
- Tips on how many adjectives to choose from each factor on the different lists and how to re-select adjectives on the second list.
Or, learn about the PI Bundle Course, which features preparation for the behavioral and cognitive PI Assessment
PI Score and Results
Your results on the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment will be scored based on the following factors:
- What factor does each adjective relate to, and the number of adjectives you choose from each one?
- Whether your results align with the qualities a potential candidate must possess.
- The overall number of words you select.
- The ratio between the number of words you select on each list.
- The number of words you select to represent each factor.
Learn more about your Predictive Index Assessment Score!
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FAQs
The Predictive Index is used for human resource management tasks such as employee selection, onboarding, leadership development, succession planning, performance coaching, team building, and organizational culture change.
It helps managers understand employees' strengths and characteristics, boosting engagement and productivity while reducing turnover. Additionally, it aids in identifying gaps in team dynamics and implementing improvement strategies. In the long run, it ensures alignment between team performance and the company’s strategic goals.
The assessment measures four key personality traits of a potential employee. Here’s a detailed breakdown:
Dominance: Reflects the extent of control an individual seeks in their environment. High scorers are independent and assertive, while low scorers are cooperative and accommodating.
Extroversion: Reflects social interaction levels. High scorers are outgoing, while low scorers are introspective and task-focused.
Patience: Reflects the desire for consistency. High scorers are patient, while low scorers are fast-paced and intense.
Formality: Reflects adherence to rules. High scorers are precise, while low scorers are more informal.
The PI also evaluates two secondary traits:
Decision-making: High scorers are logical and data-driven, while low scorers rely more on intuition and feelings.
Response level: High scorers have greater stamina and stress tolerance, while low scorers have less.
These traits help guide hiring managers in making the best-fit decisions for their team.
The PICA assesses a candidate's intelligence and cognitive ability, helping hiring managers predict their aptitude for learning new skills, understanding information, and adapting to complex or changing work environments.
Unlike the PIBA, the PICA is timed and takes longer to complete. It includes 50 questions across three types: numerical, abstract, and verbal. Scores are not labeled as "good" or "bad"; instead, hiring managers compare results to job requirements to gauge a candidate's suitability for the role.