Measure E-personality with five factor model: empirical support

Personality Inventory has been applied for diverse purposes in different fields. But its utilization in Internet environment may have limits in scope and applicability due to the differences between real-life and the cyber world. This study proposes that personality in the cyber world, “E-personality,” may differ from real-life personality and requires suitable scale to measure. Currently, the five-factor model (FFM) is widely regarded as the most acceptable personality traits and well-developed personality scales NEO-PI-R, both for academic and clinical purposes. However, the plausibility of applying them in cyberspace still lacks systematic proof. This study developed an E-personality scale, modified from NEO-PI-R. It was verified with data collected from 1,109 informants recruited from university students in Taiwan. Results show the scale has sufficient reliability and validity, and a close replication of the American normative factor structure when targeted rotation was used. Overall, its reliability and factor structure were in line with results reported in other studies. The Five-factor structure is supported in online setting.