Predictive Index Adjectives List: Which Words Map to Which Drive

The Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment is built entirely around one thing: a list of roughly 86 adjectives you check twice. First you check the words that describe how you are expected to act at work, then the words that describe who you really are. There is no answer key, because every adjective maps to one of four behavioral drives, and your pattern of selections places you in one of 17 Reference Profiles. This guide explains the adjectives list itself: how the two-list mechanic works, which kinds of words map to which drive, and how to choose words that produce an honest, role-aware profile instead of a random or contradictory one.

If you want the full picture of the format, all 17 Reference Profiles, and how hiring teams score the result, our PI Behavioral Assessment format and profiles guide covers that in depth. This page zooms in on the one thing candidates search for most: the adjectives, and what checking each type of word actually does to your score.

Quick takeaways

• The PI Behavioral Assessment is a two-list adjective checklist of about 86 words. It is untimed and takes roughly 6 minutes.
• You answer twice: words others expect of you at work, then words that describe the real you.
• Every adjective maps to one of four drives: Dominance, Extraversion, Patience, or Formality.
• There is no right number of words to pick, but a very short or very long list flattens your profile.
• Do not copy the same words into both lists. The gap between them is itself a signal the test reads.
• Pick honestly, then aim for a role your natural profile fits. Faking a word set usually backfires.

The two lists, and why there are two

The whole assessment is two prompts, shown back to back (source: predictiveindex.com):

1. List one (the self-concept list): check the adjectives that describe how you are expected to behave at work by the people around you.
2. List two (the self list): check the adjectives that describe who you really are.

You freely select as many or as few words as you want on each. That is it: no scenarios, no math, no timer pressure.

The reason there are two lists is that the gap between them carries meaning. If your "expected at work" list is full of assertive, high-energy words but your "real me" list is quiet and steady, Predictive Index reads that gap as a signal (it relates to the stress or "M Factor" reading). This is why copying identical words into both lists is not a clever shortcut: it erases a signal the test is designed to read, and produces a flatter, less useful profile.

The four drives every adjective maps to

Each of the 86 adjectives loads onto one of four behavioral drives. Understanding the four drives is how you understand what any given word "does" when you check it. Neither end of a drive is good or bad; each is right for some roles and wrong for others.

So checking "assertive" and "independent" raises your Dominance read. Checking "outgoing" and "sociable" raises Extraversion. Checking "steady" and "patient" raises Patience. Checking "precise" and "careful" raises Formality. No single word decides your profile; the overall pattern across all your selections does.

Which adjectives map to which drive

Here is the practical version: representative words for each drive, so you can see at a glance what a given selection signals. These are illustrative of the kinds of words on the list, grouped by the drive they load onto.

When you read your own selections back, group them this way. If most of your checked words fall in the Dominance and Extraversion columns, you are describing a high-drive, people-forward profile (think Persuader or Captain). If they cluster in Patience and Formality, you are describing a steady, careful profile (think Guardian or Specialist). That grouping is exactly how the software builds your Reference Profile.

How many adjectives should you pick

There is no magic count, and Predictive Index does not require a specific number. But the size of your selection matters:

• Too few words (a handful) leaves the profile thin and can read as evasive or hard to place.
• Too many words (checking half the list) flattens your profile, because if everything describes you, nothing distinguishes you.
• A moderate, honest selection produces the clearest read. Check the words that genuinely fit and leave the ones that do not, on both lists.

Think of it as describing a colleague accurately: you would not use three words, and you would not use forty. You would pick the dozen or so that actually capture how they operate. Do the same for yourself.

Choosing words for a specific role

You cannot cram a personality, but you can prepare by knowing which drives your target role rewards, then letting your genuine matching traits come through.

1. Read the job description first. Highlight the verbs. "Drive," "own," "influence" point to high Dominance and Extraversion. "Support," "maintain," "ensure accuracy" point to high Patience and Formality.
2. On the "real me" list, lead with your honest words that the role rewards. If the role wants steadiness and you are genuinely steady, make sure "patient," "steady," and "consistent" are checked. You are not faking; you are making sure a real strength shows up.
3. Keep the two lists coherent. They do not have to be identical, but a wild contradiction (all assertive on one, all gentle on the other) reads as noise unless it is genuinely true of you.
4. Do not engineer a profile you are not. If you check Persuader words for a role you would hate, one of two things happens: the lists contradict and read as inconsistent, or you get hired into a draining seat. Neither is a win.

If you want to see your natural profile before the real thing, practice on a Predictive Index mock so the two-list format and your own word tendencies are familiar. That is exactly what topical PI drills are for.

Do not confuse this with the PI Cognitive adjectives

Some candidates search "PI adjectives" expecting the timed test. The Behavioral Assessment is the untimed adjective checklist described here: personality, no right answers. The PI Cognitive Assessment is a different, hard test: per predictiveindex.com, 50 questions in 12 minutes of numerical, verbal, and abstract reasoning, with correct answers and a scored result. There are no adjectives on the Cognitive test.

If your invite mentions "12 minutes" or math and reasoning, that is the Cognitive one, and it needs real timed practice: our PI Cognitive practice drills it under a real clock.

FAQ

What are the adjectives on the PI Behavioral Assessment?

The assessment uses a list of roughly 86 adjectives describing work behavior, words like assertive, outgoing, patient, precise, cooperative, and reserved. You check the ones that apply, twice: once for how others expect you to behave at work, once for the real you. Every word maps to one of four drives (Dominance, Extraversion, Patience, Formality), and your pattern of selections builds your Reference Profile.

How many adjectives should you pick on the PI?

There is no required number. Pick the words that genuinely describe you and leave the rest. A very short selection leaves your profile thin; checking half the list flattens it, because if everything describes you, nothing distinguishes you. A moderate, honest selection on both lists produces the clearest read.

Which words map to which PI drive?

Assertive, independent, and competitive words push Dominance. Outgoing, sociable, and persuasive words push Extraversion. Steady, calm, and patient words push Patience. Precise, careful, and organized words push Formality. No single word decides your profile; the overall pattern across all your selections does.

What are the two lists on the PI Behavioral Assessment?

The first list asks which adjectives describe how you are expected to behave at work by others. The second asks which describe who you really are. You select freely on each. The gap between the two lists is itself a signal Predictive Index reads, which is why you should not copy identical words into both.

Should you pick the same words on both PI lists?

Not deliberately. Some overlap is natural, but forcing the two lists to be identical erases the signal the test is built to read and produces a flatter profile. Answer each list honestly for what it asks, and let them differ where they genuinely differ.

What is a good set of adjectives to pick?

There is no universally good set, because the assessment is personality, not performance. A good selection is an honest one aimed at a role your natural profile fits. Read the job description, note whether it rewards high Dominance and Extraversion (leadership, sales) or high Patience and Formality (support, analysis), and make sure your genuine matching words are checked.

Related on PrepClubs

• Predictive Index practice hub covers both the Behavioral and Cognitive assessments.
• PI Behavioral Assessment format and profiles for the full 17-profile breakdown.
• PI Cognitive practice if your invite is the timed 50-question reasoning test.

Ready to walk in knowing your profile?

The adjective checklist has no answer key, but the Cognitive test it usually comes paired with absolutely does, and that is where prep pays off. PrepClubs pairs full-length Predictive Index mock exams with topical drills for $39, so you can see your Behavioral profile ahead of time and drill the Cognitive test under a real 12-minute timer. If you do not pass your real test, we extend your access at no extra cost. No fine print, no cash-back hedge, just more time with the material if you need it. Get Predictive Index access.

Junaid Khalid runs PrepClubs, a practice-test platform with 1,600+ students who have prepped for cognitive and aptitude tests.