TCI Temperament & Character Test - Free Online Assessment
Temperament and character shape how we react, decide and relate to others. This 21-item educational test, based on Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory, offers a gentle snapshot of seven dimensions.
About the TCI
Cloninger's Temperament and Character Inventory models personality as four temperament dimensions — novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence — plus three character dimensions: self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence. This page is an educational short adaptation.
The split matters: temperaments are the largely inborn emotional 'engine', while character describes what you build on top of it through experience. The TCI is therefore one of the few instruments that separates what you start with from what you have made of it.
How to read your result
Each of the seven dimensions is scored separately and shown as a profile. Temperament scores describe your typical patterns of approach, inhibition, attachment and determination; character scores describe how autonomous, empathic and open to meaning you have become.
High harm avoidance or low self-directedness are not defects — they are positions on dimensions you can work with. In Cloninger's model the character dimensions are the most changeable part of personality, which is what makes the profile actionable.
Show Details
About the TCI
The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) was developed by C. Robert Cloninger and colleagues. It separates four temperament dimensions — novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence and persistence — from three character dimensions — self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence. This page uses a brief educational 21-item adaptation.
Interpreting Results
Each of the seven dimensions is scored from 0 to 3, based on how many of its three items you answered 'Yes'. Temperament reflects mostly inherited emotional tendencies; character reflects habits and self-concepts shaped by experience. Higher scores simply mean the trait is more present for you.
Disclaimer
This test is an educational adaptation for self-reflection only. It is not a diagnostic tool and is not based on the full validated TCI. Please consult a qualified professional for any clinical concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have another question? Let us know.
What is the TCI?
The Temperament and Character Inventory is Robert Cloninger's psychobiological model of personality, measuring four temperament and three character dimensions. It is widely used in both research and counseling settings.
What are the seven dimensions?
Temperament: novelty seeking, harm avoidance, reward dependence, persistence. Character: self-directedness, cooperativeness, self-transcendence.
How is this version different from the full TCI?
The full TCI-R has about 240 items. This page uses a much shorter educational adaptation that covers the seven core dimensions, trading subscale detail for speed.
How long does it take?
Roughly five to seven minutes for the adapted version, versus an hour for the full inventory.
What is the difference between temperament and character?
Temperament is the automatic emotional style you are born with — how strongly you approach novelty, risk, rewards and obstacles. Character is what you build with experience: how responsible, cooperative and reflective you become. The first is stable, the second can keep developing.
Can character actually change?
Research suggests character dimensions mature over the lifespan and respond to deliberate effort, which is why self-directedness and cooperativeness are treated as modifiable targets in therapy and development.
Is the TCI validated?
Yes — it has been validated in dozens of countries and languages. This short adaptation preserves the dimensional logic but is intended for education, not clinical assessment.
Is the result a diagnosis?
No. The TCI describes personality structure, not disorders. If your profile raises questions you care about, discuss them with a qualified professional rather than self-interpreting.
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