Animi is an online psychology testing project that measures two things: how you reason and who you are. We have been building and publishing tests for more than six years, and Animi brings together what we learned: published scientific instruments, honest results with their margin of error, and clear explanations.
- years building tests
- 6+
- research-based tests
- 7
- languages
- 8
- people in the personality norms
- 590,000
Why it is called Animi
“Animi” comes from the Latin animus, a word that meant mind, spirit and feeling at once. It was the best way to name what we do: measure head and heart with the same care.
That is why the tests come in two families, each with its own colour: the head in blue, for reasoning and memory, and the heart in pink, for personality, emotions and interests.
Over six years building tests
We have spent more than six years designing, coding and publishing online psychology tests. Three lessons from that time guide everything at Animi:
- People want to understand their result, not just see a number. Every report explains what your score means and who you are compared with.
- An online test is only useful if it is honest. Many sites inflate scores so they get shared more. We show the margin of error even when the number is less flattering.
- Questions are not improvised. A good test rests on peer-reviewed instruments and on real data from thousands of people.
What we do
We publish seven free tests and a library of guides that explain the ideas behind each result.
| Test | What it measures | Time |
|---|---|---|
| IQ test | Reasoning: matrices, series, 3D figures and problems | 15 min |
| Gifted test | Probability that your IQ is above 120, 130 and 145 | 40 min |
| Memory test | Short-term and working memory | 10 min |
| Personality test | The Big Five traits | 5 min |
| Introvert or extrovert test | Extraversion, as a percentile | 2 min |
| Emotional intelligence test | Seven aspects of emotional life | 8 min |
| Career test | RIASEC interests and matching jobs | 6 min |
The guides explain, with sources, topics such as average IQ, the IQ scale and emotional intelligence.
How we build each test
- We choose a published instrument with documented validity and reliability and a licence that allows free use.
- We adapt it to each language, using published translations where they exist, and review every question in all eight languages of the site: English, Spanish, German, Portuguese, French, Italian, Polish and Japanese.
- We code the scoring exactly as the original publication describes: item response theory for ability tests, scale sums for questionnaires.
- We check it against real data, re-scoring thousands of people from open data sets and confirming the results match the published ones.
- We build the norms by age and, where there are at least 1,000 people, by country.
- We publish the test with its sources, a fact sheet and an explanation of the result.
Where our questions and norms come from
We only use open material, published by researchers and licensed for use. These are all our sources:
The science behind each test
| Test | Instrument | Authors | Comparison |
|---|---|---|---|
| IQ test | Open Matrices Item Bank with item response theory | Koch et al. (2022) | Adults by age, mean 100 |
| Memory test | Digit span and Corsi blocks | Monaco et al. (2013) | Age norms |
| Personality test (Big Five) | IPIP Big-Five factor markers | Goldberg (1992) | 590,000 people, by country |
| Emotional intelligence test | IPIP emotional intelligence scales | Barchard (2001) | Eugene-Springfield Community Sample |
| Career interest test | Public-domain RIASEC markers | Armstrong, Allison and Rounds (2008) | 131,000 people |
- Open Matrices Item Bank (Koch, Spinath, Greiff and Becker, 2022): figure matrices calibrated with item response theory, licensed under GPLv3.
- International Personality Item Pool (IPIP): Goldberg’s 50 Big-Five markers (1992) and Barchard’s emotional intelligence scales (2001), in the public domain.
- Public-domain RIASEC markers (Armstrong, Allison and Rounds, 2008) for the career test.
- Digit span and Corsi block norms by age from Monaco, Costa, Caltagirone and Carlesimo (2013).
- Open Psychometrics open data: over 590,000 people for personality and 131,000 for interests, used for country percentiles.
- Eugene-Springfield Community Sample, released under CC0, as the emotional intelligence norm.
- O*NET 30.2 database from the US Department of Labor, licensed CC BY 4.0, to link interests and occupations.
Technical details for each instrument are in our methodology.
How we check that they work
- Verified scoring: ability-test scoring has been checked against a reference implementation in Python, with differences below a thousandth of a point.
- Questionnaires cross-checked: when we re-score real responses from the open data sets, our scores match the published ones.
- End-to-end runs: before every release, automated sessions complete every test in all eight languages, on mobile and desktop.
- Reviewable norms: we say when a norm is provisional and update it as more data becomes available.
Our commitments
- Margin of error always visible. Every ability score comes with its 95% interval.
- No sign-up. We never ask for your name or email to show a result.
- Privacy. Your result is worked out in your browser; we do not send your answers.
- No subscriptions. The free part gives a full result; the detailed report is an optional one-off payment.
- Sources cited. Every test and guide lists its references.
What we do not do
- We do not make clinical diagnoses or replace a psychologist: our tests are for guidance.
- We do not give an IQ figure under 16, because our norms are for adults.
- We do not invent scores: if someone gets everything right, we show the test ceiling (“145+”).
- We do not use unsourced questions or norms we cannot explain.
For a giftedness diagnosis, a clinical assessment or personal career advice, please see a licensed professional.
How we write the guides
Every guide starts from scientific sources, cited at the end, and shows the date it was last reviewed. We avoid unsourced figures, explain the limits of each concept and say so when research is not conclusive.
Frequently asked questions
How long have you been making tests?
We have been building and publishing online psychology tests for more than six years. Animi brings that experience together with published scientific instruments.
Are Animi tests reliable?
They use instruments with published validity and reliability, and every result shows its margin of error. Taken online without supervision, they are for guidance.
How is Animi funded?
Through an optional, one-off full report. The free part of every test gives a full result.
What do you do with my data?
Your result is worked out in your browser and we never ask for your name or email. Details are in our privacy policy.
Do the tests replace a professional assessment?
No. They help you understand yourself and get oriented. A diagnosis needs an in-person assessment with a professional.
Sources
- Koch, M., Spinath, F. M., Greiff, S. & Becker, N. (2022). Development and validation of the Open Matrices Item Bank. Journal of Intelligence, 10(3), 41.
- Goldberg, L. R. (1992). The development of markers for the Big-Five factor structure. Psychological Assessment, 4(1), 26–42.
- Barchard, K. A. (2001). Emotional and social intelligence: Examining its place in the nomological network. Doctoral dissertation, University of British Columbia.
- Armstrong, P. I., Allison, W. & Rounds, J. (2008). Development and initial validation of brief public domain RIASEC marker scales. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 73(2), 287–299.
- Monaco, M., Costa, A., Caltagirone, C. & Carlesimo, G. A. (2013). Forward and backward span for verbal and visuo-spatial data. Neurological Sciences, 34(5), 749–754.