Reverse-keyed item

A reverse-keyed item is a questionnaire item where agreement indicates a low (not high) score on the trait being measured. Psychometric tests mix reverse- and forward-keyed items to detect careless or acquiescent responding.

Without reverse-keyed items, a test cannot distinguish "I am very extraverted" from "I just tick agree on everything." Every responsible Big Five instrument includes at least one reverse-keyed item per trait.