This page explains exactly how a result is produced, so you can judge it for yourself.
The question bank
Each of the twelve axes has 24 statements, arranged in eight levels of three. Statements in levels 1–4 lean toward the axis's first-named end (for example Equality), and statements in levels 5–8 toward the second (Markets). The statements come from the open-source 12Axes quiz.
- Full test: all 288 statements, in random order.
- Quick test: five statements per axis, 60 in total. One statement is drawn at random from each of five levels, and for half of the axes, chosen at random, the levels are mirrored so the quick test does not always lean the same way.
From answers to scores
Each answer has a value: strongly agree 2, agree 1, somewhat agree 0.5, neutral 0, and the three disagree answers the same values with a minus sign. A statement that leans toward the second end counts in the opposite direction.
For each axis, your score toward the first end is:
score = 50% + 50% × (sum of your answer values) ÷ (2 × number of statements)
The second end is 100% minus that. Answering "strongly" in the same direction on every statement gives 100%; perfectly balanced answers give 50%.
Example. On the economy axis you agree with three statements that lean toward equality (+1 each) and somewhat disagree with two that lean toward markets (+0.5 each, because disagreeing with a markets statement moves you toward equality). The sum is 4 out of a possible 10, so you score 70% equality and 30% markets.
Labels and your type
- Seven labels per axis, by score toward the first end: above 90%, 76–90%, 61–75%, 40–60%, 25–39%, 10–24% and below 10%.
- Defining views are the axes where you are at least eight points from the middle (58% or more toward one end). The three strongest are summarised in your result sentence; 80% or more reads as a strong view, 63% or more as a clear one.
- Your type joins your two strongest defining views, for example Internationalist Egalitarian. With no axis eight points from the middle, you are shown as a centrist.
Closest ideology
The 38 ideologies come from the 12Axes data, where each has a position on four axes: equality vs markets, security vs freedom, internationalist vs nationalist, and progressive vs traditional. We take the root-mean-square difference between your four scores and an ideology's, and show 100% minus that difference as the match. The original quiz compared the ideologies' diplomatic position with your trade score; we compare it with your internationalist vs nationalist score, which is what that position describes.
Historical figures
Each of the 42 historical figures has a position on every axis where they took a clear stand, estimated by us from their writing and record; axes with no clear stand are left blank. Your scores are compared on all twelve axes, a blank axis counts as a 28-point gap, and figures need positions on at least six axes. The match is again 100% minus the root-mean-square difference.
Limitations
- The test is a tool for reflection, not a validated psychometric instrument.
- The quick test asks five statements per axis, so one answer can move a score by ten points or more. The full test is steadier.
- The statements were written in English and translated; wording and context shape how people answer.
- Ideology positions are coarse (four axes), and figure positions are editorial estimates.
Sources
The statements and ideology positions come from 12Axes (MIT licence), which builds on 9axes and 8values. See Credits for details. Questions or corrections: support@12axes.site.