FAQs

The BEVI website that hosts the assessment itself is www.takethebevi.com. If your account has been set up, you should be able to visit that site, log in, and access your personalized BEVI dashboard.

If you have been directed to take the BEVI as part of an assessment project, course, or program, please contact the BEVI Authorized Administrator at your institution or organization. You should receive instructions on how to take the BEVI from that person. If you are just interested in the BEVI and want to try it out, fill out the Contact Us form and we will get in touch.

The BEVI asks these questions because we are trying to understand not only what you believe and value, but why.  Note that the name of this measure is the “Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory” not the “Beliefs and Values Inventory.”  If we eliminated either the life history portion of the BEVI or the demographic / background section of the BEVI, we would only be able to describe what you believe and value.  That is important information for sure.  But where the BEVI becomes really interesting – and meaningful – is when it is able to offer explanations and interpretations regarding 1) why you believe and value what you do, 2) how those beliefs and values may impact your work, relationships, and life, and 3) what might be useful for you to consider in terms of getting your needs met and pursuing your goals. 

Currently, the BEVI has been validated in English, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and German. Versions in other languages are in development.

No. There are four response possibilities to each BEVI item: strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. So no matter how a specific item is worded – and remember, these are actual statements that were made by a very diverse group of people from many different countries and cultures – people can agree or disagree as they wish. It can be perplexing to encounter items that one believes are, or should be, obvious to, or agreed upon, by everyone (i.e., “Surely everyone must know that belief X is true and belief Y is false”). In reality, humans can believe anything about anything. As such, the goal of the BEVI is to illuminate the unique organizational structure of each person’s belief/value system so that they can make better sense of it for themselves and use such information to identify and pursue goals that matter most to
them.

If you are an individual who took the BEVI as part of a group, you should always be able to access your individual narrative report from your BEVI dashboard at www.takethebevi.com. You may have also received a narrative individual report by email shortly after completing the survey. Check your junk mail box. Sometimes these reports are flagged as spam by your email service. If you did not receive a report by email, contact the BEVI Authorized Administrator who asked you to take the BEVI and sent you log in information. That person should be able to resend your results. The most common reason for reports not arriving is lack of a valid email address in the system (that is, you may have misspelled your email address when you took the BEVI or entered a user name that was not an email at all).

Yes. Depending on your arrangement with the BEVI, and what type of engagement you want, the BEVI’s AI / VR systems are accessible to anyone who takes the BEVI. That means you can have one or more confidential conversations with “Being Bevi” – the AI entity that lives within the “Beviverse,” the BEVI’s virtual world – based on your unique BEVI profile.

Individuals, couples, and groups ask Being Bevi all manner of questions about themselves,
others, and the larger world, from the personal to the professional, including, but by no means
limited to:

• Why do I do what I do?
• How can I improve my relationships?
• Why do others perceive me as they do?
• How can I find the most compelling educational or career path?
• How can I pursue my potential and become better at what I do?
• Could I learn to resolve conflicts or solve problems more effectively?
• How might I enhance my well-being and mental health?
• Can I find greater meaning and purpose in my life?
• How does all of this relate to the challenges we face in the larger world?

To learn more about this fascinating process and experience, please see “Into the Beviverse.”

Your best first point of contact may be the administrator who asked you to take the BEVI. A member of our team is also happy to get in touch with you. Please fill out a request for information at Contact Us.

No. If you can tell what a measure is measuring simply by taking it – or by reviewing the items on it – it may not be a very good measure, particularly if what you are doing (e.g., in research, education, practice, etc.) is subject to response set confounds like social desirability (e.g., answering survey questions in a way that is perceived to be positive by others). Such measures (i.e., those that can be understood by looking at them or taking them) are often” face valid.”

By design, and based upon extensive research and development, the BEVI is NOT face valid (i.e., it typically cannot be understood just by reviewing the items on it or by taking it). This issue is one of the most complex and sometimes vexing about assessment in general, including but not limited to the BEVI. That is because it defies what seems to be a “common sense” notion that one should be able to understand what a measure is measuring by looking at it or taking it. The opposite is true, and here is why.

If a test taker can tell what a measure is measuring by taking it or reviewing items on it, the measure may have serious problems with validity. That is because the test may not be measuring the phenomenon it purports to measure, but rather the ability and/or desire of the individual test taker to give responses they believe are better or more desirable from the standpoint of the test. This is a serious “confound” – an unintended and unaccounted source of measurement error – that too often is not understood in assessment research and practice, even by people who are otherwise trained in statistics or research design, as we have often experienced in the real world by reviewers of the BEVI (i.e., people who are in positions to review measures for various projects – or even in charge of research that uses assessment – may not understand these fundamental aspects of psychometric theory, research, and practice).

There may be good reasons for a measure to be comprised of “face valid” items, especially when there is no evidence that test-takers might prefer a particular result from a measure. It depends upon the purpose of the test as well as the underlying motivations of the test-taker. Consider these issues in the context of mental health assessment. For all sorts of reasons, someone may want to receive – or not receive – a particular diagnosis (e.g., to gain access to a desired medication; to be perceived in a particular way; to receive benefits; to eliminate obstacles; to gain privileges, access, or status). If such an individual can easily tell what the measure is asking (e.g., an instrument or interview) – because the items or questions are face valid – the “measure” may not be measuring whether someone meets the criteria for a putative diagnosis, but rather the ability of the individual to present him or herself in a way that is more likely to receive, or not receive, the diagnosis.

To take another real-world example, consider what happens when someone’s worth or performance is being evaluated vis-à-vis 1) how open or sensitive they are perceived to be regarding differences among people (e.g., ethnicity, gender) or 2) their degree of fidelity to particular values or ways of thinking, feeling, or being (e.g., religious, political). If the
individual knows or suspects that particular expectations are operative in this regard, they may be more likely to speak or behave in ways that comport with what they think the “better” or “correct” answers are rather than what they actually think and feel. The issue here is not that we may have very good reasons for wanting people to believe, feel, or act in a particular manner. We may. Rather, the issue is whether we can 1) directly measure such thoughts, feelings, and actions accurately or 2) what we are measuring is the relative capacity and inclination of people to tell or show us what they think we want to hear or see rather than what they believe and value.

Social desirability is not bad. It is integral to being human. However, and in summary, if an approach to measurement (e.g., an instrument, interview) is subject to the response set confounds like social desirability – because its items or questions are face valid – then the measure may not be measuring what it says it measures, but rather the very human desire to be experienced by others in ways that are perceived to be good. Within the field and profession of assessment (e.g., test development, psychometrics, research design, data analysis, test interpretation), such matters are not abstractions, but rather at the very core of whether instruments are valid and results are useful (see research on malingering, for example; see also Hanson et al., 2023).

As noted above, based upon considerable research and development, the BEVI is not valid, an important characteristic of this measure. This core feature of the BEVI may be challenging to understand, which is why training in the BEVI is required for all administrators.

Yes. BEVI items emerged from statements made by a very diverse group of people from many different countries and cultures over a long period regarding all manner of experiences and perceptions about, self, others, and the larger world (i.e., items were identified by actual belief statements from real people, rather than an idea or theory regarding what beliefs and values are or should be). Through an array of statistical analyses (e.g., EFA, CFA, SEM, IRT) using different samples of BEVI data, only the most powerful items (i.e., predictive/explanatory) were retained on the BEVI. Some of these items are deceptively simple whereas others reflect interactions among multiple dimensions that are embedded in a single item. Because BEVI items are comprised of real statements made by real people having real experiences in the world, BEVI items typically have a multifaceted character, including attributional, cultural, developmental, emotional, nonconscious, and subjective properties.

Over the years, following 1) best practices and guiding principles of test development, 2) from a normative sample of over 10,000 individuals representing over 100 countries around the world, and 3) based upon hundreds of analyses and thousands of reports, we know that the BEVI can understand, distinguish between, and predict all manner of phenomena regarding individuals and groups validly and reliably from very different backgrounds and contexts. Relevant findings and applications in this regard have also been published and presented in hundreds of refereed forums and other professional settings. No measure is perfect, including the BEVI, and we are committed to ongoing research, development, and refinement of this measure over time. But, abundant data and applications – all over the world – demonstrate that the BEVI is able to illuminate a whole lot about who we are, what makes us similar and different, and why that matters in our work, relationships, and lives.

Because the BEVI is asking about what you believe – while also taking into consideration your background and life history – the experience of taking the BEVI is an experience of encountering yourself. As a result, when you take the BEVI, the identity commitments we all have are activated in an optimally calibrated manner, based upon multiple review processes over the years. Although this process may seem rational (e.g., “I am engaging in an objective analysis”), in reality, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to eliminate one’s subjective and emotional reactions to various BEVI items. That is because such reactions are co-determined to no small degree by one’s own background and life history. Which items evoke what reactions – and how and why we are different or similar in that regard – is precisely the point of the measure.

The BEVI can evaluate and facilitate change because of its origins and design. However, when taking the BEVI, these important features – from a psychometric standpoint – also may activate an experience of one’s underlying identity and self-structure, which may not otherwise be accessible on a logical or conscious basis. That is why the idea of the BEVI, much less the BEVI itself, may evoke “resistance,” by evoking self-structures and identity commitments, which may be projected onto particular BEVI items or the very concept of the BEVI itself.

Of course, there are many good and legitimate questions to ask about the BEVI or any measure, and we always welcome these sorts of conversations. But, it’s important to understand that one’s reaction to the BEVI may have nothing at all to do with the BEVI per se, but rather the concept of the BEVI and/or one’s beliefs about beliefs (e.g., how beliefs can, or whether they should, be measured in the first place).

Yes. There are two ways you can take the BEVI. First, if you are interested in taking the BEVI yourself (e.g., for learning, growth, or development purposes; in the context of a situation you want to understand better in your work, relationships,
or life; out of curiosity), a qualified member of the BEVI Team will want to have a brief and confidential meeting with you in order to understand your interests and goals, to answer questions about the BEVI and its reporting / AI / VR systems. In addition to follow-up debriefing after you have completed the BEVI, we also provide BEVI-based coaching, consulting, and counseling with certified coaches, experienced consultants, and licensed clinicians.

Second, if you are interested in the possibility of using the BEVI for a particular purpose / in a given setting, that’s great. In fact, we encourage potential users to review and/or take the BEVI, but only after they receive training in the basics of test development and assessment research and practice as well as the underlying theory of the BEVI to understand why this measure is designed as it is. Without such understanding (e.g., of depth-based and mixed methods assessment), the BEVI may be misunderstood or misused. However, even without training, potential users of the BEVI can still gain a good understanding of this measure by reviewing its design and structure, including BEVI scales and sample items. Other sources of information about the BEVI include numerous publications as well as publicly available resources and
initiatives (e.g., see the many links in this BEVI Manual).

The BEVI asks these questions because we are trying to understand not only what you believe and value, but why. Through a wide array of statistical procedures (e.g., analysis of variance, regression, structural equation modeling), we have demonstrated that there often is a strong relationship between one’s life history, past experiences, and various scales on the BEVI. That is why we include both a background information/demographics section on the BEVI as well as a scale that explicitly assesses life history and experiences. That is also why the BEVI is called the “Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory” not the “Beliefs and Values Inventory.” If we eliminated either the life history portion of the BEVI or the demographic / background section of the BEVI, we would only be able to describe what you believe and value. That is important information for sure. But where the BEVI becomes interesting – and meaningful – is when it can offer explanations and interpretations regarding 1) why you believe and value what you do, 2) how those beliefs and values may impact your work, relationships, and life, and 3) what might be useful for you to consider in terms of getting your needs met and pursuing your goals. From the standpoint of research and practice, it also should be noted that it is possible to add or remove specific demographic / background items if needed for a particular purpose, project, or population

Think about the conversations we have with family, friends, and colleagues where we find ourselves listening to, or expressing, various points of view. Topics could be weighty – from religion and politics to culture and gender – or mundane, regarding basic matters of the day. During these dialogues, we might offer our thoughts on why we, or others, do what we do; why events occur or circumstances are as they are; or how things should or should not be. For all sorts of reasons, we may or may not say what we “really think” out loud. Likewise, we might feel very strongly about various points and perspectives, or have no opinion at all.

Oftentimes, these verbal exchanges manifest as “belief/value” statements about the nature of the world and the people in it, including ourselves. These “versions of reality” are exactly what the BEVI measures. Spoken by a wide range of individuals from all over the world, these belief/value statements became questions – what we call “BEVI items” – which were then subjected to multiple statistical analyses and review processes over many years to determine which items were most predictive and useful. When we take the BEVI, we are assembling these items – like pieces of a puzzle – into a unique portrait of ourselves in terms of what we believe is most important, real, or true. We know from considerable evidence that the answers we provide to BEVI items illuminate a great deal about who we say we are, and why we do what we do.

Since all BEVI items are statistically predictive, representing interrelated parts of a larger whole, upon what basis would we eliminate one or more of them? Remember that takers of the BEVI can strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree with every BEVI item. An item that might feel “controversial” to one person is accepted as “a matter of fact” by another. That is the point of the measure, to 1) understand why we believe what we believe, 2) why that matters in our work, relationships, and lives, and 3) how we can use such information to help us better pursue our potential, interests, and goals.

In the final analysis, remember that the BEVI asks the questions it does because these are real statements made by real people from very diverse countries and cultures. From a statistical standpoint, and in the real world, it turns out that these “belief/value statements” – our “versions of reality” – matter. A lot. So, take the BEVI or don’t take the BEVI. Use the BEVI or don’t use the BEVI. It’s completely up to you. But that’s why the BEVI asks the questions it does. If you’re interested in the meaning of our answers – and the implications and applications that follow – then the BEVI may be meaningful for you.

Depending upon your interests and goals, a good question often is not “What is the right measure?,” but rather, “What do I want to measure?” If you are interested in 1) “going deep” into the underlying factors that make us who we are, 2) how such factors impact interventions or experiences that are designed to create change, and/or 3) why this awareness can help make things better in our work, relationships, and lives, the BEVI may be a good instrument for you. Because it accounts for these complex and interacting variables in an ecologically valid (i.e., real-world) manner – through sophisticated analysis, reporting, and AI / VR systems – the BEVI can evaluate and facilitate depth-based change across a highly diverse array of settings and populations. Moreover, please know that we can juxtapose data from other assessment measures as well. In both research and practice, we welcome those sorts of collaborations.

Yes. The BEVI is a comprehensive and mixed methods measure that is comprised of 17 scales, multiple indexes, and a wide array of analysis and engagement components, including reporting and AI / VR systems. All of these aspects of the BEVI can be used to evaluate and facilitate numerous processes and outcomes that are directly related to our work, relationships, and lives. Finally, please feel free to contact us directly by clicking here, and a BEVI Team member will be in touch.

Currently, the BEVI has been validated in English, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, and German. Versions in other languages are in development.

Yes.  Basically, there are two ways you can take the BEVI.   

First, if you are interested in taking the BEVI yourself (e.g., for learning, growth, or development purposes; in the context of a situation you want to understand better in your work, relationships, or life; out of curiosity), a qualified member of the BEVI Team will want to have a brief and confidential meeting with you in order to understand your interests and goals, to answer questions about the BEVI and its reporting / AI / VR systems.  In addition to follow-up consultation after you have completed the BEVI, we also provide BEVI-based coaching and counseling with certified coaches and licensed clinicians.  

Second, if you are interested in the possibility of using the BEVI for a particular purpose / in a given setting, that’s great.  In fact, we encourage potential users to review and/or take the BEVI, but only after they receive training in the basics of test development and assessment research and practice as well as the underlying theory of the BEVI in order to understand why this measures is designed as it is.  Without such understanding (e.g., of depth-based and mixed methods assessment), the BEVI may be misunderstood or misused.  However, even without training, potential users of the BEVI can still gain a good understanding of this measure by reviewing its design and structure, including BEVI scales and sample items.  Other sources of information about the BEVI include numerous publications as well as publicly available resources and initiatives (e.g., see the many links in this BEVI Overview document).   

If you are interested in taking the BEVI, or participating in BEVI-based coaching or counseling, please contact us directly by clicking here. 

Depending upon your interests and goals, a good question often is not “What is the right measure?,” but rather, “What do I want to measure?”  If you are interested in 1) “going deep” into the underlying factors that make us who we are, 2) how such factors impact interventions or experiences that are designed to create change, and/or 3) why this awareness can help make things better in our work, relationships, and lives, the BEVI may be a good instrument for you.  Because it accounts for these complex and interacting variables in an ecologically valid (i.e., real world) manner – through sophisticated analysis, reporting, and AI / VR systems – the BEVI is able to evaluate and facilitate depth-based change across a highly diverse array of settings and populations.   

No.  If you can tell what a measure is measuring simply by taking it – or by reviewing the items on it – it may not be a very good measure, particularly if what you are doing (e.g., in research, education, practice, etc.) is subject to response set confounds like social desirability (e.g., answering survey questions in a way that is perceived to be positive by others).  Such measures (i.e., those that can be understood by looking at them or taking them) are often” face valid.”   

By design, and based upon extensive research and development, the BEVI is NOT face valid (i.e., it typically cannot be understood just by reviewing the items on it or by taking it).  This issue is one of the most complex and sometimes vexing about assessment in general, including but not limited to the BEVI.  That is because it defies what seems to be a “common sense” notion that one should be able to understand what a measure is measuring by looking at it or taking it.  In fact, the opposite is true, and here is why.   

Basically, if a test taker can tell what a measure is measuring by taking it or reviewing items on it, the measure may have serious problems with validity.  That is because the test may not be measuring the phenomenon it purports to measure, but rather the ability and/or desire of the individual test taker to give responses they believe are better or more desirable from the standpoint of the test.  This is a serious “confound“ – an unintended and unaccounted source of measurement error – that too often is not understood in assessment research and practice, even by people who are otherwise trained in statistics or research design, as we have often experienced in the real world by reviewers of the BEVI  (i.e., people who are in positions to review measures for various projects – or even in charge of research that uses assessment – may not understand these fundamental aspects of psychometric theory, research, and practice).   

There may be good reasons for a measure to be comprised of “face valid” items, especially when there is no evidence that test-takers might prefer a particular result from a measure.  It really depends upon the purpose of the test as well as the underlying motivations of the test-taker.  Consider these issues in the context of mental health assessment.  For all sorts of reasons, someone may want to receive – or not receive – a particular diagnosis (e.g., to gain access to a desired medication; to be perceived in a particular way; to receive benefits; to eliminate obstacles; to gain privileges, access, or status).  If such an individual can easily tell what the measure is asking (e.g., an instrument or interview) – because the items or questions are face valid – the “measure” may not be measuring whether someone actually meets criteria for a putative diagnosis, but rather the ability of the individual to present him or herself in a way that is more likely to receive, or not receive, the diagnosis.   

To take another real world example, consider what happens when someone’s worth or performance is being evaluated vis-à-vis 1) how open or sensitive they are perceived to be regarding differences among people (e.g., ethnicity, gender) or 2) their degree of fidelity to particular values or ways of thinking, feeling, or being (e.g., religious, political).  If the individual knows or suspects that particular expectations are operative in this regard, they may be more likely to speak or behave in ways that comport with what they think the “better” or “correct” answers are rather than what they actually think and feel. The issue here is not that we may have very good reasons for wanting people to believe, feel, or act in a particular manner.  We may.  Rather, the issue is whether we can 1) directly measure such thoughts, feelings, and actions accurately or if 2) what we are measuring is the relative capacity and inclination of people to tell or show us what they think we want to hear or see rather than what they actually believe and value.    

Social desirability is not bad.  It is integral to being human.   However, and in summary, if an approach to measurement (e.g., an instrument, interview) is subject to response set confounds like social desirability – because its items or questions are face valid – then the measure may not be measuring what it says it measures, but rather the very human desire to be experienced by others in ways that are perceived to be good.  Within the field and profession of assessment (e.g., test development, psychometrics, research design, data analysis, test interpretation), such matters are not abstractions, but rather at the very core of whether instruments are valid and results are useful (see research on malingering, for example; see also Hanson et al., 2023).   

As noted above, based upon considerable research and development, the BEVI is not face valid, an important characteristic of this measure.  This core feature of the BEVI may be challenging to understand, which is why training in the BEVI is required for all administrators.      

Yes.  BEVI items emerged from statements made by a very diverse group of people from many different countries and cultures over a long period of time regarding all manner of experiences and perceptions about, self, others, and the larger world (i.e., items were identified by actual belief statements from real people, rather than an idea or theory regarding what beliefs and values are or should be).  Through an array of statistical analyses (e.g., EFA, CFA, SEM, IRT) using different samples of BEVI data, only the most powerful items (i.e., predictive / explanatory) were retained on the BEVI.  Some of these items are deceptively simple whereas others reflect interactions among multiple dimensions that are embedded in a single item.  Because BEVI items are comprised of real statements made by real people having real experiences in the world, BEVI items typically have a multifaceted character, including attributional, emotional, developmental, cultural, subjective, and nonconscious properties.    

Over the years, following 1) best practices and guiding principles of test development, 2) from a normative sample of over 10,000 individuals representing over 100 countries around the world, and 3) based upon hundreds of analyses and thousands of reports, we know that the BEVI is able to understand, distinguish between, and predict all manner of phenomena regarding individuals and groups in a valid and reliable manner from very different backgrounds and contexts.  Relevant findings and applications in this regard have also been published and presented in hundreds of refereed forums and other professional settings.  No measure is perfect, including the BEVI, and we are committed to ongoing research, development, and refinement of this measure over time.  But, abundant data and applications – all over the world – demonstrate that the BEVI is in fact able to illuminate a whole lot about who we are, what makes us similar and different, and why that matters in our work, relationships, and lives. 

The BEVI asks these questions because we are trying to understand not only what users believe and value, but why.  Note that the name of this measure is the “Beliefs, Events, and Values Inventory” not the “Beliefs and Values Inventory.”  If we eliminated either the life history portion of the BEVI or the demographic / background section of the BEVI, we would only be able to describe what you believe and value.  That is important information for sure.  But where the BEVI becomes really interesting – and meaningful – is when it is able to offer explanations and interpretations regarding 1) why people believe and value what they do, 2) how those beliefs and values may impact work, relationships, and life, and 3) what might be useful  to consider in terms of getting needs met and pursuing goals. 

No.  There are four response possibilities to each BEVI item: strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.  So no matter how a specific item is worded – and remember, these are actual statements that were made by a very diverse group of people from many different countries and cultures – people can agree or disagree as they wish.   It can be perplexing to encounter items that one believes are, or should be, obvious to, or agreed upon, by everyone (i.e., “Surely everyone must know that belief X is true and belief Y is false”).  In reality, humans can believe anything about anything.  As such, the goal of the BEVI is to illuminate the unique organizational structure of each person’s belief / value system so that they can make better sense of it for themselves and use such information to identify and pursue goals that matter most to them.     

Yes.  Depending on your arrangement with the BEVI, and what type of engagement you want, the BEVI’s AI / VR systems are accessible to anyone who takes the BEVI.  That means you are able to have one or more confidential conversations with “Being Bevi” – the AI entity that lives within the “Beviverse,” the BEVI’s virtual world – on the basis of your unique BEVI profile.   

Individuals, couples, and groups ask Being Bevi all manner of questions about themselves, others, and the larger world, from the personal to the professional, including, but by no means limited to: 

• Why do I do what I do? 
• How can I improve my relationships? 
• Why do others perceive me as they do?
• How can I find the most compelling educational or career path? 
• How can I pursue my potential and become better at what I do? 
• Could I learn to resolve conflicts or solve problems more effectively? 
• How might I enhance my wellbeing and mental health? 
• Can I find greater meaning and purpose in my life? 
• How does all of this relate to the challenges we face in the larger world? 

To learn more about this fascinating process and experience, please see “Into the Beviverse.”  

Yes.  The BEVI is a comprehensive and mixed methods measure that is comprised of 17 scales, multiple indexes, and a wide array of analysis and engagement components, including reporting and AI / VR systems.  All of these aspects of the BEVI can be used to evaluate and facilitate numerous processes and outcomes that are directly related to our work, relationships, and lives.  To learn more, the BEVI website – https://thebevi.com/ – provides a lot of good information.  In addition, individuals who receive training on the BEVI also are provided access to the Admin section of the BEVI – https://thebevi.com/login/ – which includes a wide range of materials, including peer reviewed publications on the BEVI, explanatory videos, administration guidelines, and other resources.  Finally, please feel free to contact us directly by clicking here, and a BEVI Team member will be in touch.