Its basic idea originated in the late 1940s. The author engaged in MMPI research in his early years and was influenced by empirical normative methods in the construction of the scale. Out of interest and the need of psychological evaluation of normal personality, the author compiled CPI. From the initial two subscales (enterprising ability and endurance), the scale has been continuously developed and supplemented, and by the time 1956 was officially published, it already contained 480 topics, involving 18 personality variables. The author calls each sub-scale "folk concept scale", and thinks that these concepts exist in human society with various cultural backgrounds, which are naturally formed by people in interpersonal communication, and are also commonly used by ordinary people in understanding, classifying and predicting their own and others' behaviors in daily life.
The compilation of CPI hopes to achieve two purposes in personality evaluation. The first goal is based on theoretical considerations, hoping that a set of descriptive concepts used or developed can be related to individuals and society. The second goal is to make the scale not only convenient to use but also widely used based on practical considerations. As one of several classic personality tests in the world, the reliability and validity of CPI have passed the test of time. According to Piotrowski and Keller 1993' s survey of major clinical psychology training programs in the United States, among the five personality tests that universities require doctoral students to be familiar with, CPI ranks second only to MMPI.
The number of CPI-related documents listed in the ninth edition of Psychometrics Yearbook (1985) ranks fourth among all multidimensional personalities. At the same time, CPI is widely used. In educational psychology, it can be used to predict students' achievements and creative potential, and can provide guidance for major selection. In management psychology, it can be used to provide reference for the management potential and job performance prediction of candidates. Abroad, it is considered as a potential test in personnel selection.