The psychometric properties of Buss and Plomin's EASI‐III Temperament Survey were examined for a random sample of 290 respondents from the Australian general population. These data support the use of the emotionality, activity and sociability scales with some minor modifications, but cast doubt on the impulsivity scale. Not only did impulsivity emerge as a multidimensional construct, but its components related to other temperaments in markedly different ways. The preliminary analyses also suggested that the EASI‐III could be used to measure other constructs, the most important of which are neuroticism and extraversion. The advantages offered by the EASI‐III over currently available instruments are discussed: in particular, the simplicity and clarity of the items and the well‐articulated sampling framework for their se