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We Take All The Personality Tests And Expect Results, But They Aren't Exactly Credible

Personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, are popular. Yet, to what extent are they credible to be a source of knowledge of an individual?

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We Take All The Personality Tests And Expect Results, But They Aren't Exactly Credible
Libby Reed

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a self-analyzing, self-reporting survey that many people take in order to categorize the way they see themselves and the world around them. It analyzes an individual's preferences and the way they make decisions. The table below describes the different personality types and their backgrounds:


I had to take this test for a few of my classes. I, being the "too complicated for anyone to figure out" type, usually think quizzes, like MBTI, cannot accurately describe me. What could a computer system, that has no soul, really say about the type of person I am? After all, the way I react to questions depends on my mood (of that moment). Hypocritically, I also find myself being quick to click on the link "Which Grey's Anatomy Character Are You?" based on the extremely thorough five questions.

After taking this questionnaire, I found my results to be very surprising. My personality was broken down to ESFP (Extraversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Perceiving). I see extraversion easily, testing "very clear" in this category. Having an older sister with special needs and a younger brother (the baby), I found myself having work hard to stand out. I did this by surrounding myself with people. Some call it "middle child syndrome," I call it my life.

The last three results were confusing, only testing in the "slight" categories; I was on the fence. I disagree with the "sensing" because I fit more with "intuition." I usually focus on the big picture. Although I would like to think I am practical (thinking), I find myself putting my mind over the matter, then my heart over my mind (feeling). Finally, I got "perceiving," but I am more "judging" having the Type A personality. I like to organize and check things off of my to-do list. However, I think when I answered these questions, I was infatuated by the idea of being spontaneous, choosing those answers, so the main reason why I think the personality tests are ambiguous: we answer the way we want, rather than the truth.

Whether the results of personality tests like the MBTI are accurate or not, there is undeniably an element of affirmation that is received as a result. Besides, it's kind of fun to find out more about yourself and it does not take very long to do. If and when taking a personality test, remember to not take it too seriously. If you're unhappy with your results, no big deal, just take it again.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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