Push-Pull

As I was Stumbling the other night, I came across a (Jung typing) personality test. Just out of curiosity, I took it. My original type came back as a INTJ. After reading it, it kinda occurred to me that these almost (OK, do) read like a horoscope. That is, the description is vague enough to lead a person to believe that they really could be that type. So after a bit of Googling, I came across THIS page. I took the Jung word test (70 q's) and the Jung+Enneagram (108 q's). Both came back as ISTJ. There was another test I took from some other site (that I don't recall the addy for...) that also came back as an ISTJ.

All well and good, but now what do I do with this info? I mean, the reason I was interested in the first place was because since December, I've had a bear of a time dealing with work and myself. I just did start feeling more confident in myself after a few months of heavy doubting and lack of confidence. I guess I was just looking for ways to analyze how my personality fit into it and what I could do in the future to keep myself "up". I mean, I've ALWAYS been confident in myself, so the past couple months have been VERY uncomfortable. I would really like to figure this out as to never go through it again.

I'll be the first one to admit, I realize that these tests may not mean a dang thing. But I gotta ask...
1)Could there be some validity to it?
2)Is this something that is worth pursuing in order to improve myself?
3)Is there a better way to look into "myself"?

Funny thing is, I've finally found an angle to researching "myself" in the same analytical fashion that I tend to approach my pet projects. Even more interesting, is that even after finding this stuff and pondering it, I'm starting to feel as though there could be solid answers and improvement as a result.

Any advice or thoughts from you guys/gals?

__________________
"No laws, no matter how rigidly enforced, can protect a person from their own stupidity." -Me-

"Some people are like Slinkies..... They are not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs." -Unknown-

DAMMIT! -Jack Bauer-

sapiens

I think that Jungian personality tests like one you describe above are useful for self-exploration. I took a bunch of them in high school and enjoyed reading the results. (The results described all the many famous people throughout history that had personalities similar to my own).

From what I know, Jungian personality tests don't have much predictive validity - they don't do a very good job of predicting actual behaviors.

Tests based on the "Big Five" (Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism) tend to do a better job of predicting behavior across a variety of domains (romantic behaviors, work behavior, etc.). Big Five personality inventories are favored by academics because of their predictive validity. Unfortunately, examining your personal results on such inventories isn't that exciting.

The "biggest and best" personality inventory is the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory. It requires a significant amount of time to complete. It has a high level of predictive validity across a variety of domains. If I recall correctly, it's not legal for most employers to require their applicants to take - it tells too much about the individual. You won't find one available to take online. If you do, it's probably b.s.

If I were you, I would avoid most online personality inventories, or at least take them with a grain of salt. Most of them have little or no predictive validity - they don't hold up under academic scrutiny. Even if we only consider those inventories that have predictive validity, I'm not sure how helpful knowing one's personality is. That said, personality inventories can be fun.

vinceco252

One thing to keep in mind is that part of the purpose of these tests is TO generalize personalities into groups. Therefore, there HAS to be some vagueness.

noodle

Those tests actually depend a lot on where you're taking them (e.g. at home, at work), your particular mood when taking it and your attitude toward the test itself. Hence the differences in scores at times. They're basically just a framework for figuring out how you are likely fo respond to stimuli.

and there are much better ways to "look into yourself." Get someone to do a Thematic Apperception Test on you. I just wrote a paper on it, so I'm a little biased. There are some other standardized ones out there that can be useful, too.

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Toaster126

There is a thread about Myers-Briggs on here somewhere, assuming we didn't lose it in one of the great crashes...

I love the Myers-Briggs test, both for the vocabulary and framework to do some metacognition. If you are talking to someone who is familiar with the concepts you can more efficiently communicate the ideas.

If you couldn't figure it out by that last sentence, I'm a INTJ. Its very important to realize that although things like these can be used to facilitate communication and growth, people are more than just one of 16 different checkboxes. Reading stuff about how INTJs are "supposed" to act sometimes gives me goosebumps and makes me suspicious of a hidden camera crew, but even someone who is such a fan like I am is different in some subtle and not so subtle ways from that type.

EDIT: If you are interested this subject, I would STRONGLY recommend you read Please Understand me II by David Kersey.

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"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

thingstodo

The best thing I've ever run across is the Clifton Strength Finder assessment from Now, Discover Your Strengths (it should really be called now discover your talents but that sounds odd). You can also get a little better version (also from Gallup and CSF) from Strengths 2.0. My company uses the materials and I am actually a Gallup certified Strength Performance Coach.

The basis is that most people try to fix their weaknesses rather than managing around their weaknesses and focusing on develpoping their strengths. Moreover, your fundamental talents are you - they don't change. What is there is there and what isn't won't be. You can tell because you naturally perform well with certain tasks and you have a yearning to do them more. Activities around your strengths energizes you while activities not around them and especially around your weaknesses drains you. People may change but their fundamental talents don't once you get to around 15-16 years old.

Companies would run much better if every employee was involved in strengths-based managment because everyone would be in the right role leading to managers also being in the right roles. The Peter Principle would be no more. Everyone would have the opportunity to do what they do best every day and be energized at work. Even better, every high school graduate should have a keen understanding of their natural talents so they can begin their lives in the right direction before they are committed. Sounds like utopia and it probably is if it worked the way it could.

There is a LOT more to this so PM me if you want to know more.

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

Toaster126

Funny you mention the Peter Principle as I read that book (the revised edition) for the first time not three days ago. Another fine book for people interested in these sort of subjects.

__________________
"The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand)
"The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

levite

Can I just say how much I love the Meyers-Briggs?

I am a total INFP, my fiancee is an ENFP, my two best friends are INFP and ENFP. You start getting people in your life to take this, and it's amazing watching the patterns emerge of what kinds of people you are drawn to. I think it can lead to some interesting opportunities for self-analysis and introspection, plus it makes for a great opener: lots of times when I meet someone, early on in the conversation I ask if they've taken the Meyers-Briggs, and it presents a great reference point for us to begin getting to know one another.

I can't recommend it highly enough.

__________________
Dull sublunary lovers love,
Whose soul is sense, cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
That thing which elemented it.

(From "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne)

Skitto

Yeah, it's just like astrology, but astrology -I think- has more of a potential for accuracy.


Other than some slight use as a personal guidance tool, they're pointless except to the Gallup poll people; because you know they've got their own stores of information that are reserved for news and corporate researchers, right?


So I only take them to dispel my own self doubts, which is every once in a while.

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Yeah, well, you're just that awesome, I guess. It's not like I guessed so anyways.

vanblah

Wait a minute ... you think that astrology has more potential for accuracy? Because you were born during a time when the stars were in a certain position you'll have a certain personality? I just want to be clear on this.

To the original topic:

We've taken the Meyers-Briggs and the FIRO-B ( Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) at work. I have scored consistently the same on the MB every time I have taken it. I have also taken the MMPI ( Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ) although it was a long time ago and I don't remember much about the results.

The thing with these tests is that the outcome has a lot to do with when you are taking them. Say you're taking the FIRO-B at work just after you've had a string of boring meetings. The results may reveal that you hate being in groups when the truth is you were just tired of being in meetings.

They are interesting tools to start discussions and maybe reveal something of your personality to yourself (and others if you wish) but they aren't going to tell you exactly WHO you are.

genuinegirly

You'd be surprized at how much your mentality can be impacted by the season you were born into. The experiences of life and the order in which it occurs - imagine yourself experiencing your first summer a quarter of a year earlier in your development. Now tell me that astrology makes absolutely no impact whatsoever.

__________________
"Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq

"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

vanblah

Astrology, in my understanding, is not based on seasons. It is based on when the planets, sun and moon are in a certain position with regard to certain constellations.

Being born in a certain season may have an impact on your life. But, in my opinion, probably not much.

Also, in my opinion, astrology has no impact whatsoever. Except when a person allows it to. But again, this is my opinion ... I could be wrong. If it's something that you find useful and beneficial then go for it.