Myers Briggs/ personality testing

[Ste]

Does anyone know about personality testing particularly myers Briggs testing? Does it work?

[Lynn]

I have done this twice with people trained and accredited to run the Myers-Briggs test(and also with a DIY test in a book called 'Please understand me' - can't recall the author). I found it useful, though more helpful to use the letters E/I etc, rather than the words as they can be a bit misleading.

[Divissima]

Does anyone know about personality testing particularly myers Briggs testing? Does it work?Like Lynn, I have done a Myers-Briggs style test with someone accredited to analyse the results. I found it interesting, instructive and helpful as part of a career change exercise. I also found an interesting book on the Myers-Briggs personality types. If you are interested, Steve, I can PM you title and details. Like a lot of these kinds of tools, I think it depends what you expect it can tell you.

[ducasi]

There's loads of online Myers-Briggs tests, some "official", others apeing* the format without using the exact same language.

I've done a few at different times and if I remember right, I usually found that I was on the mid-point of most of the "preferences", though almost always more I than E, and more P that J. So depending on my mood on any particular day I could be one of three or four personalities.

Thing is, I think everyone is like this. Our personality changes if we are happy or sad, energised or exhausted, etc...

So, while it is interesting to try out, and might give a "base" personality if you do it at the right time, I don't think you can always make absolute judgements from it.

I think my usual result is "INFP", but as I said, all four preferences are subject to how I'm feeling at the time...

Perhaps what I really need is a proper accredited test, and let someone else figure me out. :whistle:

Or I think there is another test which gives a greater variety of personality types, which when combined with Myers-Briggs can tell you a lot more. Can't remember what that is... I'm sure wikipedia knows...

Yep... Here's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers-briggs) info about the MB test, and indeed it shows how the basic 16 types can be broken down further, presumably using further investigation.

In fact, there's so much more info there, just ignore everything I've written and read that. :nice:

* My computer wants me to spell that word "aping" – is that the correct spelling, or just the American spelling? :confused:

[Rebecca]

I'm a chartered psychologist and worry sometimes about the horoscope/cosmo-questionnaire-type versions of personality assessments that are on the market.

It depends on your needs but I'd say stick to the Big-5 (NEOFFI) for normal personality functioning. If you're doing team-based stuff look up Belbin.

R x

[Lynn]

Perhaps what I really need is a proper accredited test, and let someone else figure me out. :whistle: You would probably find its pretty consistent if you did. I have always come out with the same result, and have done it in two different countries with a gap of about 9 years, (3 countries if you count the DIY one in Please Understand Me, which I did in Ghana). From what I recall it takes about 4 hours to get the feedback and use other methods to 'check' the results from the multi-choice question booklet. It shouldn't really change according to what mood you are in, if it does then its maybe not a comprehensive enough set of questions?

I agree about the limitations of personality tests, OPQs etc. And I'm not that keen on them being part of putting people into 'boxes' in the way some companies use them. But if properly conducted, they can be a useful tool for self understanding.

[JonD]

We use Myers-Briggs, Belbin (team roles) and Honey & Mumford (learning styles) at work. All the team have done them (there's only 22 of us) and all have agreed that we can share the results so we can communicate better and make our in-house training more effective. We take them with a "pinch of salt" and don't use them for recruitment or selection.

I think everyone finds them interesting and, in many ways, disconcertingly accurate! They are useful tools and help us to understand each others strengths, weaknesses and preferences. (I love brain-storming - it helps me to know that some other people are reflectors who want a couple of days to think something over before I get their opinion), We rejigged induction training for one of the gang after he did his learning styles questionnaire and his evaluation test results improved dramatically.

They're fun, thought provoking and can be helpful but I wouldn't take them in isolation.

[ducasi]

You would probably find its pretty consistent if you did. I have always come out with the same result, and have done it in two different countries with a gap of about 9 years, (3 countries if you count the DIY one in Please Understand Me, which I did in Ghana). From what I recall it takes about 4 hours to get the feedback and use other methods to 'check' the results from the multi-choice question booklet. It shouldn't really change according to what mood you are in, if it does then its maybe not a comprehensive enough set of questions?I've done a "proper" MB test online which took ages to go through all the questions, but it didn't take 4 hours to process the results – computers are good at this kind of thing.

In the non-computer tests though, do you have the opportunity to discuss the questions and answers with the examiner, as that would definitely helped me.

Anyway, the point I'm making is that on each of their "preferences", the reality is that there is a sliding scale, and if you just so happen to fall somewhere in the middle you will still end up being put in a black and white category which doesn't really reflect your personality.

Depending on the circumstances I can be torn between a "thinking" and a "feeling" response. Calling me a thinker ignores the times when I do let my feelings take control.

[LMC]

I think the only people who are "100%" anything are probably slightly psycho- or sociopathic! - moderation in everything and all that.

I've done MB twice, and came out with different results each time - but both were quite accurate. As ducasi says, it's a 'sliding scale' - I'm quite definitely 'NT' but veer between E/I and P/J - depending on mental and emotional state.

The whole point of the testing is so that you can "train" out the less positive aspects. In theory, neither of the types that came up in my result are good at attention to detail. But I can be - I used to proofread for a living (and enjoy it) and I can be a bit of a perfectionist. But those are both tiring, I am more "energised" by blue sky/big picture kind of stuff. And I think that's the key thing - whether you find a task 'satisfying' is really neither here nor there, the true question IMO is whether it gives you energy or drains you of it.

[Aleks]

The computer testing system that the headhunter/career counsellor I know uses gives a printout which includes a graph of where your answers sit within the sliding scale. Did the one you used do this Ducasi?

[TiggsTours]

Does anyone know about personality testing particularly myers Briggs testing? Does it work?
I've done the Myers Briggs tests a few times now, with different jobs, and to be honest, they are quite useful. The only thing is, the outcome will change, along with the way your personal circumstances affect your life, and the way you react to situations. If anything, they are at least good fun.

[ducasi]

The computer testing system that the headhunter/career counsellor I know uses gives a printout which includes a graph of where your answers sit within the sliding scale. Did the one you used do this Ducasi?
Um... Maybe... Can't remember. :blush: There must have been some sort of indication of where on the scale I was – otherwise I guess I wouldn't have known I was borderline...

But the end result was still one of the 16 personalities, with no account of the shades of gray.

[Gus]

It depends on your needs but I'd say stick to the Big-5 (NEOFFI) for normal personality functioning. If you're doing team-based stuff look up Belbin.

R xHmmm ... totaly agree with the advice to use Belbin, especially the newer modified and extended model. Re MB ... thought that went out with the ark .... if I remeber correctly (which is rarely) when we covering this field it was 16PF that was being pushed as the replacement approach. Having been on the receiving end and on the using side of these analysis tools I would favour the 16PF. However, these tools should ONLY be used in the context of a wider range of tools (e.g. 360 degree, focused interviews, team builing assessments, SHL etc.).

[Dreadful Scathe]

Apparantly Im an INTP personality type, sounds interesting. Anyone want to take the same online test ? then go here (http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp)

[Aleks]

Apparantly Im an INTP personality type, sounds interesting. Anyone want to take the same online test ? then go here (http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp)

ENFP for me - as always. Did you notice that there were %ages given for how much this trait was expressed....?

[El Salsero Gringo]

........whooosh.......

[Tessalicious]

An old friend who happens to be an HR director decided to do Myers-Briggs on me over the summer, and was utterly delighted that I had 'proved' that it works by coming out as an INTJ, among whose ideal jobs is mine, 'research scientist'. This despite the fact that three of the four (I, T and J) were almost borderline, and could easily have been different when I was in a different mood. I suppose these things will always show what you want them to.

For anyone who's interested, he also submitted me, a long time ago, to the McQuaig (http://www.holstgroup.co.uk/mcquaigmainpage.html) tests, which IIRC are much more judgmental in their interpretation.

For the self-therapists out there, there is also the colour test (http://www.colorquiz.com/) which gave me results that I found really interesting, but is a much more personal rather than job-oriented test.

[Feelingpink]

ENFP for me - as always. Did you notice that there were %ages given for how much this trait was expressed....?I was one of these too, when given the test about 10 years ago (so I could have changed). In the book "Gifts Differing" which talked about the different personality types, the way I remember this is Every day New Fantastic Possibilities (apparently this tends to be our outlook - found that to be fairly accurate for me).

I think the best part of doing MB was using it as a tool when I worked with others - figuring out what was missing and why we sometimes p****ed off each other.

[LMC]

I think the best part of doing MB was using it as a tool when I worked with others - figuring out what was missing and why we sometimes p****ed off each other.
:yeah:

My boss is "strong" INTP and I veer between INTP and ENTJ. The similarities mean we get along very well - but I have to be *really* organised (against my natural inclination) because he is hopeless! - plus we both tend to take on too much :blush:

[Clive Long]

Hi

I took Myers Briggs through a certified practitioner . I don't have the results here but I was something like EFTJ. I must look up the details because the certiified practitioner can take it further and make you think about how you react to situations and people with other preferences - and helps one take an extra second rather than thinking the other person is being really difficult.

I went to an exhibition at Birmingham NEC where one seminar was run by a psychologist. It was about "which is the best personality type for a project manager". Of course she indicated there is no "correct" profile - but that mine tended to be the "cluster" most associated with Project Managers. Ho hum - I'm trying to escape that role. There was also loads of entertaining stuff about how different profiles might run projects and how communication and decision making can be affected by preference. The one I remmebr is how do you plan your holiday? Do you?

1. Read all the guide books before going and have 4 highlighter colour code for every tyoe of activity?
2. Turn up, book accomodation as you go and wander down back-alleys that look interesting

I felt ill when she described number 2.

However, both types can benefit from the other.

a type 2 who follows a type 1 lead can see "more" during the holiday.

a type 1 who follows a type 2 "flow" might find that "special" cafe that is in no guide book.

However, the type 1 and type 2 might have fallen out long before they reach such a way of organising their time. Also type 1s together will just fight for who "leads". etc. "Lead" , "Follow". Maybe dance has much to teach us in this area?

All entertaining and amusing stuff.

Now I guess these models can be thought of as too simplistic but MBTI "feels" like it is on the right lines to me (I measure big on "F" )

As an aside I know someone who buys into Emotional Intelligence in a big way for building effective teams.

Clive

[Dreadful Scathe]

1. Read all the guide books before going and have 4 highlighter colour code for every tyoe of activity?
2. Turn up, book accomodation as you go and wander down back-alleys that look interesting

I felt ill when she described number 2.

I'd go for number 2 nearly every time. Although I did know what hotels we were going to be in for our honeymoon, less time wasting that way :)

I have fond memories of playing football with kids in the alley outside a backpackers hotel in Luxor in Egypt, we booked it because it was in a good location, clean and cheap - theres no way we could find that out without having been there.

[ducasi]

The one I remember is how do you plan your holiday? Do you?

1. Read all the guide books before going and have 4 highlighter colour code for every type of activity?
2. Turn up, book accomodation as you go and wander down back-alleys that look interesting This again are the two extremes of the scale. And, again, I think I'm somewhere in the middle.

I like to have my accommodation, etc., all sorted before I go, but there have been holidays where I've only got the first few days accommodation sorted, leaving me free to do whatever I please the rest of the time.

I will usually buy guide books for the places I'm visiting, but I never get round to reading them properly and prefer to wander around and see what turns up.

I hate highlighters. :angry:

It's funny though, as when in the presence of a strongly type-1 person, I'm happy being led, while with a more type-2 person, I tend to become the leader.

But just thinking about this makes me realise... I need to have a proper holiday soon. :sad:

[Andy McGregor]

I did all these test years ago when they were trendy. I vaguely remember MB made me ENTP whatever that means/meant and I remember that PF16 saying I was extreme, scoring 10 or 1 out of 10 on every measure except "needing people" where I was in the middle There was a chart where my line went down the right hand side, crossed over a few from the bottom and then went down the left - most people seemed to have a line ziz-zagging around the middle. The results of these tests are telling you what you are - the results should be no surprise to you, they describe you as much as measuring the carbon emissions from your car's exhaust tells you about its engine.

What I found much more useful was the expert psychologists guidance in coaching me to find what my type of person should be doing - and it was especially useful to find out what I should be avoiding - especially when I was told I was unsuited to open plan offices because I was such an extrovert I wouldn't be able to do anything but listen to everyone's conversations and answer everyone's ringing 'phones. You could even regard the tests as diagnostics. They don't give you a treatment or any guidance they just measure you - it's up to you what you do once you've been measured but the measurements do give a guide to the most appropriate 'treatments'.

[jivecat]

Hi



1. Read all the guide books before going and have 4 highlighter colour code for every tyoe of activity?
2. Turn up, book accomodation as you go and wander down back-alleys that look interesting

I felt ill when she described number 2.


Clive

Number One brought me out in a cold sweat at the thought of all the demands and constraints! Thinking about it, I responded very badly in a workplace dominated by the "4 highlighter colour code" mentality. But that's all in the past.:D
An hour ago I was eNTp, now I'm iNTp. Absolutely nothing of note has happened to me in the intervening hour but I did reinterpret some of the questions second time around.

[jivecat]

.

For the self-therapists out there, there is also the colour test (http://www.colorquiz.com/) which gave me results that I found really interesting, but is a much more personal rather than job-oriented test.

This was great fun to do and seemed spookily accurate, although I wonder if the "horoscope" effect was working, i.e. pick the bits that fit and ignore the rest.

I also wondered if human perception is programmed to pick reds and yellows first, as I did. Isn't that the reason why a lot of packaging uses those colours?

[Lynn]

OK I did the link one and came out ENTJ. Doing MBTI with trained practitioners both times I came out ENTP - though the second time I getting much closer to F. But I think the questions in the online test are very simplitistic and easy to answer what you think you should put, or what sort of result you are going to get, the full test isn't really like that.

FP, I've also read Gifts Differing, think I have it in the house somewhere, also helpful.

The way I look at it is not to treat any of these tests as some sort of final word on your personality, but as a tool for self understanding - it can be helpful, esp if used in conjunction with other tools.

[pjay]

The way I look at it is not to treat any of these tests as some sort of final word on your personality, but as a tool for self understanding - it can be helpful, esp if used in conjunction with other tools.

I know this is the area where I've found people most struggle with these sorts of things - a "don't put me into a box" attitude (check out the 'What's Aussie style thread') - no one seems to particularly like being described.... But I agree I think that these things can really help us to understand ourselves - I know for one that when I've done them they tend to come out similar from one time to another, slight differences (which usually I can associate to things that are currently going on for myself), but on the whole very similar.




OK I did the link one and came out ENTJ. Doing MBTI with trained practitioners both times I came out ENTP - though the second time I getting much closer to F. But I think the questions in the online test are very simplitistic and easy to answer what you think you should put, or what sort of result you are going to get, the full test isn't really like that.

It sounds like you're maybe doing something like I tend to - usually when I do one of these now I analyse the way that I answer the test more than I do the results of the test and use this as a tool to help me understand myself.

It seems to me that some people answer quickly and easily, other struggle for ages over which is the right answer, others answer one way on one question and another way on a very similar question and others tend to say "why does it matter, what is everyone else doing?"