Personality test models - Which one should I choose?

What is the best personality test?

To get a better understanding on how to find and use the best personality test it is important to know how personality testing has developed during history.

Personal testing is also a minefield of different opinions, so let's start with the beginning. At the end you can make up your mind.

The first personality test model

One of the earliest personal test models is the Four Temperaments theory, which dates back to ancient Greece and was further developed by the Roman physician Galen in the 2nd century AD. The theory suggests that people can be classified into four temperament types based on the balance of bodily fluids or "humours" in their body:

1. Sanguine: People who are optimistic, social and outgoing with a natural enthusiasm for life

2. Choleric: People who are ambitious, confident and assertive with a tendency towards leadership and control

3. Melancholic: People who are analytical, introspective and creative with a tendency towards perfectionism and sensitivity

4. Phlegmatic: people who are calm, relaxed and easy going with a tendency towards introversion and thoughtfulness

While the Four Temperaments theory is not as widely used today as it was in ancient times, it has had a lasting influence on the development of personality theories and tests.

The Four Temperaments theory laid the foundation for modern personality tests and helped pave the way for the development of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and other personality tests that followed. This will be elaborated later on.

The next important step within personality tests is Carl Jung.

Carl Jung's influence on personality tests

Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung is considered one of the pioneers of modern personality theory and his work has had a significant influence on the development of personality tests. 

Jung's theory of personality introduced the concept of psychological types ("Psychological Types", Carl Jung, 1921).

• According to Jung, there are two main attitudes that individuals can adopt towards the world: Introversion and extraversion. Introverts tend to be more focused on their internal world of thoughts and emotions while extroverts are more focused on the external world of people and events. Jung also identified four main psychological functions: Thinking, feeling, sensation and intuition. Each function can be either introverted or extroverted resulting in eight possible combinations of psychological types

Jung's theory of psychological types has been influential in the development of personality assessments, including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which is based on Jung's theory. The MBTI is a popular personality test that categorises individuals into one of 16 personality types based on their responses to a series of questions.

Jung's work also influenced the development of other personality tests, including the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and the Rorschach inkblot test.

While Jung's theory of psychological types has been criticized for lacking empirical evidence, it continues to be widely studied and used in various fields, including psychology, counselling and organisational development.

In that matter two models are commonly used:

1. "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" (MBTI)
2. "The Big Five"

To get a better understanding of the two tests, let's start with Myers-Briggs.

MBTI vs. The Big Five

First of all there is sometimes slight confusion about the right name of theMyers-Briggs personality test.

The correct name is "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" (MBTI). The test was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs, which is why it is often referred to as "Briggs Myers." However, the correct order of the name is "Myers-Briggs" as it reflects the order of the surnames of both creators of the test.

The Myers-Briggs assessment is based on the theory of Carl Jung and it categorizes individuals into one of 16 different personality types based on four dichotomies like: Extraversion vs introversion, sensing vs intuition, thinking vs feeling and judging vs perceiving. This assessment is often used in career counseling and team building exercises.

The Big Five personality traits, also known as the Five Factor Model are: Openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness and neuroticism. These traits are believed to be the fundamental dimensions of personality and can be used to describe a person's personality across a spectrum. The Big Five assessment is often used in research.

While both assessments aim to provide insight into an individual's personality, they differ in their approach and scope. The Myers-Briggs assessment focuses on identifying specific personality types, while the Big Five assessment looks at the individual's traits on a spectrum.

Additionally, the Big Five assessment might have a more scientific basis and is often used in research, while the Myers-Briggs assessment is more commonly used in applied settings such as career counselling and team building exercises.

The pitfalls of a Myers-Briggs test

We just mentioned that the Big Five assessment might have a more scientific basis. What do we mean by that?

Some of the potential pitfalls of the Myers-Briggs test include:

1. While theMyers-Briggs test is widely used, its theoretical foundations are not based on rigorous scientific research. The test's validity and reliability have been called into question by some researchers and there is limited empirical evidence to support its use

2. TheMyers-Briggs test categorises individuals into one of 16 personality types, which can be an oversimplification of the complexity of human personality. The test may not capture the full range of personality traits and may lead to stereotyping or misinterpretation of individuals

3. Self report bias: The Myers-Briggs test relies on individuals' self reported responses to a series of questions, which may be subject to bias or inaccuracies. Individuals may respond in a way that they perceive as socially desirable or may not be aware of their own biases and limitations

4. While the Myers-Briggs test can be useful in career counselling or team building exercises, its use in selection and hiring decisions is limited due to potential legal issues and lack of scientific support. It may be more appropriate to use scientifically validated personality assessment tools in these situations

5. Potential for misuse: The Myers-Briggs test should not be used to make decisions that have significant consequences such as hiring or promotion without additional evidence and considerations. It is important to use the test in conjunction with other assessment tools and consider the individual's background, experience and performance

Now let's take a deeper look at The Big Five.

The pitfalls of the: Big Five

Some of the potential pitfalls of the Big Five personality assessment include:

1. Incomplete picture of personality: The Big Five model measures personality traits along five dimensions, which may not capture the full complexity of an individual's personality. Other factors such as: Personal values, life experiences and situational factors can also influence behavior and may not be captured by the Big Five assessment

2. Cultural bias: The Big Five model was developed based on research with participants from Western cultures and may not be applicable or valid for individuals from other cultures. Differences in language, values and social norms can influence the interpretation of personality traits and limit the generalisability of the Big Five model

3. Self report bias: Like the Myers-Briggs test, the Big Five assessment relies on self reported responses to a series of questions which may be subject to bias or inaccuracies. Individuals may respond in a way that they perceive as socially desirable or may not be aware of their own biases and limitations

4. Overemphasis on traits: The Big Five model emphasises personality traits as the primary determinant of behaviour which may oversimplify the complexity of human behaviour. Other factors such as situational factors and individual differences in motivation, can also influence behavior and may be overlooked by the Big Five assessment

5. Limited predictive power: While the Big Five assessment can be useful in predicting general patterns of behaviour, it may not be effective in predicting specific behaviours or outcomes. The relationship between personality traits and behaviour is complex and may be influenced by a variety of factors including situational factors and individual differences in motivation

It's important to state that this article is not a sponsored post. The keypoint is that you are now having a basic understanding of some of the major players and the pros and cons. 

Disclaimer: Results of these tests, Myers-Briggs definitely, have to then be interpreted and there is training for that. Anyone just randomly looking at the results may render the test pointless and actually do damage, especially when it's use as part of an application process. 

You also now have insights so you know that different personality tests may have different goals.

If you are interested in getting insights about the future of personality testing then click on the button below.