Personality Tests

People do exhibit various personality traits and perspectives, but how useful it is to categorize based on such tests may be debatable. There seems to be tacit admission that all the categories apply to everyone to some degree. This might give even more meaning to the following amusing excerpt from the historical nonsense mentioned on the site.

“Gurdjieff did reveal to advanced students what he called their chief feature. The chief feature is the lynchpin of a person's ego structure—the basic characteristic that defines them. Gurdjieff generally used colorful language to describe a person's chief feature, often using the Sufi tradition of telling the person what kind of idiot they were. People could be round idiots, square idiots, subjective hopeless idiots, squirming idiots, and so forth.”

 

Are you just one personality?... There are many times in various situation that I may fit many... I'm not just pigeon holed into just one... Then there is growth... Been there done that... Then there is change... Would I act now the same way I acted then?... There are so many variables and circumstances and never forget environment... So a test may say we are one thing when in actuality we are a composite of all... Those are my thoughts... Brother Glen

 

Aren't you lucky Steve maybe you can hit him up for a few bucks... Take heart Steve, Pam found out from a reliable authentic source that she was related to Obama, in fact she was his third cousin... That one surprised the her whole family, and it turns out it was from the white side not the black and its so complex I don't want to go into it maybe later... I look at that test again and see where I fit in... Brother Glen

 

There are no doubt some flim-flam tests available out on the market, but the well known, researched and validated instruments present accurate data about personality.

Where is a link to the so-called test that is mentioned as available on this board?

 

I'm not doubting the resemblance, but are they claiming Trump took their test and gave permission to share?

 

What in the world is a 'prevaor"? Is that your personality type? I'd say you're neologistic.

 

Okay. I missed that on the first reading.

Reading over the Ennegram thing reminds me of looking at a horoscope. People who are easily influenced by suggestion see themselves in it, and interpret life through it.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a large pool of weak-minded people who are desperately looking to any and every source they can find to understand their self and life.

The gospel of salvation notwithstanding, isn't that what the Bible provides for us?

That said, I do think the MBTI, CPI, Strong Inventory and some others provide "snapshots" or views of personality that are helpful in general terms.

The problems arise when people move from a general appreciation type as a tool, to stereotyping and pigeonholing others into boxes or categories like cats or sweaters. We've all done it, and we've all been subjected to it.

Back to the basic question, there are tests that are well researched and that hold validity. The area of psychology you want to look into is called psychometry, or if you prefer, psychometrics.

 

In other words they can tell you where you land on the psycho meter?

 

Or cacographic. I think he meant "purveyor," but given his type, it may mean he has stock in the company. More on that later.

 

“Well, let me say this about that.” I noticed a comment of yours in another thread regarding this. It opens up all kinds of possibilities, especially that those of us taking these tests can become useful idiots to those compiling the results. Knowing our personalities and thus how we are likely to react, they can more easily manipulate us. Combining data from our online comments, shopping tendencies, surfing practices, etc.….