The perceived accuracy of test results relies on the Barnum effect, flattery, and confirmation bias, leading participants to personally identify with descriptions that are somewhat desirable, vague, and widely applicable.[10] As a psychometric indicator, the test exhibits significant deficiencies, including poor validity, poor reliability, measuring supposedly dichotomous categories that are not independent, and not being comprehensive.[11][12][13][14]
The dichotomous measuring is what bugs me the most. Whether it is big 5 or this test, I basically always score between 47-53% in most categories (except neuroticism, I always ace this one). So I basically never get the same result twice, because there’s like one question where I put “somewhat agree” instead of “fully agree” this time and boom I am an introvert and not an extrovert.
But it’s already this “agree, disagree, neutral” questions that are so pointless and dichotomous. “Do you enjoy big parties” - well, now or ever? Is alcohol involved, is it late, do I know the people, do I take my kid, is it far away, what is the mood, is it loud, what do I do the next day, is it fun? Are we talking practical or hypothetical? As a teen and young adult I loved big parties and thrived, I love to hang out in big groups of friends, now I am in a new city where I barely know people and I have a toddler, so by the love of God, at 8 pm I am so tired a party is the last thing I want to do. I was invited to one, actually, with a lot of childless, single artists in their early 30s, the party didn’t even start until 9 pm, like, yeah my mind wants to go, but I have nothing in common with these people and I am so tired after a kindergarten christmas market, can’t be arsed. SO DO I LIKE PARTIES OR NOT
Tbh the test at 16personalities has almost no sciency flair at all, as far as I see, its main appeal and likely reason for popularity is the cute illustrations.
The first time I ever took a Myers-Briggs assessment was on paper and every question was A or B. There was one where I was a perfect 50/50 split and could NOT choose a preference for either, so I scored it as .5 for each.
That .5 difference gave me an equal score for introvert and extrovert.
Since then I’ve taken a more professional assessment at work, and it shows how strongly I fit into the category. Like you, they were nearly all ~47-53% between the two.
Some other assessments have been intriguing imo, but Myers-Briggs has never suited me because of their dichotomy BS.
I always figured the types are descriptive, not prescriptive - don’t behave to the type you get. Also, the output should be a percentage, not a binary.
For example: I’m mid-way between T and F
I’m biased BTW, because of what MBTI did for me: taught me I’m not autistic: just introverted 😂
You can get really into the jungian-esque theory too where the four-letter typing is just a shorthand for which of the eight"cognitive functions" you tend to use most often. For instance an INTP uses most:
Introverted Thinking
Extraverted iNtuition
Introverted Sensing
Extraverted feeling
and then in times of stress/distress you may use the less comfortable shadow functions.
It’s still just based on a woo-woo theory, so basically vibes, but I found this level of mbti way more interesting as a way to talk about thoughts and behaviors and what individual people tend to default to in which kinds of situations.
In introverted situations you might tend to use your own internal logic to make important decisions, priorities, and do important work, and then for fun and flavor use memories and details to inform yourself. In extraverted situations you may tend to lead with free association and connection of ideas and people. And might tune into the emotional expression of others as a lesser but still important extent
Maybe it rings true maybe it doesn’t. But according to this framework, an INFP is very different, way more than just 1 letter different.
Introverted Feeling
Extraverted iNtuition
Introverted Sensing
Extraverted Thinking
This person uses their internal feeling about things to make decisions and lead in introverted settings. Their feeling are literally the most important thing they lead with.
And the extraverted thinking at the end means that this person will tend to want to make and use external systems to organize things, but not necessarily be that sophisticated in this.
The fact that these two “types” show up so differently in the theory is the biggest flaw in the tests, and the theories. If the test shows that you’re 50% F and T, they would say that you have to read both descriptions and pick the one you vibe with best, because you can’t be in between.
(On the other hand, it’s super chill to be 50% E/I because those two types are basically the same, just more or less introverted.)
Consider ENFP is
Extraverted iNtuition
Introverted Feeling
Extraverted Thinking
Introverted Sensing
They have all 4 cognitive functions in common with the INFP, just favoring the extroverted functions. So it’s way easier to imagine being on a spectrum of ENFP/INFP depending on how introverted or extroverted you are.
How well does this actually explain or predict human behavior? Who can say. But it’s fun. No way it should ever be used in a professional/work setting imo.
Source: I listened to way too many podcasts and YT videos in the 2010s about this stuff.
I don’t think “personality tests” are a good concept, but i had to do something IQ-test-adjacent as part of getting my autism diagnosis and that seems actually useful, showing that i’m really good at everything except working memory, which is good to know.
Reminder that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is made up and the types don’t matter
That’s so intj of you
I can only read this as
int_j, like yet another annoying data type someone made up for C.The dichotomous measuring is what bugs me the most. Whether it is big 5 or this test, I basically always score between 47-53% in most categories (except neuroticism, I always ace this one). So I basically never get the same result twice, because there’s like one question where I put “somewhat agree” instead of “fully agree” this time and boom I am an introvert and not an extrovert.
But it’s already this “agree, disagree, neutral” questions that are so pointless and dichotomous. “Do you enjoy big parties” - well, now or ever? Is alcohol involved, is it late, do I know the people, do I take my kid, is it far away, what is the mood, is it loud, what do I do the next day, is it fun? Are we talking practical or hypothetical? As a teen and young adult I loved big parties and thrived, I love to hang out in big groups of friends, now I am in a new city where I barely know people and I have a toddler, so by the love of God, at 8 pm I am so tired a party is the last thing I want to do. I was invited to one, actually, with a lot of childless, single artists in their early 30s, the party didn’t even start until 9 pm, like, yeah my mind wants to go, but I have nothing in common with these people and I am so tired after a kindergarten christmas market, can’t be arsed. SO DO I LIKE PARTIES OR NOT
This was my exact reasoning when I first heard about the test, and I’ve considered it dogshit for idiots ever since.
It’s just astrology, but with a sciencey flair.
Tbh the test at 16personalities has almost no sciency flair at all, as far as I see, its main appeal and likely reason for popularity is the cute illustrations.
So are you INTJ or INTP?
I’m an RTFM
I retook the test and it says I DGAF
The first time I ever took a Myers-Briggs assessment was on paper and every question was A or B. There was one where I was a perfect 50/50 split and could NOT choose a preference for either, so I scored it as .5 for each.
That .5 difference gave me an equal score for introvert and extrovert.
Since then I’ve taken a more professional assessment at work, and it shows how strongly I fit into the category. Like you, they were nearly all ~47-53% between the two.
Some other assessments have been intriguing imo, but Myers-Briggs has never suited me because of their dichotomy BS.
i mean yeah, it’s an elaborate buzzfeed quizz with a dash of horoscope. i’d hope people don’t get married to their results. it’s just simple fun
I always figured the types are descriptive, not prescriptive - don’t behave to the type you get. Also, the output should be a percentage, not a binary.
For example: I’m mid-way between T and F
I’m biased BTW, because of what MBTI did for me: taught me I’m not autistic: just introverted 😂
You can get really into the jungian-esque theory too where the four-letter typing is just a shorthand for which of the eight"cognitive functions" you tend to use most often. For instance an INTP uses most:
It’s still just based on a woo-woo theory, so basically vibes, but I found this level of mbti way more interesting as a way to talk about thoughts and behaviors and what individual people tend to default to in which kinds of situations.
In introverted situations you might tend to use your own internal logic to make important decisions, priorities, and do important work, and then for fun and flavor use memories and details to inform yourself. In extraverted situations you may tend to lead with free association and connection of ideas and people. And might tune into the emotional expression of others as a lesser but still important extent
Maybe it rings true maybe it doesn’t. But according to this framework, an INFP is very different, way more than just 1 letter different.
This person uses their internal feeling about things to make decisions and lead in introverted settings. Their feeling are literally the most important thing they lead with.
And the extraverted thinking at the end means that this person will tend to want to make and use external systems to organize things, but not necessarily be that sophisticated in this.
The fact that these two “types” show up so differently in the theory is the biggest flaw in the tests, and the theories. If the test shows that you’re 50% F and T, they would say that you have to read both descriptions and pick the one you vibe with best, because you can’t be in between.
(On the other hand, it’s super chill to be 50% E/I because those two types are basically the same, just more or less introverted.)
Consider ENFP is
They have all 4 cognitive functions in common with the INFP, just favoring the extroverted functions. So it’s way easier to imagine being on a spectrum of ENFP/INFP depending on how introverted or extroverted you are.
How well does this actually explain or predict human behavior? Who can say. But it’s fun. No way it should ever be used in a professional/work setting imo.
Source: I listened to way too many podcasts and YT videos in the 2010s about this stuff.
It’s fun, though. I also think people charting my astral card or whatever is fun so make of that what you will.
horoscope for white girls
Horoscope is already for white girls.
MBTI is more like business astrology.
Are there any good personality psychometric tests?
I don’t think “personality tests” are a good concept, but i had to do something IQ-test-adjacent as part of getting my autism diagnosis and that seems actually useful, showing that i’m really good at everything except working memory, which is good to know.
I think Big 5 is better
The Big Five is the … well. Way more realistic than Meyers Brzzz
it always just feels like a fancy way of saying “i have autism/ADHD symptoms”
If motherfuckers can walk around believing star signs I can have MBTI…
Yes. Better is the NEO-PI.