THE CULT OF PERSONALITY

‘Personality’ in psychological terms is a set of organised psychological traits and mechanisms that influence our interactions in the world. However, as people we consider personality as the traits that make up our “selves.” Categorising, disassembling, and understanding personalities has been a centuries long endeavour, across many different cultures and efforts. One famous example are the zodiac signs, with each possessing certain personality traits, which supposedly apply to those born under each respective sign.

More recently, psychology has been used to organise individuals’ personalities into set types. For example, ‘type A’ personalities, who are more impatient, fast paced and achievement orientated, in comparison to ‘type B’s’ who are relaxed and easy going. While this was specifically oriented to stress responses, there are other classification methods which focus on one’s personality.

Most famous is that of the Myers-Briggs test, also known as the ‘16 personalities’ test, one of the world’s most popular tests, being used by 2 million people annually. Originally developed in World War II, but having since evolved and changed, it draws from the ideas of the famous psychologist Carl Jung. It works by taking one’s answers on a test and placing them into one of two extremes across four different characteristics, sorting them into 1 of 16 personality types.

Specifically, these are:

Extroversion vs. Introversion

Sensing vs. Intuition

Thinking vs. Feeling

Judging vs. Perceiving

However, it’s not the only personality test of its type; others, such as Enneagram works in a similar way by taking one’s test answers and sorting them into 1 of 9 personality types. There’s also the ‘Big 5’ test that measures 5 major personality characteristics on a scale, such as agreeableness or extroversion. However, this test doesn’t assign a personality type, instead just indicating as to what characteristics are stronger in one’s personality.

The problem is that these tests are largely meaningless. Despite its popularity, the Myers-Briggs test has little to no scientific evidence supporting its claims, with Carl Jung’s work, which it draws from, possessing no scientific proof either. To add to that, 58% of people receive a different personality type upon retaking the test makes this painfully obvious. The test itself is flawed, as its selfreported meaning is only as truthful as those taking it. Whether due to individuals not wanting to answer honestly or just not fully understanding oneself, it means that the test’s results may not even be accurate depictions of who one is.

That’s only the beginning of its problems, with its biggest criticism being its assignment of people as to 1 of 2 opposing characteristics when most individuals exist somewhere in the middle. Carl Jung even said that “there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovertsuch a man would be in a lunatic asylum.” The questions also lack context; for example, some people’s attitudes change depending on circumstance, which the test doesn’t account for. These criticisms also apply to Enneagram, with it having little to no scientific evidence, yet forcing people into personality types that do not accurately describe who that individual is or what they want. Overall, personalities vary by degree, not kind, and sorting people into types forces them into boxes that don’t fit.

If these tests have no evidence behind them, and go against what we know about ourselves, then why do we believe, and even enjoy, doing them?

To start, many of these tests utilise the Barnum effect; by using vague descriptions that could apply to anyone but portraying it as a personalised test result makes the receiving individual believe the test has worked and is accurate to them specifically. As people wish to learn about themselves and others, these tests, despite their flaws, can be utilised in this endeavour, to better explore and uncover aspects of ourselves that may not have been realised or known.

More than that, we use these tests to fit in. Growing up involves constant confusing changes in our lives, with our personality following suit. These tests provide a comforting idea to hold on to, telling us who we are, what we are like, and making us feel like we belong. This is also what makes it more difficult when we learn that these tests do not work the way they claim they do.

Personalities don’t work the way the Enneagram or Myers-Briggs tests claim they do. We cannot fit ourselves into boxes that don’t exist, or force one characteristic over another. While these tests may not work, others such as the Big 5 are far less flawed, offering scales as opposed to absolutes. But even then, it does not consider how we change every day, and in every situation across our life. Personality is not a set measurement but changing with everything we do, far from being defined by simple measurements and tests.