How can we describe our personality in just 4 letters?
Since the dawn of time, humans have been interested in the depth of their minds. We have been interested in understanding our nature, in getting to the point why our behaviour can differ so much and what leads us to perceive the world in such a wide spectrum. Humankind also has a tendency to categorize and put into schema whatever we can. That is why we try to create a psychological system, which will describe personality types from the theory of four temperaments from ancient times to the nowadays advanced theories.
Choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic temperaments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Le_Brun-Grande_Commande-Les_Quatre_temperaments.jpg
The MBTI (Myers-Briggs type indicator) is one of the most widely known psychological questionnaires which can indicate the different preferences on how people perceive the world. It also helps in understanding how – or better to say – based on what we are making decisions, interact with the surrounding and other people in social interactions. In this conceptual theory, there are four main personality aspects. Each of them has two sides with a neutral state in between:
Choleric, sanguine, melancholic, and phlegmatic temperaments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Charles_Le_Brun-Grande_Commande-Les_Quatre_temperaments.jpg
The MBTI (Myers-Briggs type indicator) is one of the most widely known psychological questionnaires which can indicate the different preferences on how people perceive the world. It also helps in understanding how – or better to say – based on what we are making decisions, interact with the surrounding and other people in social interactions. In this conceptual theory, there are four main personality aspects. Each of them has two sides with a neutral state in between:
- Mind- how we interact with the surrounding?
I Introversion
E Extraversion - Energy- how we process the information?
S Observation – someone practical, down-to earth. Focused on the past or present time
N Intuition – curious, open-minded. Focused on the future possibilities - Nature- how we make decisions/cope with feelings?
T Thinking – rational individuals who prioritize logic and tend to hide their feelings
F Feeling – sensitive empaths focused on social cooperation - Tactics- our approach to work and plan making
J Judging – highly organized and decisive
P Prospective – flexible, spontaneous individuals who like to keep their options open
The personality type name is the combination of first letters of each category (e.g ENTJ,
ISTP, ESFP). Moreover the personality types which are similar to each other are combined into type groups.
ISTP, ESFP). Moreover the personality types which are similar to each other are combined into type groups.
- Analysts (_NT_)
- Diplomats ( _NF_)
- Sentinels ( _S_J)
- Explorers (_S_P)
Even though the personality is just one factor that indicates our behaviour – it also depends on the environment, individual goals or life experience – it is very common for people with similar personality traits to behave in a specific way. It is irrational to demand from everybody to always react like the personality type they belong to. Nevertheless, I truly believe that the 16Personalities theory can help us in self-development and personal growth by simple self-discovery.
Sources:
https://www.16personalities.com/articles/our-theory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_temperaments
Questions:
1. Have you ever heard about this theory?
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
Sources:
https://www.16personalities.com/articles/our-theory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myers%E2%80%93Briggs_Type_Indicator
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_temperaments
Questions:
1. Have you ever heard about this theory?
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
Comments
2)I didn't take this test.
3)Could be, but i also belive this test isn't much accurate. I think about these traits more like about spectrum.
2. According to the description above I am the INTJ, however I have doubts about whether I should choose S or N. It is mostly accurate, but the number of factors is so small that it is not especially hard to fit yourself into one of those categories. I am not sure what is the purpose of such categorisation. It is probably worth reading more to find a deeper idea behind this.
3. No, not really. Everyone is different and putting people into predefined categories leads to losing their unique aspects. It is true that for example while putting together a team it is good to mix different kinds of personalities, but in every day life categorising people is rather harmful. I say it from the perspective of someone who knows almost nothing about psychology, so there is definitely a wider perspective which I don’t see.
Yes my sister told me about it.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
I did take this test several times as my sister and my girlfriend made me, but it was like a year ago so i don't really remember the results.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
It is useful for psychologists to create certain models or for behavioral predictions. It serves it's purpose when creating and performing social experiments.
Yes, a few years back actually. Really nice, almost perfect as it lacks a few things in my opinion, like backstory of a person and option to be between a two or more personalities.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
Yes, my personality is ENFP-T.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
It can be useful in research though we will never create a model that can truly categorise a person in every aspect of who they are.
No I have never heard about the theory, but I must admit I did not believe shortly after reading the title.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
I did take a test, but it is really not that binary in my case. For example, I am very extravertic when it comes to meeting with people I know, but I am exactly the opposite when I meet with stragers. I am actually mixed in every other "letter"!
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
No it is not. Generalizing people and simplyfying things is definitely not what we should do.
No, I have never heard about this theory, anyway I still have a bit doubts about Myers-Briggs type indicator, because it has only 4 types of indicators with 2 obtions for each type, so it means there are only 16 types of different personalities exist among 7 billion people, in my opinion, I guess 4 indicator might be not enough.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
No, I did not, I think this test doesn't suit me since I feel I can choose both for some letters.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
In my opinion, No, it is not, everyone is unique, we are human beings, but not objects to be categorized.
2. I haven't taken any test like that before. To be honest, I don't trust them, as usually they're quite general and doesn't take into account nuances which can make a great difference between the characters.
3. No, in my opinion, it's not useful. I think that one's character is really complex and it depends on many factors - both genetic tendencies and experiences we pass through. As I wrote before - such tests are very general and doesn't 'look' at nuances, so they won't get this subtle differences between people which seems to be similar, but in fact they differ a lot.
1. Yes, I heard about this type of method. I don't know to much about it, but it seems to me that it's one of the most overlapping with reality
2. ESTJ, i think so. I did a free test on the internet so I don't attach much to the result. However, I think that these tests have some truth in them because I had a different personality once and another time but as I read the description they were quite real
3. In the professional version and up to a point they are, for sure. If, for example, as an employer, we are looking for an employee who will be responsible for something complex and expensive, then rather part of the personality will not suit us. Anyway, these tests are based on questions that the answer in itself may delete someone or be in favor.
2. I read about this test. Also, while I was studying this issue, I came across criticism of this test. It stated that the test has a number of contradictions, and does not fully reflect the type of person, but this test can be successfully used in psychological practice to solve patients' problems.
3. No, I don’t think so. To be honest. It has a place to be, but it would not be bad to finalize it. Maybe in specific cases it can be used, for example, to build a team and define roles in a team. But in general, to determine the personality type, I personally am not ready to refer to it.
I have heard of many divisions into personality types. For example, in my work we have four types by color. The red type is confident, they are brave people, leaders. The blue type is a completely neutral person who stays silent from the side and performs his duties.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
Yes, I'm Entertainer ESFP-T.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
Sometimes it can be useful when our task is to divide people into mixed groups so that everyone is strong, someone more shy. If we are to assign a task to someone, it is good to know who is brave. In everyday life not particularly.
Yes, I did. Though, just like any other psychological theory -- this one does not do anything but wake my skepticism.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
I see little need in taking any psychological tests, as they require being engaged into this activity, honesty and willingness to coop. None of the tests I've encountered had made me show signs of any of those, thus rendering the results of the test irrelevant.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
Most likely, yes. Not only for those who had a great deal working with other people, making business, which requires spotting snakes and possible backstabs, but also very same goes for every human-human interaction, in my opinion. Needless to say, that not many people outside of the majors that actually require such skills and knowledge, devote themselves and their time into mastering psychology, thus only those, naturally coherent to it possess such an advantage.
2. Yes, I did. I’m not entirely sure if I remember correctly, but I think I was INFJ, one of the rarest personality types, so it can be hard for them to fit into this world and be understood correctly.
3. I think it can be helpful especially for people, that have problems with understanding why they behave the way they do, what are the crucial elements of their personality and how they operate. It can also by useful information for the partner in order to create stronger, more forgiving bond. The better we get to know ourselves the better we can create beautiful relations with the others based on understanding and knowing our flaws and graces of character.
2. I would say that my traits are INTJ, so according to this test, I am kind of Analyst.
3. Yes, it might be useful to find our bad sides and characteristics and try to eliminate them in the future.
I did the 16personalities test some time ago and I actually did it once more after reading your article, because I’ve heard the opinions that this test cannot really indicate your personality type as it’ll show different results depending on your mood or actual point of life. However, my result haven’t changed: ENFJ-T, Protagonist in 16personalities or Diplomat type group. Description is quite matching, but, well, descriptions in those test are usually so generic that almost everybody will match every description.
I don’t know how useful it is to categorise people into personality models, but I recently did Belbin Team Roles test and encouraged the team I’m managing to do it also, and the results were very interesting and explained why in some situations we don’t see eye to eye.
So test are good, maybe not all of them, but some definitely are.
2. I haven't taken this test, but I'm interested in doing it sometime in my spare time.
3. I think so. In business building, for example, in negotiations, I think that understanding of personal models is very useful. It can also be useful for a psychologist when examining a patient, for example.
2. Yes, the result wasn’t unexpected in any way – ISTJ. To this extent, I know myself.
3. Not really useful for us as the “customers” but it can be useful, for example, for employers when hiring new people or organizing/ reorganizing a team. It can be and is mostly used by sociologists to create or improve these kind of models to then sell them to above mentioned employers or someone of similar role to organize people.
2. I took the test, even more than once. First it was when I found website mentioned by author. Later I did it, I think two times more, because I was curious if there will be any big changes. I also did it few times, when someone I know 'discovered' this website and talked with me about it. I won't do it now, because I'm already bored with this test, but I practically always had ISTP-A and once to my surprise ISTJ-A. It's probably because while IST and -A always scored very high for me, tactics section would usually jump a lot on a big range. Maybe it depends on my mood or something. I also encourage everyone who did the test in English version, to retake it in Polish (or other language you know). For few people I know different language gave quite different results. English one is the best to read about specific types though, because there is much more information.
3. Categorizing people into personality models may be useful, but descriptions for each role is so broad, that people may easily fit more than one of them. Nothing is perfect though and I think that we can call model we fit into with our test a 'dominant one', and most likely will have more in common with such.
No, I've never heard of this theory. I am not very interested in psychology at all, so I know little about it.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if you are not willing to find out?
Yes, I took this test and my personality is ISTP. But in my opinion this is a very inaccurate test because the answers are quite unambiguous and there isn't provided that in some life situations different of these qualities are used.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
It is difficult to answer, but if it is done then it is probably used somewhere. After all, it may be useful for at least psychologists and psychoanalysts. But so for sure I can't say since I'm not very aware of this topic.
Yes I have heard . This theory was mentioned during my class in high school.
2. Did you take this test? If yes, what personality type are you, if not are you willing to find out?
Yes, I took this test and according to it I am istp. I am kind of explorer.
3. Do you think categorizing people into personality models is useful?
It is useful for psycholigist to find someones personality characteritics.