Personality tests are a big part of today’s society. They help fill in the blanks about our behaviors and thinking processes that we might struggle to fill in ourselves.
Some would say the tests have really helped them make sense of how they interact or respond to other people and situations. Some may take the tests simply for fun, and others may be completely against them. Regardless of opinion, most can agree that they are a hot discussion topic around most campuses.
Lydia Cyrus, a freshman social work major and advocate for personality tests, argues that they are a beneficial way of helping people get to know themselves.
“I love them because just by simply asking about someone’s day-to-day life, these tests can accurately reflect who you are and bring to light different areas of who you are,” Cyrus said. “They always end with me feeling like I know myself better after getting the results.”
Cyrus also said that there are benefits to taking the tests.
“These tests are designed to break down who you are as a person, and by doing so, it allows you to see both your strengths and weaknesses,” Cyrus said. “They provide explanations to not only who you are, but why you are the way you are.”
Cyrus does say there are things that some should take into account when taking the tests. With time comes change, so as people get older, their personalities can change.
“I think these tests don’t always reflect your personality across the board,” Cyrus said. “Sometimes people change because of who they’re with or their circumstances. Also, while these tests seem accurate, they usually just give a generalized view of your personality, leaving room for you to fill in the blanks for the details of your life.”
The tests alone can only give so much information about people. There comes a point when you have to draw the line where the tests stop and your own exploration of your personality begins.
Caroline Adcock, a sophomore psychology major, says that people can be too reliant on personality tests.
“When a person gets the results from a personality test, they may define themselves by how their personality type is described,” Adcock said. “Being assigned a personality type makes a person very fixated on who they are at that point in time. They’re not concerned with how they could grow in the future.”
There are plenty of other reasons to argue for or against personality tests, but all can at least agree to take the results with a grain of salt. If you do take any of the tests, just be sure to not limit yourself to a ten minute quiz.
Graphic Produced by Campbell Padgett
