Personality Testing

Personality testing is aimed at describing certain aspects of a persons character that remains stable throughout a persons life. Everyone has a thought about another person\’s \”personality\” type and many times these personality traits or characteristics don\’t change throughout life no matter how hard a person might try. These are the underlying constructs that make us who we are. They are unique traits and what make us different from others in the world. And personality tests attempt to differentiate those characteristics and identify them so that we can use the information to make us better at our jobs, take jobs that best suit our abilities and match us with life partners who are best suited for our personalities.

Only a trained professional can give an accurate personality profile but there are some very good online tests that can act as an introduction to the concepts. The most important thing to remember about personality testing is that nothing is wrong – there are no wrong answers and and the information you learn only helps you to further define your strengths and weaknesses – which in turn only helps to focus your personal development efforts.

There are also several different underlying psychological theories that go into personality testing. In fact there are hundreds of different types of tests that can be performed that may or may not be accurate in their assesment of your personality strengths and characteristics. The real reason to take personality tests is not to identify global personality traits that are evident to yourself and others with whom you interact, but instead to identify different types of jobs, relationships or types of compromises which you are more likely to identify with. This gives you and your boss a real advantage when considering your job placement or career choices.

Personality testing is also helpful for individuals who may not have thought deeply about the reasons behind their actions or reactions to situations. In other words, there very well may be underlying reasons why certain individuals become angry quicker than their peers and using personality testing can help individuals to become more aware of their characteristics and traits that are both working against them and for them.

For instance, by recognizing that planning for the future is not something you do easily, you can alter your behavior intentionally so that you put into effect plans that ensure a financially stable future.

Another reason personality testing is performed is to determine if someone may be suffering from a personality disorder. These are a set of traits that will negatively affect your life and your ability to be successful in your actions with others. They often have a wide ranges of causes and an even wider range of negative effects on lifestyle choices and results. (1)

Psychologists have identified ten broad categories of personality disorder that are the most common and have significant negative consequences. These personalty disorders include paranoid, schizoid, antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic, avoidant, dependent and obsessive-compulsive.

However you choose to use personality testing for your own benefit you must be aware that the results are not always accurate and that only a trained psychologist who is experienced in testing can give a thorough evaluation. The results from online testing should only be used as a tool to give you insights into your own behaviors that may have a negative impact on your actions and your life.

Several online tests:

Big Five Personalty Test http://www.outofservice.com/bigfive/

Type T – Able to withstand downturn in economy
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-12-03-quiz-personality-economy_N.htm

Acuity testing
http://www.3smartcubes.com/pages/tests/acuity-skills-test/acuity-skills-test_instructions.asp

Career Testing
http://www.2h.com/details/what-career-will-suit-your-personality.html

(1) American Psychiatric Association: Personality Disorders
http://www.dsm5.org/proposedrevision/pages/personalitydisorders.aspx