If you took a personality test, could you fail? If you have a life coach, might he bench you? In reality, personality tests are no joke, and have long been used as serious approaches to examine the mental stability of pilots, police officers and others in high-pressure occupations. Recently, there has been a trend to use such tests as the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Life Styles Inventory, and the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 to help people better understand themselves, their relationships and their roles in society. Proponents of personality-typing argue that the tests can be used to help a person find the right job or improve a failing marriage. But, critics claim they are inaccurate, subjective and should not be relied on implicitly. Have you ever taken a personality test? Did it lead to an increased self-awareness or help you in any way? What “type” are you?
Guest:
John D. Mayer, Professor of Psychology, University of New Hampshire; expert on personality testing