Personality tests - Who is Ashley?!?!!
Recently, I have been on a path to figure out WHO I am and what to do with that information. I have also noticed, as of late, a surge of self-care and self-diagnosis of behavioral issues. While I have yet to set aside enough patience to go and see a professional (although I DO advocate for Mental Health agencies) I decided to look into some different aspects of my personality.
Many things can be determined by the decisions we make. I recently heard a report on NPR replay of Can a Test Really Tell Who's a Psychopath, a story on the creation and utility of the test that measures psychopathic tendencies and is used to determine if ex-cons are truly rehabilitated after serving time for their crimes. This test has shown to be true, in some instances, as well as being questioned due to the relevance in its procedure and the timeline used to measure mental capacity. Its own creator feared how it could be used, yet it is a staple in deciding on many parole cases here in the United States. These prisoners' actions and decisions before and during incarceration can be tested to determine a person's mental state and capacity to commit a crime. Likewise, I had the chance to binge-watch and catch up on Season 3 of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Rebecca is finally addressing her mental health (somewhat healthier). This, combined with the wealth of knowledge and tests on the internet, makes me wonder what aspects of my personality lead to my decisions and how I could better manage. So, as I continue to procrastinate seeking professional help/counseling, I decided to take a few Myers-Briggs personality tests and compare the results with what I already know/understand about myself. So I took 3 personality tests. I googled “Myers-Briggs personality test” and selected the top 3 links in no particular order. I ALSO got three somewhat different results.
Before we get into the results, let's talk about what the letters mean. First, there's (E)xtraverted vs. (I)ntroverted, or rather how I spend and gain energy interacting. (S)ensing vs. I(N)tuitive, or how I take in information. Then there's (T)hinking vs. (F)eeling or how I make decisions and (J)udging vs. (P)erceiving which tells how I live my life. Judging means that I'm more likely to organize my life events and, as a rule, sticks to his plans. Perceiving means that he or she is inclined to improvise and explore alternative options.
The first test, from Pyschcentral.com had me answer a series of questions with responses on scale of: Agree, Somewhat, Disagree and it rated me as ESTJ. It gave me the following synopsis (for $ free.99) “The Guardian, Practical, traditional, and organized. Likely to be athletic. Not interested in theory or abstraction unless they see the practical application. Have clear visions of the way things should be. Loyal and hard-working. Like to be in charge. Exceptionally capable in organizing and running activities. "Good citizens" who value security and peaceful living.” I stopped believing at “athletic”, another story for another time. However, everything else seemed pretty on spot for me; at least how I see Ashley.
The second test was from PersonalityPerfect.com and was a little more exact in the testing, with a series of questions with “this or that” responses to each scenario and ending with the following questions - The most important thing I’d want to improve about myself, age, and gender. With a BRIEF description of the letters, this one prompted me to download an app, as well as advised me of what in depth information about myself I could pay to receive. The results of this one was INTP which was explained as, "The Thinker, Introverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving. Independent, unconventional, and original. Not likely to place much value on traditional goals such as popularity and security. Spend a lot of time inside your own mind. Strong ability to analyze problems, identify patterns, and come up with logical explanations. Highly value intelligence and knowledge. Love new ideas and become very excited over abstractions and theories.' I also agree with this one, as far as spending time inside my mind and valuing intelligence and knowledge.
The third test was from HumanMetrics.com and answered list of YES yes uncertain no NO (all caps yes & no may mean emphasis on how much I agree or disagree with the questions.) Although this version of the test offered simplified responses, it had the most “data” in the output. I tested ENFP for this one. Here is part of the additional data it gave me:
You have marginal or no preference of Extraversion over Introversion (3%)
You have moderate preference of Intuition over Sensing (28%)
You have slight preference of Feeling over Thinking (16%)
You have slight preference of Perceiving over Judging (16%)
This one also had more FREE information regarding the results and application to life, relationship, pre-employment testing and staff development.All in all, with the results of ESTJ, INTP, and ENFP, I agree with every last one. I am introverted but more so extroverted. I am an abstract thinker most of the time, however I am a thinker and make decisions based on facts. Lastly, I agree that I am a perceiver and typically have no schedule and order to my life (I'm working on it).Again, taking internet tests do not constitute getting professional help. Please seek a therapist or psychiatrist to discover and heal from any behavioral issues you may be having or simply get some answers to some questions. Taking these test did reassure me that I am exactly who I think I am...and pushed me to begin searching for assistance on understanding and improving the person I am. What would you all like to gain from learning more about your personality types?