Personality tests measure psychological traits and behavior, used in the workforce to evaluate potential employees. There are different types of tests, including projective and questionnaire-based tests. The use of personality tests in the workplace has been criticized, and the Forer effect may explain their popularity.
A personality test is a test that measures different aspects of a person’s psychological traits and behavior, especially those that remain relatively unchanged throughout life. They can measure patterns of behavior, thoughts and feelings. They are often used in the workforce to evaluate potential employees on skills, intelligence and integrity and to identify different learning styles. Developed by psychologists, the tests are graded and then compared to norms or averages for a specific group.
There are many different types of personality tests. Some are projective tests that use unconscious attitude projections about ambiguous situations. These include the famous Rorschach inkblot test or the thematic apperception test. The former evaluates a person’s reaction to inkblots while the latter uses the images as a basis for the client to come up with a story. Test developments are usually theoretical or statistical and are refined over time.
Other tests use questionnaires that have a much higher level of standardization than projective tests. The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Test was created in 1942 and its most recent revision in the early 1990s is one of the most widely used personality tests. The very first personality test was used in 1919 and coincided with the emerging science of psychology. Called the Woodworth Personal Data Sheet, it was used by the US Army on new recruits to determine if they were likely to suffer from battle fatigue.
The widespread use of personality tests in the workplace has come under criticism as some experts believe too much weight may be placed on test results. There are hundreds of tests available, but not all of them are valid psychological or personality tests. People are complex beings, and the reduction of their characters to a series of “yes, no, or maybe” questions has led some to question the usefulness of personality tests.
The popularity of personality tests in non-clinical settings can be explained to some extent by the Forer effect. This is when very vague or generalized statements are taken as precise and personal. For example, a test may come back with an analysis such as “you can be self-critical” or “sometimes you feel like you haven’t made the right decisions.” These kinds of claims are accurate for everyone at a certain stage in life, but because people want to believe the analysis, they take the information as personal and specific.
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