Our generation has witnessed the transition of interest shift from the quizzes in magazines to personality tests online. What a time to be alive, right? Take a BuzzFeed quiz as an example. Based on the type of eggs preferred, the quiz tells the quirky personality traits of the user. These traits are further shared on Facebook with friends and family. The Myers–Briggs personality test is one of the popular quizzes of this kind. Published in 1962, this test of personality assessment is based on the conceptual theory of Carl Jung which states four principal psychological functions. Like every other trending phenomena, several alternatives to Myers Briggs test have emerged eventually.
Before discussing the alternatives, it is important to understand MBTI, a tool that is known to help us unravel human psychology.
Decoding MBTI:
While an average of around 2.5 million people takes this test, 89 of the Fortune 100 companies use it. Corporate firms use the MBIT for the personality assessment of their employees and divide teams based on the results. According to The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), people are of 16 distinct types in terms of thinking, emotional abilities and social interaction. The personality assessment result of the MBTI test gives two types of results:
- State of mind
- Original and hardwired personality traits
Though the test states that it sorts for preferences, the results are often confirmed as traits both by individuals and firms.
Here are the several shortcomings of the century-old Myers Briggs test:
The whole concept of the test is based on unproven theories of Carl Jung. Also, no psychological experiments were conducted to prove these theories though Carl Jung’s contribution to the study of human psychology, the test based on these theories might not give accurate results.
Carl Jung himself stated that no individual could be a pure introvert or a pure extrovert. However, Myers Briggs Test segregates people into binaries under a certain category. This is the primary flaw in the test as data from psychological experiments has proven that there are no personality traits. Instead, the human mind has different “personality states”.
The test results are mostly inconsistent as the answers given to the question may vary depending on the mood of the person. The popularity of the test isn’t for its accurate results but for the flattering names.
Finally, in 2015, thousands of professional psychologists assessed Myers Briggs Test and declared that it is inaccurate and arbitrary.
The very much needed alternatives to Myers Briggs test:
- Big Five
- Predictive Index (PI)
- Traitify
- Goleman’s EQ Test and Emotional Intelligence quiz
- The Enneagram Type Indicator
- Facial Recognition Quiz
Let’s discuss the above in detail:
1. Big Five:
As the name suggests, the Big Five test takes five dimensions of personality into consideration. They are:
- Openness
- Conscientiousness
- Agreeableness
- Extraversion
- Neuroticism
Once a person answers the 60 questions of the test, it will determine the person’s personality under the five different factors. Unlike the Myers Brigg, this test doesn’t rely on binary dimensions and instead works with degrees and relative strengths. The first dimension- Openness to Experience which defines both imaginative, creative people and practical people. This dimension tests the person’s openness to art, Emotionality, adventures and liberalism. The questions on the factor of conscientiousness show the degree of the person’s goal-oriented nature. This way, the Big Five test eliminates the flaw of the Myers Brigg test and is accurate in determining personality differences. Considered as one of the best alternatives to Myers Briggs Test, the Big Five test doesn’t show flattering results. Under Neuroticism, the test has subcategories like immoderation, depression, anxiety, and anger.
2. Predictive Index:
Founded in 1955 and conducted by PI Worldwide, the Predictive Index was designed specifically for business purposes. Instead of using several scenarios, the PI test uses two screens displaying dozens of personality traits. From the first grid of traits, the person is asked to choose the traits others expect from him/her. Then, the person is asked to select the qualities which he/she thinks they exhibit from the second grid. As a part of an employee’s personality assessment, this test is used to determine the following qualities of the individual:
- Dominance
- Extroversion
- Patience
- Formality
However, this test is nowhere similar to MBTI as the scores aren’t absolute but are defined in degrees. The test is very helpful to corporate firms as it provides an overview of the expected management style of the candidates. Once the results are analyzed by trained professional several strategies can be sketched out.
3. Traitify
The hashtag “This is some!” has been trending since the dawn of memes in social media. The personality assessment test at Traitify involves a series of pictures caption me/not me. The results of the test are limited to seven possible fits, and the top two results are considered. This test is the best match for millennials and even younger people. Popular among college going individuals, Traitify also has fun tests like best movie fit and most similar hero type.
4. Goleman’s EQ Test and Emotional Intelligence quiz
Similar to MBTI, Goleman’s EQ Test presents several situations and asks the individual to choose a response. The test aims to determine the emotional intelligence of the individual.
Designed by global research and the Institute for Health and Human Potential (IHHP), the Emotional Intelligence quiz tests various states of mind. The test can determine important characteristics like how well an individual can handle criticism.
5. The Enneagram Type Indicator
This test is based on the Enneagram Questionnaire by Don Richard Riso. The test comprises of about 200 questions which are aimed at defining the individual’s emotional outlook on life. The questions are directed at the individual’s social interaction and emotionality which have “either this or that” options similar to MBTI.
6. Facial Recognition Quiz
A U.C. Berkeley based magazine called Greater Good Magazine publishes the facial recognition quiz. The test is one of the fun-focused alternatives to Myers Briggs Test. The quiz presents a picture and asks the individual to identify the emotion that’s being conveyed. This facial recognition test asks to determine emotions ranging from happiness and anger to excitement and embarrassment.
A very few tests are designed and tested by professionals. Not all the alternatives to Myers Briggs test are evaluated by professionals. Therefore, it is important to understand the difference between a fun quiz and a personality assessment test.
