Can Personality Tests Help You Better Understand Yourself?

The concept of personality is complex and nuanced. Extensive research has led to the development of several theories about how human personalities might be categorized, but none so far are universally accepted. Nevertheless, studies have revealed several trends and themes that offer insights into this topic. 

While no single personality test devised by psychologists so far can capture every facet of a person's character, several existing assessments can provide useful information about how an individual thinks, feels, and interacts with their environment. Below, we’ll provide a quick look at the history of personality studies, some modern, research-backed personality assessments, and ways to learn more about your own personality.

A brief history of personality studies

According to the American Psychological Association, personality refers to the “enduring characteristics and behavior that comprise a person’s unique adjustment to life, including major traits, interests, drives, values, self-concept, abilities, and emotional patterns.” It’s a way to describe this amalgamation of traits that makes up an individual and how they respond to others and the world around them. 

Humans have studied personality at least since the times of ancient Greece. Theories of personality from this time were based on Hippocrates' idea of the four physical humors: black bile, yellow or red bile, blood, and phlegm. Early philosophers theorized that a given individual’s personality varied depending on the balance of their humors. For example, those with an excess of black bile were thought to have a depressed, melancholic temperament.

Modern approaches to personality theory began with Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, which conceptualized the id and ego. Per his proposed system, the id refers to unconscious drives and impulses such as aggression and libido. The ego has both conscious and unconscious components and its role is to mediate the id's urges, which are often incompatible with social expectations. He theorized that one of the foundations of personality is linked to the fundamental conflict between the id and ego.

While this early brand of psychoanalysis became popular in the early 20th century, it was soon found to be lacking in scientific evidence. From there, psychologists like Carl Jung began to focus on more abstract elements of personality, which led to the development of one of the first empirically supported concepts in this field: extraversion versus introversion.

This framework posits that introverts are more focused on their inner worlds than on social interactions, while extroverts prefer to live out inner drives through external social interactions. The work of Jung and his contemporaries contributed to trait-based theories of personality, which are still used today. Traits like sociability, impulsiveness, and meticulousness, for example, seem to be relatively “dependable” over a person’s lifetime and can be studied scientifically.

The most up-to-date theories of personality combine features from research that originated decades ago (e.g. trait-based theories) with contemporary research that describes a person's characteristic thoughts and behaviors (i.e., their cognitive style). While a universal theory of personality remains elusive, enough empirical evidence exists to validate many different forms of personality measures.

Why study personality?

The basic concept of personality relies on the assumption that differences in behavior from one person to another result primarily from differences in the personality features that each person possesses. Efforts to quantify personality try to define those traits, measure them objectively, and align them with socially significant situations. 

On an individual level, learning more about your own personality can help you better understand how you approach problems and interact with others and what you may need from your lifestyle in order to feel comfortable and content. It’s become increasingly popular to use personality assessments in work settings too, since some may help people understand the roles they’re best suited for and their key areas for professional growth and development.

In other words, learning more about yourself through objective measures like personality assessments can help you with your career and social relationships and contribute to your own personal growth. With the results, you may gain information that you can use to decide how to proceed through difficult situations or new challenges. 

Finally, note that certain personality measures may be exclusively used in clinical settings by trained mental health practitioners. The data gained from these tests could help a clinician refine a diagnosis and inform treatment measures. It could also help them predict an individual’s behavior across certain settings as another method of informing care.

Modern personality measurements

Personality tests have become popular in the public sphere in recent years, which has led to an influx of many different quizzes and measures. It’s important to note that not all of these are created equal, however. For example, although the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has remained popular since its release in 1944, more recent research has revealed that the personality types it defines lack rigorous theoretical underpinnings. So, although some people still find it to be insightful or entertaining, it’s not considered to be a scientifically valuable assessment. In contrast, the modern personality assessments listed below have been scientifically tested and validated.

MMPI

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) is one of the most common psychometric tests designed to assess personality. It was first developed in the 1930s and has been continually updated since then to keep pace with modern research. It’s a lengthy assessment of over 500 questions, and the results take the form of a highly detailed report of various personality-related dysfunctions. 

The MMPI is mainly used in clinical settings but can also be applied to criminal justice, education, or employment. Unlike most online personality quizzes, the MMPI is a professional-level instrument that requires expert training to score and interpret. 

16 Personalities 

16 Personalities is a free personality test often confused with the MBTI due to its use of a similar scoring system. However, the 16 Personalities test is based on an entirely different and empirically supported model of personality: the Big Five Personality Traits. The 16 Personalities test is considered to be reliable and valid, meaning that it returns consistent results and measures the factors it was designed to. 

At the end of the assessment, test takers will receive information about their personality type, including their roles and strategies. A role in this context refers to a person’s goals, interests, and preferred activities, while a strategy is their preferred way of doing things and achieving goals.

DiSC tests

A DiSC test is not a comprehensive personality measure but rather an exploration of a person's behavioral styles, and it’s considered to be highly scientifically validated. DiSC is an acronym, with each letter representing a scale on the assessment.

For example, "high D" (for dominance) people tend to be persistent problem solvers and self-starters, while "low D" people tend to be restricted, uncompetitive, indecisive, and indirect. The DiSC also quantifies the limitations of high scores; a "high D" person may be persistent and a self-starter, but they may also tend to lack diplomacy, take on too much responsibility, and become angry easily. Most DiSC assessments provide interpretations of scores that offer insights into the strengths and limitations of certain profiles.

Exploring your personality in therapy

Exploring various personality tests and measures is one way to learn more about yourself in order to embark on a journey of personal growth. They can highlight your strengths and weaknesses, helping you build self-esteem as well as drawing your attention to potential areas for improvement. While you can take many personality tests on your own, you may be able to glean more from them by engaging with a therapist. They can administer tests or discuss the results of those you’ve taken, they can help you understand your emotions, behaviors, and possible directions for growth, and they may support you on your journey of self-discovery in other ways as well.

Those who are interested in connecting with a therapist can generally choose between online and in-person sessions. Research suggests that both formats can offer similar benefits in most cases, which means it typically comes down to personal preference. If you have a busy schedule and can’t travel to and from in-person appointments or would simply feel more comfortable meeting with a provider from the comfort of home, for example, online therapy may be worth exploring. With a platform like BetterHelp, you can get matched with a licensed therapist who you can meet with via phone, video call, and/or in-app messaging from anywhere you have an internet connection.

Takeaway

Understanding your personality may help you succeed at school, at work, and in your social life and relationships. There are various research-backed personality tests to choose from that may help you make decisions and engage in meaningful personal growth. If you’re looking for support along the way, meeting with a therapist online or in person may be helpful.