Improving the Myers Brigg Test

[SnarlPatrick]

It seems like much of the objection to this test has to do with how it is used, rather than the methodology itself. I'm sure I would agree with many of these objections. I don't see quite what place personality testing has in job placement or how it is any business of your employer...

If those of you who have had bad experiences with the misuse of this test can look past that for a moment, you'll see that the ACTUAL weakness of the test... the binary nature of the results on each given metric, is exactly what my suggestion aims to remedy. I'm a bit disappointed that nobody has engaged with the idea. But I suppose I ought not to be surprised.

[gcason]

It seems like much of the objection to this test has to do with how it is used, rather than the methodology itself. I'm sure I would agree with many of these objections. I don't see quite what place personality testing has in job placement or how it is any business of your employer...

If those of you who have had bad experiences with the misuse of this test can look past that for a moment, you'll see that the ACTUAL weakness of the test... the binary nature of the results on each given metric, is exactly the what my suggestion aims to remedy. I'm a bit disappointed that nobody has engaged with the idea. But I suppose I ought not to be surprised.

I question the validity of any self-reporting test. You act as if you are a reliable reporter of your own personality traits. The test results will reflect your bias.

[SkeptiQueer]

It seems like much of the objection to this test has to do with how it is used, rather than the methodology itself. I'm sure I would agree with many of these objections. I don't see quite what place personality testing has in job placement or how it is any business of your employer...

If those of you who have had bad experiences with the misuse of this test can look past that for a moment, you'll see that the ACTUAL weakness of the test... the binary nature of the results on each given metric, is exactly the what my suggestion aims to remedy. I'm a bit disappointed that nobody has engaged with the idea. But I suppose I ought not to be surprised.

The actual weakness of the test is the self-reporting. The second major flaw with the test is the fundamental lack of scientific backing for the results.

[random poet]

Here.

[mountainsophist]

I see this tests as a bit of a self fulfilling prophecy, too. I've been in the corporate world for years and I've had to take many such tests at which point they tell me what kind of person I am and how everyone should work with me.  These days I do data analytics and visualization, so not surprisingly the tests say I like details and having all the information and I'm uncomfortable when people ask me to step outside my area of expertise.  So, I have the traits you'd expect someone in that role to have because the test said so (I'm a detail oriented person because the test said I'm a detail oriented person).  The danger is if an employee is passed over because some nonsensical arbitrary test said they weren't good at something.  In my case, apparently I'm not a creative thinker or dreamer.  Which is surprising because I have a side job in woodworking creating puzzle boxes and other fanciful trick items.  I'm not creative in data analytics because the job requires detail, accuracy and precision.  And yeah I agree with a few other responders that you could take the test ever week for a while and get different responses every time.

One of my old colleagues had his PhD in Psychology and he laughed at these tests.  There are better ones used in the medical field, but they are often dozens of pages.

Here's a newsflash for HR teams, if you want to learn more about your people, try talking to them.  It's amazing what you'll find out. 

[Skeptic1001]

I did this test when I was a teen, twice, and I received different categorizations with each repeat. I decided the test wasn't reliable and quickly my interest dissolved when I found real science. Personality is subjective and a person's course of action and decision patterns change with each episode.