about Personality traits

Personality traits and their importance

Personality traits are features that distinguish oneself from others. These characteristics heavily influence how an individual reacts to a circumstance. They are the distinguishing characteristics that characterize human existence, and they can be determined by conducting a self-report questionnaire to which test-takers are intended to react by assessing the degree to which a question describes one's character by agreeing or disagreeing. They provide a more complete picture of the person that one is. One gains mastery of their own strengths and shortcomings, as well as an in-depth awareness of what makes them tick. This paper is based on three personality assessments. It will focus on investigating whether results obtained are the true reflection of the reality.

Five Factor Model

The five factor model evaluates how unique a person is, based on five basic personality types. The five personality traits generally observed among individuals are extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. Each person displays a characteristic personality trait that prevails throughout life, however, only a few depict different personality traits in varying degrees ("Personality Test Center", 2017).

The five factor model of personality gives a clear description of the person that I am. I tend to be highly social and extremely friendly. I am an attention seeker, enthusiastic, talkative and love engaging in face to face interactions, always assertive and uncomfortable when spending free time alone. However I tend to be a bit selfish, less empathetic and might be deceptive ("Personality Test Center", 2017). Time taken on making decisions will depend on importance and urgency and that is why I procrastinate on beginning assigned tasks. The test also reflected my strengths and weaknesses. It pointed out some of my traits and therefore this test is an accurate reflection of me.

Human metrics Jung Typology Test

The Human metrics Jung Typology Test categorizes individuals into one of sixteen personality types. These types of four letter acronyms are divided on the different ways a person perceives or relates to the world and others around them. The four letter acronyms are Introvert versus Extravert, intuition versus Sensing, Thinking versus Feeling and lastly Judging Versus Perceiving ("Personality test based on C. Jung and I. Briggs Myers type theory", 2017). An individual’s final type is made up of one of each of the categories which are then combined.

As an ENFP, the test described me as being optimistic, lively enthusiastic and free spirited. Energizing and stimulating others excites me and I am always in pursuit of new found interests; I also get carried away by the excitement of the moment. It described me as an individual who was often hit by frustration if a project required a great deal of follow up or attention to detail ("Personality test based on C. Jung and I. Briggs Myers type theory", 2017).

I however found the test to be decidedly positive because it failed to show my stability and neurotic side. The test lacked value to me because it was too similar to horoscopes, only describing me using positive words while ignoring my negative traits. The test fails to separate individuals into dysfunctional or functional and maladaptive and adaptive. The test also fails to comply with the expected standards of the other basic personality tests that I took. In addition, it limited me to fit in only four of sixteen categories of acronyms provided.

Cattell 16 Factor Test

The Cattell 16 Factor Test is an in-depth tool that measures personality at a detailed level providing insight into somebody’s behavior and gives real indications to their personality (Similarminds.com, 2017). This test depicts most of my personalities because I am more of average when it comes emotionally connecting with people maybe that’s why my warmth factor is a little low (Similarminds.com, 2017). Although the test was complex, it was of value to me because it covered all aspects of my lifestyle. The test clearly brings out my negative attributes; this proves that the test is not a self-rating procedure but instead an assessment of behavior. The test predicted my capabilities and also choices I make in my daily experience which I can use to raise my confidence, improve conversations and change my insight.

Conclusion

In conclusion, personality tests provide individuals with a magnificent understanding on who they really are. After taking these tests I was able to depict which career paths I wanted to follow in accordance to my skills and talents, what to study in school and how to connect and relate with others. All the three tests somewhat reflected the individual that I really am except for a few traits that don’t go along with the person that I really am.

References

Similarminds.com. (2017). Cattell's 16 Factor Test. [online] Available at: http://similarminds.com/cattell-16-factor.html [Accessed 14 Oct. 2017].

Personality Test Center. (2017). Personalitytest.net. Retrieved 14 October 2017, from http://www.personalitytest.net/

Personality test based on C. Jung and I. Briggs Myers type theory. (2017). Humanmetrics.com. Retrieved 14 October 2017, from http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp