Myths about personality tests

Five myths about what personality is and how it can be measured.

Myths about personality tests
Personality test myths

Main titles

Personality is innate.

  • Some prominent personality questionnaires such as the MBTI and the enneagram suggest that personality is fixed and formed in early childhood.
  • Various studies produce varying results about the age at which personality becomes fixed. In addition many personality systems had a flawed experimental design due to misrepresentation from the general public.
  • Technical aspects of systems' designs make it difficult to determine personality as being innate.

personality myths

Personality tests are based on psychological science.

  • Most of the popular questionnaires were made by amateurs and autodidacts.

The questions on personality tests are free of prejudice.

  • There are questions that exclude members of the population that either don't have the money, education, or available leisure time in order to make certain decisions.

Personality assessments are valid and reliable.

  • Many personality measures are prone to over-pathologizing subjects and misidentifying them.

Personality assessments are harmless fun.

  • Personality questionnaires are used by many companies in their hiring decisions.

Source: Washignton Post