Know Thy Self; How?

Have you noticed that humans are very diverse in behavior? Some people find it very easy to solve complex puzzles, others have a hard time initiating conversation with strangers. You may like to see things well organized all the time or you find it really difficult to confront bad actors around you.

It is really hard to know the underpinning causes of why we behave the way we do in the broader world and in our personal lives. In the future, we might crack the code of human behavior with precision thanks to advances in artificial intelligence and bioengineering. Until then let me introduce you the oracle; personality test.

A personality test is a method of assessing human personality constructs. There are many different types of personality assessment measures. I will introduce you to the common ones on my radar.

Big Five personality traits
This model uses descriptors of common language to describe the human personality and psyche across five dimensions, namely openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

The five factors in detail:
Openness to experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious). Appreciation for art, emotion, adventure, unusual ideas, curiosity, and variety of experience. Openness reflects the degree of intellectual curiosity, creativity and a preference for novelty and variety a person has. It is also described as the extent to which a person is imaginative or independent and depicts a personal preference for a variety of activities over a strict routine. High openness can be perceived as unpredictability or lack of focus, and more likely to engage in risky behavior. Also, individuals that have high openness tend to lean towards being artists or writers in regards to being creative and appreciate of the significance of the intellectual and artistic pursuits. Moreover, individuals with high openness are said to pursue self-actualization specifically by seeking out intense, euphoric experiences. Conversely, those with low openness seek to gain fulfillment through perseverance and are characterized as pragmatic and data-driven — sometimes even perceived to be dogmatic and closed-minded.

Conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. easy-going/careless). A tendency to be organized and dependable, show self-discipline, act dutifully, aim for achievement, and prefer planned rather than spontaneous behavior. High conscientiousness is often perceived as stubbornness and obsession. Low conscientiousness is associated with flexibility and spontaneity, but can also appear as sloppiness and lack of reliability.

Extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved). Energy, positive emotions, surgency, assertiveness, sociability and the tendency to seek stimulation in the company of others, and talkativeness. High extraversion is often perceived as attention-seeking and domineering. Low extraversion causes a reserved, reflective personality, which can be perceived as aloof or self-absorbed. Extroverted people tend to be more dominant in social settings, as opposed to introverted people who may act shyer and reserved in this setting.

Agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. challenging/detached). A tendency to be compassionate and cooperative rather than suspicious and antagonistic towards others. It is also a measure of one’s trusting and helpful nature, and whether a person is generally well-tempered or not. High agreeableness is often seen as naive or submissive. Low agreeableness personalities are often competitive or challenging people, which can be seen as argumentative or untrustworthy.

Neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. secure/confident). Neuroticism identifies certain people who are more prone to psychological stress. The tendency to experience unpleasant emotions easily, such as anger, anxiety, depression, and vulnerability. Neuroticism also refers to the degree of emotional stability and impulse control and is sometimes referred to by its low pole, “emotional stability”. A high stability manifests itself as a stable and calm personality but can be seen as uninspiring and unconcerned. A low stability expresses as a reactive and excitable personality, often very dynamic individuals, but they can be perceived as unstable or insecure. It has also been researched that individuals with higher levels of tested neuroticism tend to have worse psychological well-being.

People who do not exhibit a clear tendency towards specific characteristics chosen from the above-mentioned related pairs in all five dimensions are considered adaptable, moderate and reasonable personalities, but can be perceived as unprincipled, inscrutable and calculating.

DISC assessment
DISC is a behavior assessment tool which centers on four different behavioral traits: dominance, inducement, submission, and compliance, hence (DISC). It measures your tendencies and preferences, your patterns of behavior.

The DiSC model discusses four reference points:
Dominance — direct, strong-willed and forceful

Influence — sociable, talkative and lively

Steadiness — gentle, accommodating and soft-hearted

Conscientiousness — private, analytical and logical

It examines how you respond to challenges, how you influence others, how you respond to rules and procedures, and about your preferred pace of activity.

Myers–Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is an introspective self-report questionnaire with the purpose of indicating differing psychological preferences in how people perceive the world around them and make decisions. It basically proposes that there are four essential psychological functions by which we see this world. These functions are sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking. Based on the answers to the questions on the inventory, people are identified as having one of 16 personality types. The goal of the MBTI is to allow respondents to further explore and understand their own personalities including their likes, dislikes, strengths, weaknesses, possible career preferences, and compatibility with other people.

Now, what do you do with all the information about your personality traits? One of the characteristics of maturity is to be aware of who you are. In my case, I had to hack the results of my personality test. I am very much aware of my motivation and lack thereof to do so many things now. It is, for this reason, I decided to embark on personal life coaching. It is a perfect match for my personality traits and I have the history to back it up. Once I could see clearly the sort of person I am, I had to amplify my strengths and manage my weaknesses. I had to put in place the right mechanisms and boundaries in relation to the world around me.

A personality test is just a tool and like any tool, it is not perfect. However wouldn’t it be worth your while if it helps you to “know thy self”?

By Kingbert Eduako
Simple Life Coaching

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