Personality Assessments

The Five-Factor Model of Personality

The most widely accepted model of personality today is the "Five-Factor" theory, which describes five core dimensions of personality. After many years of research and thousands of published studies, statistical "meta-analyses" of all data from previous research have determined that all prior personality theories can be "boiled down" into five fundamental dimensions. Again and again, statistical analyses have discovered that the same five elements underlie all research findings.

The Five-Factor model asserts that people's behavior and personality range along a continuum for each of the following five dimensions:

1. Extraversion — Extraversion refers to how people react to other people and social situations. Extraverts are characterized by their preference for being around others and involved in many activities. They tend to display more leadership behavior, are more physically and verbally active, and are more friendly and outgoing. Introverts, on the other hand, are characterized by a preference to work alone; they might be described by words such as serious, skeptical, quiet, or private.
   
   
2. Emotionality — Emotionality describes how a person responds to negative events. Resilient people tend to handle stressful situations in a calm, steady, and secure way. Reactive people, on the other hand, tend to focus on negative emotions and respond in an alert, concerned, or excitable way, typically displaying more stress. This dimension also captures feelings such as anxiety, hostility, depression, self-consciousness, impulsiveness, and vulnerability.
   
   
3. Agreeableness — Agreeableness describes the degree to which we value harmony and avoid conflict with others. People who are highly agreeable tend to relate to others by being tolerant and accepting. They often subordinate their personal needs to those of the group. People who are low on this dimension, on the other hand, may relate to others by being skeptical, guarded, competitive, or even aggressive. This dimension also captures feelings of modesty, compliance, and altruism.
   
   
4. Conscientiousness — People who are conscientious are typically described as detail-oriented, thorough, industrious, self-disciplined, and dependable. They typically follow rules according to a strong sense of right and wrong. Those who are low in conscientiousness, on the other hand, tend to approach their work in a relaxed, spontaneous, and open-ended fashion; they are typically capable of multi-tasking and being involved in many projects and goals at the same time.
   
   
5. Openness to Experience — This trait describes the degree to which we are open to new experiences and new ways of doing things. People with high levels of openness have broad interests, a fascination with novelty and innovation, are typically described as creative, and report engaging in personal introspection and reflection. People who have lower levels of openness report fewer interests, are more conventional, and are more comfortable with what is familiar.
   
   

Reference: Howard, P. J., & Howard, J. M. (2004). An Introduction to the Five-Factor Model of Personality for Human Resource Professionals. Center for Applied Cognitive Studies. Retrieved June 24, 2004.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Another frequently used personality measure is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is based on Carl Jung's theory that people can be classified into four main psychological types based on they how attend to stimuli in the environment and how they process that information. People are assumed to be either:

1. Introverted or Extroverted
2. Sensors or Intuitors
3. Thinkers or Feelers, and
4. Judgers or Perceivers.

For each of the dimensions above, the MBTI assigns a letter representing your dominant preference. For example, a person is who is mainly an Extrovert would be labeled an "E." People who complete the MBTI are ultimately given four letters, one for each category; for example, an ESTJ is an Extrovert, Sensor, Thinker, and Judger. Based on the different combinations of the four categories, people are classified into one of 16 different personality types. Several of these types are associated with an interest in teaching.

This exercise may be helpful as a means of self-exploration to better understand yourself and your interests. To take the MBTI (free of charge), go to www.personalitypathways.com/type_inventory.html.

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS)

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter is a popular online assessment instrument used in career exploration. The KTS classifies people into four psychological types. It is used to identify work environments that are supposedly congruent with one's temperament. This exercise might be helpful in getting you to think more in-depth about yourself and your career interests.

What is the difference between Personality and Temperament? Temperament is typically defined as our emotional nature that is inherited from our parents. Because it is biologically based, temperament is present in early childhood and remains stable over time. Personality, on the other hand, is usually defined in behavioral rather than emotional terms, is thought to be influenced by the environment, and continually develops over the lifespan.