happiful september 2021

elationships
Takin’ it
personally
INFJ, type 2 – ‘the helper’, high agreeability… There are lots of personality tests
out there, each promising to give us more insight into the people we are. But
what do the results really mean, and how can we use their findings?
Writing | Kat Nicholls
As humans, something
that sets us apart
is how unique we
are. Like snowflakes
under a microscope, we all have
different patterns – of behaviour,
preferences, and responses –
which form who we are as a
whole. This can be thought of as
our personality.
Each personality is different,
formed in a certain way
depending on how and
where you grew up, among
countless other factors. But,
in between the differences,
there are similar patterns to
be found. Certain traits seem
to sit together neatly, and this
is what personality tests look
for – clusters of traits that form
alongside one another to create
a personality ‘type’.
Helping us to recognise our
particular patterns, personality
tests were first used in the
workplace and by psychologists.
These days, a quick Google for
‘personality test’ will throw up
numerous results, with various
tests promising to help you
uncover who you ‘truly are’.
As these types of tests are
self-reported – you are the
one answering the questions
– and not always put together
with evidence at their core, it’s
important to take the results with
a pinch of salt. These tests are a
fun and engaging way to learn
about your personality, but they
don’t dictate who you truly are.
So, should we bother with
personality tests, and how can we
use the knowledge we gain from
them in our everyday life? Let’s
start by looking at some of the
major tests you may come across.
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happiful.com | September 2021 | 45