Personality tests can be a lot of fun to take and it’s interesting to read the results, but there’s much more to it than taking an arbitrary online quiz. The best personality tests are the ones that give you more insight into who you are as a person. The results should help you understand more about your personality, and give you the opportunity to build a stronger sense of self.
Personality tests find their origins in psychology, and the best ones were developed by psychologists to help give people a deeper understanding of individual traits that make them who they are. Through this, it is possible to group people into clusters that help us build a stronger picture of society.
We are all unique, yes, but we can also be gathered into personality groups. Some are quite broad, such as the concept of the Type A and Type B personalities, and others have much more specific criteria, such as the 16 personality types from Myers-Briggs.
There are some personality tests that are better and more reliable than others. For example, the Myers-Briggs personality test was founded by psychologists, whereas a Buzzfeed personality quiz is made by those who have no experience or qualifications in the field. So, how do you know which personality tests are legit?
The Best Personality Tests Available Today
Let’s take a closer look at the best personality tests you’ll find today. Each of these is backed by psychology and significant research, as well as highly acclaimed by experts in the field.
Below are the best personality tests available today:
1. Myers-Briggs (MBTI)
The Myers-Briggs personality test is one of the most highly-acclaimed personality tests out there. This is the one I often encourage my friends to take, as it’s certainly one of the best personality tests you can find online. It’s exceptionally detailed, and the 16 personality types that are listed by this test are detailed, intricate, and offer an accurate depiction of the person taking the test (I’m an INTP, for example).
This personality test looks at four main categories – introvert vs extrovert, perceiving vs judging, intuition vs sensing, and thinking vs feeling. The test is fairly long as it has 93 questions, but it’s definitely worth doing. The best place to take the MBTI test is at 16 Personalities, where the test is completely free as well as exceptionally detailed.
2. The Big 5 Personality Test
The Big 5 personality test is another one of the best personality tests that is universally acclaimed as well as quite popular. This particular test looks at five core features of your personality – openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. It has gone through intense scientific study and backing, which makes it an exceptionally reliable form of personality test.
It is often used as a way to see how compatible you are with other people and if your personalities are more likely to blend nicely or clash completely. The test itself is free, and the best place to take it is through the Big 5 website. The results are detailed and can give you excellent insight into who you are.
3. Enneagram
This particular test has a very strong emotional focus, which is part of what makes it so interesting. It is a little more complex than most, nearing the levels of the MBTI as opposed to the relative simplicity of the Big 5. However, the result of this is that you get an intricate look at your personality and each of the traits that you possess.
It separates people into nine types, each of which has their own set of dynamics. It analyses your fears and your emotional interpretations of the world, looking at the way in which you manage yourself and the situations you find yourself in so that it can determine which of the nine suits you best.
The test can be found for free online, but these tend to be different from the official one and so will not be as accurate. If you want to take the actual test as intended, you can find it on the official website and can pay to take it through that for only $12.
4. Caliper Profile
This personality test is a little different in that it has a central focus on personality in the workplace, but the fact that it is so commonly used by employers during the screening process makes it a very valuable one to take. Its purpose is to give a broad view of the positive and negative traits that a person can bring to the workplace as well as to the work they are doing.
Usually, this test is provided in multiple-choice format, and you choose the statement that aligns with your personal views. You’ve likely taken many of them during job applications, as they are often presented in the form of scenarios that relate to the chosen place of work.
What makes this test interesting is that it can be completely customized to fit any place of work. The Caliper Profile website is an excellent place to learn more about the science behind it.
5. HEXACO
This test was developed a couple of decades ago, but it still stands strong as one of the best personality tests to take. It takes a look at multiple aspects and dimensions of what makes our personalities so that they can be grouped accordingly to help build a stronger picture of who we are.
It measures six core dimensions of the personality – honesty, emotional stability, agreeability, extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness. In recent years, the test has been revised so that you can choose from three different lengths. The full version has 200 questions, the medium version has 100 questions, and the short version has 60 questions.
The official HEXACO website is the best place to take this test, and it’s free.
Is the Best Personality Test a DNA Test?
People take personality tests to find out more about themselves. In that vein, you should also look into taking a DNA test.
A DNA test can help you find out a wealth of information about yourself, including some genetic personality traits you might have. CircleDNA Premium, for example, is an at-home DNA test that provides you with 500 reports about yourself.
You’ll likely learn a lot more about yourself through a DNA test than anything else, but online personality tests are still fun to take.
To Conclude: Why Take a Personality Test?
Whether it’s because you want to learn more about who you are as a person, or the kind of career you might be best suited for, there are plenty of reasons to further explore all of the unique aspects of your personality.
People use personality tests to discover more about themselves, but they are sometimes used by employers as well, to gain a better understanding of who their employees are and the best way to help them become as productive as possible in their roles.
The fact of the matter is that there is nothing to lose from understanding ourselves better. Personality tests and DNA tests allow us to discover what makes us who we are, why we behave the way we do, and can even help us to find the best career paths that work well with our personality type.
These tests can also help us to identify challenges that we might face as a result of our personality type, which can give us the opportunity to find new ways to overcome and manage problems. While you probably shouldn’t make any serious life decisions based on an online personality test, you can at least be given some insight and some clues about who you are.
