Problems Associated with Personality Testing

1. The Fortune Teller Syndrome: People love taking tests believing they magically reveal

hidden potential.

2. Testing gives the person administering the test a cloak of false authority: The majority

of people ho administer tests are neither trained to do so! or have any knoledge of 

their development! theoretical assumptions! and limitations.

". #lients believe that tests have high validity. They often place too much emphasis upon

the results! seeing them as infallible.

$. Tests sho little predictive validity! yet this is hat they infer.

%. Personality tests provide a profile at a specific time! in a specific place. People e&press

different traits in different situations! and people change over time.

'. (esponse sets are often very limited. )o can e be sure that the right *uestions are

 been asked in the first place+ This is here *ualitative research methods can be much

more accurate and in,depth.

-. Faking: (espondents ill often complete the test in such a ay by picking those options

that are culturally appropriate.

. The majority of personality tests and theories ere developed by hite! /estern!

middle class men from the 0nited States and the 0nited ingdom! reflecting their 

 particular vie of the orld.

. The science of psychology! and the field of personality research more specifically! is

intimately linked ith /estern social! economic! and political structures such as:

capitalism 3accumulation of material ealth4! individualism 3economic independence4!

competition! and personal responsibility.

15. 6ifferent cultures differ in ho they value personality traits such as agreeableness

3cooperation4! hich is seen as very important in 7sian and 8atin 7merican cultures!

hile less important in /estern cultures 30..! 0.S.4! here there is a greater emphasis

on individual liberty.

11. Personality tests fail to e&plain hat drives a particular trait and the behaviours

associated ith it.

12. Personality testing as originally designed to be used as one of a number of tools in the

assessment and diagnosis of mental illness. For e&ample! the 9innesota 9ultiphasic

Personality nventory 399P4 is used to estimate a client;s strengths and eaknesses<

that is ho vulnerable or ho resilient they are 3hat are the client;s assets and

liabilities e.g. personality attributions4. The Five Factor 9odel includes a dimension

that defines psychological vulnerability 3neuroticism4. 7 high neuroticism score is used

as a means to assess susceptibility to depression and an&iety disorders. The five factor 

model is also used to better understand =personality disorders; 3P64. #urrent thinking

suggests that P6 are essentially rigid and e&treme manifestations of one or several of 

the big five traits.