9 ms·
I was under the impression the Meyer-Briggs was essentially pseudo-science?
by octo_t 13y ago
I was under the impression the Meyer-Briggs was essentially pseudo-science?
- sk5t 13y agoThe test is rubbish. On the other hand, much like a horoscope, it provides a basis for conversation and reflection.
- reinhardt 13y agoGiven that it apparently was (is?) being used as an HR screening tool, I'm afraid it's not always harmless conversation fodder.
- agoandanon 13y agoEh, just learn the test well enough that you can figure out what they want, and then give them the result which gets you hired.
- bgilroy26 13y agoIn general, investing energy in deceiving people would have a greater cost than landing one job vs another would have a benefit.
- andrewcooke 13y agonot it wouldn't. it takes no effort at all to see what people expect or game these tests.
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- solox3 13y agoYes, no, and maybe. The typical MBTI only reveals to you exactly what you had told it moments before, so it is very accurate. Test results will change, however, because you change over time.
- mgkimsal 13y agoInteresting counterpoint - more than one test-giver has told me that, no, in fact, your 'score' doesn't change. I don't believe that for a moment, because taking the test is rather mood dependent - I've taken MB multiple times, and while overall, I come out similar in some areas (always an I, for example), the T and F have changed on occasion. It make total sense - my view of things changes over time - but these administrators were rather adamant that it doesn't change. I guess if I'm an INTJ, taking the test the next day, I wouldn't expect to be an ESFP, but... over 10 years, I wouldn't be surprised to see an INTJ get a different 'score'.
- louwrentius 13y agoMe too. What is pseudo-science doing on HN?
- mgkimsal 13y agoTypical ESFP response....
- verbin217 13y agoIs this a reference to something? I have a vague memory of a show/movie where someone said that same thing about someones refutation of astrology. Something like: "typical aries" or whatever. I just can't remember what it was.
- sophacles 13y agoIt's more of a meme (in the original sense) or trope than a specific reference.
- chavesn 13y agoActually, I wouldn't be surprised at all if those who jump in to denounce Myers Briggs have similar personality types. Among all those I know who've taken it, myself included, it's been strongly indicative of their personality. And as I noted in another comment, three different tests have yielded the same results for me.
- mgkimsal 13y agomy results have been similar over the years, but have varied a bit. I was a bit more surprised that my IQ percentile didn't budge one bit over 30 years (tested as a kid, teen and adult).
- mercer 13y agoWhen I first discovered this test, I made all my friends take it. Out of them, two stood out as highly skeptical to the whole concept, and disagreeing with the resulting type. Somewhere at the bottom of the description for their type, and only for their type out of the 16, it mentioned specifically that this type 'hates these kinds of things' (or something like that).
- finnw 13y agoTypical Model-D kafkatrap [1] :-) [1]: http://esr.ibiblio.org/?p=2122
- hacknat 13y agoI agree, but I'm also not surprised to see INTJ as the most up-voted type.
- 70forty 13y agoSame. I think this poll and Myers-Briggs are only interesting insofar as they are a reflection of how we want to see ourselves. I've variously gotten ENTJ or INTJ over the years.
- sliverstorm 13y agoIt's at least consistent pseudo-science. I opened this page, saw it was Meyers-Briggs, and immediately thought "Welp, I bet there are a lot of ENTJ and INTJ". Lo and behold.
- chavesn 13y agoExactly. I guess I don't totally understand all the complaints about "Pseudo-science" if its so consistent. That at least means something. This is the third time I've taken the test, and given the same result every time. As I understand it, ENTJ and INTJ are no more than 9% of the general population[1] (12% max, if male only), and yet they are dominating the poll here; and that very much aligns with types expected to be common among the Hacker News population. That has got to mean something. But then, I guess that's why I'm not a Guardian type[2] (Enforcing/Certifying specifically[3]). [1]: http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.htm http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.ht... [2]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_temperament http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guardian_temperament [3]: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keirsey_Temperament_Sorter http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keirsey_Temperament_Sorter
- saint-loup 13y agoYup, see for example: http://science.tumblr.com/post/13853183116/the-big-five-personality-traits http://science.tumblr.com/post/13853183116/the-big-five-pers... Take note that the Big five, the other major personality typology, though more empirical, is not without problems either. http://differentialclub.wdfiles.com/local--files/personality-structure/Eysenck1992_4ways_are_NOT_basic.pdf http://differentialclub.wdfiles.com/local--files/personality...
- deleted 13y ago[deleted]
- adnam 13y agoYet the poll-results show that HN is predominantly INTP/INTJ, which Myers-Brigg would predict for this audience!
- chrisabrams 13y agoI was thinking the same thing ;)
- deanly 13y agoEven more interesting given that those two are among the rarest archetypes in the general population by some estimates: http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.htm http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.ht... Also, no wonder we're all "judgmental".
- rcfox 13y agoA group of cows is a herd, a group of crows is a murder, and a group of INTJs is an argument.
- mhitza 13y agoThere is one guy that actively researches the topic http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNSlbnjqhV8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNSlbnjqhV8 (I've linked to a short message he has on the subject, but he has a hour + 1/2 long video on youtube with his experiments data and results)