Unit 5 Dropbox Reflection Of Your Own Personality Traits

Unit 5 Dropbox Reflection Of Your Own Personality Traitssince Our D

Since our Discussion revolves around motivation & emotion, the Dropbox assignment will explore Personality. This activity has also been a favorite of previous students. It's one that can really add personal insight...you can even have family & friends do this, too. The activity will help you identify some of your "preferences"...not that you are this way all the time, but rather these are conditions that you "typically" prefer (especially when times are stressful). This tool is something a life-coach or workplace may use.

It is not a Clinical instrument...which is what makes it appropriate for everyone in our class. Have fun with this assignment!! As you learn more about personality...enjoy learning more about yourself!!!

WHAT IS YOUR STRONGEST TRAIT? As you approach the end of the Unit, you should have a very comfortable level of understanding and knowledge about the different ways psychologists investigate personality --including the different reasons behind each method.

For example, the inventory you take for this activity is a trait inventory that could never be used to determine if somone suffered from a personality disorder or deeper emotional issues. Likewise a Thematic Assessment Test (TAT) wouldn't really benefit the "well" population or help organizations motivate their employees to work together. Many corporate organtizations pay to have professionals come in and administer personality inventories to their employees. Keirsey's work is high quality. The learning gained from this type of activity helps increase worker satisfaction, collaboration, and personal motivation in the workforce.

It's also something that might be used in couples therapy or family therapy in order to gain appreciation of the traits & qualities that others bring to the relationship...understanding our differences, can add insight into why certain conflicts or "personality clashes" occur. NOTE: This is a research-based instrument and has been based off the work of Carl Jung and Myers-Briggs.

PART 1: TAKE A PERSONALITY INVENTORY

For this activity, you'll take a free Personality Inventory. It's NOT a test or an assessment, it's just an inventory (called a "sorter"...helping to sort out traits or personal preferences). It's the Keirsey Temperament Sorter and it is based on the work of Myers-Briggs.

The link below will take you to the sign on page. You only need to get the "Free" version of the sorter. You may desire to print off some of the other reports just for your personal growth, but that is totally up to you. Click here to begin the Keirsey Temperament Sorter (if you have any problem with this link, google Keirsey Temperament Sorter and you'll find their website). Print off the "Free" version of the report to use for reference--also review their website to understand the report that was provided. For this you will need to read the overview, as well as more information about the other types.

Re-read the section in our text titled, "Assessment of Personality" (section 8). NOTE: Since you are only required to get the "Free" version, you are not going to get as much information. The results you get with the free version are much broader, and therefore not quite as accurate. However, if you decide to pay for one of the reports, the results will be much more specific and will match your preferences even more. There are a total of 16 different types that come from 4 different trait dimensions...the free version only provides details on two different dimensions. But it's still fun!

PART 2: WRITE A SUMMARY & REFLECTION

Taking the actual inventory or sorter takes just a few minutes. The average person can finish in about 15 minutes or so. The real work comes in reading the report thoroughly, reading aspects of the other traits to use for comparison, reading the text to make sure you understand the concepts of Personality Theory, especially Trait Theory, benefits & limitations of self-report instruments, and (if needed) any other research on the internet that helps you better understand.

After taking the Keirsey Sorter you will have experienced a self-report instrument used for personality assessments. According to the text, self-report measures are "a method of gathering data about people by asking them questions about a sample of their behavior".

The objective of such reports is to identify the presence of various personality traits or patterns of behaviors. After reviewing your results, answer the following questions (questions are more of a guide, you can deviate as long as your paper is thorough) in brief reflection paper: Provide a short summary of the report you received--what did you like or dislike? (be sure to include your "type" in your summary) Did the instrument do a good job of accurately identifying "Your" personality traits? How does your "type" compare to others? Explain your position.

What did you notice about the way the instrument was designed in relation to its strengths & limitations? How does this relate to text or other information? Explain. Based on our text (or other outside sources), what is this report evaluating? What is it really telling those who participate? What is it NOT evaluating? How will you make use of the information you gained from completing this report?

There are many surveys and informal personality assessments in the media (online, magazines, etc). Unfortunately, many are not based on science and give rather useless feedback--or at the very least, feedback that needs to be taken lightly. What are some things you will look for in future surveys/self-reports, before you take their results seriously?

Paper For Above instruction

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter, rooted in the theories of Carl Jung and Myers-Briggs, offers a simplified yet insightful approach to understanding personality traits through self-reporting. My experience with the instrument was engaging and enlightening, providing an opportunity to reflect on my personal preferences and behavioral patterns.

The report classified me as an "Idealist," which aligns with my self-perception of being empathetic, introspective, and value-driven. I appreciated that the sorter was quick to complete, taking about 15 minutes, and provided a broad overview of my tendencies across two of the four trait dimensions. While I found the broad categories helpful for self-awareness, I was aware that the free version limited depth and specificity, which could affect the accuracy of the results.

In terms of accuracy, I believe the instrument did a decent job of capturing my general traits, especially my tendency towards empathy and introspection. However, I recognize that personality is complex and multi-faceted, and a self-report like this simplifies the dynamic nature of human behavior. My type, being an "Idealist," is often characterized in literature as compassionate, idealistic, and driven by personal values, which I find consistent with my self-assessment.

Compared to others, I think my type shares similarities with other "Nurturer" or "Mediator" personality types, emphasizing harmony and understanding. The typology provided by Keirsey tends to categorize people into distinct groups, which, while useful for general insights, may overlook individual nuances and situational factors. The design of the instrument, based on a binary choice, makes it user-friendly but also inherently limited, as it cannot account for the fluidity or overlap of traits.

This approach ties closely with Trait Theory as discussed in our text, which emphasizes stable, enduring personality characteristics. The strengths of the sorter include quick administration, ease of understanding, and accessibility. Its limitations, however, lie in its broad categorizations and the reliance on self-perception, which may be subject to bias or social desirability effects.

From an evaluation standpoint, the report is primarily assessing a person's predominant trait preferences and behavioral tendencies under normal circumstances. It does not evaluate emotional stability, mental health, or situational adaptability—areas that require more comprehensive psychological assessments. The insights gained can be useful for personal development, understanding interpersonal dynamics, and even in professional settings such as team building or leadership development.

In reflecting on future assessments, I plan to scrutinize the scientific basis of surveys, paying close attention to whether they are grounded in reputable psychological research. I will consider the transparency of the methodology, the depth of the report, and the credentials of the creators before taking results seriously. Relying on scientifically validated tools enables more accurate self-awareness and reduces the risk of accepting superficial or misleading feedback.

References

  • Keirsey, D. (1998). Please Understand Me II: Temperament, Character, Intelligence. Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.
  • Myers, I. B., & Briggs, P. B. (1998). Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Nicholas Brealey Publishing.
  • Jung, C. G. (1921). Psychological Types. Princeton University Press.
  • Crabb, A. (2010). The Personality Code: Unlocking the Secrets of Who You Are. HarperOne.
  • Costa, P. T., & McCrae, R. R. (1992). Four Temperament Models: The Five-Factor Model. In The Handbook of Personality Psychology.
  • Roberts, B. W., & Mroczek, D. (2008). Personality Trait Development. The Annual Review of Psychology, 59, 325-350.
  • Piedmont, R. L. (2001). Cross-Validation of the Revised NEO Personality Inventory (NEO-PI-R) in a Large Community Sample. Journal of Personality Assessment, 76(3), 377-393.
  • Paulhus, D. L., & Vazire, S. (2007). The Self-Report Method. In Handbook of Personality Psychology.
  • Digman, J. M. (1990). Personality Structure: Emergence of the Five-Factor Model. Annual Review of Psychology, 41, 417-440.
  • John, O. P., & Srivastava, S. (1999). The Big Five Trait Taxonomy. In Handbook of Personality Psychology.

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