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Before you dive into this article, let us tell you what we already know about you:
People generally like you, even if they don't always show it. You know how to get along with others, too, although there are times when someone really gets on your nerves. You are a person with enormous potential, even if you aren't using it to its full extent yet. Sometimes you withdraw from people and need time to yourself, but there are also situations where you become the life of the party. You have your own unique style, but you also find yourself relying on the opinions of others, especially those you consider authorities.
Did we get it right? If so, it was purely by chance. We used classic tricks employed by creators of horoscopes, pseudoscientific personality tests, and lifestyle quizzes. A handful of truisms that describe standard human behaviors and reactions, seasoned with keywords like "usually," "sometimes," "it happens that," and "occasionally." All of this makes our brain, which absolutely loves patterns and simplifications, get swept up in the magic, leading us to believe that the description applies specifically to us.
Why do people believe in fortune tellers?
The word "magic" is no coincidence here, as it was observing fortune tellers at fairs that led to the first attempts to describe the phenomenon now known as the "Barnum effect," among other things. This principle was identified by P.T. Barnum, an entrepreneur and impresario who worked in the circus industry, among other fields. He noticed that people often left satisfied after visiting clairvoyants who gave them horoscopes that were, in fact, just a collection of generalizations describing human nature. He applied this knowledge to grow his business (so successfully, in fact, that Barnum is still considered one of the fathers of modern advertising today).
Psychologists picked up on the topic of the Barnum effect and supported it with a series of studies and experiments. They showed that these types of personality descriptions are received particularly well in several situations. First, when we are convinced of the exclusivity of the result. If we feel that it applies to us and was prepared specifically for us,we are more likely to accept it as the truth. Another factor is belief in the authority figure who is delivering the "truth about us." A person who generally doesn't believe in fortune tellers and assumes from the start that they are dealing with charlatanry will likely reject the horoscope they receive. That same person might simultaneously accept the results of a test conducted by a "trusted influencer," even if they say almost word-for-word the same thing as the fortune teller. And finally, the third criterion – the description must contain mostly positive traits of our character.
What are pseudoscientific personality tests based on?
Fortune tellers, horoscopes, numerology, palm reading – all of these can be classified as non-scientific methods that a "reasonable person rejects from the start." Unfortunately, the Barnum effect (also known as the Forer effect) does not only apply to esotericism or "What kind of cake are you?" quizzes. It goes beyond entertainment and even reaches into the business sphere.
The internet has opened the gates to the land of self-development for us. Professional literature, webinars, guides, and finally tests are available practically on demand. Thousands of tests that check our competencies or rate our personality. Very often, taking them is preceded by a presentation of substantive foundations and supposedly scientific bases. Then, we go through enough questions that we ultimately feel the result will be tailored to us (and a small group of chosen ones) with great precision. Sound familiar? These are the exact same foundations that drive the Barnum effect. First, the result is supposedly "tailor-made," specifically for the recipient. Second, by talking about methodology, the authority of the test creators is built.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish pseudoscientific personality, talent, or competency tests from those prepared by competent researchers. Unlike horoscopes, we are dealing here with a quite successful "fake science."
So, should we sound the alarm, as we do with other manifestations of charlatanry? Interestingly, not necessarily.
Why does the "perfect test" not exist?
It could be argued that even inaccurate tests based on the Barnum effect can actually contribute to personal growth. If we are told that our strength lies in empathy and an ability to understand human psychology, and we subsequently develop that area by reading professional literature or taking specialized courses, we will ultimately achieve our goal of self-improvement. It is a different story, however, if we use the Barnum effect as a basis for selecting project teams or hiring employees for our company.
Given the high demand for personal development and competency assessment, why aren't there more reliable scientific tests available? There are several reasons. The first and simplest is the difficulty of creating a truly effective test (it is a long, costly process, so we shouldn't expect the results to be available for free on a random website).
Another reason for the lack of high-quality tests is the overly general need to "gain self-knowledge." Professional tests are designed with a very specific, clearly defined purpose, and in short, they "measure only what they are intended to measure."
Finally, the problem lies with us, as we interpret results without a background in scientific knowledge. Unfortunately, this means that even highly popular tests like MBTI or DISC are, from a scientific standpoint, as reliable as graphology.
Science and self-reflection as the key to personal growth
Is there, then, any scientifically validated method for assessing personality? Or are we doomed to the Barnum effect?
Beyond specialized tests tailored to the needs of recruiters or criminologists, there are indeed tests that focus simply on personality. These are based on a personality model known as the Big Five. The name refers to the five factors measured: neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. It is generally accepted that these factors are real, stable for a given individual, universal across genders and cultures, and biologically determined. The Big Five is assessed using two types of questionnaires: the NEO-Five Factor Inventory and PERSO.IN®. Unfortunately, their availability is limited, and results should be reviewed by experts before we attempt to process them ourselves.
In short, there is no way to discover all the truths about your talents, competencies, and personality traits on your own, for free, and instantly.
It is worth remembering, however, that even taking a test largely based on the Barnum effect can ultimately serve personal growth, especially if we subject the results to honest self-reflection. The keyword here is inspiration—reading books and scientific articles, and working on yourself. After all, Newton supposedly created his life's work simply by observing a falling apple. Let even an amateur test be the apple that sparks your own development.
