Comedian Michael Regilio, co-host of Skeptical Sunday, dives deep into the world of personality tests. He questions their scientific validity, particularly the widely used Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which lacks reputable psychological backing. Regilio highlights the potential biases and discrimination these tests can impose in hiring practices. The conversation also touches on the Big Five personality model as a more accurate alternative. Ultimately, they call for further research to create fairer assessment tools and challenge the oversimplification of personality traits.
Are personality tests valuable tools based on science, or just horoscopes in a lab coat? Comedian Michael Regilio joins us for Skeptical Sunday to find out!
On This Week's Skeptical Sunday, We Discuss:
Personality tests, like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, are widely used by individuals and organizations as a way to understand who we are and how we interact with one another. But how accurate are they?
The Myers-Briggs test was developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers — neither of whom were scientists or psychologists.
Companies use personality tests in hiring practices, potentially leading to discrimination and exclusion of qualified candidates.
The Big 5 (5-Factor Model) is a more accurate alternative, but even it assumes personality traits remain relatively static over time.
Psychologists and researchers should continue studying personality and behavior to develop more accurate and fair assessment tools that can better predict job performance and workplace success, but we should take the results of current personality tests with a grain of salt.