Whether you’re trying personality testing for the first time or you’re confused by your results, it’s a good idea to pay attention to the accuracy of your answers. 

While many of us try to be objective when we’re answering personality tests, sometimes ego, excitement and preconceived ideas can get in the way! To increase the accuracy of your personality test, make sure you start with an open mind and think about a range of scenarios and situations.

Here are some things you can do to increase the accuracy of your personality test and get the closest possible result - not just the one you’re hoping for! 

1. Start with an open mind

First things first, you need to make sure you go into personality testing with an open mind. If you have your heart set on being branded as a creative, artistic personality type, you’re probably going to give biased answers to make it turn out that way. Equally, if you see yourself as a single-minded logician, you might sway your answers to fit your imagination. 

If you really want to get an accurate answer on your personality test, try to approach it objectively. Do your best to enter into the process without preconceived ideas or expectations. Be honest and open in your answers. After all, this is a chance to learn something new about yourself. 

Remember that the 16-type system is all about valuing every personality in its own right. Whichever result you get in the process of personality testing, it’s something to get excited about - even if it’s not your dream result! 

2. Question your motivations

When you’re answering questions, you need to question your motivations for why you’re answering them. If you’re trying to show you’re the best candidate for a job or prove to your loved one that you’re the perfect match for them, your test isn’t going to be very accurate. 

To improve the accuracy of your personality test, try to take it in a neutral environment. Before you answer a question, think carefully about your motivations for answering that way. This is the best way to make sure your results come out accurately and give you a true insight into your personality type.

Pro Tip: If you’re taking a personality type and trying to manipulate the results, try taking it again when you’re alone to see a more accurate answer!

3. Think about a range of different scenarios

Another key method to increase the accuracy of your personality test is to think of a range of scenarios and situations when you’re answering each question. 

If you’re just thinking about your family and close friends in questions about charity, communication and caregiving, you’re not going to get a completely accurate result. Instead, try to think about a range of different people and environments.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you run through some different scenarios in your mind:

  • Work or school
  • Home life
  • Out with friends
  • Meeting acquaintances
  • Total strangers
  • When you’re traveling
  • When you’re stressed
  • When you’re having fun

When you’re trying out personality testing, remember to think about your whole self, not just the one in the environment you’re in right now. This will help to improve the accuracy of your personality test. 

4. Ask your friends

If you’re struggling to see your personality objectively, it can be helpful to ask your friends or family for help. These are the people who know you best and who know the quirks of your personality inside out. They probably know your strongest traits better than you so ask for their advice when you get stuck.

It might be the case that you don’t like what you hear but it’s important to remember that your friends see your true personality. If you want to make your test as accurate as possible, ask your friends and be prepared to listen to their answers!

5. Don’t swap answers!

Though asking your friends is a great idea to help increase the accuracy of your results, personality testing is like any other kind of testing - you shouldn’t cheat!

If you’re swapping answers with other people and asking what they put down for each question, you’re not going to get an accurate result for your own test.  If you follow this strategy, you’ll end up with seriously confused results at the end. Depending on who and how many people you asked, your results will be all over the place and won’t tell you anything.

Personality testing is an individual process. This is not the space for collaboration! There are no wrong answers on a personality test so just go with your gut and leave cheating for your next exam!

6. Leave your ego at the door

Sometimes it’s tough to think about ourselves critically. Of course, some personality types are better at this skill than others, but if you’re a personality type who struggles to understand your own emotions and motivations, personality testing can really feel like a test.

While we all like to think we’re impartial, there can often be a lot of ego that comes into play. The best way to get accurate results on your personality test is to leave your ego at the door.

Personality testing best practices

If you want to make sure your personality testing results are as accurate as possible and you get the answer that reflects your real personality type, use these 6 tips to help you.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong answers. Try to be as objective as possible, think about a range of scenarios and if in doubt, ask your friends for their opinions of you! You might be surprised and flattered by what answer you get.

Elizabeth Harris
Elizabeth is a freelance writer and ghostwriter. She’s an anthropologist at heart and loves using social theory to get deeper into the topics she writes about. Born in the UK, Elizabeth has lived in Copenhagen, Frankfurt and Dubai before moving most recently to Budapest, Hungary. She’s an ENTJ with ENFJ leanings. Find out more about her work at bethharris.com