I read a review of a study to be published regarding personality traits being set as early as first grade. In this study which followed individuals from first grade to adulthood, it was discovered that however you were in first grade you basically are going to be like throughout life. It was funny to read that, just last week my mother was commenting to me about what a happy kid I was - and how I was still like that....I guess that study would work out well for me :) But what about others - how horrible if your mother were to say to you - you whined then and you're still whining...or you were such a drama queen and you still are (I have several friends whose mothers I'd like to check this fact out with!)
This then led to me to think how much easier life would be if we all had to wear signs or better yet, our driver's license had a little box indicating what are character traits were in first grade - teacher's pet? pant wetter? get over that chalk-eating problem? Better than Myers-Brigg, this would immediately share insight as to the possible friendship, dating material, or collegiality in the workplace for each of us. How much easier could it be than to go to a job interview and have someone ask, "so you didn't play well with your brother, how will that affect your group project work today?", or "tell me about your violent behavior toward Raggedy Ann?" Well, umm....I was in first grade, I didn't know better," ain't gonna cut the mustard anymore.
Hi, David. Check out the book The Cult of Personality Testing by Annie Murphy Hall. I hope it makes people think twice (at least) about "personality tests": who devises them , who uses them for what purposes, and how beneficial and accurate are they
ReplyDeleteHere's a hint. The subtitle is: How Personality Tests Are Leading Us to Miseducate Our Children, Mismanage Our Companies, and Misunterstand Ourselves.