Abaminds

It’s very easy to find personality tests on the Internet. The problem is that most of them can’t be taken seriously because they lack scientific value. Of course, if you’re just looking for a passtime, then that isn’t a problem really. But we can discuss it on a future post. Right now what I want to suggest is that you spend some time searching for serious, science-based personality tests. You may find many of those at Tickle.com, but there are other sources.

After taking the desired test, you will be able to turn the experience into content.

What kind of content could I create after taking a personality test?

1. Discussing your results is the most obvious option. You can write a humourous piece about them. You may try to relate your results to some aspects of your online activities (e. g., how could a certain trait of yours affect your blogging style?). You can debate the test’s accuracy.

1.1. Analyse the test as a whole: don’t just write about the results; include the test’s questions in your analysis.

1.2. Alternatively, you could write only about the questions and omit your results (especially if you are a reserved person and/or if you like being mysterious). How did you feel about the things you were asked about? Could the questions be considered tendentious or manipulative in any way? Were they funny? Boring? Intriguing?

2. Try to persuade some friends to take the same personality test. Compare and debate the results, then write about it all.

3. Take the same test twice, preferably on different occasions (or with different intentions).

3.1. Take the test for the second time when your mood changes. If you were sad when you made your first attempt, try again when you feel better. See if you get the same results (or not).

3.2. If you disliked your results, take the test again, but now try to manipulate the results by giving different answers to the questions, particularly to those that seem to be directly related to your first outcome. Then write about this experience. How successful was it? Were you able to identify the questions that could directly affect the test’s final report? How easy — or hard — was that?

4. Try two or more similar tests and compare their results. Try to apply any of the ideas listed above to this experience (i. e., ask some friends to take the same tests, or try to intentionally manipulate their results).

5. Instead of writing, why don’t you make a video out of your test results? If you feel particularly inspired, try turning it into a fictional piece. It might either reflect the test’s results or be their exact opposite.

Ins’t it all best suited to personal sites and blogs?

Not necessarily. I’m going to use a personal experience as an example to show you what I mean.

A few hours ago I took a PhD certified (or so the site informed) test about my “emotional landscape.” On the final report it was stated that compassion is my strongest conviction. However, it was also stated that I “tend to experience hostility at a high intensity.” And according to the site’s research, compassion would be the best antidote to hostility.

Wait a minute. Aren’t I an essentially compassionate person? And isn’t compassion a sort of vaccine against hostility? How can hostility be among my main emotions then?

Yes, this is the kind of discussion that would fit my personal blogs perfectly. But if I…

a) … had a site about social action or environment, I could write an article focusing on the importance of compassion.

b) … was able to produce video content, I’d probably shoot a comedy based on that (apparent?) contradiction.

c) … blogged about politics, I could exploit not only the compassion vs. hostility thing, but also other emotions discussed in the test’s final report, such as fear, anger and respect.

d) … wanted to write inspirational or motivational articles, the whole report would give me plenty of ideas.

So, as you can see, it isn’t that hard to use personality tests as sources of inspiration applicable to several niches.

(And no, I won’t give you any further details on my test results. Don’t be indiscreet. :-P)

Posted on November 18th, 2007 by Karen Zara
Filed under: Ideas and Inspiration