Psychometrics is the science of measuring psychological attributes such as personality, intelligence, attitudes, and abilities. By providing structured and reliable assessments, psychometric tools enable individuals, teams and organizations to understand and leverage human behavior in various contexts. These tools combine psychological theory with data-driven analysis to offer insights into decision-making, teamwork and personal development.
This article casts an eye over two prominent approaches to personality measurement: the Jungian approach, associated with tools like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and the Big Five model of personality. We also take a look at some more recent developments, in particular MindAlpha’s preferred tool Lumina Spark, which builds on these frameworks to provide a more nuanced perspective by incorporating traits, learned behaviours and stress responses.
The Jungian approach is rooted in Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types, categorizing individuals based on their cognitive preferences. Tools such as the MBTI operationalise this theory into four dichotomies:
1. Extraversion (E) vs. Introversion (I): The balance between a preference for external interaction vs. internal focus.
2. Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N): Preference for concrete details vs. abstract ideas.
3. Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F): Decision making based on logic vs. values.
4. Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P): Organized and structured living vs. adaptability and flexibility.
These combinations result in 16 personality types, each presented as a distinct profile.
The advantages of the Jungian approach are that it uses clear, descriptive labels which make it user-friendly. It encourages self-reflection on cognitive preferences and inter-personal styles, and it provides a straightforward framework for understanding team dynamics and potential.
It’s weaknesses, which proponents of other models are quick to point out, are that it over-emphasises dichotomies: Two very similar people on the cusp of the introversion-extraversion types may be categorised differently. In assigning individuals to fixed "types", it ignores the fluidity and complexity of personality, thus two very different individuals at opposing ends of the extraversion trait are categorised as the same. And finally, the MBTI in particular, is criticized for lacking empirical validation.
The Big Five personality model measures personality along five continuous dimensions:
1. Openness: Creativity, curiosity, and preference for novelty.
2. Conscientiousness: Responsibility, organization, and attention to detail.
3. Extraversion: Sociability, assertiveness, and energy.
4. Agreeableness: Empathy, cooperation, and trust.
5. Neuroticism: Emotional stability and sensitivity to stress.
This model conceptualises personality as a spectrum, allowing for variability across individuals.
The Big Five boasts robust validation across cultures and contexts, supported by extensive research and it purports to be useful for predicting outcomes such as job performance, relationship satisfaction, and well-being.
However, our research suggests the Big Five is not without considerable flaws. By averaging behaviours within traits, the model obscures individuals’ capacity for situational variability. For example, a person might exhibit introverted behaviours in a reflective setting but act extravertedly in social situations. The Big Five models would reduce this to a single score in the middle of the scale.
There is also an argument that the Big Five’s validation processes reinforce cultural biases, with researchers tending to interpret results through the lens of pre-existing norms. This leads to circular reasoning: the model is validated by data collected using the same assumptions it purports to measure. The tendency to highlight the five traits as "desirable" leads to evaluative bias which underplays the strengths associated with the opposite traits. For example, while someone high on the Openness scale will tend to be creative and imaginative, someone low on the Openness scale may have strong analytical capabilities, be extremely practical and possess fantastic attention to detail.
Consider these two personalities. Who would you hire? A is sociable and fun, a great communicator and can take the lead and energise any group. Meanwhile B can appear overly serious and withdrawn to the extent of seeming aloof. They are quite passive in communication. Of course, most people opt for A, the classic extravert. What about these two? C is extremely observant and excels at listening to other people's views, they know how to control their emotions and will express their opinions in a considered way. They are good at building strong and trusting relationships. D tends to express their opinions in a very demonstrative way, not always at the appropriate moment. They can become stressed if they don't feel they are being listened to and their tendency to like to take charge in a group can make them overbearing and controlling. This time most would opt for C, the classic introvert.
What both models have in common is a similar underlying framework. They effectively look at how we interact with the world around us. Indeed, four of the Big Five traits map fairly neatly onto the Jungian dichotomies:
Openness maps to Jung’s Intuition (N), reflecting creativity and abstract thinking. Conscientiousness aligns with Judging (J), emphasizing organization and planning. Extraversion directly parallels the Extraversion-Introversion dichotomy and Agreeableness loosely correlates with Feeling (F) due to its emphasis on empathy and co-operation. Neuroticism differs fundamentally as it is not a behavior or preference but a measure of emotional reactivity and stability, making it incompatible with Jung’s typological approach and further undermining the validity of the Big Five model.
The purpose of psychometric models, then, is to help us understand how we interact with other people, how we tackle tasks and solve problems, how we assess information and deal with change and how we make decisions. It is also to help us see how our own preferences sit with those of others and how a group of people come together. Good psychometric assessments help us leverage our strengths and mitigate our weaknesses. They help us relate to others and they allow a team to see its preferred way of working, identify hidden strengths and become aware of its potential weaknesses.
At MindAlpha, after a great deal of research into the topic, we adopted Lumina Spark. We believe it addresses the limitations of traditional models and delivers this brief by embracing a multi-dimensional perspective on personality.
Lumina Spark differs from the other frameworks in three crucial ways.
First, Lumina Spark explicitly measures three dimensions of personality:
- Underlying Personality: Core traits which remain consistent over time.
- Everyday Behaviour: Learned behaviours shaped by experiences, culture, and environment.
- Overextended Behavior: Stress-induced tendencies, often exaggerated versions of natural traits.
Second, one of Lumina Spark’s most innovative features is its measurement of dual-aspect traits, such as introversion and extraversion, separately. Rather than forcing individuals into a single averaged score, it allows for the possibility of being both highly introverted and highly extraverted in different contexts. For instance, someone might enjoy public speaking (extraversion) but also require significant alone time to recharge (introversion).
Last but not least, Lumina Spark emphasizes exploring both the strengths and potential challenges associated with each trait. For example, high extraversion may give someone the ability to take the lead and energise a group to achieve great things but under pressure the same person may become over-bearing and controlling. There is a current trend for “strengths-based” psychometric tests, rooted in positive psychology. While these can be helpful for personal development, they can be counter-productive in a broader organisational context if they encourage people to focus closely on their own perceived “strengths” without understanding how these may clash with other people’s behavioural preferences. By providing a balanced view, Lumina encourages individuals to leverage their strengths while managing the risks associated with their traits, fostering both personal and professional growth.
Psychometrics provides valuable tools for understanding and optimizing human behavior, but each approach has its strengths and weaknesses. The Jungian model, while intuitive and accessible, struggles with its rigid categorical structure and lack of empirical rigor. The Big Five offers a more robust, trait-based framework, but its tendency to average behaviours within traits and its susceptibility to evaluation bias limit its applicability to complex real-world situations.
Lumina Spark represents a significant step forward by addressing these shortcomings. Its nuanced measurement of dual traits, inclusion of learned behaviours and stress responses, and balanced exploration of trait strengths and weaknesses provide a more comprehensive and practical understanding of personality. By embracing complexity and variability, Lumina Spark equips individuals and organizations with the tools to navigate the multifaceted nature of human behavior effectively.
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