Barnum Effect vs. Jung Typology Test

Barnum Effect vs. Jung Typology Test

Barnum Effect vs. Jung Typology Test

By Joyce Dalton

PSY330: Theories of Personality

Instructor:  George Greaves

July 11, 2011

Barnum Effect vs. Jung Typology Test

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The Barnum effect is named after P.T. Barnum, and in psychology refers to the gullibility of people when reading descriptions of themselves. With this effect, it has been shown that it is possible to give everyone the same description and people nevertheless rate the description as very accurate. So does this really seem accurate?

I took this test, and it gave me this description of my personality: You have a great need for other people to like and admire you; You have a great deal of unused capacity, which you have not turned to your advantage; Disciplined and self-controlled outside, you tend to be worrisome and insecure inside; You prefer a certain amount of change and variety and become dissatisfied when hemmed in by restrictions and limitations; You pride yourself as an independent thinker and do not accept others statements without satisfactory proof; You have a tendency to be critical of yourself; At times you have serious doubts as to whether you have made the right decision or done the right thing; At times you are extroverted, sociable, while at other times you are introverted, wary, reserved; While you have some personality weaknesses, you are generally able to compensate for them; very expressed introvert; moderately expressed intuitive personality moderately expressed feeling personality; slightly expressed judging personality.

This test was interesting, it came up with a general description, and not necessary how I perceive myself to be, so I took it again and changed the answers than I had originally used. What a surprise when I saw the exact same personality profile came up...