Political and Personality Introspection
by Richardson ~ March 4th, 2007. Filed under: Miscellaneous.If you’ve every wanted to quantify or examine your political preferences and personality, there are a few online tests that do this in a general way.
Kevin Kim recently blogged about the Political Compass test, which scores for left/right and authoritarian/libertarian. Somewhat surprisingly, I scored very centrist (economic left/right: 1.38, social libertarian/authoritarian: 0.46):
For personality, there is an online test based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test. Four sets of dichotomies, with each possibility assigned a letter of the alphabet, are used to create 16 “types” of personality.
- Introvert (i) and Extravert (e)
- Sensing (s) and Intuition (n)
- Thinking (t) and Feeling (f)
- Judging (j) and Perceiving (p)
Not surprisingly, I scored INTJ (also see this), as I’ve been doing consistently ever since taking the test, aside from a couple INTX (between J and P) results several years ago. My best friend is an ENTJ.
These tests are of course not perfect, and several problems are readily apparent. The Political Compass test, for example, has several questions that may be objectively true, but that does not necessarily mean that one prefers that option. For example, one question is:
A significant advantage of a one-party state is that it avoids all the arguments that delay progress in a democratic political system.
Technically, I would say that is true, but that does not mean I would want or support that type of government, and I note that the advantage could turn around if poor choices are made. Other questions form the same sort of problem and may skew results. If I took the test again, I would probably score slightly more to the right and authoritarian.
Myers-Briggs also has its share of criticisms, but it’s still interesting and entertaining to see what they have to say.
March 4th, 2007 at 3:36 pm
There weren’t any foreign policy type questions that I remember. I almost had a bull’s eye - I was on the dividing line of left-right and just slightly toward libertarian. I am rather conservative in my personal views and actions but prefer society prevents groups of individuals from telling us what our actions and views should be.
Two parts of the Bible (Christian) that stood out for me from a young age were the story of the quiet man who went into the church and quietly prayed at the back and left contrasted with the hypocrit who prayed long and loud for show — and the other was the splinter in the other man’s eye and the plank in your own…
Next, I used to be fairly democrat on domestic policy - back when the democrats were the party for the working class and not the elitist fringe - but on foreign policy I’ve been rather conservative (but not of the isolationist sort).
I’ll be interested in seeing what the personality test says for me — because I generally go in cycles year to year. I doubt the test will be able to show much…
March 4th, 2007 at 6:07 pm
I took this test a few years back, and I was strongly right economically and socially libertarian. Today, however, I am less libertarian (I guess I turned more authoritarian as I aged). My score is now: Economic Left/Right: 7.88, Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -2.72.
In other words, I am strongly right on economics and slightly libertarian.
Nonetheless, I am comfortable describing myself as a political conservative in American sense, which is to say I strongly support limited government, free enterprise, strong national defense and traditional moral values.
The last time I took the psych test, I was ENTJ (strongly E, N, T and J). I have always been ENTJ for years. Now it seems I am INTJ! I am now slightly I, strongly N, moderately T and strongly J). Hmmm…
March 4th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
http://www.usinkorea.org/Political_Compass_Printable_Graph.mht
I did the psych test, but the computer ate it, then I didn’t feel like doing it over after having felt the questions weren’t great. I thought the same on the political compass, but gave it shot and it worked.
I noticed Richardson and I are pretty much right together and both almost dead center. Since we know each other, I wonder if he thinks this is somewhat strange?
I’m not suprised we were in the same ballpark as each other, but given our personalities and social viewpoints, I would have figured we’d be found at least somewhat further to the right…?
When I saw my result, I stated above I bet it would be significantly different if more foreign policy-type questions were asked.
I’ve always considered myself centrist on domestic policy. I think the government has a responsibility to the people far beyond security, but I also grew to believe the government needed to be MUCH more efficient in how it trys to help us all - and that usually means wacking away at the bureacracy.
And on foreign policy and defense issues, I’ve always been conservative.
And on questions of moral values, I am personally conservative and Christian, but I prefer the government limit how much it gets involved in those values (including the courts deciding cases for the ACLU on whether this or that local community school district can have “Christmas” on its school calendar)…
March 5th, 2007 at 9:16 am
OK, I took the test, which I remember taking a few years ago. I think the result is almost the same, too.
http://www.occidentalism.org/pic/mattpoliticalcompass.jpg
Right and somewhat libertarian.
March 5th, 2007 at 9:27 am
I also did the other test.
Your Type is
ENTJ
Extroverted Intuitive Thinking Judging
Strength of the preferences %
33 38 1 1
I am not sure what to think of the results, really.
March 5th, 2007 at 3:46 pm
Went back for the psychology test
Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging
56 38 12 22
I have no idea what it means. I would think these tests would have a hard time nailing me down, because I have found I have cycles (—but not manic-depressive—-). Sometimes I like getting involved. Sometimes I like taking time away from things. I prefer planning things out, but I’m better than many of my friends and co-workers over the years at adjusting on the fly….
March 5th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
James,
From an E to an I? Country living doing it? Might change if you took it again, XNTJ. I’m almost off the chart I.
If I took the political test again and reinterpreted some of the questions, I’m sure I’d score more conservative and a bit more authoritarian. If I had a chance I’d reengineer some of the questions, which I guess would be natural for an INTJ.
March 5th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
USinKorea wrote;
I’m similar - I don’t like to see laws made for things that people ought to know better than to do. But realize sometimes we need to make those laws. Same thing with government intervention in society overall, making me something of a mix between neocon and realist thought.
Also, INFJ is referred to as the “Counselor” type:
March 5th, 2007 at 6:31 pm
Matt,
As an ENTJ, perhaps you should consider a military career?
March 5th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
So, I’m a 2%er….???
Well, for me, that works OK unless the group I’m a part of gets to where it seems like it isn’t going to achieve any goals….I don’t like to be the leader in groups, but when it turns to crap, I have a habit of not exactly “quietly” exerting influence……I either take over, break off and do my own thing, or give up………not something that seems to happen a lot out in the real world, but something that seemed to happen a good bit in college and high school “group projects”…
I would have thought from my answers on some of the questions, this wouldn’t have been me either. I would think both people who’ve read my blog and commenting over the years, and others who’ve talked to me in person, would say I’m not “reserved” but rather share my reactions and emotions openly…
That is one thing that drives my wife crazy. I am pretty much an open book when it comes to talking face to face with people I’m around or expressing things on the blogs.
I doubt many would consider me private or mutely….when I have to have significant amounts of human contact….
What was the scale on this test?
I see where my lowest score (12) was on the “feeling” to “thinking” line, and from reading over the “Mastermind” link, I’d place myself closer some of that as far as my group participation habits that the “Counselor” brief stated. But again —- to me, I think it would depend on the time period in which you observed me or for how long this or that project would last.
But, now that I think about it, I might like it better being in a group with Gandhi and Elanore Roosevelt than Einstein and Margaret Thatcher. I mean, I like Thatcher, but she’s no Gandhi…
March 5th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
You’ve hit upon the problem with the type explanations; they’re all positive but leave out the negative aspects of some of those people most often display, and thus the whole picture. Also, the 12 on “feeling” means you’re very close to being an INXJ, or in-between the Feeling and Thinking types, which also explains some of the disparity between their description and reality. Take the test again in a month and see where it puts you (if you start wearing a robe, it could reinforce the INFJ, though).
March 5th, 2007 at 8:34 pm
I sit around a lot in my underware and don’t each much, does that count? (I am up to about 180 pounds now whereas in Hawaii I was around 140…)
I am thankful, though, I wasn’t in a group headed by Bill Moyers and Joan Baez!
March 5th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
My mother just heard what I rated on both and said it is full of shit…
March 5th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
On #12, too much information!
Send the test links to your Mom!
March 7th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
Richardson:
I was highly extroverted most of my life. However, in the last few years, I have grown intensely misanthropic.
I think my exurban living is a manifestation of that rather than a cause.
Perhaps working in the industry of politics finally did me in.