# Anyone here ever try the Ansir personality test? Is it accurate/scientifically valid? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 25, 2009, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910 "2009-01-25T10:49:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/1 "2009-01-25T10:49:26Z")
Inspired by the [MBTI thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=502833), this one is about the little-known (AFAIK) [Ansir “3 sides of you” personality test](http://personal.ansir.com/). For the uninitiated, it’s a test similar in style to the MBTI but separated into three distinct realms: Thinking, Emoting and Working. It was made primarily from the experience and research of one person, possibly casting doubt on its validity, but in my personal experience from taking it during different stages of life, it has been remarkably insightful. Of course, like all personality tests, it mostly tells you what you tell it, but there’s still some useful and surprising stuff in there. So… any Dopers familiar with it? Did you find it accurate? Totally stupid? Or anyone know about its scientific/psychological validity? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/2 "2009-01-25T11:10:43Z")
I work in the psychometric industry, and I’ve certainly never heard of it. On a cursory glance, my personal impression is that the website seems a bit woo-woo and there is no mention of research, or the academic status of its creator/s. As with all these tests, they’re based on theoretical arbitrary values. The MBTI uses 4 Jungian pairs. The more nuanced (i.e. does not rely on dichotomies) 16PF uses 16 personality factors that were derived by Cattell from the Big 5 proposed by Thurstone. What makes the MBTI and the 16PF stand out is the vastness of empirical research behind them: millions of tests performed across multiple decades, with the tests’ repeatability and validity - even holding one test up to the other for multiple test types for the same subjects to test that validity. Also, there are “norm groups” across cultures: e.g. average results in France are very different from those in the US. While it’s impractical to create norm groups for every subculture, there is a definite broad-brush difference. Does the Ansir take that into account too? I guess the question should be, “how much empirical research is behind the Ansir test”? The link says “consistently ranked the toughest and most accurate strength profiler on the Net by participants world-wide”. But not a lot else. This may be so, but it may be getting some of it right for the wrong reasons, or some of it right for the right reasons, but in a completely untested manner. Sorry for not providing a more definitive answer. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/3 "2009-01-25T11:16:17Z")
No, don’t be sorry. That’s a very interesting comment. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/4 "2009-01-25T11:26:15Z")
Hmm, and just to hijack my own thread, where can you take the 16PF? Is it available online somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/5 "2009-01-25T11:31:43Z")
Kinsman, Empath and Visionary, and I think they nailed it, although how I’m supposed to use that information escapes me. Q ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/6 "2009-01-25T11:47:48Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Hmm, and just to hijack my own thread, where can you take the 16PF? Is it available online somewhere? I’m not aware of any consumer-oriented online tests, in the way that there are many amateur MBTI free tests out there. There are online tests available, but you have to pay for them - e.g. from [www.16pfworld.com](http://www.16pfworld.com) via [www.ipat.com](http://www.ipat.com). Not sure how expensive a single test would be. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/7 "2009-01-25T12:28:06Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > Kinsman, Empath and Visionary, and I think they nailed it, although how I’m supposed to use that information escapes me. > > Q Care to elaborate? I’m just curious, if you’re willing to share. And as for how you might use it, I think Ansir has a “professional” adjunct to their personal site, but I never much looked into it. And if I remember correctly, the personal descriptions give you vague “life purpose” statements like “You’ll be least happy doing X” or “You find yourself drawn to Y”. Probably stuff you already know if you’re old enough to have lived through them. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/8 "2009-01-25T12:30:50Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > I’m not aware of any consumer-oriented online tests, in the way that there are many amateur MBTI free tests out there. There are online tests available, but you have to pay for them - e.g. from [www.16pfworld.com](http://www.16pfworld.com) via [www.ipat.com](http://www.ipat.com). Not sure how expensive a single test would be. That’s a pity. I checked out both sites and there didn’t seem to be a way to take a test without being certified as a professional (thereby administering it at the same time). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/9 "2009-01-25T12:58:22Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > That’s a pity. I checked out both sites and there didn’t seem to be a way to take a test without being certified as a professional (thereby administering it at the same time). Yeah, I think the preferred model is that you would get an independent professional to give you the test, then provide the interpretation. It couldn’t hurt to try giving them a call though and asking - to my knowledge, 16PFworld delivers an automated interpetation without the necessity for human intervention. ---
**Author:** ![longPath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bb73d2/32.png) [@longPath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/longPath)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/10 "2009-01-25T13:53:45Z")
I just did the test: Kinsman, Kinsman, Scintillator Not sure what this means but many of the questions made me think. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/11 "2009-01-25T14:13:37Z")
Evoketeur, Scintillator, Scintillator ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/12 "2009-01-25T14:50:07Z")
Eccentric, Sage, kinsman. INTP on the MBT. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/13 "2009-01-25T14:52:54Z")
The answers won’t really do you any good unless you pay for the full access (something like $10, unfortunately). I used to have a copy of all the profiles but I can’t seem to find it right now… still looking… Those of you who did take the test and paid for the full result: What did you think of yours? How do they match up with who you really are? ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/14 "2009-01-25T15:23:40Z")
Scintillator, Sage, Eccentric ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/15 "2009-01-25T16:52:44Z")
Evokateur, Visionary, Scintillator That sounds kind of…sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/16 "2009-01-25T17:23:34Z")
Kinsman, Kinsman, Scintillator For what that’s worth. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/17 "2009-01-25T18:56:25Z")
Sage, Healer, Idealist. Two out of three ain’t bad. I note that Wikipedia has nothing on the Ansir test. That doesn’t encourage my opinion of it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/18 "2009-01-25T19:04:17Z")
You guys answering the test for the first time… don’t have you have anything more to say after reading the (free) profile briefs? 🙂 How do they relate to who you really are? What’s right, what’s wrong, what’s incredibly touching for you, etc.? Just listing three words doesn’t tell us much 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/19 "2009-01-25T21:18:17Z")
Visionary/Sage/Scintillator Get out of my way, I am as unto a god. ETA: Visionary - not really correlating for me - says I think in a linear manner, which I definitely don’t; sage - yes indeed; scintillator - “fickle, capricious, lazy and funny” - I think that’s reasonably accurate as to how other people might describe me. It would be interesting to add to one’s Ansir profile the MBTI one and see if there’s any correlation: Visionary/Sage/Scintillator ENTP ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910/20 "2009-01-25T21:28:07Z")
I would like to recommend a recent book on this subject, _The Cult of Personality,_ by Annie Murphy Paul, Simon & Schuster, 2004. It is subtitled “How personality tests are leading us to miseduate our children, mismanage our companies, and misunderstand ourselves.” She covers the range of mainstream concepts like MMP to pop concepts like MBTI, with history and application info for all. It’s a good read. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anyone-here-ever-try-the-ansir-personality-test-is-it-accurate-scientifically-valid/482910.md?page=2)