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Personality Tests

SimilarMinds.com is a resource for personality tests and personality psychology. All the tests at SimilarMinds.com are developed using scientific measures to help ensure test validity. Statistical measures are used to ensure test questions measure what they are intended to measure.

Some of the tests are experimental/beta versions, but even those tests are made up of pre-tested and validated questions; they just won't be as tuned/refined as a non-beta test. For more test information, click here.

I periodically change the test questions based on my ongoing research or add new tests, so check back and retake the tests on occasion.

MOTIVES & Distinct Traits Research

The MOTIVES system was developed as a refinement and improvement of the Big Five personality model, the current most proven academic personality model, fixing a significant flaw in the Big Five architecture and adding two additional orthogonal factors.

After completing the MOTIVES system, I looked through years of experimental personality items and found many notable and somewhat orthogonal personality traits that the MOTIVES system did not adequately measure, such as artisticness, minimalism, civic-mindedness, and intellectualness. So I'm currently working on a model that does adequately measure all somewhat orthogonal personality traits (32 currently).

The name of this is the Distinct Traits Personality System; think of it as a higher-resolution version of the MOTIVES system. I've already integrated some of it into the ALLinONE Personality Test, improving the accuracy of its results. The first version of the Distinct Traits Personality Test can be taken here.

The SimilarMinds Web & Phone Apps

Keep your MOTIVES, Distinct Traits, Big Five, Jung, Enneagram and COMPILER results together. Use the web app in your browser or the iPhone and Android apps to explore your scores, invite friends to rate you, compare results and share with your groups.

Example screens from the web app. Swipe or use the arrows to explore.

Six saved tests in the current expandable results list.

Your results, together

Keep MOTIVES, Distinct Traits, Big Five, Jung, Enneagram and COMPILER results in one profile. Expand any row to see your scores and descriptions, or retake a test.

MOTIVES self-scores beside combined friends’ scores and agreement indicators.

See yourself through your friends’ eyes

How Others See Me gives you your own MOTIVES results and an invitation for friends to rate you. Compare your scores with their combined impressions and see how much they agree.

Distinct Traits results and the Compare with someone controls.

Explore similarity and compatibility

Measure 32 Distinct Traits, then use Compare with someone or share your comparison link. See where you resemble each other and explore compatibility scores and saved comparisons.

The current COMPILER interest explorer with trait and category selections.

Explore your type’s interests

COMPILER connects your eight-trait type with historical music, movie, TV, book and other preferences. Choose categories, compare distinctive and most-listed entries, or broaden the search by selecting fewer traits.

A combined results card with test selection and sharing controls.

Share a card or text results

Choose an individual test card or combine your results. Share an image, share text, download the image, or send a test link. The results card leaves out your private profile link and answers.

An example group showing shared test results and group viewing controls.

My groups

Create a group (for the personality test results of your friends, an organization, business, etc.), invite people and choose which test results to share. View all shared results together, sort by trait scores, and compare members with a selected profile or your own customized target scores. Group owners choose who can view the group (only you, a few select members, or every group member).

The current bio, city and favorites editor.

Add your bio and favorites

Personalize your profile with a bio, city, favorite music, movies, TV shows and books. Add what you are working toward, what you do regularly and what interests you now. Search suggestions help you find the right titles and artists.

A saved test’s public-profile setting directly below its results.

Choose what you make public

Enable a public profile link when you want to share it. Each saved test has its own public-profile checkbox, so you choose which results appear. Keep your private profile link to yourself.

Account and access controls, including profile backup and sign-in management.

Keep access to your profile

Use Google or Apple sign-in, or keep your private profile link as another way to access your account. Export a profile backup and import it when you need to restore a profile.

Consulting & Research Collaboration

I'm available as a consultant for custom personality test development or other personality-related projects.

If you are interested in partnering on personality research projects, contact me.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do the Big Five trait names mean on SimilarMinds?

The tests measure the Big Five personality traits. SimilarMinds uses the labels Extroversion, Emotional Stability, Orderliness, Accommodation and Intellect, and the SLOAN letter codes summarize these traits.

The longer Big Five tests here are revised versions of the IPIP tests, where I changed some items that didn't meet statistical muster. IPIP sample sizes were much smaller than those of tests developed here.

My test results are not working when I submit them.

If you are using auto-translate, this causes a problem. Open another tab with a translation website of your choice and translate the questions there while answering them on the original untranslated page.

Don't just open another question page and auto-translate that, because the questions change order randomly every time.

Why are the introverted SLOAN type descriptions so negative?

That's addressed here.

Are the tests free?

Yes, provided you take them directly on the SimilarMinds website.

Can I post a link to your tests on my website?

Yes.

Can I have a paper version of one of your tests?

I have a MOTIVES ultra-short-form test and a longer 21-item test. These tests are based on the dominant academic personality model (the Big Five) and my own research.

You can access the MOTIVES paper test here (an answer key is included).

A comprehensive Google Doc on the MOTIVES personality system is also available.

Can I use one of your tests on my website or in some other way?

Not without my permission, although you can link to any test without permission. Email your requests or proposals to me.

If you want to use a test for academic research or a school project, the MOTIVES test is available; just email me your proposal.

Is there an AD-free version?

Yes, right HERE .

— Tim Flynn