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Posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 20:57:34
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 20:56:46
"The New Personality Self-Portrait : Why You Think, Work, Love and Act the Way You Do"
Posted by alesta on October 16, 2004, at 21:01:09
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » Dinah, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 20:22:28
hi there, verne, :)
i'm surprised that you scored so high for histrionic. people with this disorder tend to act seductively and do anything to get attention. you aren't remotely flirtacious or "outrageous" or attention-seeking that i can see..unless there's a naughty side you aren't showing us...i've seen personalities come out online..i guess yours hasn't, though..i suppose it depends on the person.
amy :-)
Posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 21:25:48
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by alesta on October 16, 2004, at 21:01:09
Hi Amy,
My histronics are more about over-dramatizing. I exaggerate to get my way I guess. I answered "yes" to the question about being manipulative which may have been weighted heavily for histronic. I probably think I'm more manipulative than most others view me. I'm very hard on myself so that may have come out in the test.
I also have a friend who constantly reminds me of how manipulative I am. All my actions according to him are based on my need to seek others approval and then, once I butter them up, I manipulate them. He's been hard on me over the years and I put up with it because it's couched in spirtual terms. (God is good, man is all bad etc...)
I always thought I picked up my histronic streak from my dad who used to go into a "routine" whenever anything remotely wrong happened. It was always the end of the world. I do that too with my black-and-white, all-or-nothing thinking.
I've read that borderliners tend to "charm" people. There may be histronics involved in that too.
But I'm still puzzled at how I scored so high in histronic. I don't like being the center of attention at all. I just hang around the edges and interrupt the main act. I've always been a bit of a court jester.
verne
Posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 21:40:13
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 20:56:46
I haven't heard of that book. I will try to check it out at the library.
I noticed that amazon lists several similar books beneath it that have to do with personality tests. I could spend all winter taking tests.
Actually, I'm trying to get away from myself and personality tests may be a hinderance. Did you take the Minnesota something-erother personality test? I came out too consistent and they thought I was faking to get disability. Actually, I took the test after my veteran's compensation became permanent so that wasn't an issue. Perhaps, I was trying to justify the compensation and exaggerated on the test. While I took the test, I was constantly thinking about how it would be viewed by someone else.
Actually, whenever I do anything, it's for someone else. I can't watch a movie, read a book, or even wash the dishes for myself. Oh, my daughter or friend might like this. I'll tape it for them and meanwhile I realize I don't enjoy it for myself.
I guess that's the borderline emptiness - noone home, nobody there. There's no core. I feel like my enjoyment, interests, thoughts, reasons, and opinions are all contrived. The emotional pain is real and I have alot of empathy for others - I spend much of my time imaging what it would be like in their shoes - yet not much else is real.
What others call thinking, is more like groping in the dark for me.
verne
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 16, 2004, at 22:02:56
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » alesta, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 21:25:48
> Hi Amy,
>
> My histronics are more about over-dramatizing. I exaggerate to get my way I guess. I answered "yes" to the question about being manipulative which may have been weighted heavily for histronic. I probably think I'm more manipulative than most others view me. I'm very hard on myself so that may have come out in the test.I think that's a big issue that affects the scores, verne. Another one might be the way you accept the description by your friend, that you are manipulative. Your friend may be manipulating you, with those descriptions.
I scored low on all categories, except moderate narcissism. The thing is, as a child, I got no praise or support. I'm very conscious of what others say, and only recently learned how to accept praise (most of the time). I consider that to be a result of child abuse, not a personality trait.
Lar
Posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 23:01:15
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » Dinah, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 21:40:13
Oh, I was very fond of the MMPI. It described me better than any DSM-IV category. I'm a 2-7-8, which fits with the schizotypal. And better yet, it pointed out some things about me that helped me understand better why I do the things I do, which was a big obsession of mine at the time I took the test. Also important, it helped my therapist understand me a bit better too, I think.
lol. I looked up the code in "Essentials of MMPI2 and MMPIA Interpretation" to refresh my memory, and found "overreacts to even minor stress and may show rapid behavioral deterioration". I'll have to bring that into therapy next time, as it has a fair amount of applicability at the moment.
I wonder if the MMPI results change over time? It would be interesting to take it again one day when I'm feeling better.
Posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 23:11:15
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by Larry Hoover on October 16, 2004, at 22:02:56
Good point Lar,
One's personality may interfere with the personality testing, skewing the results. Various kinds of denial, shame, and other people's viewpoints may work their way into the test process.
I also thought about what happens when someone who habitually disguises themself and projects a false self, takes the test. Would a narcississtic (can't spell that word, like mississippi for me) sociopath ever admit it in a test?
Years ago when I was on a kind of high horse (big ego) I was convinced I was a tortured artist when I took the enneagrams test. I answered the test in a way that gave that impression. But my psychologist who had been seeing me for 2 years said, "no, you are a reformer, you would rather be right than happy". I wrote a long treatise arguing how I couldn't possibly be a reformer type. (besides being a reformer wasn't romantic enough for me)
Years later, I took the ennegrams test again and came out as a reformer. I realize now that an artist type would not have written a paper arguing that they were an artist - but a reformer would.
someday I hope to be a reformed reformer.
verne
Posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 0:11:22
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by Larry Hoover on October 16, 2004, at 22:02:56
> > Hi Amy,
> >
> > My histronics are more about over-dramatizing. I exaggerate to get my way I guess. I answered "yes" to the question about being manipulative which may have been weighted heavily for histronic. I probably think I'm more manipulative than most others view me. I'm very hard on myself so that may have come out in the test.
>
> I think that's a big issue that affects the scores, verne. Another one might be the way you accept the description by your friend, that you are manipulative. Your friend may be manipulating you, with those descriptions.thanks for the additional info, verne. i totally agree with what lar says above. good job, lar! :-)
> I scored low on all categories, except moderate narcissism. The thing is, as a child, I got no praise or support. I'm very conscious of what others say, and only recently learned how to accept praise (most of the time).
lar, just curious, have you learned to *give* praise as well? i would think that would be an area someone with narcissistic tendencies (however subtle) might need to work on...perhaps your parents had narcissistic tendencies as well? no need to answer, mate..just tossing it out there. :-)
amy :)
Posted by vwoolf on October 17, 2004, at 1:57:34
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 0:11:22
Mine is so extreme
Paranoid Very High
Schizoid Moderate
Schizotypal High
Antisocial High
Borderline Very High
Histrionic High
Narcissistic High
Avoidant High
Dependent Very High
Obsessive Compulsive HighIs it possible? I think I had better go back to bed. Sigh.
Double sigh!
Posted by Jai Narayan on October 17, 2004, at 9:06:29
In reply to Yet Another Personality Test, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 17:52:31
Posted by fallsfall on October 17, 2004, at 9:31:43
In reply to Yet Another Personality Test, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 17:52:31
Interesting. My Borderline score is going down and my Avoidant score is going up. That does feel right.
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 10:20:18
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » verne, posted by Dinah on October 16, 2004, at 23:01:15
> Oh, I was very fond of the MMPI. It described me better than any DSM-IV category. I'm a 2-7-8, which fits with the schizotypal. And better yet, it pointed out some things about me that helped me understand better why I do the things I do, which was a big obsession of mine at the time I took the test. Also important, it helped my therapist understand me a bit better too, I think.
>
> lol. I looked up the code in "Essentials of MMPI2 and MMPIA Interpretation" to refresh my memory, and found "overreacts to even minor stress and may show rapid behavioral deterioration". I'll have to bring that into therapy next time, as it has a fair amount of applicability at the moment.
>
> I wonder if the MMPI results change over time? It would be interesting to take it again one day when I'm feeling better.The MMPI assesses both state and trait. It assesses how you're feeling at the time you complete the assessment, as well as stable personality components.
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 10:26:23
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » Larry Hoover, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 23:11:15
> Good point Lar,
>
> One's personality may interfere with the personality testing, skewing the results. Various kinds of denial, shame, and other people's viewpoints may work their way into the test process.I would restate what you said, to say that one's state of mind skews certain types of personality tests. Guilt denial, or shame would certainly skew the outcomes.
> I also thought about what happens when someone who habitually disguises themself and projects a false self, takes the test. Would a narcississtic (can't spell that word, like mississippi for me) sociopath ever admit it in a test?
There are more appropriate psychometric tests for determining those sorts of things. The MMPI, for example, has two distinct embedded scales to determine if someone is trying to outwit the test itself.
> Years ago when I was on a kind of high horse (big ego) I was convinced I was a tortured artist when I took the enneagrams test. I answered the test in a way that gave that impression. But my psychologist who had been seeing me for 2 years said, "no, you are a reformer, you would rather be right than happy". I wrote a long treatise arguing how I couldn't possibly be a reformer type. (besides being a reformer wasn't romantic enough for me)
>
> Years later, I took the ennegrams test again and came out as a reformer. I realize now that an artist type would not have written a paper arguing that they were an artist - but a reformer would.
>
> someday I hope to be a reformed reformer.
>
> verne<grin>
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 10:33:39
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 0:11:22
> lar, just curious, have you learned to *give* praise as well? i would think that would be an area someone with narcissistic tendencies (however subtle) might need to work on...perhaps your parents had narcissistic tendencies as well? no need to answer, mate..just tossing it out there. :-)
>
> amy :)There are a variety of subtle forms of childhood abuse, often through the absence of a normal behaviour. My mom, in particular, had a distorted world view that it was nearing sinful to use praise, or to accept it. I call it, for simplicity, The "Yes, but" Syndrome. Somebody says something nice, and you need to argue against it, dismiss their judgment, trivialize their praise..... Believe me, it's a good way to shut down other people.
So, giving praise also became associated with upset feelings. It's not pleasant to have your own offering of praise dismissed and trivialized. I really don't think narcissism had anything to do with it.
I'm 47, and I'm still working on getting over it. Every time I offer praise, I get anxious. That's not at all about my personality, IMHO.
Lar
Posted by Pfinstegg on October 17, 2004, at 10:55:52
In reply to Yet Another Personality Test, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 17:52:31
Histrionic moderate, others low.
Posted by Pfinstegg on October 17, 2004, at 11:34:25
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by Pfinstegg on October 17, 2004, at 10:55:52
I'm actually surprised mine weren't all very high. This made me realize that the, at times, extremely intense pain and anxiety people like me with csa, Complex PTSD and an ego state disorder feel is simply different from a personality disorder. I guess the treatment is pretty much the same, though- psychodynamic psychotherapy, with the therapist-client relationship at its heart.
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 17, 2004, at 13:03:50
In reply to Re: MMPI » Dinah, posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 10:20:18
Larry,
My Therapist wants me to take the MMPI over very soon. I've been one year three months in therapy and took the MMPI within the first month of seeing him. My T is a clinical psychologist and very interested in seeing the differences between the two tests, as am I, as I know there will be differences.
Posted by shortelise on October 17, 2004, at 13:12:41
In reply to Yet Another Personality Test, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 17:52:31
Thisis very cool - I did it first describing myself as I was when I went into therapy, and it was bad bad bad.
Then I did it again with how I am now, and I am not so bad! Not even borderline ... does that just mean that I know the right answers now! Just kidding, It makes me feel great.ShortE
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 17, 2004, at 13:15:33
In reply to Yet Another Personality Test, posted by verne on October 16, 2004, at 17:52:31
Scored low on everything except "Histrionic" where I scored high.
Posted by vwoolf on October 17, 2004, at 13:51:39
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 17, 2004, at 13:15:33
What does it mean that I scored so high on just about everything? Can anyone help? I keep feeling crazier and crazier, and it doesn't help that even on tests I come up as seriously disturbed. My T says I'm not, but it doesn't feel that way to me.
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 14:07:49
In reply to Re: MMPI » Larry Hoover, posted by Miss Honeychurch on October 17, 2004, at 13:03:50
> Larry,
>
> My Therapist wants me to take the MMPI over very soon. I've been one year three months in therapy and took the MMPI within the first month of seeing him. My T is a clinical psychologist and very interested in seeing the differences between the two tests, as am I, as I know there will be differences.It's a reasonable thing to do, if you were particularly unstable when you took it. Not only will it point out where progress has been made, but it will help identify core elements of personality which can be addressed with focussed coping strategies.
Regards,
Lar
Posted by Larry Hoover on October 17, 2004, at 14:12:56
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by vwoolf on October 17, 2004, at 13:51:39
> What does it mean that I scored so high on just about everything? Can anyone help? I keep feeling crazier and crazier, and it doesn't help that even on tests I come up as seriously disturbed. My T says I'm not, but it doesn't feel that way to me.
First off, the sort of test you did there is a screening test. It's not designed to sort out the differences between stable personality, for example, and emotional distress which might temporarily occupy one's mind. The high scores could reflect emotional intensity, and nothing more.
Really, the most useful test of this sort is the 2nd version of the MMPI. It has something like 800 questions. You do it on a computer, and it's scored by the computer. Then, a person trained in interpreting the patterns of scores can make assessments of states (emotional issues) and traits (stable personality), based on the various scores, and also how they cluster together.
Lar
Posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 15:17:49
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by Pfinstegg on October 17, 2004, at 10:55:52
> Histrionic moderate, others low.
same here! i was surprised i even scored moderate for histrionic. they based that on 2 questions i answered yes to..i think they were 'do you like being accepted by your peers' and 'do you like receiving complements' or something..not sure the exact wording of the questions..well, anyway, i thought most people felt that way..interesting. but they said that low and moderate scores don't indicate a problem, only high or very high, so i guess i'm still in the 'normal' range..btw, this test didn't show my social anxiety..probably b/c i wasn't envisioning work situations, which is where my problem lies..
amy:)
Posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 15:27:52
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test, posted by vwoolf on October 17, 2004, at 13:51:39
> What does it mean that I scored so high on just about everything? Can anyone help? I keep feeling crazier and crazier, and it doesn't help that even on tests I come up as seriously disturbed. My T says I'm not, but it doesn't feel that way to me.
vwolf, don't worry, sweetie..i agree with larry. also, i would trust your therapist. he/she knows you better than this quiz. for what it's worth, you do not come across as having a bunch of personality disorders. one thing that really bothers me about this test is that it asks, for instance, "have you ever..". i don't agree with those kinds of questions. just b/c a person did or felt a certain way in the past doesn't indicate it in the present. it's like saying once a disorder, always a disorder. i believe this is dead wrong. people can change and overcome their disorders. this is one reason why it's important to take a more true diagnostic measure with many more questions..
amy :)
Posted by AdaGrace on October 17, 2004, at 17:22:27
In reply to Re: Yet Another Personality Test » vwoolf, posted by alesta on October 17, 2004, at 15:27:52
Very High : Borderline & Dependent
High: Paranoid, Histrionic, & Avoidant
Moderate: Schizoid, Schizotypal, Obsessive-Compulsive
Low: Antisocial & NacissisticSomebody please tell me I am not what my husband said "freakin nuts and belong in the luny bin"
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