I'm obsessed with this personality test app

I can't shut up about it... why do we love personality tests so much?

Yesterday my sister sent me a link to download dimensional, a free personality test app that has a social element- you can add real life friends in the app and it will ask them questions about your personality to add more ‘dimension’ to your self assessment. Since then, I’ve spent hours and hours on the app- taking test, rating my sister’s traits, and reading insights into my psyche.

(As an aside— @empaigelip confirmed on TikTok that this app sells your data. I assumed as much and figure- given my online footprint and tendency to not worry even when I should- that my data is all in the system anyway. But while it’s a fun and free app if you’re concerned about Amazon knowing your weaknesses, probably best not to download it.)

The app includes normal Meyers-Briggs personality test results (I am an ESTP, who know? Also what does that mean?) and more niche offerings, like how accommodating, cautious, and emotional you are when compared with other users. There are also fun screenshot ready cards that, for me at least, were scary accurate and cover good and bad qualities. I’ve included a few examples throughout this post.

It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me.

I have always loved personality tests, astrology, anything that aims to explain me to myself. I don’t think I am alone in this. For me, the appeal is in the (faux-?)scientific explanation of who I am, a guess at how I appear to people who are not me. Dimensional told me that I have secure attachment style. I was overjoyed, as the product of a rough and weird childhood secure attachment seems impossible. It also says I am a know it all and tend to bulldoze people in conversations. Those are both things I am working on and things I know about myself. I did not try to push my answers to give me a particular result (in fact, I was extremely honest!) but I felt strangely vindicated that my results were more or less in line with my understanding of myself.

A mixed bag but I’ll take it

Confirmation of something I already know seems vaguely pointless. Why am I still on the app? Why do I care? Because I have been called crazy many times in my life. I have spoken about something, known my point made sense, known I was communicating it clearly, and still had another person in the conversation dismiss me and my ideas as “crazy”. I think most women have had this experience. I like these tests so much because- aside from actionable insights- they confirm that I basically understand myself. I may be driven by hedonism (not my favorite result!) but I am not insane.

It’s funny that a lot of our strengths are also our weaknesses, non?

I am working on letting other people speak more, being driven by calmer things, and being a little less of a know it all. But it’s also nice to, you know, basically like myself. My girls, I really do like myself and I am proud of that.

Thank you for being here! I love you so much!

Hannah

PS: I know I’ve mentioned this app 342 times the past few days. I promise this is the last time I’ll bring it up. (Unless dimensional wants me to do an #ad, in which case I will mention it one more time. A girl’s gotta eat.)