What Your Blog Says About You

Did this a while ago...!

http://human3rror.com/2009/02/23/blog-personality-disorder/

I just took your test. Interior design is my profession and I have two blogs. I ended up with two because I started blogging about interior design and found myself talking about anything else that was on my mind. I was told that is a no, no, so I started another one specifically for business and kept the original with anything and everything I want to say. The analysis nailed me superbly on my original blog, which represents more accurately who I am. The analysis indicates that the author of
http://ontheporch.typepad.com/
is of the type:
ESFP - The Performers

This analysis is correct!

The analysis indicates that the author of
http://cmcdesignstudio.wordpress.com
is of the type:
ESTP - The Doers

Mine was a total mismatch. I regularly test as an INFJ (and did again just now), but Typealizer said one of my blogs was writtten by an ISTP (The Mechanic) and my other blog was by an ISFP (The Artist).

My blog is www.newsoftwarepathways.com.

I blogged about this article here.

Objectively there's certainly some truth in this analysis, but I have to add that it has the same feel as astrology.com complete with ads. There were no new insights, just a rough approximation that could fit most of the guys I know who write a blog.

My blog is varied, among other things. My interests are eclectic and my motivations are pure -- I need an outlet. I don't know how you can analyze a blog that reviews the Watchman movie and a panel on the State of Internet Video all in one week without making some broad generalizations based on broad assumptions. (BTW: Doesn't everyone love football?!?)

For this analysis to be more useful the Typealyzer needs to add a frame of reference for each type. A simple listing of all types would be helpful. I had to put other blogs into the type analyzer in order to understand what the range of types.

Does this make today's web a better place to live? It did nothing for me. Of course I have been thoroughly tested during my education and professional life. It provides a little distraction or fun thought experiment.
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What an interesting tool! As an avid blogger, its interesting to see how others perceive your voice, and this is a good start. Running several different blogs on a variety of topics, I'm curious to see how it compares the differing voices.

The problem with the analysis is that it is like a horoscope: of course it fits, because no matter what sign you are the predictions are so vague they always fit.

I guess the same personality test drawbacks apply here as well: after a re-test after 9 months, only 30% of the subjects get the same personlity (I think this was based on the Big Five traits).

Very cool article. My blog, www.rewashednews.blogspot.com was seen as the following:
The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

The enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Spot on mate...

I normally come out as a borderline INTJ/INTP. The site classed me as INTP, which I think is very good.

I disagree with the comment about the analysis being like hororscopes. Just go to http://typelogic.com/esfp.html and compare INTP to ESFP. They are nothing like each other.

I have two blogs I had analyzed. www.mudsplats.blogspot.com said The Mechanics which is right on the money. www.olivepressmuse.blogspot.com The Entertainer was close but not really accurate.
Myers-Briggs surprised even my friends. They each picked me as extrovert!! Test and I agree, more introverted.

Thanks for a fun blog and great insights

Still pondering my "the mechanic" analysis. I think my right brain certainly comes into play in my work and life more than this test suggested. But I am definitely logical - just not without emotion.

Interesting and cool tool. Thanks for sharing.

This is interesting but I would have a few questions before blogging about this and accepting the results as presented here.
For instance, what is the scientific basis for performing the analysis and determining which group a blogger can be assigned to?
Using composite measures in doing this work is interesting but in order for us to decide if this makes sense, I prefer getting the details to judge for myself as done here: http://howto.commetrics.com/methodology/composite-indicators-never-ending-debate/

Fun distraction! Not sure I put too much belief in the results though... Took the short quiz linked above and it says I'm an INTJ while my StayInWisconsin.wordpress.com blog is from an ESTP and my WisconsinInnkeepersAssociation.wordpress.com blog is written by an ISTP

My blog is Suddenly Frugal at http://www.suddenlyfrugal.com

According to Typealyzer, my blog (or I) am ESFP--The Performers. I have to say that the analysis was spot on in places and where-the-heck-did-they-get-that-idea-from in other places.

I'm going to go blog about this topic, too.

Leah

I'm an INTJ with an extremely strong preference for N, but my two blogs both came up as S -- in fact, my favorite blog was all S with no N dimension at all. I'm not sure if this is because it is a "how to" blog or if I'm writing as an S because it's what I perceive the blog audience to be looking for, but from now on I will strive to write my more authentic self.

Thanks for all the great comments. There were quite a few comments because people's blogs didn't match their personality types. That's also the case for me. I'm an INTJ but my blog is an ESTJ. I suspect that Cecilia came up as an "S" in her blog because she's giving a lot of concrete examples, which is something I also try to do.

Of course, Typealyzer is still a work in progress, so it's possible that the algorithms need improvement or more generally that it's not possible to tell somebody's personality type from the words they write. But, I thought it was an interesting exercise for people to see how their blogs might be perceived.

Rachael King

Great to read the article and all the interesting comments! Yes, the typealyzer is work in progress - I´ve been doing this as amateur research for a couple of years without funding or help from universities. It´s all based on the idea that writing style reflects personality type, but more precisely the persona used in a particular moment. What I really would like to do is to classify the blogosphere and look for patterns in what people take an interest in (mentions and links to) when using a certain persona. Unfortunately I haven´t had the resources yet - the Typealyzer is a way putting the idea to test and evaluate if there seems to be any progress made in the training of the classifier.

Mine was very close. From my blog (http://www.luminanze.com/blog), Typealyzer classified me as an INTP -- and I am an INFP... with strong T skills. I'd say that my writing reflects pretty well who I am, and I give Typealyzer an A-minus.

I would find it very interesting to see a study of a large number of blogs in many fields, with the aim of teasing out the factors that can contribute to the discrepancies found.

I have written about this article in my blog, including some comments on what I'd like to see in the study.

To Jim Profit's comment: "of course it fits, because no matter what sign you are the predictions are so vague they always fit." Jim, that's just not so. Type is not about predicting the future, it's about describing how a person relates to the world. I find commonality with more than one description -- INFP and INTP, in particular (and to a lesser extent INFJ) -- but in no way, shape, or form do I find that the ESTJ profile (just to take one example) describes anything remotely close to who I am.

Mine was right on. From my blog (http://digitalprintingevolution.blogspot.com/) and (http://piratemikedallas.blogspot.com/) both my personal and professional writings are INTP - The Thinkers... I am a very outgoing type but this is absolutely my writing style and I am glad to have seen Typealyzer I hope they continue their research.

I was given the Meyers-Briggs by a professional counselor almost 20 years ago, and came out INTJ/P. I've consistently tested as one or the other ever since.

I put both my blogs through the Typealyzer and both came out INTP. (I also blogged about it, so your sample- base is about to shoot way up!)

Lorie, That's really interesting. Can you post a link to your blog here? I'd love to see it! thx, Rachael

Not sure about corporate blogs

What if the blog is written by someone in the PR deprtment in the name of the executive

Thanks for calling my attention to the Typealyzer. My marketing blog was classified as a DOER, a surprisingly accurate assessment, although the illustration was not as accurate (LOL). Of course I blogged about this:

http://marketinghandbook.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-personality.html

Very interesting article.

In my case the typealyzer was not correct regarding my personality type (INFP) but I did find that the description of the personality it came up with (ISTP) correlated well to a smaller part of my personality and interestingly the job and activity choices that are often chosen by the latter type.

Given that the purpose of my blog is less about me and more meant to inspire others, I think the system did a fair job of evaluating it.

Regardless, it is always interesting to see how things are perceived by others, even if it is software driven.

It seems fairly accurate to me but doesn't quite capture the ambiguity between INTJ and INTP though it may have to do with the subject matter that identifies INTJ. Many of the blogs I read are INTJ as well though a few are not, but they are definitely not randomly distributed.

The analysis indicates that the author of http://commonsenseliving.com
is of the type:

ESTJ - The Guardians
The organizing and efficient type. They are especially attuned to setting goals and managing available resources to get the job done. Once they have made up their mind on something, it can be quite difficult to convince otherwise. They listen to hard facts and can have a hard time accepting new or innovative ways of doing things.

The Guardians are often happy working in highly structured work environments where everyone knows the rules of the job. They respect authority and are loyal team players.

Actually, I don't do well in rigidly structured work environments at all. I've always been better at start-ups. Being a late boomer, I don't do well with rules, and I have problems with authority.

Organization and rules are two different things! I usually find that most rules are terribly inefficient. Don't you?

and yeah, I guess I'm a bit of a hard head...

my personality type (confirmed repeatedly) is INFP (The Healer), Typealyzer suggests I am ISTJ (Duty Fulfiller) Well, they both at least agree that I am an introvert...25% match. While it is easy to dismiss this as an error, I do think it could reflect a disconnect sometimes we find between our innermost selves and the self we present to the world outside - at work, or in social circles. I am tempted to think that I am really a mix of both, depending on where you catch me...