From the profile of an INFJ or Advocate.
Previously: Storytelling and LEGO bricks.
Below are carefully selected data sets for you to explore. You have discretion over how much or how little you do here. In every instance, you can do as much or as little as you like. Remember, however, that the more detail you have, the clearer the overall meaning will be.
The goal is to write part of the story about yourself. What comes together in that gestalt way when you look at these data? What emerges from the details? What picture do you see — and what are the thousand words, so to speak, that go with that picture?
Remember to be metacognitively vigilant. Everything below helps organize your thinking, but who you are — and what you have to say about it — is up to you.
1. Grade Point Average
Seems odd to ask for this in a grade-abated course, right? The reason is that all data reveal something, and your GPA is no different. At the very least, this may open up a discussion of Alfie Kohn’s “Case Against Grades” (available here) or Jerry Jesness’ “Floating Standard” (online here), which are seminal texts for any group trying to change how we learn1.
The number does not tell the whole story. It is part of a much larger story, so it is up to you to put it in context. Keep in mind that grades are damaging as a vector for negativity, not necessarily on their own; it’s what grades transmit that can hurt you. What is the story behind your grades?
2. 16 Personalities
This site adapts the Myers-Briggs test, which is one of the more widely known ways of classifying personality types. From their Framework & History page:
We use the acronym format introduced by Myers-Briggs for its simplicity and convenience, with an extra letter to accommodate five rather than four scales. However, unlike Myers-Briggs or other theories based on the Jungian model, we have not incorporated Jungian concepts such as cognitive functions, or their prioritization. Jungian concepts are very difficult to measure and validate scientifically, so we’ve instead chosen to rework and rebalance the dimensions of personality called the Big Five personality traits, a model that dominates modern psychological and social research.
I’m including the quotation to link to the Big Five personality traits, if you’re interested in more history. You can also jump right into the test itself:
At the end, you’ll find yourself somewhere on this list, and you’ll have a lot more data to sort, analyze, and bring into a story.
3. Multiple Intelligences
This comes from Howard Gardner, who is interviewed here about the theory2:
Once you’ve listened to Gardner, you’ll be able to take a test like this one to gather more data about yourself:
If you’d rather read about the theory and apply it to yourself without a test, you can find dozens of breakdowns online. Here is one simple enough to spark serious reflection and introspection on your end:
4. The Enneagram Personality Test
This next one claims to “help you understand why you make the choices that you do” by determining how you interpret the world around you. Note: The test results are now locked behind a paywall, which changes how you should approach the insight Enneagrams provide you. You will need to look through the list of Enneagram types to find descriptions that resonate with you. The key is metacognition, as always. Why does the description seem to fit you? What is the story behind that connection?
As an example of the Forer Effect, consider that each Enneagram type has its own page, like this one:
The blurb there that summaries this type might resonate with you. However, “seek[ing] to gain security and avoid risk” describes most people. The devil is in the details, so you need to look closely at yourself and the story behind any connection you make. Be careful of the Forer Effect, and use these data as part of your story when it makes sense.
5. Adam Grant — Hidden Potential
This one is based around a book, which you can learn about here. I’m including it because Adam Grant is someone worth your time and focus, so you might enjoy reading his articles or listening to one of his podcasts.
Load the assessment here, and you’ll be given the context along the way:
Since we are gearing up for a series of passion projects (and more), anything that mines for hidden potential could be useful. Again, look for what helps you to understand yourself more clearly. What is the story about you that emerges as you think about yourself?
Like us, by the way. This space and the students in this space are, to some extent, trying to change how we learn. As ambitious as it is, remember what someone said about dreaming big: “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars [where your skin will inflate and your lungs will explode].” ↩
You can get to this interview, by the way, through a careful reading of the Wikipedia page on multiple intelligences. It also quotes a useful definition of intelligence, according to Gardner: “a biopsychological potential to process information that can be activated in a cultural setting to solve problems or create products that are of value in a culture.” Unpacking that sentence is an excellent exercise in close reading, and it would help you make sense of this self-assessment. Note, too, that this footnote is helping you to learn more about how you learn. There are always levels to this. ↩