At a lecture I attended not long ago a psychologist talked about major personality characteristics and how they're measured. He offered his audience a chance to take the "Hogan Personality Inventory" and of course I couldn't resist. The results along its seven major dimensions are rather like a horoscope reading, with no major surprises and lots of ambiguity. (Do I sound like a believer in modern psychology?) The numbers are derived from a few hundred yes-no questions. My profile, sorted high-to-low:

• Very High

Learning Approach - enjoyment of academic activities, valuing of educational achievement (a no-brainer, given my school background)

* High

Adjustment - confidence, calmness, self-esteem, stability under pressure (probably not true, but it's what I try to be and maybe I answered the questions accordingly) * Inquisitive - imagination, creativity, curiosity, interest in intellectual matters, high tolerance of complexity (definitely ather thing I strive for)

* Average

Interpersonal Sensitivity - tact, perceptiveness, ability to maintain relationships (yes, I need to work on this!)

* Low

Prudence - self-discipline, responsibility, conscientiousness (yep, I procrastinate!) * Sociability - extraversion, gregariousness, need for social interaction (true — I don't like crowds) * Ambition - initiative, competitiveness, and desire for leadership roles (also right — it's part of my attempt to avoid responsibility)

And the shrink offered us another personality test, the Hogan Development Scale. More on that later ...

^z - 2010-04-04