Putting the Person into Personality

The research has shown that is it possible to predict type membership with a high degree of accuracy using trait-based measures. For both the prototypical and the categorical cases, OPQ32 scales could be used to model type patterns and predict type membership with above 70% accuracy – far higher if one takes into account that type misclassifications are not random, but tend to be close to the ‘correct’ type.

The research has both shown the value of using the Big 5 as a framework for summarising patterns of relationships between

types and traits and also its limitations. However, accuracy of classification and nuances of interpretation of type differences are both considerably enhanced when the full 32 scales are considered.

There is considerable value in being able to consider a person from both a person-centric view and from a trait-centric view – and to be able to flip between these perspectives. The value of starting from the trait-based measurement rather than a typology, however is that, as illustrated in the present work, it is possible to then consider a person in terms of two quite different typologies: one categorical and the other prototypical. This greatly adds to the richness of the interpretation one can obtain from a personality assessment and also helps to increase our understanding of types.