The biased Big Five

Posted by Cory on March 07, 2000 at 15:59:53:

In Reply to: on Jan posted by Jan on March 07, 2000 at 03:31:00:

I particularily hate the "Culture" or "Openness" scale, loosely related to S/N. It makes it sound like Sensors aren't as "skilled" or "intelligent" as their iNtuitive counterparts. First off, the choice of words is bad...the opposite of Cultured is Uncultured, the opposite of Openess is Close-mindedness. Second, it's completely one-sided in positive description. At least the Myers-Briggs realizes that both S/N have their advantages and their weaknesses. Sure someone might score high on the "Cultured" scale, but maybe they're worthless at doing practical things like taking care of money or fixing a flat tire? The NEO is silent on that.

It also transcends ethical and political lines too. On the "Agreeableness" scale, "morality" is a factor. However that only measures how you relate to SOMEONE ELSE'S MORALITY. Running a red light may be immoral for someone, but not for another. Also, in "Cultured" it measures "liberalism". So if you favor family, going to church, and capitalism, then you're not as "open-minded" as an anti-family atheist Marxist. The whole test just praises an ENFJ "ubermensch" and considers ISTPs scum.

Although, it's no wonder that the creators of Big Five were people who scored Very High on the Cultured scale anyways.

-Cory

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• indeed Jan 02:59:43 03/08/00 (0)

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