The documentary is a good introduction for anyone not familiar with personality tests however it stays on the surface of the matter in both branches it tries to touch upon (namely the science behind the test, and the socio-economical aspect/impact).
But what is the worst thing about this documentary, and if I was rating only that, it would have been 1 star (at most) is what they have done with the sound when loud music always plays on top of people talking so most of the times you can't understand a word they say unless you use subtitles.
42 Reviews
Insightful and well intentioned
malloy-se4 April 2021
Never quite reaches it's climax with misleading stories to make an unnecessary narrative. Wish it had focused on either sensationalism or pure information but it tries to straddle both and falls short. Not really sure what the point of the film is. It raises several good ones but focuses on one major personality test by showing its impact on an individual while that individual was not affected by that test at all. Intermixed is random history of the main test and an woman who is upset personally disorders exist. I don't disagree with her but I don't quite see how her part fits. Then they have random other people that never really add anything except to show that many people believe in these tests too much. Hopefully no one takes this as factual.
Great content, not great production
tynia-6726620 March 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed the documentary and its contents. It's very eye-opening and definitely worth a watch, especially if you're in the employment market. There were many interesting examples and points of view presented, so I'd say it's quite a well-rounded production.
However the technical watchability is rather poor, the music is way too loud and makes it very difficult to understand the speakers. I nearly turned it off because I couldn't hear the speakers properly.
Overall, however, definitely worth a watch.
The sound editor should be in jail
Bela-27 May 2021
Brings some good points
deany473 October 2021
This documentary definitly brings some remarkable questions to the light.
However the topic itself is quite interesting the presentation seems to be a little bit "cheap".
I apreciate the creators for having people with different perspectives in the documentery.
Although it would be much better if real data were used instead of using only people´s own stories and opinions.
However the topic itself is quite interesting the presentation seems to be a little bit "cheap".
I apreciate the creators for having people with different perspectives in the documentery.
Although it would be much better if real data were used instead of using only people´s own stories and opinions.
It seems I was wrong about these tests.
Mex515013 March 2021
I had never thought these types of of tests were good for use in the way they are used when reducing applications for job positions. However, if the people who are complaining about how bad these tests are in this documentary are good examples of the type of people being rejected, my mind is changed. If I was hiring somebody, I'd hate to have any of them waste my time interviewing them. They are the type of people who will never rest until they have found something 'problematic' about everything, and they will always interpret it as an institutionalised bias against them personally.
Cautionary, yet poorly executed
Schmoopie16 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Full disclaimer, I work in HR, and I am a MBTI practitioner. So in writing this review, I acknowledge I am somewhat biased in that I do like the tool a lot, but that is all down to the proper ethical way the tool can and should be used to help individuals and teams celebrate, embrace and leverage their diversity and differences to ultimately achieve better outcomes.
This documentary is about how personality tools are being mis-used. I will start with what I like about this film; the cautionary message that personality tools, particularly MBTI should NOT be used to predict if someone is the right fit for a job, based on their reported type.
Sadly, in this documentary, we learn about a young man who has bipolar disorder and is rejected from jobs over and over when he fails the personality pre screening recruitment tests. He is an insightful person, well aware that while he may not naturally enjoy certain jobs like customer service (I mean let's be honest how many of us truly love dealing with upset customers), he's still capable of flexing to demonstrate empathy, and this is what MBTI aims to raise awareness about. So it was really sad and disturbing that he thought of himself as "broken" having continually being rejected during pre-screenings because of the discriminatory manner in which these tools are being used for pre-selection.
It was disturbing to learn how organisations mis-use these tools, and it's good to be reminded about the implications of how if left unchecked, the use of personality tools for pre-screening can be discriminatory and may exacerbate a society that further pits the haves against the have nots. It also raises a good point that personality tools discrimate when used for the wrong purpose- for example, particularly in America extroverts are viewed more favourably than introverts, which really says nothing about their ability to do the job. For example, I coach and train leaders for a living all day and am one of the clearest introverts you will ever meet.
There was somewhat of an attempt to make this a balanced documentary, but the set up definitely felt like it was leading viewers down a path. It starts out by focusing on the MBTI tool and explored the origins of the tool, questioning the biases that Myers Briggs may have inadvertently built into it, and then it seemed to escalate to wholesale judgment about the character of the people who invented the tool. It seemed to also frame MBTI type dichotomies as "either/or" (you're either an introvert or extrovert) when in fact our preferences are actually scaled, which means we tend to lean one way based on whichever way is least taxing.
What the documentary fails to emphasise which is the most important aspect of personality is that we are all capable of exhibiting ALL preferences and this should be the focus of these tools for self discovery, for developing all aspects of who we are and to consider how we might be able to flex aspects of ourselves that may serve us in certain situations. For example, social skills can be harder to develop if your preference is spending time alone, however developing social skills is an important part of functioning in society.
However it is not until the end credits where we learn that MBTI personality tool was in fact not even the tool used for the young man who thought of himself as "broken".
The fact that writers had to put that in the end credits I think highlights that even the writers of this show were aware that this was where it was leading viewers thoughts.
I gave it 4 stars for shedding light on the importance of ethical use of personality tools, but it lost 6 stars because as far as documentaries go, it wasn't exactly gripping, and it wasn't well balanced in its exploration of the benefits of personality tools. I thought overall it was misleading and a little sloppy in its execution.
This documentary is about how personality tools are being mis-used. I will start with what I like about this film; the cautionary message that personality tools, particularly MBTI should NOT be used to predict if someone is the right fit for a job, based on their reported type.
Sadly, in this documentary, we learn about a young man who has bipolar disorder and is rejected from jobs over and over when he fails the personality pre screening recruitment tests. He is an insightful person, well aware that while he may not naturally enjoy certain jobs like customer service (I mean let's be honest how many of us truly love dealing with upset customers), he's still capable of flexing to demonstrate empathy, and this is what MBTI aims to raise awareness about. So it was really sad and disturbing that he thought of himself as "broken" having continually being rejected during pre-screenings because of the discriminatory manner in which these tools are being used for pre-selection.
It was disturbing to learn how organisations mis-use these tools, and it's good to be reminded about the implications of how if left unchecked, the use of personality tools for pre-screening can be discriminatory and may exacerbate a society that further pits the haves against the have nots. It also raises a good point that personality tools discrimate when used for the wrong purpose- for example, particularly in America extroverts are viewed more favourably than introverts, which really says nothing about their ability to do the job. For example, I coach and train leaders for a living all day and am one of the clearest introverts you will ever meet.
There was somewhat of an attempt to make this a balanced documentary, but the set up definitely felt like it was leading viewers down a path. It starts out by focusing on the MBTI tool and explored the origins of the tool, questioning the biases that Myers Briggs may have inadvertently built into it, and then it seemed to escalate to wholesale judgment about the character of the people who invented the tool. It seemed to also frame MBTI type dichotomies as "either/or" (you're either an introvert or extrovert) when in fact our preferences are actually scaled, which means we tend to lean one way based on whichever way is least taxing.
What the documentary fails to emphasise which is the most important aspect of personality is that we are all capable of exhibiting ALL preferences and this should be the focus of these tools for self discovery, for developing all aspects of who we are and to consider how we might be able to flex aspects of ourselves that may serve us in certain situations. For example, social skills can be harder to develop if your preference is spending time alone, however developing social skills is an important part of functioning in society.
However it is not until the end credits where we learn that MBTI personality tool was in fact not even the tool used for the young man who thought of himself as "broken".
The fact that writers had to put that in the end credits I think highlights that even the writers of this show were aware that this was where it was leading viewers thoughts.
I gave it 4 stars for shedding light on the importance of ethical use of personality tools, but it lost 6 stars because as far as documentaries go, it wasn't exactly gripping, and it wasn't well balanced in its exploration of the benefits of personality tools. I thought overall it was misleading and a little sloppy in its execution.
They Got Carried Away
chasedemayo20 March 2021
It starts out incredibly interesting and by the halfway mark, you realize this is more about white men being the devil then it is about educating viewers about the topic at hand. It got carried away in preaching and less about informing. Shame because there was so much potential to educate without throwing barbs.
NOT an HR industry rep
tylerfiala12 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
To all the HR industry reps posting 1 star reviews: we hear that you like to use MBTI. Some admitting to your biases...and maybe feeling this film is personally attacking you and your career? If you are using it for team building, good for you. This documentary is touching more on the general use of personality tests PRE-employment, which I agree there needs to be laws protecting against...with more emphasis on companies being inclusive...more responsibility put on "leaders" to do their job in leading people to success...training and equipping, instead of failing so many, so easily~~as this film demonstrates, before even giving people a chance (pre-employment). Companies should serve their communities in that way, not the other way around.
A telling response from the creator of the Big 5: "who wants a job they don't like?" (said the wealthy person). how about somebody that NEEDS a job so they don't go homeless...?
A telling response from the creator of the Big 5: "who wants a job they don't like?" (said the wealthy person). how about somebody that NEEDS a job so they don't go homeless...?
Infotainment posing as a documentary
cwfinch-665459 March 2021
This piece of garbage is a great example of infotainment posing as a documentary. The producers presented a very one-sided, shallow story and many inaccuracies about the MBTI specifically and the personality assessment industry as a whole.
it is clear that the intent of the producers was to leverage sensationalistic, fear-based marketing practices to gain viewership to make money, rather than to provide a balanced analysis of the personality assessment industry and the value of the appropriate use of personality assessments. This is the worst of the worst.
it is clear that the intent of the producers was to leverage sensationalistic, fear-based marketing practices to gain viewership to make money, rather than to provide a balanced analysis of the personality assessment industry and the value of the appropriate use of personality assessments. This is the worst of the worst.
It could be great, but...
arturscussel30 January 2022
After reading the title, I was very curious to see what the documentary would bring to me. Since I've discovered personality tests, I've only heard enthusiasts on the theme and I confess I was a little bit skeptic about how reductionist it is on the human nature complexity. And then I watch it...
Subjective, too emotional appealing, lack of more credential or credibility from who is making the case, but mainly, it fails to answer the questions it should.
After watch it until the end I was ready to disagree from the use of personality tests because: 1. Big corporations are using in a large scale, so it must be evil.
2. The lady who invented also wrote a racist novel, so we should throw everything she wrote away.
3. Some people are not getting jobs (but it doesn't answer if the same people would get jobs if the personality tests did not exist, and they were doing only regular interviews).
4. The people who invented and studied about the personality tests are white, so it has biases. (that could be a solid statement, but it lacks data! Do the test with 100 people, how much of the white "pass" on it? How much of the minorities?)
Basically a waste of time.
Subjective, too emotional appealing, lack of more credential or credibility from who is making the case, but mainly, it fails to answer the questions it should.
After watch it until the end I was ready to disagree from the use of personality tests because: 1. Big corporations are using in a large scale, so it must be evil.
2. The lady who invented also wrote a racist novel, so we should throw everything she wrote away.
3. Some people are not getting jobs (but it doesn't answer if the same people would get jobs if the personality tests did not exist, and they were doing only regular interviews).
4. The people who invented and studied about the personality tests are white, so it has biases. (that could be a solid statement, but it lacks data! Do the test with 100 people, how much of the white "pass" on it? How much of the minorities?)
Basically a waste of time.
Sloppy Documentary Feels Thrown Together with no Effort to Understand its Subject
SpringBeagle7 March 2021
This doc feels like it was thrown together over a weekend simply by slicing together YouTube inserts with very shallow grasp of its subject. I gave up watching it after 17 minutes. I forced myself to skip forward several times to try to find any core thesis, but came up empty-handed. Why was this even made? From the music, to the editing, and to the production, it's all very hastily thrown together. It feels like it is trying to ride on the coattails of MBTI's success, by pretending to question it or very superficially challenge it and then presenting no real argument or compelling story. There was simply no desire to explore MBTI in depth. A doc with a shallow understanding of its main subject is not very compelling. In the end, I lost interest and pulled the plug.
Interesting topic but poor documentary
athoffman-803535 March 2021
It started out interesting but quickly falls apart. I understand the struggles of finding a job and getting an interview. However, it's algorithms that actively look for "hot" words in your resume compared to the job posting that's the real issue. Not some personality test that secretly watch's you through your computer's camera.
Ted Bundy would be the perfect employee!!!
chiffonbee14 July 2021
I can't believe that Companies still use this dinosaur .test!! L LOVED this Documentary. Everyone should watch this. Anyone defending it has apparently NO idea how Psychology works !! Ask yourself this question. Why are all the people in this movie tech or entrepreneur companies ,running a psychological test? I know why because there's not a doctor that has an ethical background that would stand next to this test!! Now they want to use facial recognition that logic is so backwards it's inside out. This effects every person that finds themselves In workforce. We should all be very concerned. Ted Bundy was an outgoing person that loved to introduced himself. According to the Braggs test he would be the perfect employee .
Cheap and melodramatic "documentary" by nonexperts
Konstantinou6112 March 2021
Following the Social Dilemma formula, Persona tries to make bank on a new type of entertainment- exposing digital and algorithmic tools for their impact on society. This is an admirable goal but this execution is cringe-worthy.
The producers of Social Dilemma seemed to care about a world thrown to the wolves, even as they could not help but use histrionics and gimmicks in the end. Here it's just histrionics and gimmicks, without relief. The music, the pacing, the suspenseful reviews, the calling forth of "experts" outside of psychology, the absurdly staged shots of an English professor doing "investigative journalism" in leather jacket and heels- the whole thing is just an embarrassment, and very much of the moment.
Persona is supposed to be based on a bestselling book about the Myer Briggs test. The book itself is already cause for concern and a good indicator of what the movie spinoff would look like. The author had no access to the archives, is not a journalist, and has no formal training in either psychology or data science. But white supremacist capitalism seems to be very important to her. This scam has now become an HBO special. Please spare us from both personality testing and low budget thrillers about personality testing.
The producers of Social Dilemma seemed to care about a world thrown to the wolves, even as they could not help but use histrionics and gimmicks in the end. Here it's just histrionics and gimmicks, without relief. The music, the pacing, the suspenseful reviews, the calling forth of "experts" outside of psychology, the absurdly staged shots of an English professor doing "investigative journalism" in leather jacket and heels- the whole thing is just an embarrassment, and very much of the moment.
Persona is supposed to be based on a bestselling book about the Myer Briggs test. The book itself is already cause for concern and a good indicator of what the movie spinoff would look like. The author had no access to the archives, is not a journalist, and has no formal training in either psychology or data science. But white supremacist capitalism seems to be very important to her. This scam has now become an HBO special. Please spare us from both personality testing and low budget thrillers about personality testing.
Very poor
amyandrahul15 May 2021
An interesting subject matter executed very poorly.
Makes claims without substantiating them. Specifically with regards to PT secretly diagnosing mental illness.
Very repetitive.
No substance.
We gave up half way through because neither of us enjoyed it. My partner is a psychologist who wrote her PhD on intelligence, and she said it was poorly done.
Makes claims without substantiating them. Specifically with regards to PT secretly diagnosing mental illness.
Very repetitive.
No substance.
We gave up half way through because neither of us enjoyed it. My partner is a psychologist who wrote her PhD on intelligence, and she said it was poorly done.
Another Trendy, Trash Documentary
jmayo-103396 July 2021
To be clear, this "documentary" has an agenda, which is to point out the negative aspects of personality tests and how those tests are being utilized. There's nothing wrong with exposing something that has the potential to be detrimental to people's lives, but it becomes a problem when you exaggerate data, sensationalize the subject matter, and demonize a well-respected tool used for personal development.
This film shows clips of youtubers discussing their Myers-Briggs type results, screenshots of dating profiles listing their MBTI results, and various memes of MBTI types. I don't want to assume what the filmmakers' intentions are by showing this material, but to me, it shows that the Myers-Briggs assessment is both popular and widely misunderstood. People make the mistake of wrapping their entire identity around their MBTI type, but what the film fails to mention is that this is usually just a phase - people get excited and feel like they've gained some understanding and acceptance of who they are. Once the phase wears off, people can choose to include their MBTI type into their identity or they can reject it. I think this film exaggerates the impact MBTI has on people and their lives.
The film uses every technique in the book to sensationalize information and manipulate you into believing their message. From the soundtrack, to the editing, to the graphics, to the stories they feature, it's total brainwashing. The filmmakers' goal is to shock you and get you to believe what they're selling. Now every film uses manipulation of some sort to get you to feel a certain way, but it's dangerous when a documentary relies on these techniques instead of on facts.
Towards the end of the film, a focus is placed on the implications of businesses using personality test-like questions on their applications. This is what the whole film should have been about. Instead of demonizing a personality test and how young people use it online, focus on how it's being misused by businesses. They could have gone much further down this train of thought, but it's clear the filmmakers were only interested in producing junk food media and getting a quick buck.
Overall, I would not recommend this film to anyone. I can't take it seriously because of how sensationalized it is. There might be some truth about Myers-Briggs being elitist or whitewashed, but this film only brought up the possibility. It didn't dive deeper. It didn't care to. Maybe it wasn't even possible to dive deeper.
This film shows clips of youtubers discussing their Myers-Briggs type results, screenshots of dating profiles listing their MBTI results, and various memes of MBTI types. I don't want to assume what the filmmakers' intentions are by showing this material, but to me, it shows that the Myers-Briggs assessment is both popular and widely misunderstood. People make the mistake of wrapping their entire identity around their MBTI type, but what the film fails to mention is that this is usually just a phase - people get excited and feel like they've gained some understanding and acceptance of who they are. Once the phase wears off, people can choose to include their MBTI type into their identity or they can reject it. I think this film exaggerates the impact MBTI has on people and their lives.
The film uses every technique in the book to sensationalize information and manipulate you into believing their message. From the soundtrack, to the editing, to the graphics, to the stories they feature, it's total brainwashing. The filmmakers' goal is to shock you and get you to believe what they're selling. Now every film uses manipulation of some sort to get you to feel a certain way, but it's dangerous when a documentary relies on these techniques instead of on facts.
Towards the end of the film, a focus is placed on the implications of businesses using personality test-like questions on their applications. This is what the whole film should have been about. Instead of demonizing a personality test and how young people use it online, focus on how it's being misused by businesses. They could have gone much further down this train of thought, but it's clear the filmmakers were only interested in producing junk food media and getting a quick buck.
Overall, I would not recommend this film to anyone. I can't take it seriously because of how sensationalized it is. There might be some truth about Myers-Briggs being elitist or whitewashed, but this film only brought up the possibility. It didn't dive deeper. It didn't care to. Maybe it wasn't even possible to dive deeper.
Enlightening Documentary
kathydee-227406 March 2021
It seems that all of the current reviews are written by HR professionals and they know how to use the personality tests in the correct way. But as a typical employee who is not an HR expert, the places I have worked have used them in the wrong way - as a way to prescreen applicants, rationalize terminations, and to label employees. Not every workplace has people trained in HR running the department! I wonder how many past successful CEO's would have been hired based on personality test results. This documentary really brings up points that make you think and question using the tests in the hiring process.
Sloppy attempt at documentary making
quivered-17 July 2021
There's no question that personality tests are psuedoscientific nonsense, and yet, like astrology or homeopathy, a vast number of people are still convinced by their efficacy. This amateur documentary is a compilation of interviews with random people, presenting no central thesis, all whilst stock library synth music blares constantly and loudly in the background. There are no academics or anyone with any kind of background in psychology or science interviewed, no research is ever specifically cited. It feels like a hastily cobbled together student project which might barely scrape a pass at a less reputable film school.
Woke BS
adrianjohnson677 March 2021
The facts
moviereel_cb16 March 2021
The scientific link between personality and job performance is clear. There is no pseudo science there. Tests administered on a computer are not mind reading. They only assess you based on your responses. Often the "secret algorithm" is just summed score of your responses or something similar to one.
Professional tests are inclusive and go through analyses to assure the test items are not biased. In fact, meaningful race differences on tests of the Big Five are uncommon if not non-existent. The insinuation that these tests discriminate based on sexual orientation is not founded in research. If the field were to come to a consensus that there were such differences, they would adjust, doing not just what the law requires but also what is socially responsible.
The largest flaw of the movie is conflating the MBTI with measures of the Big Five. The latter has a strong and robust history of validity. The former might only be suited for development, but certainly not prescreening of applicants. The use of the MBTI tests that I have seen is like asking for a lawsuit. The Big Five, however, is the industry standard. The public should take comfort knowing that scientists make measures of the Big Five, not corporate CEO's or some evil forces.
To the point about mental health questions- these personality tests are not clinical measures and they are not used as such. Efforts are made to remove items that might seem diagnostic and less job related. Admittedly, this is an area where personality testing has room for improvement. Keep in mind that questions relevant to the job need to be asked. Someone who is always angry is not ideal for a customer service job.
Professional tests are inclusive and go through analyses to assure the test items are not biased. In fact, meaningful race differences on tests of the Big Five are uncommon if not non-existent. The insinuation that these tests discriminate based on sexual orientation is not founded in research. If the field were to come to a consensus that there were such differences, they would adjust, doing not just what the law requires but also what is socially responsible.
The largest flaw of the movie is conflating the MBTI with measures of the Big Five. The latter has a strong and robust history of validity. The former might only be suited for development, but certainly not prescreening of applicants. The use of the MBTI tests that I have seen is like asking for a lawsuit. The Big Five, however, is the industry standard. The public should take comfort knowing that scientists make measures of the Big Five, not corporate CEO's or some evil forces.
To the point about mental health questions- these personality tests are not clinical measures and they are not used as such. Efforts are made to remove items that might seem diagnostic and less job related. Admittedly, this is an area where personality testing has room for improvement. Keep in mind that questions relevant to the job need to be asked. Someone who is always angry is not ideal for a customer service job.
Avoid This Waste of Time
ajk23210 April 2021
General Thoughts:
Strong start, fumbles about a third of the way through, and by the halfway mark...I actually turned off the documentary and decided to spend my time some other way which is something I almost never do.
The Good:
The shots are edited in a way that tells a narrative ....that's about it.
The Bad:
There is absolutely no science behind what is being presented. The people being interviewed are not really identified for their credentials and by the halfway mark it feels as though the documentary was made by a millennial who is having a hard time finding a job and is using a fallacy bias to find something to blame it on. While I enjoy a contrarian documentary, there is absolutely nothing to back up the statements being made in this documentary aside from an anecdote from entry-level retail employees. Avoid this one.
Strong start, fumbles about a third of the way through, and by the halfway mark...I actually turned off the documentary and decided to spend my time some other way which is something I almost never do.
The Good:
The shots are edited in a way that tells a narrative ....that's about it.
The Bad:
There is absolutely no science behind what is being presented. The people being interviewed are not really identified for their credentials and by the halfway mark it feels as though the documentary was made by a millennial who is having a hard time finding a job and is using a fallacy bias to find something to blame it on. While I enjoy a contrarian documentary, there is absolutely nothing to back up the statements being made in this documentary aside from an anecdote from entry-level retail employees. Avoid this one.
Exposing Pseudoscience and Quackery
jakestout1310 March 2021
Thank you for bringing this unjust, ableist issue to the attention of lay the lay people. Too many are too eager to put faith in unscientific activities parading as science. Personality tests are NOT scientific and are about as useful as reading horoscopes.
Bravi.
Bravi.
See also
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