Personality quizzes are a guilty pleasure of — well, of a lot of people. The frivolous, the serious, the downright bizarre, they're fun and they give you a chance at some insight into yourself that you might not otherwise find. The best personality quizzes are the ones where you've really felt like you learnt something about yourself that you can take with you and apply to your everyday life.
And one of the best ways to do that is through relationship quizzes. Even if you're single, plenty of relationship quizzes can shed light on how you approach dating. Although it's best to take them with a little pinch of salt. "Online personality quizzes aren't diagnostic and should always be taken with a grain of salt," psychotherapist Brennan C. Mallonee, LMHC tells Bustle. "But they can be fun and give insight. If the result you get from a personality quiz is a useful lens for you to learn more about yourself, how to care for yourself, or how to build stronger relationships, then enjoy! If your result doesn't seem like a useful lens for understanding yourself, then best to let it go and not worry about it."
There are so many quizzes out there that can provide guidance if you're single and looking for advice. Here are some of the best quizzes for single people, because you never know what you might learn.
1The Five Love Languages
One of the biggest names in quizzes relating to dating and relationships is the Love Languages Assessment. The test was devised by Dr. Gary Chapman, who believes that there are five love languages — ways that we demonstrate and recognize love and affection. These include gifts, quality time, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical touch.
And while your love language can have a huge impact on how your relationships work, the test is still really valuable for single people. It's a chance to understand how they approach relationships — and what they need from them. “I believe the relationship theory of love languages are very relevant to finding your perfect match, but not in the way that most people assume,” senior matchmaker and dating coach Lori Salkin tells Bustle. “People do not need to speak the same love language to succeed as a couple, rather they need to understand the love language their significant other speaks. That is not easy; it not only requires understanding the person and how they are different you, but that what is important to them is different from what is important to you and being able to separate your wants and needs from theirs to give them what they want and trust in return that they will give you what you want while neither of you is acting for yourself, but only for the other. If it happens to be you speak the same love language, that is significantly easier!”
2The Enneagram Type Indicator
One personality test that's been making a name for itself more recently is the Enneagram Type Indicator. This test helps you learn your basic personality type — the reformer, the helper, the individualist, the achiever, the investigator, the enthusiast, the challenger, or the peacemaker. If you take an Enneagram quiz online for free, you'll also get an idea of your strengths and weaknesses, which is a huge help when approaching a relationship.
3Myers-Briggs
The Myers-Briggs test is a bit of an OG in the personality test world. It measures you on four different metrics and places you in one of 16 personality types. As one of the most popular personality tests out there, it can tell you a lot about yourself — and about who you might be compatible with. "Understanding type is an eye-opening factor because it helps to understand where that person is coming from, and what their preferences are," Jan Tanaka, a Certified MBTI Practitioner, tells Bustle. "It [can help] spark a discussion about where you can flex style to someone else, and how the other person can flex style to effectively communicate with you."
4StrengthsFinder 2.0
If you find it helpful to focus on the positive, then StrengthsFinder 2.0 might be the right option for you. It will help reveal your strengths to you, so you can use them more effectively in every area of your life — including dating. If you purchase the StrengthFinder 2.0 book, you'll receive a code to take the assessment for free.
5The EQ Quiz
You know about your IQ, but do you know your EQ? Emotional intelligence matters just as much as types of other intelligence — maybe even more, when it comes to dating. It's so useful to have a sense of how your emotional intelligence ranks and what areas you might have to work on. Take the test online for free.
6Visual DNA
If you want a really easy, fun test that will give you a good sense of your personality and how it would mesh with a potential match, this is a great option. Visual DNA makes it simple — and all you have to do is click on the photo that feels like the answer for you. It gives you a good sense of who you are at a gut-instinct level, without overthinking it.
7Helen Fisher's The Anatomy Of Love Test
Helen Fisher, author of The Anatomy of Love, has created a love test designed to help you learn about yourself, as well as your approach to dating and love. If you want to get a better sense of your attitude toward dating and relationships, this can help.
If you wanted a broader view, she has also created a personality test that has been taken by over 14 million people around the world. "Helen initially designed the questionnaire to enable men and women to understand basic aspects of themselves and their romantic partners, as well as who they are most likely to be most attracted to, and their likely compatibility with this soul mate," the website explains. "But you can also use this questionnaire to understand the basic personality style of your employers, colleagues, clients, friends, even parents, children, and other kin." Try one — or both.
Personality quizzes can be a fun way to waste time or a powerful tool — depending on how you use them. Take some time to explore yourself and the way you approach dating — that understanding might be very useful later down the line.
