Do the stories you tell reveal who you are?

We elucidated the accuracy of personality judgments based on creative writing by means of lens model analyses. Targets (N = 79) wrote short stories with five predefined words. Observers rated the Big Five dimensions and general knowledge of the targets who wrote these stories. Three main findings were revealed: (a) the Big Five and general knowledge were consensually judged by observers; (b) judgments of openness to experience, agreeableness, and general knowledge were accurate; and (c) accuracies were achieved due to the correct usage of valid cues. Additionally, we replicated all results in a second sample of targets (N = 126). Results are discussed in comparison to other areas of personality judgment research.

Source: “Tell me a story and I will tell you who you are! Lens model analyses of personality and creative writing” from Journal of Research in Personality, Volume 44, Issue 4, August 2010, Pages 427-435

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