HOW THIS TEST WORKS
How What Is My Communication Style? works
How version core-v1 is scored, and what it can and cannot tell you.
How it is scored
Researchers have long studied the way people communicate, not just what they say (Norton, 1978). Large studies suggest communication styles differ along a few main lines, including how expressive and forceful people are, and how precise and fact-focused they are (de Vries and others, 2013). This test uses two of those lines, pace (quick or measured) and focus (tasks or people), to describe four everyday styles: direct, lively, supportive, and precise.
Part 1 has 32 sentences, eight for each style. Each one gives 0 to 4 points to its style. Part 2 has 24 pairs. Every style is paired with every other style four times, and the one you pick gives 3.1 points to its style. Every style can earn the same total, so the scores compare fairly.
Each score runs from 0 to 100. Your main style is your highest score. Most people also use their second style often.
PersonalitySite.com wrote all of these questions and descriptions. They are not copied from any other test.
What it cannot tell you
This test is for learning about yourself and working better with others. It describes habits, not a fixed type, and it cannot tell you how good a communicator you are. Do not use it to hire, fire, promote, rank, or rate people.
The way you talk changes with the person, the place, your mood, and your culture. What feels direct in one culture can feel rude in another, and what feels polite in one can feel vague in another.
The four styles are a simple map, not the whole picture. This version has not yet been tested with a large group of people, so we do not yet know how accurate it is.