Classic Urban Legend: Dr. Phil Personality Test

A “Dr. Phil Personality Test” has been circulating online for several years. Was this test really created by Dr. Phil?

The Test Did Not Come From Dr. Phil.

Let’s first take a look at a recent version of the incorrectly-named “Dr. Phil Personality Test” which has circulated via email and social media internet in this form since 2009:

This is very interesting…. See what you come up with. Don’t cheat!

Below is Dr. Phil’s test.

(Dr. Phil scored 55, he did this test on Oprah and she got a 38.)

Some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out!

The following test is pretty accurate and it only takes a few minutes.

Take this test for yourself and send it on to your friends….

The person who sent it placed their score in the email subject box.

Please do the same before forwarding it on to your friends (include me please)

Don’t peek!
Answers are for who you are now and not who you were in the past.

This is a real test given by Human Relations Departments at many of the major corporations today.
It helps them get better insight concerning their employees and in their prospective employees.

There are 10 Simple questions so grab a pencil and paper. Record your letter answers to each question.

Change the subject of the email to read YOUR total. When you are finished, forward this to friends, family, and also send it to the person who sent this to you.

Make sure to put “YOUR” score in the subject box.

Ready?

Begin.
1. When do you feel your best…
A) in the morning
B) during the afternoon and early evening
C) late at night

2. You usually walk…
A) fairly fast, with long steps
B) fairly fast, with little steps
C) less fast head up, looking the world in the face
D) less fast, head down
E) very slowly

3. When talking to people you…
A) stand with your arms folded
B) have your hands clasped
C) have one or both your hands on your hips
D) touch or push the person to whom you are talking
E) play with your ear, touch your chin, or smooth your hair

4. When relaxing, you sit with..
A) your knees bent with your legs neatly side by side
B) your legs crossed
C) your legs stretched out or straight
D) one leg curled under you

5. When something really amuses you, you react with…
A) big appreciated laugh
B) a laugh, but not a loud one
C) a quiet chuckle
D) a sheepish smile

6. When you go to a party or social gathering you…
A) make a loud entrance so everyone notices you
B) make a quiet entrance, looking around for someone you know
C) make the quietest entrance, trying to stay unnoticed

7. You’re working very hard, concentrating hard, and you’re interrupted….
A) welcome the break
B) feel extremely irritated
C) vary between these two extremes

8. Which of the following colors do you like most….
A) Red or orange
B) black
C) yellow or light blue
D) green
E) dark blue or purple
F) white
G) brown or gray

9. When you are in bed at night, in those last few moments before going to sleep you are…..

A) stretched out on your back
B) stretched out face down on your stomach
C) on your side, slightly curled
D) with your head on one arm
E) with your head under the covers

10. You often dream that you are…
A) falling
B) fighting or struggling
C) searching for something or somebody
D) flying or floating
E) you usually have dreamless sleep
F) your dreams are always pleasant

POINTS:
1. (a) 2 (b) 4 (c) 6
2. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 7 (d) 2 (e) 1
3. (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 7 (e) 6
4. (a) 4 (b) 6 (c) 2 (d) 1
5. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 2
6. (a) 6 (b) 4 (c) 2
7. (a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4
8. (a) 6 (b) 7 (c) 5 (d) 4 (e) 3 (f) 2 (g) 1
9. (a) 7 (b) 6 (c) 4 (d) 2 (e ) 1
10 (a) 4 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 5 (e) 6 (f) 1
Now add up the total number of points.

OVER 60 POINTS: Others see you as someone they should “handle with care.” You’re seen as vain, self-centered, and extremely dominant. Others may admire you, wishing they could be more like you, but don’t always trust you, hesitating to become too deeply involved with you.

51 TO 60 POINTS: Others see you as an exciting, highly volatile, rather impulsive personality, a natural leader, who’s quick to make decisions, though not always the right ones. They see you as bold and adventuresome, someone who will try anything once, someone who takes chances and enjoys an adventure. They enjoy being in your company because of the excitement you radiate.

41 TO 50 POINTS: Others see you as fresh, lively, charming, amusing, practical, and always interesting, someone who’s constantly in the center of attention, but sufficiently well-balanced not to let it go to their head. They also see you as kind, considerate, and understanding, someone who’ll always cheer them up and help them out.

31 TO 40 POINTS: Others see you as sensible, cautious, careful & practical. They see you as clever, gifted, or talented, but modest. Not a person who makes friends too quickly or easily, but someone who’s extremely loyal to friends you do make and who expects the same loyalty in return. Those who really get to know you, realize it takes a lot to shake your trust in your friends, but equally that it takes you a long time to get over if that trust is ever broken.

21 TO 30 POINTS: Your friends see you as painstaking and fussy. They see you as very cautious, extremely careful, a slow and steady plodder. It would really surprise them if you ever did something impulsively or on the spur of the moment, expecting you to examine everything carefully from every angle and then, usually decide against it. They think this reaction is caused partly by your careful nature.

UNDER 21 POINTS: People think you are shy, nervous, and indecisive, someone who needs looking after, who always wants someone else to make the decisions and who doesn’t want to get involved with anyone or anything!They see you as a worrier who always sees problems that don’t exist. Some people think you’re boring. Only those who know you well, know that you aren’t.

Now forward this to others,and put your score in the subject box of your email, like this:
Dr. Phil’s Test, I’m…

Dr. Phil Responds

Dr. Phil himself addressed the test on a November 25th, 2009 episode of his show. In a list of the top five internet hoaxes that had been associated with his name, Dr. Phil listed the “Dr. Phil Personality Test” as number #1.

Several months later, in an episode of the Dr. Phil show entitled “What’s Your Personality?“ that aired on June 18th, 2010, a viewer asked about the personality test:

“Dear Dr. Phil, I recently took your online personality test. Can you really tell my personality type by what color I like, or if I sit with my legs crossed, or the position I sleep in or how fast I walk? My test results were that I’m the lively center of attention. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Dr. Phil, is this for real?”

Dr. Phil responded, “Those people are ripping off my name, they are ripping off my trademark, they are ripping off the copyright. So, no, I don’t have a personality test. It’s bogus.”

History of the “Dr. Phil Personality Test”

The Museum of Hoaxes provides a precise history of the test that became identified with Dr. Phil’s name.  According to their webpage, the test first appeared in an Australian women’s magazine called Cleo in 1978. At this time, the authorship was ascribed to Dr. Charles Vine. In 1994, the test reappeared on the internet when it was posted to USENET. Sometime in 2009, Dr. Phil’s name began to be linked with the test.

Bottom Line

Dr. Phil has addressed this issue twice on his show. The “Dr. Phil Personality Test” did not come from Dr. Phil. This test was first published in 1978 under the name Dr. Charles Vine. It was first posted to the internet in 1994. At some point in 2009, the source of the test somehow came to be connected with Dr. Phil’s name.

Updated November 13, 2015
Originally published September 2013