Communication Style Test
Discover yourself with our free online communication style assessment. Learn what type of communicator you are and get immediate feedback.
This test is science-based, grounded on a body of behavioral research into communication.
This communication self-assessment is inspired by Jung’s behavior styles, DISC, and De Vries et al (2009). It measures 4 pairs of communication styles: Direct vs Indirect, Intuitive vs Functional, Open vs Reserved, Personal vs Analytical.
Benefits
Gyfted’s free models of communication quiz provides you with useful insights as to what your communication style is. You will be able to better understand your strengths and approaches based on four different methods of communication.
Why is this of value to me?
Knowing whether you are more direct or indirect, intuitive or functional, open or reserved, personal or analytical can help you better understand what your communication style is with your team and at the workplace. It is also beneficial for the understanding of communication styles in the professional and personal relationships.
Effective communication and leadership start with realizing your strengths among styles of communication, making most of them as well as developing your communication skills further.
How you can use this test?
Some ways you can make use of Gyfted’s communication personality types test results include:
Get one step closer to self-improvement and personal growth by learning more about yourself
Improve your communication skills by discovering your approaches to communication
Share your communication styles test results with your friends and see how you all compare
How it works?
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What's Inside? Get immediate feedback by measuring these traits in you
Reserved - Open
this scale measures the degree of openness and transparency in one's communication style. Reserved communication tends to be more guarded and less expressive, often sharing limited information, while open communication involves a more straightforward and forthcoming approach, sharing thoughts and feelings freely.
Personal - Professional
this scale identifies the extent to which personal or professional elements dominate one's communication style. A personal style is marked by a friendly, informal, and empathetic approach, while a professional style is more formal, task-oriented, and adheres to established rules and norms.
Direct - Indirect
this scale gauges the straightforwardness of one's communication. Direct communicators express their thoughts and intentions clearly and assertively, leaving little room for interpretation. On the other hand, indirect communicators imply their thoughts and intentions subtly, using more nuanced and diplomatic language.
Functional - Intuitive
originating from the work of the Merrills, this scale distinguishes between a preference for detail-oriented, systematic communication (functional) and a preference for big-picture, abstract communication (intuitive). Functional communicators prefer practical, step-by-step, and structured information, while intuitive communicators prefer high-level concepts, patterns, and overarching themes.
Communication Style Test
The Communication Styles Test, sometimes known as communication skills assessment or interpersonal communication styles inventory, helps to identify your primary communication style. It is a vital tool for improving workplace communication, enhancing relationships, and fostering effective team dynamics.
The Communication Styles assessment's origins lie in the work of various researchers who studied communication patterns, such as Carl Jung and the Merrills, who proposed four communication styles: Analytical, Intuitive, Functional, and Personal.
Assessment Insights
This Communication Styles test can significantly aid in personal growth by helping individuals understand their communication strengths and areas for improvement. This can enhance interpersonal relationships by promoting effective communication and reducing misunderstandings.
In the workplace, the test can be used to improve team dynamics by identifying the different communication styles of team members. For example, a team member who is more assertive in their communication style may clash with a team member who is more passive. By understanding each other's communication styles, team members can adjust their communication approach to better collaborate and achieve common goals. Additionally, the test can be used in leadership development programs to help managers understand their communication style and how it may impact their team's performance. For instance, a manager who is more direct in their communication style may need to adjust their approach when working with team members who prefer a more collaborative approach. Overall, the Communication Styles test can be a valuable tool for improving communication and fostering positive relationships in the workplace.
Scientific and Empirical Foundations
Carl Jung's theory:
Jung, C. G. (1971). Psychological Types (Collected Works of C.G. Jung, Vol. 6) (R. F. C. Hull, Trans.). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
The Merrills' work:
Merrill, D. W., & Reid, R. H. (1981). Personal styles & effective performance: Make your style work for you. CRC Press.
Communication styles and their impact on interpersonal relationships:
Birdwhistell, R. L. (1970). Kinesics and context: Essays on body motion communication. University of Pennsylvania Press.
Application of communication styles in the workplace:
Robbins, S. P., Coulter, M., & DeCenzo, D. A. (2017). Fundamentals of management. Pearson.
Communication styles and leadership development:
Bass, B. M., & Bass, R. (2008). The Bass Handbook of Leadership: Theory, Research, and Managerial Applications. Free Press.
Communication styles in team dynamics:
Tuckman, B. W., & Jensen, M. A. (1977). Stages of small-group development revisited. Group & Organization Studies, 2(4), 419-427.
Communication Style Test
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Frequently asked questions
What is a communication style?
Every person has a unique communication style, a way in which they interact and exchange information with others. There are different ways to approach the conversation. They include focusing on important topics and big ideas or on laughing and enjoying the conversation, being quick to the point or weighing each answer out very carefully, having difficulty breaking the silence, or hard time staying silent around people. It also depends on the level of using non-verbal language, such as pauses, as a tool and use of visual aids, with few words. Some people opt for a formal style of communication, while some are more casual also leading to a different level of sharing. Some are very expressive, have a lot to say and open to disagreeing with others while others are more calm, quiet and polite. Just like our appearances and personalities, our communication styles are different and understanding them is a great first step to becoming a better version of yourself.
What types of communication styles are there?
There are 4 key pairs of communication styles:
1. Assertive (also known as Open) vs Reserved
- People with an Open communication style enjoy being surrounded by other people, are willing to share their thoughts and emotions with others, and like to talk about themselves and others.
- People with a Reserved communication style prefer to keep a certain distance in their interpersonal relationships and though they are great keepers of secrets
2. Personal vs Analytical (also known as Professional Communication)
- People with a Personable communication style tend to like warm and chatty Personable relationships, and make everybody feel welcome and appreciated.
- People with a Professional communication style communicate in a clear and specific way and may be perceived as rather serious.
3. Direct vs Indirect (also known as Aggressive vs. Passive)
- People with a Direct communication style are transparent about what they think and feel, and rarely use pretense or hidden messages.
- People with an Indirect communication style convey their message not only through words but also through non-verbal signs, such as posture or facial expression, try to avoid confrontation and conflicts with other people, and tend to talk around a subject to achieve this.
4. Intuitive vs Functional
- People with an Intuitive communication style are interested in the big picture and broad ideas.
- People with a Functional communication style communicate in a step-by-step, logical fashion so nothing gets missed.
How to identify communication styles?
There are several models used to identify one’s communication styles. One of them is Carl Jung’s behavior styles theory focuses on four basic psychological functions:
- Extraversion vs. Introversion: How do you relate to the world and focus your energy?
- Sensation vs. Intuition: How do you perceive information?
- Thinking vs. Feeling: How do you make decisions?
- Judging vs. Perceiving: How do you orient yourself to the outside world?
The other one is the DISC Leadership Communication profile. DISC is an acronym that stands for the four main personality profiles:
- Dominance – confident and result-oriented,
- Influence – open,
- Steadiness - dependable and cooperative,
- Conscientiousness - quality, accuracy, expertise, and competency.
There are a few other approaches to identify communication styles. We have tried our best to choose the best parts from different models for this test.
How can we define and measure communication styles?
There are many ways in which interpersonal communication can be defined, and researchers in this field of communication styles realize the lack of an integrative communication model (De Vries et al., 2009). Literature presents various communication models but none have yet reduced a person’s communication style to her or his basic personality traits.
This is because interpersonal communication is based not only on personality but on context, on the situation and number of participants involved, and their interpersonal relationships (eg. strangers, friends, coworkers, family, boss-employee), on their actual communication abilities. For example, Trenholm and Jensen (2008) defined interpersonal communication as a dyadic communication in which two individuals share roles such as sender and receiver, and who remain connected through creating meaning. “Interpersonal communication refers to the exchange of messages, verbal and nonverbal, between people, regardless of the relationship they share… Thus, interpersonal communication includes the exchange of messages in all sorts of relationships, ranging from functional to causal to intimate” (Guerrero et al, 2007). Canary et al (2003) see interpersonal communication used in order to reach personal goals through social interaction.
These definitions all represent interpersonal communication as involving some form of mutual activity, interaction, or exchange. Literature presents many studies of communication styles models (DeBakey’s Adaptive Matrices, 2007; Mitchel’s and Winick’s Colour Model, 2006; De Vries et al 2009).