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Between Sound and Citation: Zora J Murff’s True Colors

From currier and ives to kanye, complex histories, sources, and experiences inform the artist’s new photobook..

Zora J Murff, Oluremi C. Onabanjo

Mar 2, 2022

Zora J Murff ’s photographs expose entangled histories of spectacle, commodification, and race in the United States. No stranger to MoMA, his stirring portraits, sparse landscapes, and granular engagement with appropriated imagery were featured in Companion Pieces: New Photography 2020 , curated by my colleague Lucy Gallun. Equally dedicated to making pictures for the page and for the exhibition space, Murff is releasing his fourth photobook, True Colors (or, Affirmations in a Crisis) (2022), later this month. It joins At No Point in Between (2019), LOST: Omaha (2018), and Corrections (2015). I recently spoke with Murff about how self-awareness and vulnerability, sound and citation play out in True Colors— a polyphonic meditation on Blackness and the photographic image.

True Colors (or, Affirmations in a Crisis) is the subject of a forthcoming Aperture PhotoBook Club Conversation on Wednesday, March 30, at 6:00 p.m. ET. —Oluremi C. Onabanjo, Associate Curator, Department of Photography

A page spread from Zora J Murff’s True Colors (or, Affirmations in a Crisis) . 2022

Oluremi C. Onabanjo: Reading this book feels like getting a glimpse into the inside of your mind. Could you talk me through the process of making, specifically decisions around design? I know photobook making is a big part of your practice as a photographer.

Zora J Murff: The book is a product of the Next Step Award [a partnership between Aperture , Baxter St at the Camera Club of New York, and 7G Foundation ]. Getting this award was an opportunity for me to try something new with a publication. I knew I wanted to have a lot of collaborators and I wanted the presentation of the work—the content and the physicality of the book—to be striking. As I was working with the appearance of Blackness in visual culture, it was important to work with Black designers, people who could pick up on the nuances of what I was trying to lay down.

I hired the dynamic duo, Danielle and Kevin McCoy (known as WORK/PLAY), who are phenomenal artists and designers. We’re all around the same age and they also grew up in the Midwest, so we were exposed to a lot of the same culture. They also know what it means to be a Black creative in predominantly white spaces. They were masterful at synthesizing the visual and conceptual ideas seamlessly. We decided to use my photograph, 31° 7' 25.94" N, 81° 33' 22.45" W , an honorific I made for Ahmaud Arbery, as the cover image. They sampled purple from the flowers that carried into the inside cover. They did the same with green from the foliage that’s printed on the spine, back cover, and book thread seen on the exposed spine. We chose gold foil to play off of the soft pastels, and it loudly exalts the title and all of the contributors.

We wanted the book to be elegant and grand without losing a level of subtlety or nuance. Even the scale of the book reinforces that. It’s not a handheld experience; you have to put it out on the table to get the full range.

True Colors (or, Affirmations in a Crisis)

It’s wonderfully self-aware. This is a book that requires physical space, and has the capacity to command attention and cultivate it. The way the pacing functions with the images and the interplay of text—the interruptions, the play of textures—it’s really smart. The momentum dictates itself rather than the way some photo books work, which is at the reader’s leisure. This one has its own agency in a way. I know your work is a lot about holding space for other people. But here I feel you’re also holding space for yourself. Could you talk a little bit about how you appear here?

I knew this was a moment to be direct, to talk about things I was seeing and experiencing right now. I decided to go back to my beginnings as an artist, and pulled every image I thought was worth something. This was happening during lockdown and was a point of intense reflection for me from both witnessing the state-sanctioned murders of Black people again, the administrative faculty at my school being silent about what we were seeing, and it taking large amounts of movement from students and faculty for there to be any forthright addressing of what institutionalized racism is and how it exists in our immediate environment.

Of equal import was trying to navigate teaching remotely and having to find ways of helping students understand what was happening in our community and society at large. I taught a book-making class and we spent our semester appropriating imagery in service to self-reflection. I worked alongside them, and in that act, I found space to breathe. I wasn’t going into a workplace every day where unchecked whiteness exists, and therefore, where I have a high probability of experiencing some form of aggression. That clarity led me to ask questions like: What does it mean for me to trade in this medium that has crafted stereotypes? What does it mean to work for this institution that continues to commodify my Blackness, me? What does it mean to be winning awards where it’s very obvious I am a box that institutions check off to say they’re doing the work of diversity? I carried all of those questions into the making of True Colors .

Photography as a practice, and the camera as a technology, is passive in the sense that it has to be used to produce something; we are the ones bringing intentions and desires.

Zora J Murff

These are crucial questions, and they surface throughout the book as a testament to vulnerability. True Colors is clearly a product of inward looking, but it’s also rather generous, and not in a lovey-dovey way. This book is a challenge, and if we take your prompt seriously, we might be able to look differently. While I don’t want to overdetermine the capacity of art and photography—because I know you’re also dissuading us from doing that—I do feel you’re divulging different possibilities here for relating to the photographic medium.

Something I often talk about is how we have this tendency to categorize photography as a bad thing, right? “Photography is a tool for colonialism, it supports imperialistic agendas.” Don’t even get me started on surveillance. But to me, that categorization, while partly true, is obviously more complicated. We, as humans, bring those problems to technological implementation. Photography as a practice, and the camera as a technology, is passive in the sense that it has to be used to produce something; we are the ones bringing intentions and desires.

As a Black artist, there are so many expectations that come from white people—and maybe audiences more generally—for what your work is supposed to be about, what it’s supposed to do, or what it should look like. I remember a very specific moment when I presented At No Point in Between at an exhibition and someone in the audience asked me, “Do you think about the dynamics of gender when you make your work?” Sure, but not specifically. If we’re talking about spectacle lynching—which is part of the work—gender dynamics are present. A lot of spectacle lynchings were done under the guise of a Black man raping a white woman, and then white men banding together to commit murder to protect the preciousness of white womanhood and maintain a racialized hierarchy. More deeply, when we talk about spectacle lynching or even anti-Black police violence, stories about Black men are commonly centered while Black women and Black trans individuals are virtually overlooked. Gender dynamics are there; however, it is not my responsibility as an artist to touch on x, y, and z. The best thing that I can do is be knowledgeable about and accountable for what I contribute to culture.

I’m only ever speaking for myself. I’m not trying to speak for all Black artists, all Black people, or saying that my experience of Blackness is the only experience of Blackness, you dig? I’m just saying I’m a person who lives in the United States, a racialized society. In that society, I am categorized as Black and it comes with a lot of baggage. Let’s talk about it.

Yes, let’s talk. Could you share how sound functions and echoes through the book?

Largely, the book takes on a “day in the life” narrative that I borrowed from albums I grew up on that used the same structure. Specifically, I was thinking about Kendrick Lamar’s, good kid, m.A.A.d city (2012), how he presented the album as a “short film.”

I wanted to use music to bend the genre and created an unofficial playlist for the book on Apple Music. All of the music was stuff I was listening to in the studio, some are purely aesthetic and others have specific messages. Some of my favorite songs are from Kanye’s album Yeezus , which was transformative for me in its time because he was subversive on the tracks, saying so much real shit. Not only am I gonna tell you the truth about these white spaces, what it’s like being Black in these white spaces, I’m gonna talk about me for better or for worse. Let me write this anthem and title it “Black Skinhead” so I can tell you about the ways I’ve manipulated myself to someone else’s expectations. Let me throw that in your face so you have to reckon with what it means to be manipulator or manipulated and liberator or liberated.

Then how does language operate here? I’m thinking not only in relation to sound, but also citation. In True Colors you have conversations, you have gorgeous poetry, you have quotes, you have archival ephemera referencing the KKK, you’ve got legal pad or notebook inserts, you’ve got Google searches for Cindy Sherman….

Having a background in psychology informed how I work as an artist. From the beginning, I contextualized my work through social phenomena because I was using photography to talk about incarceration and violence done through legislation. When I’m making work, I think about the act of citation a lot, and decided to try it in the book. Through the collision of images and text, I can expand an idea or point a reader to a specific idea.

Aaron Turner’s extended footnote “Invisible Man / Invisible Sites” uses text to pick apart my appropriation of an image made by a Black photographer, John Johnson, in Nebraska between 1912 and 1925, and an image I made in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Standpipe Hill in 2021. Aaron’s assessment of my gesture explains to the reader that when they look at this spread they need to understand that I’m alluding to standpoint theory by touching Black history photographically. I feel like the images Cindy Sherman did blackface (2021) and A racist student doing blackface at the University of Arkansas, again (2020) are doing something similar to the works Aaron is writing about. I’m layering screen captures to illustrate a history of white people using the camera to say that—in their white minds—Blackness is an adornment or performance. In either example the citation of history is there, but the inclusion of text makes those interrelations less opaque.

All of the contributed texts play that role of expanding or reinforcing the visual content, and my own texts were me adding notes to the harmony. The notebook paper insert “Playground Politics (Nigger Award)” (2021), was a poem I wrote one afternoon when I realized that I was being actively tokenized. It was a difficult moment to live through, but writing down those emotions was exactly what I needed to do to let go of them. I wasn’t sure if I should include it, but it was genuine and real and it needed to be in the book. Something similar happened with my afterword “Black Matters.” I wasn’t planning on writing it. I initially wanted to end the book with an image, but Lesley [Martin, creative director of Aperture] encouraged me to conclude with my words (and I’m quite glad she did). It was crunch time, one of those all-or-nothing, game-three-Michael-Jordan type moments. I’m always talking about my work through the lens of time, and the first line I wrote was, “This is the time I decided to be direct, to tell the truth (for better or worse), to be composite, to said what I said.” And then I started recalling pivotal moments in my life. The structure of the afterword reflects the structure of the visual content in the book. I’m telling you my life.

It’s beautiful that you’re holding this space for each of them. In some ways it’s a really honest expression of who an artist is, right? It’s not just them and their practice, but it’s who they encounter, who they learn from, who they breathe with, who they’re responding to, who they’re thinking about.

With this in mind: I noticed that the last person you thank in your acknowledgements is Howardena Pindell. Given how important she is to many histories of art and practice—and the history of MoMA—could you share more about what she means to you?

The first page you see when you open the book is Nigga drawing the American Genre (after Howardena Pindell) (2020). It’s one of the first collages I made during lockdown, and one of those transitional works, you know? It sold me on putting photography aside for a while. I was reading Pindell’s 1987 lecture “Statistics, Testimony, and Supporting Documentation” at the time. She opens saying,

I am an artist. I am not a so-called “minority,” “new,” or “emerging” or “a new audience.” These are all terms used to demean, limit and make us appear to be powerless. We must evolve a new language which empowers us and does not cause us to participate in our own disenfranchisement.

She’s telling us exactly who she is in the face of being categorized by a predominantly white art world. She said, “Let me tell y’all from the jump, that ain’t me. That’s your idea of who I am, but it never has and never will be me.” And I thought to myself that I needed more of that energy. It’s on sight.

I was going through stuff in my studio and came across this old genre painting textbook. I bought it in undergrad for a paper I was writing about the racist “Darktown” prints made by the commercial firm Currier and Ives. As I was looking through it, I wondered how Blackness might be represented. What I found was Blackness painted through white hands, which was bothersome even though a number of the painters were abolitionists or had abolitionist agendas. I put together Nigga drawing together from the title page of the book, the text “American Genre” front and center over title information for a painting, Slave Market , a figure from a photography textbook showing a picture of the minstrel Black Peter, and a postage stamp illustrating the Mayflower arriving in Plymouth Harbor.

Like Pindell, I’m engaging in self-determination. I’m drawing where I feel the American genre of Black identity in the eyes of white people stems from; conclusions they have drawn from imperialistic desires, colonial acts, and the implementation of white supremacist privilege systems. Pindell’s directness emboldened me to call it exactly what it is. It’s an honor to position myself in conversation with her because I was so inspired by how she decided to move in this world. She gave me an affirmation when I was in a moment of crisis and that act of love was important for me to acknowledge.

I cannot imagine a better way to end our conversation about the generous bounds of your photobook. Thank you for making the time and for making this book, Zora.

Remi, the pleasure was all mine. Thank you for taking the time to look.

Oluremi C. Onabanjo

• Photography

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True Colors

55 pages • 1 hour read

True Colors: A Novel

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Part 1, Prologue-Chapter 9

Part 1, Chapters 10-17

Part 2, Chapters 18-23

Part 2, Chapters 24-30

Character Analysis

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The Bonds of Sisterhood and Family Loyalty

With the Grey sisters at the center of the story, True Colors explores the bonds of sisterhood and family loyalty. As the novel begins, the Greys equate family pride and the portrayal of unity with loyalty. However, this harms the foundations of the family, and over time, the Grey sisters discover what true support and loyalty mean.

The Grey sisters learn their ideas about family unity from their father, Henry, who is especially influential since he is the only parent they have after their mother’s early death. There are family rituals the Greys must follow unfailingly, like walking to church together every Sunday and spending the rest of the day together after. These rituals are so ingrained that the sisters come together for them regardless of how they feel toward each other and Henry at any given time. For instance, Aurora and Winona both see and resent Henry’s meanness and selfishness yet constantly defer to him, with Winona especially craving Henry’s approval. Similarly, these dinners and family meet-ups persist despite the fraying relationship between Winona and Vivi Ann.

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What The True Colors Personality Test May Say About You

Your personality can influence many aspects of life. The big five personality test might shed light on the values, likes, and dislikes that can explain your overall personality, behaviors, and thoughts. Workplaces may use these tests to hire those who fit their team environment, and students often take them to discover potential career opportunities and education paths. Additionally, individuals might try these tests to gain a deeper understanding of themselves. 

There are many personality tests available online. Some tests could take a few minutes, whereas others might take 30 minutes to a couple of hours. Each test may target a different area of your personality. One such test is the True Colors personality test. 

The True Colors test uses orange, gold, blue, and green to represent four temperaments or personality types. The four colors combine in varying ways to make up different personality spectrums.

For many people, one of the four types is more dominant than the others. The American Psychological Association notes that understanding your personality could be beneficial in understanding your behaviors, desires, and thoughts.

How the True Colors personality test works

In the True Colors personality test, individuals answer questions about their likes and dislikes. Based on their answers, the test proctor or website utilized will identify their primary personality test color. Additionally, as all four colors may influence your personality to a degree, the test will describe how the other colors fit in with your results. The True Colors test may also reveal your values, motivations, social skills, and learning styles. 

The meaning behind each personality test color

Each color result in the True Colors test is said to correspond with certain personality traits. Your likes and dislikes may point to that result. There are four possible results, including the following. 

Orange personality result 

The color orange is said to represent activity and excitement. Metaphorically, it may be represented by fire, adventure, or delicious fruits. The test states those under the orange result are fun-loving, humorous, witty, and charming. Oranges tend to love a challenge and appreciate recognition for their achievements. They may also prefer to lead, not follow. Those under this color may have a learning style where it’s better for them to try an activity instead of listening to a lecture or allowing someone else to teach them. 

Gold personality result 

Gold is said to represent authenticity, dependability, and tradition. Golds may desire structure, unity, and organization to thrive. A lack of order could make this individual feel worried or unstable. Golds often value integrity and responsibility and might prove to be trustworthy friends and reliable employees. Crossing items off a to-do list could feel satisfactory for those under this color. However, it isn't necessarily "all business" for golds. They may also take pride in being present for their loved ones and have solid family values. 

Blue personality result 

Some psychologists point to blue as the color of intellect . In the True Colors test, blue represents emotional intensity and spirituality. The life of blue may center around social connections. Blues may not only enjoy socializing but seek to make connections with others. They might find happiness in harmonious relationships with coworkers, friends, family, and partners. 

Blues might go out of their way to find a solution when there's conflict. Their deep compassion and caring can make them compassionate communicators and caretakers. Blues might also have strong imaginations and find joy in music, art, and entertainment.

Green personality result 

Greens might find meaning in innovation. The color represents orderly systems like those found in nature. Greens can be logical, intellectual, and philosophical. Their thirst for knowledge and understanding may drive them toward discovery and problem-solving. Greens often turn to research to help them make tough decisions. Their independent nature could lead them to question the status quo and challenge authority.

What your True Colors result says about you

Discovering your primary personality test color may open a window of understanding about your behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. This self-awareness could guide you to make choices that fit your desires. Additionally, understanding yourself may allow you to be present in professional or personal relationships. 

Mostly green result 

As a primary green, you might put your faith in facts. You could enjoy finding new solutions to old problems, and you might care about acting within your morals as much as you care about being correct. Your friends and family might regard you as "the voice of reason" within your circle. Your intellect and thirst for knowledge could make you suitable for a career as a professor, computer systems analyst, or economist. 

Authority and developed corporate structures may present problems for you, however. You may enjoy making decisions and thinking for yourself and could take issue with others being in command. You might struggle to accept criticism and feel insecure when others prove you wrong. You might use humor or sarcasm to cope or could become withdrawn. 

As a green, you might think of yourself as level-headed and unemotional. However, that doesn't necessarily mean you don't experience emotions. You may suppress your emotions or feel disconnected from them. You may only confide in close friends or a professional. Reaching out to a therapist could be beneficial if you relate to this, as studies indicate that suppressing emotions can be unhealthy. 

Mostly orange result 

If the thought of traditional life makes you uncomfortable, you may be a primary orange. Your independent nature could mean you desire freedom and flexibility in all aspects of your life, including your career. You might find strict rules or deadlines suffocating. Although you could enjoy a challenge, you may also crave recognition and fast results. 

Your energy, adaptability, and multi-tasking abilities may be strengths in the workplace. Consider a job that allows you to take charge of your schedule, such as freelance or remote work or work that allows you to travel the world often. If it is challenging to stick to a routine, you might feel that adding incentives or changing your routine every so often could make you feel more comfortable. You may take the same approach with romantic relationships. 

Because oranges are often comfortable taking significant risks for significant rewards, others may believe they are impulsive or irresponsible or that "consequences are coming." Additionally, oranges might find themselves experiencing emotions quickly while also being quick to come back down from an emotional response. Their friends may see them as fun, humorous and optimistic.

Mostly blue result 

As a primary blue, you may see yourself as warm and caring. Your friends might say you're an active listener and a good friend. You might also find yourself playing mediator when others aren't getting along. Blues often find satisfaction in helping others. A career in social work, nursing, or human resources could put your compassion and drive to use in a field that feels comfortable to you. 

Blues may need to avoid burnout, as they could put others' needs before their own. If you're a blue, you may try to avoid conflict and strive to keep the peace in your relationships. You may envision harmony with the people around you and take rejection personally. While you enjoy socializing, you might draw strength from a core group of close friends and won't tolerate false or dishonest behavior. 

For those with a primarily blue result, you may see love as a complex and intimate expression. You might appreciate minor gestures like a gift of flowers, a card, or candles. Blues are often creative, and you might express yourself through art, music, or writing. 

Mostly gold result 

People might describe you as opinionated, stubborn, or judgmental if you received a primarily gold result. If you see others acting in ways you disagree with, you might feel irritated or want to change their behaviors. You may feel rooted in your values and integrity. You could take pride in being organized, punctual and dependable. 

Golds are often detail-oriented and might not shy away from challenging or long-term work. They may often work long hours or find themselves putting all their energy into work. Working toward a clear goal may feel most comfortable for a gold. They may enjoy working as a pharmacist, accountant, business executive, or court reporter.

Golds often desire structure in their lives. However, their need for order may leave them feeling stressed and anxious when things do not happen exactly as planned. As a gold, you might value family, tradition, and creating a legacy for yourself. 

Improving relationships with a color code personality test

Appreciating differences and understanding that each personality type may have negative and positive aspects could help you become closer to those you love. If you're in a relationship with someone with a different color profile, understanding their needs in relationships could make them feel more loved and seen. 

In relationships, the different color profiles may crave different behaviors, such as the following: 

Oranges often seek recognition and praise

Blues might desire acceptance and communication

Golds may want stability and order

Greens could appreciate the validation of their ideas

Understanding what frustrates others might also help you avoid missteps and find solutions. Golds might refrain from passing judgment or trying to plan for everything. Blues can work to resolve conflict rather than avoid it. Greens could simplify their ideas for others. Oranges may learn strategies to cool their tempers. 

Discuss your personality with a professional 

Many individuals seek counseling to further understand their thoughts, behaviors, and ideas. 

A study published in the Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy outlines the broad array of mental health issues that internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) can address. Online CBT has been shown to reframe unhelpful, intrusive thoughts so those seeking treatment can better understand why they behave or interact in specific ways. The study notes that internet-based therapy decreased symptoms of depression, anxiety, and panic in many of the participants. Even if you do not have a mental health diagnosis, discussing your personality with a professional can provide therapeutic insight that you may not have considered independently. 

If you're interested in trying online counseling, you can sign up through a platform like BetterHelp for individuals or Regain for couples. 

Counselor reviews

“Carri has been phenomenal for me. As I’m sitting and chatting with a wise friend who listens well, asks questions, and makes me dive into thoughts deeper so that I’m really doing the work. She listens to my personality needs and often gives me “homework” since I like to have checklists and things to do. She is a gift, and I’m so thankful for my time with her.”

“Karyn’s perspective on my life and my experiences, particularly in my relationships, has opened my eyes to things I’ve never been able to see before in my own personality and behavior. She challenges me! She affirms me! She laughs with me! When I cry, she talks me through it and lets it happen! It’s been so helpful and wonderful to have an outside perspective on my feelings during a pandemic, especially. She’s helping me become the best version of myself.”

Is the True Color personality test accurate?

The True Color personality test has achieved certification by the Assessment Standards Institute (ASI). The ASI evaluates whether an assessment instrument meets American Psychological Association standards for reliability and validity. A test is reliable if it produces consistent results. An example of reliability for the True Color test might be if one person took the test twice. A reliable assessment would produce roughly the same color profile each time. A test is valid if it measures the content it intends to measure. In this case, personality factors. 

Although the True Color personality test has achieved ASI certification, its results should still be interpreted with caution. The results may offer insight into your personality, but you should consider the assessment results to be for entertainment purposes only. Accurate, evidence-based personality testing must be carried out by a qualified professional using assessment instruments that are typically much lengthier than freely-available personality tests like True Color. Professional-grade assessments also typically undergo a much more robust evaluation process to determine accuracy. 

What are the 4 personality colors?

The True Color personality test, originally designed in 1978 by Don Lowry, provides results that indicate to what degree a person relates to one of four colors: gold, orange, blue, and green. The person is not placed into a single category; their color profile is based on what combination of colors is unique to them. A person’s responses to the assessment indicate which colors are “brightest” (their answers strongly related to that color) or which are “palest” (their answers weakly related to that color). 

A person is typically categorized by their brightest color , but the True Color test also assigns weights to other colors. A person might be considered a “green” because it is their brightest color, but they likely provided responses that related to other colors as well. 

The four colors are described below: 

• Gold personalities are those whose responses indicated they were authentic and dependable. They tend to prefer order and organization. Gold personalities value trustworthiness highly and frequently bring stability to their environments. 
• Orange personalities are likely to enjoy fun and excitement. They are often humorous and charming but may resist commitment. Orange personalities are likely self-sufficient, action-oriented, and exhibit a preference for leadership. They may struggle to ask for help or follow orders. 
• Blue personalities are typically emotionally intense and value social relationships highly, though they may not consistently enjoy socializing. Blue personalities tend to search for solutions to conflict and strive for compassion. 
• Green personalities are often innovators who rely on logic and analytical thought. They often engage in intellectual pursuits and usually enjoy problem-solving. Green personalities often seek to answer their own questions and may reject the status quo. 

What type of personality assessment is True Colors?

The True Colors personality test is an ipsative test , meaning it is designed to measure how individuals perceive traits within themselves. Contrasting ipsative tests are norm-referenced assessment s designed to compare the test taker's personality traits with a larger population to determine what is considered normal or typical for most of the population, hence the “norm” in norm-referenced tests. 

Ipsative tests are commonly used to provide descriptive or insightful information about a person without resorting to lengthy interviews. For example, the True Color test takes only a few minutes to complete but offers valuable information about a person’s personality traits. On the other hand, norm-referenced tests are typically used alongside clinical interviews and tend to be much lengthier. This allows norm-referenced tests to provide highly detailed information about a person’s personality compared to the general population, which is helpful for clinical diagnosis and treatment planning. 

Why is the True Colors personality test important?

Like many measures of personality, the True Color personality profiling system allows a person to draw insight into their personality traits and perhaps gain a greater understanding of how they interact with their environment. Although the results of a personality test should be interpreted in the greater context of the test taker’s life, the information provided by the personality test may help someone better understand their unique personality traits. 

What is the most popular color personality test?

There are many color personality tests available, but it is not possible to determine which is the most popular. Most have unique strengths and weaknesses that make them appropriate in different situations. Below are a few color-based personality tests that are readily available. As with all online personality tests, they are primarily for entertainment, and their results should be interpreted with caution: 

• myColor Personality Test
• ColorCode Personality Test

Can my personality test be wrong?

Yes, many freely available personality tests have limited information supporting their accuracy and utility. The descriptions they provide may not accurately reflect the test taker’s personality, or they may identify some personality traits accurately while misinterpreting others. In addition, although results may feel unique to the test taker, they may be more generic than they appear. Personality can also change over the lifespan , and results obtained in one moment may not be accurate later in a person’s life.  

You should always exercise caution when interpreting the results of most online personality assessments and consider them for entertainment only. Personality tests with solid evidence to support their use typically undergo a rigorous evaluation and validation process that demonstrates their utility. While freely-available personality assessments often have undergone at least a small amount of evaluation, it is typically a much less involved process. 

Designing an empirically valid, robust, and useful personality assessment might take years of development and testing. Because of this, high-quality personality tests are often costly and designed only to be used by professionals. It is important to note that even well-designed personality assessments can provide inaccurate results. This is why assessments used in clinical or research settings are designed to be interpreted by a professional trained to recognize inconsistencies or aberrant results. 

Which personality test is more accurate?

Every freely-available online personality test should be approached with healthy skepticism. It is difficult to say which tests are more or less accurate. Many of the constructs assessed by online personality tests are not well-founded or poorly understood. It is also possible that tests sacrifice accuracy for usability or other factors. 

Evidence-based personality measures are typically peer-reviewed and may undergo years of testing before they are used in clinical or research settings. It is unlikely that most freely-available personality tests experience that level of scrutiny. Even robust, widely-used clinical instruments like the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) can produce inaccurate results, which is why high-quality personality tests are typically designed to be administered and interpreted by qualified professionals. 

Personality tests used by clinicians are often much longer (the MMPI contains hundred of questions) and evaluate much more specific information than freely-available personality tests. They are also usually administered alongside other empirically-valid assessments and clinical interviews. Many clinical professionals would likely describe the MMPI as the most “accurate” personality test available, but they would also likely be quick to point out its caveats and areas where caution must be used when interpreting its results. 

Does color reflect personality?

Researchers have studied the association between color and personality extensively. While there is some evidence that color preferences can reflect personality traits, more research is required to generalize the research to most of the population. It is important to remember that culture likely influences how a person recognizes and interprets different colors. It is possible that interpretations of colors and their reflection of personality traits may differ between cultures. 

One study of over 800 South Korean adults found a significant link between color preference and personality traits. The study found that a preference for red was frequently associated with emotional volatility, while a preference for yellow was associated with sympathy, warmth and agreeableness. Green was associated most strongly with emotional stability and conscientiousness. Blue was associated with dependability, self-discipline, and general stability. 

The study above was restricted to only South Korean participants, but some researchers have attempted to find cross-cultural themes that link personality and color. One study identified several such characteristics, but their results are much broader than what is indicated in the study of South Korean color preferences. Their results found that red is one of the most personality-relevant colors across cultures, usually indicating activity, strength, or aggression. Black and grey are typically associated with negative traits, while white, blue, and green are typically associated with positive ones. 

• Personality Tests: What Your Results Actually Mean Medically reviewed by Andrea Brant , LMHC
• Which Is The Most Common Personality Type Of All? Medically reviewed by Julie Dodson , MA, LCSW
• Personality
• Relationships and Relations

Essay: 'True Colors' Embraces Homeless LGBT Youth This Holiday

The 2015 holiday season is fast approaching. Soon families across America will gather with loved ones to give thanks and celebrate. For young LGBT men and women like myself, however, this could be the most stressful time of the year.

The promise of holiday cheer can quickly turn to a frightful period flush with disappointment and rejection from disapproving parents and family members. The problem of LGBT youth homelessness is particularly acute at this time, as many are driven from their homes feeling unloved and alone.

At age 19, I had no home to go to. When school wasn't in session I lived out of a suitcase.

Eschewing cozy Norman Rockwell depictions of the holidays, I'm thinking a lot about these young people now, as my mind rewinds to an event last spring, where a permanent art collection for True Colors Residences was unveiled.

True Colors is a supportive housing unit for homeless LGBT youth and their special needs. I was one of eight contemporary artists working with Art Connects (which places museum-quality exhibitions in New York City's social service spaces, free of charge), selected to create a display inspired by residents of the True Colors Harlem facility.

In the United States, 40 percent of runaway youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. This is nothing less than a silent epidemic. Yet the role of sexuality has largely been ignored in discussions about homelessness.

Too often, social service agencies pay little attention to gender expression as root causes of the cycle of instability and abuse that leads to homelessness among this population, an attitude that often underscores the discrimination and rejection the youth already experience from their families and communities. They arrive in New York seeking housing and acceptance.

Without missing a beat he barked in Jamaican patois, "If yuh were still in Jamaica I would have somebody kill yuh, yuh see bwoy!"

As I stood in the cozy Chelsea gallery in June, surrounded by the colorful pieces that would eventually be installed at True Colors, I listened to the stories of perseverance and strength from True Colors residents.

These are young people who were rejected and exploited just for being brave enough to live their truth. Mostly minorities, some survived destructive romantic relationships. Others endured drug abuse and sex work. I considered how the art could be validating and help counteract the incredibly depressing statistics they've faced. I also reflected on my own story, and how I could easily have been one of them.

One night at the end of my freshmen year at college, I was violently awakened by my father, who had been abusive towards my mom for years. I'd returned home for a family function, and you-know-what hit the fan when he stumbled upon a book I was reading for class about coming of age and coming out.

After a lifetime of inner turmoil about my sexuality, I fully embraced my queerness at school. Home, though, was a different story. I am Jamaican - my family immigrated to the States when I was seven years old, moving to a predominantly Caribbean community - and in Jamaican culture homosexuality is an unwelcome subject.

In 2006, Time Magazine explored whether Jamaica is “the most homophobic place on earth.” A 2012 U.S. State Department report on human rights on the island described homophobia as being “widespread.” Gay Jamaicans — men and women — live with the constant threat of alienation and violence.

RELATED: Activist DeRay Mckesson Gives Speech About Being Black and Gay

So when my dad found this book of mine, he said there was no way a school would 'allow you to read about a "batty boy"'. A bad argument followed, and when I returned to school I was deeply depressed. A couple of months later, I called my father and told him, "Yes, I am gay." Without missing a beat he barked in Jamaican patois, "If yuh were still in Jamaica I would have somebody kill yuh, yuh see bwoy!"

He then told me I was no longer welcome in his house. At age 19, I had no home to go to. When school wasn't in session I lived out of a suitcase. I became dependent on credit cards and relied on the kindness of my friends and their parents. I was fortunate to have a supportive community at Brown University.

Still, after college I cycled through periods of financial and housing instability, and struggled with unemployment and other discrimination as a transgender person of color. These experiences inform the lens I view my art through.

In the piece Tavet Gillson and I created for the True Colors exhibit, a subject finds his/her path to self-love under the watchful eye of a fabulous personal deity. A bright rainbow cityscape serves as a beacon of hope.

With LGBT characters as prominent fixtures in hits shows like "How to Get Away With Murder", "Orange is the New Black" and "Transparent", and same-sex marriage now legal in America, it's easy to think life is easier for all LGBT individuals. But vulnerable gay and transgender youth often run away from home because of family conflict, or they are kicked out or disowned like I was.

RELATED: Afrofuturism and the Power of Black I magination…Can You Dig It?

They then face overt discrimination when seeking alternative housing, which is compounded by institutionalized discrimination and the inability to find work due to that discrimination. As the prism of gay life changes, it is time to provide these young people the support they need.

My digital collage photograph embodies the communal spirit institutions like True Colors provide LGBT youth, young people society chooses not to see or help. We cannot forget about them. I am proud that my art could contribute to the healing taking place at True Colors. The True Colors Residence was created, developed, and is operated by West End Residences. By supporting West End, you can help the residents of True Colors Residence, True Colors Bronx, and all future True Colors supportive housing projects until homelessness among our youth is eradicated and true equality is won for all.

André St. Clair is a Transgender interdisciplinary artist, speaker and activist. Her visual art is part of the permanent exhibit at Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Residence for LGBT youth and in the permanent collection at Leslie Lohman Museum for Gay & Lesbian Art. She can be found at Twitter and andrestclair.com .

André St. Clair is a transgender interdisciplinary artist, speaker and activist. St. Clair holds an Honors B.A. in Sexuality and Society from Brown University, an MA and MFA, respectively in Performance Studies from New York University/Tisch School of the Arts and in Acting from California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). She is an award winning writer. Her visual art is part of the permanent exhibit at Cyndi Lauper's True Colors Residence for LGBT youth with a history of homelessness and in the permanent collection at Leslie Lohman Museum for Gay & Lesbian Art. A development professional, she currently works for New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP). She can be found at  andrestclair.com . 

Diving into Diversity: the True Colors of Human Personality

An essay exploring the intriguing landscape of the True Colors Personality Test, a psychometric tool rooted in temperament theory. Unravel the complexities of human behavior and individuality as the test categorizes personalities into four distinct colors: Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange. Delve into the unique traits associated with each color, from the empathetic and harmonious nature of Blues to the structured and responsible tendencies of Golds, the analytical and inquisitive qualities of Greens, and the spontaneous and energetic characteristics of Oranges. Explore the test’s engagement of individuals in scenarios to unveil dominant colors, offering profound insights into communication styles and interpersonal dynamics. The essay invites contemplation on the test’s role in enhancing teamwork, fostering collaboration in the workplace, and tailoring educational approaches to diverse learning preferences. Additionally, PapersOwl presents more free essays samples linked to Human.

How it works

Embarking on a profound journey into the realm of human temperament, the True Colors Personality Test stands out as a dynamic tool, delicately untangling the intricate threads that weave the intricate tapestry of individuality. Rooted in the foundational principles of temperament theory, this psychometric instrument delves into the fundamental traits that mold our behaviors, communication styles, and interpersonal dynamics.

The True Colors Personality Test unfolds within the spectrum of four distinct hues: Blue, Gold, Green, and Orange. Each color encapsulates a unique array of characteristics, acting as a prism to shed light on how individuals approach challenges, convey ideas, make decisions, and navigate the intricate landscape of relationships.

The Blue personality, reminiscent of the serene depths of the ocean, encompasses traits of empathy, harmony, and emotional depth. Blues value genuine connections, serving as emotional anchors within social circles and fostering a nurturing and supportive environment.

Gold, evoking the comforting warmth of the sun, signifies traits of order, structure, and responsibility. Individuals inclined towards Gold thrive in organized settings, exhibiting reliability, meticulous attention to detail, and a commitment to tradition.

Conversely, the Green personality mirrors the analytical and inquisitive nature of a lush forest. Greens are distinguished by logical thinking, curiosity, and innovative problem-solving, finding fulfillment in intellectual challenges and excelling in environments that encourage critical thinking and creativity.

Completing the quartet is the Orange personality, a vibrant representation of spontaneity, energy, and enthusiasm. Oranges thrive on excitement, seek adventure, and act as catalysts for novel experiences, infusing dynamic energy into any situation.

The True Colors Personality Test engages individuals in responding to a series of scenarios, revealing their preferences and tendencies. The outcome unveils a dominant color, providing insights into the primary traits shaping their persona. However, the brilliance of this tool lies in acknowledging that individuals often exhibit a spectrum of colors, each shining more brightly in specific contexts or circumstances.

Beyond its apparent simplicity, the True Colors Personality Test yields profound insights into the intricacies of personal and professional relationships. In the workplace, employers leverage its potential to enhance team dynamics, fostering collaboration by understanding each team member’s strengths and unique communication styles. In educational settings, educators utilize it to tailor their approaches, recognizing diverse learning preferences among students.

While critics argue that personality tests may oversimplify the complexity of human behavior, proponents contend that the True Colors model, with its emphasis on flexibility and the dynamic interplay of colors, addresses these concerns. It serves not as a definitive label but as a catalyst for self-reflection, encouraging individuals to appreciate their unique strengths while fostering empathy for the kaleidoscope of hues within their social and professional circles.

In a world brimming with diverse personalities, the True Colors Personality Test acts as a multifaceted prism, refracting the myriad ways individuals perceive and engage with the world. It fosters a nuanced understanding of oneself and others, inviting a celebration of the kaleidoscopic richness that defines the ever-evolving human experience.

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True Colors – edited by Jake Hall

The beauty of a prism lies in the way it refracts light, revealing the colors that are hidden within it. Each facet of the prism offers a new perspective, a new way of seeing the world around us.

In much the same way, the contributors to this volume offer a range of experiences around LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Baptist tradition. They are like the facets of a prism, each reflecting a different aspect of the light that shines on this complex and contentious issue.

Each contributor has served as a congregational minister, and each has come to understand the love of God in Christ in a different way, both within themselves and within their congregations and contexts. Through their essays, they reveal the true colors of inclusion—colors that have too often been dimmed or dismissed within the church. They expose alternative readings of the text, theological frameworks, and leadership strategies that shade and diminish the fullness of the body of Christ. These honest readings of the Bible and fresh theological frameworks provide insights into the lived experience of LGBTQ+ persons and their congregations. The essays are not only thoughtful and engaging but also deeply personal and transformative. Each contributor shares their own journey of understanding and their own struggle to fully embody the good news and to lead their congregations to do the same. They invite deeper conversation on the expansive love of God in Christ.

In a world that often seems divided and polarized, the contributors to True Colors: Stories of Baptist Inclusion offer a vision of the church as a place of welcome and beauty. They challenge us to see beyond the narrow confines of tradition and orthodoxy and to embrace the full spectrum of human experience and diversity.

We hope that this volume will be a valuable resource for pastors, congregations, and individuals seeking to deepen their understanding and live out the call to love and justice that is at the heart of the gospel. May it inspire us to see the world in all its vibrant and diverse colors and to work together to build a more inclusive and compassionate church.

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