Mario Gmür - The Paperclip Test: A Personality Quiz Like No Other

First U.S. edition

Copyright 2015 by Kein & Aber AG Zrich-Berlin

Translation copyright by Sally-Ann Spencer 2016

Photographs Zoltan Gabor

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to or to Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 3 Park Avenue, 19th Floor, New York, New York 10016.

www.hmhco.com

First published in the German language in Switzerland in 2015 by Kein & Aber

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN 978-0-544-77681-4

e ISBN 978-0-544-77682-1
v1.1016

We all do it. Just check the bin beside your desk...

Fiddling with paperclips is a basic human impulse. There is something about these handy bits of metal that compels us to pick them up and bend them out of shape. We all do it. You dont believe me? Just check the bin beside your desk. You might be surprised by the number of misshapen paperclips inside it, but you shouldnt be. Like so much of what we do in life, we bend paperclips without really thinking.

At my clinic in Zrich, I usually sit opposite my patients at my desk. And as on every well-organized desk, theres a stash of paperclips in a little pot. Mine seems to be especially inviting, as I realized that in the course of a session, a patient would always dip into the pot, pick up a paperclip, start to fiddle with it, andas if it were the most normal thing in the worldbegin bending it out of shape. When the consultation was over, they would leave the paperclip on my desk or drop it in the bin on the way out. At some point, I decided to gather them up and save them.

After that it was a short leap to this book. I had the paperclips photographed by Zoltan Gabor, and I used the images to develop a psychological test. Its designed so that anyone can use it. The test provides you with a profile that matches your personalityor describes the type of person youd like to beand it can even reveal unconscious character traits. Its not a test that should be taken too seriously, but my many guinea pigs results have shown that it comes astonishingly close to the mark. If you want to learn more about yourself, this test is for you. What you have here is therefore a book of photographs, an introduction to psychology, and a personality test, all in one.

For the results of the test to be as unbiased and accurate as possible, I recommend not reading the descriptions of the different paperclips in advance.

The results of the test wont decode your character once and for allit can reflect your real personality or perhaps an idealized version of yourself; it may be a little too positive or too negative. Most important, I hope the test will prompt an interest in psychology and will help you to reflect on yourself, your quirks and personality traits. Afterward, if you read the descriptions for all sixty paperclips, youll be at least halfway to a psychology degree, and youll know a great deal more about people.

If youd like extra copies of the test sheet, you can find it online at to get started.

Fiddling with paperclips is a basic human impulse.

You possess healthy amounts of ambition and drive. You are forward-looking and believe in progress, but to this end you are neither fanatical nor narrow-minded. You are committed to the common good and avoid competition with others; however, you still like to be among the key players. You are happiest when you are leading the way or promoting innovation, whether as a supplier of ideas, encouragement, or sponsorship. Always open to new perspectives and suggestions, you are intellectually curious. You listen to opposing arguments without prejudice and are generous in your acceptance of different opinions, but you pursue your convictions with determination.

You take things slowly, yet you always get there bang on time. Even before you do, your presence is tangible, because others anticipate your arrival, often impatiently. You succeed in getting what you want without overruling those around you or blocking their way. While others race blindly for the finish, you profit from taking your time and noticing what they miss. Your motto is The slower the better, and you are mindful that the higher you climb, the further you have to fall.

Passionate and sensuous, you love to be seduced. Leaping elegantly into the arms of temptation, you excel in the art of surrender. Life is a constant honeymoon; you refuse to be troubled by the mundane trials of everyday living. While others battle bureaucracy or societys expectations, you arent thrown off your quest for indulgence. You trust your intuition and your brilliance. Duty and delight, gravity and gaiety exist for you in happy, mostly problem-free, symbiosis.

You like to shock, provoke, and dumbfound, at times really go to town. You would be happier playing a drum kit than a harp. Ever the enfant terrible, your tomfoolery commands the full attention of your public. Youre not picky: You rarely turn down material for your antics, and you seize any opportunity to perform. In the playground, at least, you are king.

You avoid the limelight but you love nothing more than a drama. You sit quietly at the back, biding your time. Then when no one expects it, you wrest control with a sudden rush of energy, like a volcano waking from its slumber and spewing magma for miles around. You have the potential to light a fire, then book yourself a front-row seat to watch the world burn.

You are an upright person in every sense of the word: You stand tall and have nothing to hide. You walk through life with your head held high, but you never seem stuck-up or condescending. You are thoughtful and reflective, but you tend toward complacency. You value directness and want the world to be straightforward. People often come to you for advice. You wear your largesse with modesty.

Naturally gifted, you achieve solid and sometimes exceptional results. Modesty prevents you from drawing attention to your successes, although secretly you hope to be praised. At the same time, you are sensitive to criticism, tending to back away to nurse your ego rather than admit to being hurt. But this behavior may sabotage your chances of advancement and damage your self-esteem.

Appearances and presentation matter to you. You find yourself drawn to interesting and attractive objects; you might photograph them. You also like to pose, and you can be somewhat showy. You prefer to let pictures do the talking rather than waste your time on words. Sometimes you block the way just for the fun of it. In such cases, you accept your lot, alone, out in the cold like a solitary guard. Your goals in life are unambitious, and you are generally stoical. You accept the status quo and make no particular effort to generate change.