Echoes of the Self: A Personality Playlist Experiment
Summary
In an age where personality tests spread like modern horoscopes,
we often sway between the self we truly feel
and the self shaped by classification.
This toolkit invites you listen to
the subtle yet genuine differences between the two.
Full Process (20 minutes)
This is not a test with right or wrong answers, it’s just a small game🥳
Learning Outcomes：
By the end of this toolkit, learners will be able to:
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Identify their intuitive self through an unguided music choice.
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Notice how a personality label can influence self-expression.
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Compare the two musical “selves” and reflect on which expression feels more authentic.
Before starting Step 1, I’ve prepared a worksheet for you.
You can download it and freely mark, scribble, or reflect on it throughout this experiment. 📝
Worksheet for the 20-minute “Echoes of the Self”
Ready?
Now, let’s move on——
Step 1 (4 mins): Intuitive Song Selection
Choose one song based on your intuition.
Close your eyes for 10 seconds and think:
“What kind of music best represents you at this moment?”
“Is it the lyrics, melody, rhythm, or simply a mood?”
This can capture your current emotional impression, and will later become a reference point when comparing it with your “type-based” choice.
Open any music source you can access (YouTube Audio Library, Free Music Archive, Spotify/Apple, or even a tune you hum yourself).
Choose one song and record your response in any way you like under “Section A” of your worksheet:
Example of how to complete Section A by recording your intuitive song choice and emotional response.
Step 2: Quick MBTI Test (4 minutes)
Before you begin, please read the following:
This questionnaire is a simplified personality-preference test redesigned based on the four MBTI dimensions. It is not a professional psychological assessment, does not provide any diagnosis, and should not be taken as scientific fact.
Its only purpose is to Help you quickly capture “how you tend to think and express yourself at this moment.”
How to answer?
You will see 12 questions, each with only two options A / B.
Please answer based on your most natural and common reaction, without thinking too long (finish in about 3 minutes).
Take a deep breath ——
Now we officially BEGIN the test:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdhb2382w8PkjMVUBX6rCghbnhsWH1GwkSxI4A2oGR0tmq0BA/viewform?usp=header
🎉You’ve completed the test, and I believe you now know your MBTI personality type！
How to Understand Your Results?
To help you make sense of your personality type, let’s look at a few simple imagined scenarios.
Dimension 1: E / I — Where does your energy come from?
Scenario:
I’ve just left a small social gathering and I’m walking home alone.
A night street photo taken by the author to accompany the Dimension 1 scenario.
Imagine, How you feel this moment?
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If I lean toward E (Extraversion) 😄
My inner voice:
“Tonight was so fun! I still feel full of energy — I could keep talking for a while.”
My energy pattern:
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I gain energy from interacting with others.
If I lean toward I (Introversion) 😊
My inner voice:
“I had a great time, but now I really need some quiet to reset.”
My energy pattern:
- I need quiet space and solitude to recharge afterward.
Dimension 2: N / S — How do I understand the world?
Scenario:
It’s raining outside. I’m standing by the window, watching the rain fall onto the street.
Rain falling in a courtyard. Photo by Esteban Chiner, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
Imagine, How you feel this moment?
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If I lean toward S (Sensing)👀
I might first thought:
“The sound of the raindrops is so clear. The air feels cool, and the reflections on the street look nice.”
My perception pattern:
- I focus on the concrete details of reality.
If I lean toward N (Intuition)💭
I might first thought:
“It feels like the rain is hinting at a certain mood… it reminds me of the beginning of a story.”
My perception pattern:
- I prefer imagination, insight, and big-picture impressions rather than staying with the details alone.
Dimension 3: T / F — How do I handle disagreement?
Scenario:
I’m discussing a plan with a classmate or colleague.
We end up disagreeing — their idea is different from mine.
Public domain image from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), taken by Bill Branson.
Imagine, How you deal with this problem?
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If I lean toward T (Thinking)🧐
My first thoughts might be:
“Which option is more effective?
My pattern in disagreement:
- I focus on which solution is more reasonable and effective.
If I lean toward F (Feeling)🤗
My first thoughts might be:
“Is this discussion becoming tense?”
My pattern in disagreement:
- I hope to find a way for both of us to feel heard and not hurt.
Dimension 4: J / P — How do I respond to routine and change?
Scenario:
I’m about to take a train for a trip.
When I arrive at the platform, I see a notice:
The train is delayed — it may even be cancelled.
Delayed international train display at Schiphol Airport. Photo by Donald Trung Quoc Don, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Imagine, How you feel this moment?
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If I lean toward J (Judging)🎆
My first reaction might be:
“Oh no… I need to make an alternative plan right away.”
My pattern when facing change:
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Having a clear replacement plan helps me feel reassured
If I lean toward P (Perceiving)🎇
My first reaction might be:
“Okay, I’ll check the situation first.”
My pattern when facing change:
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Changing is acceptable. Having room to choose makes me feel more comfortable
Next, you will see for each personality type:
1. A one-sentence type description
A neutral summary of your current preference pattern, helping you grasp the core idea of this type quickly.
2. Music cue words
These may refer to rhythm, atmosphere, energy, or emotional tone.
They are designed to help you reflect on questions such as:
“If my personality were a song, what would its energy feel like?”
You can use these cues to help you search for music.
3. Optional song examples
These are drawn from personality-themed playlists on various music streaming platforms.
They serve only as inspiration.
MBTI NT types and music cues.
MBTI NF types and music cues.
MBTI SP types and music cues.
MBTI SJ types and music cues.
Step 3 (7 mins): Type-Based Song Selection
Choose another song based on your type.
Now that you know your type label, Please choose a song from any music platform that you feel best matches this personality type, based on your own interpretation.
This song will be compared with your “intuition song” in the next step for reflection.
In Section C of your worksheet, write down:
1. “The song title and a brief explanation of why it matches your type.”
2. “What are the most obvious differences between your first song (intuitive) and second song (type-based)?
(Comparative Reflection, you can consider melody, tempo, emotion, lyrical theme, instruments, dynamics, etc.)
3. “Which song feels more like the “real me”? Why?
4. “Did I subconsciously adapt to my type? If yes, what was I aligning with —- pressure, comfort, or identity?
Example of how to complete Section C, including the type-based song choice, comparison notes, and reflective answers.
Step 4 (5 mins): Sharing & Peer Feedback
Share and Peer Exchange
Please share your two songs with a partner and listen to each other’s reflections.
Then, offer your partner a one-sentence response.
You may choose one of the following prompts:
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“What differences did I hear between your two songs?”
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“Which song feels more like the ‘you’ you described, and why?”
(
© 2025 Kexin Tan. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
)(Photo by Kexin Tan, licensed under CC BY 4.0.)
(Photo by Bill Branson, National Cancer Institute (NCI). Public domain. Source: Wikimedia Commons.)
(Photo by Donald Trung Quoc Don. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.)
(
Created by Kexin Tan. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
)(Image created by Kexin Tan, 2025. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)
(Image created by Kexin Tan, 2025. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)
(Image by Brett Jordan, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Source: https://flickr.com/photos/x1brett/4814209463)
(Image created by Kexin Tan, 2025. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)
(Image created by Kexin Tan, 2025. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.)
(
Created by Kexin Tan. Licensed under CC BY-NC 4.0.
)
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