Personality Guessed from a Desk

(Credit: Favim.com)

(Credit: Favim.com)

It is no secret that most students or workers spend majority of the day at a desk whether it is at home or in the office. Desks are a crucial place to work and have time for oneself. Because a desk-space is almost like a second home to a person, it makes sense to add personal flair to it by organizing and customizing it to reflect oneself.

Just as a person’s sense of style in clothing can make an impression on others, the way a person personalizes their desk space can surprisingly reveal traits of personality and working style. It is suggested by a number of case studies that the state of one’s desk can convey a lot about a person more than one can think. With the inspiration from the findings of these case studies, two participants’ desks at home were evaluated. The desk pictures attached showcases the desk space of a UAIS senior, Damaris Derecichei, and a UAIS sophomore, Morgan Aho.        

Damaris’ desk exhibits a cluttered yet distinctive work-space with artwork pieces and inspirational sayings plastered around the interiors of the desk, a diverse arrange of knick knacks, stacked textbooks, and a few art supplies.

Senior, Damaris Derecichei’s desk.

According to an environmental psychologist worker at the University of Surrey in the UK, Bernheimer of BBC.com says, “Clutterers tend to be more extroverted. Extroverts tend to be assertive, cheerful, and above all friendly.” The diverse array of unique objects and art pieces featured on Damaris’ desk,  as a matter of fact, reveals high openness of that person as claimed by Bernheimer. “A stylish or unusual work-space tells people that you’re high in the trait called “openness.” This means Damaris is likely

Senior, Damaris Derecichei’s knick knacks reveal her interests.

to embrace new ideas or experiences and is inclined to face new challenges. Moreover, there is a potential explanation to the distinct objects that Damaris has exhibited. Bernheimer concludes, “Extroverts are excitement seekers and get easily bored without stimulation so they like to surround themselves with materials and knickknacks related to their many activities.” Likewise, the chaotic yet unique desk of Damaris also projects creativity as an attribute, “people with original art and unusual spaces are often very creative,” reinforced by Sam Gosling of Wall-tailor.com, a personality and social psychologist at the University of Texas. Hence, not only does Damaris’ work-space communicates openness but based on the studies, it also links to stimulating creativity. 

Morgan’s desk takes a different form than that of Damaris in which she has laid out her desk in a way that feels spatially open and welcoming. By creating an inviting space, it conveys to others that Morgan is approachable.

UAIS Sophomore, Morgan Aho’s Desk.

“A controlled amount of clutter is actually more inviting than either a sparse space or an overstuffed one,” professes Bernheimer. Morgan’s desk displays a moderate degree of personalization through personal photos and a calendar plastered on her wall, a bowl-holder containing writing utensils, a decorative letter decor, and a plant. Additionally, an organized desk communicates that that person is reliable and diligent. “When I go into space, I look for a calendar first since an up-to-date calendar is another sign of a conscientious person,”claims Sam Gosling from Wall-tailor.com. Seeing that Morgan’s desk-space is very tidy and organized, it demonstrates that Morgan values structure and orderliness. Allegedly, conscientious people tend to hold a strict mindset of what they want to achieve. They set their goals and do anything to accomplish it.

 

Every office worker or student has a particular type of desk. The state of one’s desk, messy or neat, could suggest lots of clues about that person’s personality and working style more than one could have imagined.