Who is your soulmate . . . based on your favorite color?

Yes, everyone’s seen them. We’ve all taken one at least once in our lives. That’s right: dating quizzes!

And, surprise, they’re bogus!

But, based on the popularity of relationship tests (remember the compatibility percentage tester that used names?), countless people of all ages are using them anyway. What kind of girlfriend am I? Will my boyfriend break up with me? What should I buy my girlfriend for Valentine’s day? Who is my soulmate? These questions need answers, and for many people, the Internet is an endless fountain of knowledge that can never be wrong (and, to clarify, that is 100% correct. The Internet is amazing).

However, the problem with relying on unfiltered, unregulated quizzes is probably obvious–anyone can put information out there, categorizing people based on a set of limited criteria, regardless of whether that criteria is factual or not. Ultimately, we already know the answer to most of the questions we ask these assessments. We just enjoy them because they “[reinforce] a sense of ourself, whether [they have] any legitimacy or not,” according to the Huffington Post. We want to know that our significant other appreciates us, even if we’re already aware of the fact.

Of course, love quizzes aren’t the only popular ones.

“I love Scooby-Doo quizzes,” said Anna, sophomore.

The best part of personality quizzes is how fun, creative, and amazingly varied they are. Plus, they help us procrastinate for that test we should be studying for.

But why, exactly, are they so addicting? Those Buzzfeed questionnaires that answer the ever-important question of which Hogwarts house you belong to are in no way factual, but the tiny, secret part of us that wants to know if we’re a kind, brave Gryffindor or a plucky, persistent Hufflepuff can’t get enough of them!. We like to know who we are, and these quizzes tell us–even if it’s in the silliest, most inaccurate way possible! Plus, there’s something comforting about belonging to a group, and when it’s something as harmless as a spirit animal, a reincarnation or a Hogwarts’ house, anyone can get onboard and enjoy them!

But what about the quizzes used by businesses to choose employees, the ones that claim to be valid? Some people swear that they’re observant because they’re an ESFJ (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving) person or that, as an INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving) person they’d be a great doctor . . . But is it true?

The Myers-Briggs (or 16 Personalities) personality test is actually meaningless. It contains none of the criteria required for a professional psychological assessment, but companies everywhere use it. Smithsonian.com’s interview with a psychologist revealed that “there is no obvious evidence that there are 16 unique categories in which all people can be placed.”

However, these tests are incredibly popular because they quickly and efficiently categorize people into sections that are easy to deal with–and while that may seem good in the grand scheme, it can dehumanize workers and even reduce employment chances for people who test into stereotypically less-favorable personality types. Like IQ tests, these quizzes only measure a very specific set of traits that don’t concretely define someone’s abilities in the workplace or in life. It’s on the same level as deciding on a career choice based on a zodiac sign!

So next time you “discover” that you’re a Scorpio ISFJ (Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging) Ravenclaw who’s destined to seduce Chuck Norris and become a famous brain surgeon, guess again!