What my Desk (Possibly) Says about Me.

by Teresa

An author named Sam Gosling has written a book about his tricks for “snooping” and figuring out things about someone’s personality, by looking at their stuff.
He looks at objects left out on desks and countertops… checks out preset radio stations… examines the contents of medicine cabinets or dresser drawers… and analyzes photos and artwork that’s framed on walls.  From those clues, he says, he can determine details about people including their gender, approximate age, and personalilty type.
(His book’s title: “Snoop: What Your Stuff Says About You.“)  It might all sound a bit like carnival fortune-telling, but Gosling is an associate professor who says he bases his ideas on the basic principles of psychology.

Well, I’m no expert, but I’m pretty sure a few things about me are fairly obvious to anyone who walks by my desk. 
There are photos of children (my son and daughter and niece) in frames, and lots of children’s artwork taped up beside my desk.  It shouldn’t escape anyone’s notice that I’m a mom. 
There are also photos of two coworkers who’ve passed away in recent years (I still miss them). 
Sometimes there’s a framed photo of me with Tom Brokaw (because he is the World’s Greatest Journalist Ever). 
And while my desk overall is wiped quite CLEAN (shared desk + germ phobia = I’m always using Clorox wipes); it’s not too cluttered and not too neat.  Since Gosling says messiness can indicate that someone’s extroverted, and neatness can mean someone’s introverted, I guess the appearance of my desk would suggest I fall somewhere in the middle. 

But, I’m oversimplifying his criteria.  If you’re interested in an entertaining little diversion, check out these pages I’ve found on the internet about Gosling and his ideas.
Click here to get to the NPR page where you can read an excerpt, and hear an interview with the author.  Callers describe their stuff over the phone and he tries to determine what sort of people they are.
Or, click here to read a brief Newsweek article about the book.
And for a profile of Gosling in the Winston-Salem Journal, click here .