A psychologist analyzed our personalities by looking at photos of our desks - here's how accurate we think she was

Advertisement

Lily Bernheimer

Space Works

Environmental psychologist Lily Bernheimer.

You may not realize it, but your desk might say a lot more about you than you'd think.

Advertisement

Without ever meeting me, environmental psychologist Lily Bernheimer looked at my desk and taught me a few things about myself.

Bernheimer, the cofounder and director of Space Works Consulting, a UK-based environmental psychology consultancy, holds an MS in Environmental Psychology from the University of Surrey and a BA from Brown University. Her job at Space Works is to make workspaces and urban environments work for the people and purpose they serve. She is currently writing a book on the psychology of everyday spaces, "The Shaping of Us," to be published in 2017.

Complimentary Tech Event
Transform talent with learning that works
Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

A few weeks ago, I sent Bernheimer images of my desk and a few of my colleagues'. She analyzed the images and sent back her observations and assessments via email.

I showed my coworkers what Bernheimer had to say, and asked them for reactions.

Advertisement

Turns out, some of us found the assessment to be accurate, while others did not.

Here's what Bernheimer concluded about me and four of my coworkers - Emmie, Libby, Amanda, and Sara - along with their responses: