Myers–Briggs Type Indicator

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is the name of a personality indicator designed to assess psychological type. It was developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers during World War II. The use of type follows from the theories of Carl Jung. The phrase is also sometimes used as a trademark of CPP Inc., formerly known as Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc. The trademark is owned by the Myers Briggs Type Indicator Trust, and when used as a trademark it must include a registered trademark symbol after the name, i.e. Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® or MBTI®.

Dimensions

The test asks subjects a number of questions about themselves. Based on the replies, four binary decisions are made about each subject:

I	Introversion - Extroversion	E
S	Sensing - Intuition	N
T	Thinking - Feeling	F
J	Judging - Perceiving	P

Common descriptions

Introverts and Extroverts commonly are interpreted as being 'reserved' and 'outgoing;' but it is also useful to think of them as saying where you draw your energy from. An introvert finds his/her energy from within themselves and focus on whats inside to draw on that energy. Extroverts, on the other hand, get their energy from without, and easily lose that energy when they are broken off from others for too long.

Sensors handle the world in concrete, sensible terms if you will. By virtue of this, Sensors generally look for practical answers for their questions, as they see the matter of fact things in the world. Intuitive people see things on a larger scale and don't necessarily have to have a concrete answer in order to come to a conclusion. Intuitives are generally visionary types and like to probe ideas to their imagination's limits.

When one considers the feeling or thinking categories, it is best to think of where one acts from. Feelers will act from their instinct, their feelings. They may logically consider all possible situtations, but when it comes down to making a decision they go with their gut. Thinkers, on the other hand, only act when they have considered all possible situtations and make a decision that is what we would call reasoned, logical even though this logic might be flawed. They may initiate their contemplation from a gut reaction, but they always act from their reasoned conclusions.

Judgers are comfortable when you can see the world before you and know where, when, and what is happening. Judgers like schedules and routine. They most especially like to get everything in front of them, and plan how they go about doing things when it comes to projects and the like. They can also seem rushed at times, as they like to have things done; they are happy with the end product.

Perceivers can't handle order, and feel limited by it. They will avoid being too scheduled, and like to take things as they come. They will enjoy the process more than the end product, and generally will do what they must to draw out their experiences to the full extent. They tend to be more jovial and carefree than the Judgers; but nothing is happier than a Judger who has everything in his schedule go as according to plan.

The most important thing to remember with these personality characteristics, is that we are all of these at some point in our lives. When we get placed in a 'type,' it is because it's a type that fits us a majority of the time and/or when we are in unusual (stressful) conditions. There is no good or bad personality, none are healthier than others (except when any of the points of personality are taken to extreme); the healthy individual is one that is in balance with all of these personality traits.

Keirsey-Style Interpretation

Descriptions

In Myers-Briggs' system, each of these dichotomies has specific, non-normative meanings. Quite often any particular person can act in any way, but prefers particular ways.

"Introverts" are rested and energized by solitude, and very effective in solitary pursuits. An introvert (I) is a person who prefers to process thoughts internally. Introverts tend to think before they speak. The word is also used informally to refer to somebody who prefers solitary activities to social ones, which is more of a behavioural than cognitive definition. Introverts tend to be seen as quiet and reserved, which is often confused with a lack of confidence by louder, more extroverted people. They often perform well in analytical roles that require intelligence or logic, but place less emphasis on social interactions and "people skills". Introverts are a minority in the general population, and they can often be sidelined by culture and society which in many cases favours the more common extroverted style of behaviour.
"Extroverts" appear outgoing and are energized by people, and are very effective in pursuits that involve people. Extroverts tend to be sensation-seeking, spontaneous and gregarious. They enjoy crowds, noise and stimulation. Extroverts also tend to have more sexual partners in the course of their life than introverts, though this isn't to say that all extroverts are promiscuous.
"Sensors" want, trust and remember facts, and usually describe themselves as "practical." For a Sensor, intuition is untrustworthy, and might seem like mental static. Sensation, as a perceiving mode of consciousness, focuses on heightening reality. Guardians share the combination SJ, while Artisans share the combination SP.
"Intuitives" prefer metaphor, analogy and logic, and tend to reason from first principles and hunches. Sensors pride themselves on living in the real world. Intuitives pride themselves on seeing possibilities. This can cause conflict. Intuition, as a perceiving mode of consciousness, filters experience through the unconscious mind. Intuition focuses on possibilities rather than realities. Idealists share the combination NF, while Rationals share the combination NT.
"Thinkers" use impersonal means of reasoning: logic, and verifiable experience.
"Feelers" prefer personal reasoning: value judgements and emotions. Thinkers often find Feelers muddle-headed. Feelers often find Thinkers cold and inhuman.
"Judgers" prefer to come to decisions, and move on. They can feel betrayed if a decision is "reopened." They are prone to hastiness, but get things done.
"Perceivers" prefer to leave their options open to perceive new possibilities and processes as long as possible. They tend to mourn opportunities lost to premature decisions. They are prone to analysis paralysis, but rarely make permanent mistakes.

Types

This process results in a classification into one of sixteen types. Overall the population breakdown by type is:

MBTI	SF		ST		NF		NT		Total
IJ	ISFJ	13.8%	ISTJ	11.6%	INFJ	1.5%	INTJ	2.1%	29.0%
EJ	ESFJ	12.3%	ESTJ	8.7%	ENFJ	2.4%	ENTJ	1.8%	25.2%
EP	ESFP	8.5%	ESTP	4.3%	ENFP	8.1%	ENTP	3.2%	24.1%
IP	ISFP	8.8%	ISTP	5.4%	INFP	4.4%	INTP	3.3%	21.9%
Total	43.4%		30.0%		16.4%		10.4%		Source

Temperaments

Of the sixteen possible types in the Jung-Myers-Briggsian Typology, there are four temperaments that would appear to be the more dominant factor in each of the personality types. While the first factor, Introversion vs. Extraversion, which may vary, it isn't as direct a descriptor of the thought process(es) of a person, the latter three pertain to the mental structuring of a person's world. In David Keirsey's book, Please Understand Me: Character & Temperament Types, Keirsey makes reference to an earlier system of psychological typology employed by the Classical Greek Physician Hippocrates, called the four humors. In Hippocrates system there are the Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and the Melancholic. Because this system was heavily steeped in the pseudo-medicine of the day (each of the above "temperaments" actually are the four archaic bodily fluids -blood, yellow bile, phlegm, and black bile- recognized by ancient physicians), it incurs a certain level of physiological symbolism not entirely pertaining to personality; though, it is very useful in documenting the early attempts at personality profiling. What is more helpful, and Keirsey explains, is using characters from Classical Greek Mythology to be poster-children for the four recognized temperaments. They would be as follows : Epimetheus, the SJ, Dionysus, the SP, Prometheus, the NT, and Apollo, the NF.

SJs are the most practical, in the sense of following tradition, of the four temperaments. They value being of service over all else, and enspirit the Epimethean sense of duty. They trust what is familar and actual, things that have happened before and can be looked upon for further judgment, and because of this they have a deep sense of tradition. They have a strong need for belonging, and because of this have a keen sense of social placemenbt/order. They value hierarchy over egalitarianism, and see everyone in terms of what they can be doing. Think of George H. W. Bush, Uncle Owen from Star Wars.	NFs understand people, literally from the inside out. They're always aware of people's feelings. They can be warm, sympathetic friends, but find offense in the smallest careless remark. They tend to be very skillful negotiators. The essence of their character is one constantly trying self-actualize, finding out who they really are; though, this is done with the full knowledge and intent of never actually achieving self-actualization, as that would negate the life-long journey this person needs. "One becomes oneself if and only if one does not." Think of Dante, Lao Zi.	NTs are the people most concerned with 'how it works' and 'does it make sense?' They embody the deepest sense of wonder, and value, above all else, knowledge and understanding of their universe, not to mention competence about such subjects. They are eager to constantly improve situtations that they find they can be in control of, and because of this are prone to self-doubting to unhealthy extremes. They think the real world is a mutable network of logical possibilities, moved by skills. An example would be Albert Einstein.
SPs are adventurous, fun-loving, observant, physically skillful, impatient, easily bored and good with tools and art. They read minds, by observing people. They can briefly emulate the other types. To truly live for this temperament is to live life in the now, without hesitating. They are terribly egalitarian, and go out of their way to make sure everyone gets their fair share, even when that means the SP does with little or none. Think of Han Solo from Star Wars, or Owen Wilson in many of his characters.

The MBTI is popular with recruiters and managers, because studies using this assessment show clusters of different personality types in different professions. For instance, the proportion of engineers who are INTJ is higher than the 2% found in the general population.

There are significant differences by sex, especially on the T vs. F distribution.

Proponents of the system claim that almost all arguments between people tend to be manifestations of a type conflict (e.g. P vs J, T vs F, E vs I, S vs N). The P-J conflict is said to be the clearest - one person gets mad when the rules are broken and the other gets mad when rules are made. The T-F conflict is also said to be clear, as the basis of most husband/wife jokes.

Skeptical views of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Unscientific

Skeptics, including many psychologists, argue that MBTI has not been validated by double-blind tests (in which participants accept reports written for other participants, and are asked whether or not the report suits them) and thus does not qualify as a scientific assessment. Some even demonstrate that profiles can apparently seem to fit any person by confirmation bias, ambiguity of basic terms and the Byzantine complexity that allows any kind of behavior to fit any personality type. See [1] for an extensive skeptical treatment of the subject.

A Temptation to Pigeonhole

Another argument says that, while the MBTI is useful in self-understanding, it is commonly used to pigeonhole people or for self-pigeonholing. Supporting arguments include :

It emphasizes each person being one specific type rather than each person using a certain type of thinking most of the time.
Real people do not fit easily into one of sixteen types because they use different styles of thinking at different times. This is why there have been questions about answering the indicator (like "do I answer the indicator according to how I act at work or at home"). This is also why some people have trouble finding a type that really "fits" them.
Predicting how a person will react based on a personality test that only measures their predominant style of thinking is foolish. Excusing your own bad or inefficient behavior based on such a test is also foolish.
Typical examples of certain personality types are given but these are always highly successful and admirable people. We are not told where the typical petty thief fits in, nor where we might find Hitler.

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