Myers- Briggs Type Indicator

INTRODUCTION

A Myers- Briggs Type Indicator is an assessment instrument developed in the 1920s

by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers related to Carl Jung’s personality theory
of extraversion and introversion personality. The test is useful to understand unique
personality and the MBTI was constructed for normal populations and emphasizes the value
of naturally occurring differences. The underlying assumption of the MBTI is that we all
have specific preferences in the way we construct our experiences and these preferences
underlie our interests, needs, values, and motivation. The MBTI identifies 16 types of traits
based on Jung’s distinction between extraversion-introversion (E-I), thinking-feeling (T-F),
and sensation-intuition (S-N), plus Isabel Myers’s distinction between judging and perceiving
(J-P). Jung believed that people are born with a predisposition for a particular type. As a
consequence, they tend to develop their preferred and auxiliary functions and to leave the
nonpreferred functions undifferentiated during the first part of their lives. In midlife, they can
begin to gain greater command over the other two functions and these less developed
processes eventually can enter consciousness in the service of the dominant processes.

Four preferences of personality Myers and Briggs have proposed are explained below:

The EI dimension focuses on whether one’s general attitude toward the world is
oriented outward to other persons and objects (E) or is internally oriented (I).

Extraversion
Extraverts (also often spelled extroverts) are "outward-turning" and tend to be action-
oriented, enjoy more frequent social interaction, and feel energized after spending time with
other people. According to researchers, extroversion is associated with leadership behaviour.
Since extroverts are more likely to assert themselves in groups, it makes sense that these
individuals often take on leadership roles when working with other people.

Extroversion is often marked by a number of different sub-traits. Some include:

 Warmth
  Seeking novelty and excitement
 Gregariousness
 Assertiveness
 Cheerfulness
 Talkativeness
 Enjoys being the centre of attention
 Action-oriented
 Friendly
 Engaging
Introversion
Introverts are "inward-turning" and tend to be thought-oriented, enjoy deep and
meaningful social interactions, and feel recharged after spending time alone. We all exhibit
extraversion and introversion to some degree, but most of us tend have an overall preference
for one or the other. Introverts tend to experience chronically high arousal level, they tend to
seek activities and environments where they can escape from overstimulation. Because of
their naturally high arousal levels, they are more alert and take in more information from the
environment. Escaping somewhere to have time alone to recharge gives them the opportunity
to process and reflect on what they have learned.
Sub-Traits of Introversion:

 Territoriality

 Concentration

 Internal

 Depth

 Intensive

 Limited relationships

 Conservation of energies

 Interest in internal reactions

The TF dimension contrasts the logical thinking (T) and decision processes with a more
subjective, interpersonal feeling (F) approach.
Thinking
People who have preference for thinking judgment are concerned with determining
the objective truth in a situation. More impersonal in approach, thinking types believe they
can make the best decision by removing personal concerns that may lead to biased analyses
and decision making. Thinking types seek to act based on truth in a situation, a truth or
principle that is independent of what they or others might or wish were rue. The thinking
function concerned with logical consistency and analysis of cause and effect. As they use and
develop thinking function / types often appear analytical cool and tough minded.
People who prefer thinking may:
 Enjoy technical and scientific fields where logic is important.
 Notice inconsistencies.
 Look for logical explanations or solutions to most everything.
 Make decisions with my head and want to be fair.
 Believe telling the truth is more important than being tactful.
 Sometimes I miss or don't value the "people" part of a situation.
 Can be seen as too task-oriented, uncaring, or indifferent.
Feeling
People who have preference for feeling judgement are concerned with whether
decision and actions are worthwhile. More personal in approach, feeling types believe they
can make the best decisions by weighing what people care about and the points-of-view of
persons involved in a situation. They are concerned with more values and what is the best for
the people involved, they place high value on relatedness between people, they like to do
whatever will establish or maintain harmony. In relationships, they appear caring, warm, and
tactful.

People who prefer feeling may:

 Have a people or communications orientation.
 Concerned with harmony and nervous when it is missing.
 Look for what is important to others and express concern for others.
 Make decisions with heart and want to be compassionate.
 Believe being tactful is more important than telling the "cold" truth.
 Sometimes miss seeing or communicating the "hard truth" of situations.
 Sometimes experienced by others as too idealistic, mushy, or indirect.
The SN dimension was designed to reflect whether a person prefers to rely primarily on
observable facts detected through one or more of the five senses (S) or intuition (N), which
relies on insight.

Sensation

According to Jung, sensing types are “facts based,” i.e. they take in information in a
sensory, factual, practical, linear way and tend to be more grounded in approach. They tend
to focus on facts and details and enjoy getting hands-on experience. This scale involves
looking at how people gather information from the world around them.
According to the MBTI, people tend be dominant in one area or the other. People who prefer
sensing tend to pay a great deal of attention to reality, particularly to what they can learn from
their own senses.
Sub-Traits of Sensation(S):

 Hunches

 Future

 Speculative

 Inspiration

 Possible

 Head-in-clouds

 Fantasy

 Fiction

 Ingenuity

 Imaginative

Intuition

According to Jung, intuiting is a process of taking in information in concepts and

visually, around future possibilities. People who prefer intuition pay more attention to things
like patterns and impressions. They enjoy thinking about possibilities, imagining the future,
and abstract theories.

Sub-Traits of Intuition (N):

  Experience

 Past

 Realistic

 Perspiration

 Actual

 Down-to-earth

 Utility

 Fact

 Practicality

 Sensible

The JP decision-making attitude distinguishes between making prompt decisions, a

preference for planning and organizing activities—judgement (J)—versus a preference for
flexibility and spontaneity—perception (P).

Judging
People who have a preference for judging use their preferred judging function
(whether it is Thinking or Feeling) in my outer life. To others, it seems they prefer a planned
or orderly way of life, like to have things settled and organized, feel more comfortable when
decisions are made, and like to bring life under control as much as possible. Since this pair
only describes how the individual’s outer life looks, inside they may feel flexible and open to
new information. Do not confuse Judging with judgmental, in its negative sense about people
and events. They are not related.
People who prefer judging may:

 Like to have things decided.

 Appear to be task oriented.
 Like to make lists of things to do.
 Like to get my work done before playing.
 Plan work to avoid rushing just before a deadline.
  Sometimes make decisions too quickly without enough information
 Sometimes focus so much on the goal or plan that they miss the need to change
directions at times.
Perception
People who have preference for perceiving use their preferred perceiving function
(whether it is sensing or Intuition) in their outer life. To others, it may seem they prefer a
flexible and spontaneous way of life, and I like to understand and adapt to the world rather
than organize it. Others see me staying open to new experiences and information.
Since this pair only describes how the person’s outer life looks, inside they may feel very
plan full or decisive (which I am).
Remember, in type language perceiving means "preferring to take in information." It does not
mean being "perceptive" in the sense of having quick and accurate perceptions about people
and events.
People who prefer perceiving may:
 Like to stay open to respond to whatever happens.
 Appear to be loose and casual. I like to keep plans to a minimum.
 Like to approach work as play or mix work and play.
 Work in bursts of energy.
 Stimulated by an approaching deadline.
 Sometimes focus so much on adapting at the moment that they do not settle on a
direction or plan.

The 16 combination of personality type under MBTI are explained below:

ISTJ

They are so task oriented, and so conscientious in their handling of details. They are
serious, quite; earn success by concentration and thoroughness, practical, oriented, matter of
fact, logical, realistic and dependable. See to it that everything is well organized. Take
responsibility. Make up their own minds as to what should be accomplished and work
towards it steadily, regardless of protests or distractions. They can be badly hurt by criticism
and rejection. They have strong feeling to be useful, appreciated and valued.

ISFJ
 They are quiet, friendly, responsible and conscientious. Work devotedly to meet their
obligations, Lend stability to any project or group. Thorough, painstaking and accurate. Their
interests are not usually technical. They are loyal, considerate and concerned with how
people feel. They are highly alert to behaviours and gestures that suggest another’s emotional
attitude, needs, or expectations, and they generally acquire knowledge that allows them to be
of service- preferably to one person at a time.

INFJ

Seek meaning and connection in ideas, relationships and material possessions. Want
to understand what motivates people and are insightful about others. Conscientious and
committed to their firm values. Develop a clear vision about how best to serve the common
good. They are organized and decisive in implementing their vision. Put their best efforts
into their work.

INTJ

Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their
goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long range explanatory
perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Sceptical, critical and
independent, have high standards of competence and performance- for themselves and others.

ISTP

Cool onlookers-quiet, reserved. observing and analysing life with detached curiosity
and unexpected flashes of original-humour. Usually interested in cause and effect, how and
why mechanical things work. And in organizing facts using logical principles,

ISFP

Retiring, quietly friendly, sensitive, kind, modest about their abilities, Shun
disagreements, do not force their opinions or values on the others Usually do not care to lead
but are often loyal followers. Often relaxed about getting things done, because they enjoy the
present moment and do not want to spoil it by undue haste or exertion.

INFP

Full of enthusiasm and loyalties but seldom talk of these until they know you well.
Care about learning, ideas, language, and independent projects of their own. Tend to
undertake too much, then somehow get it done. Friendly, but often too absorbed in what they
are doing to be sociable. Little concerned with possessions or physical surroundings.

INTP

Quiet and reserved. Especially enjoy theoretical or scientific pursuits. Like solving
problems with logic and analysis. Usually interested mainly in ideas. With little liking for
parties or small talk. Tend to have sharply defined interests. Need careers where some strong
interest can be used and useful.

ESTP

Good at on-the-spot problem solving. Do not worry, enjoy whatever comes along.
Tend to like mechanical things and sports, with friends on the side. Adaptable, tolerant,
generally conservative in values. Dislike long explanation. They are the best in real things
that can be worked, handled, taken apart, or put together.

ESFP

Outgoing, easy-going, accepting, friendly, enjoy everything and make things more fun
for others by their enjoyment. Like sports and making things happen. Know what is going on
and join in eagerly. Find remembering facts easier than mastering theories. Are best in
situations that need sound common sense and practical ability with people as well as with
things.

ENFP

Warmly enthusiastic, high- spirited, ingenious, imaginative. Able to do almost

anything that interests them. Quick with a solution for any difficulty and ready to help anyone
with a problem. Often rely on their ability to improvise instead of preparing an advance. Can
usually find compelling reasons for whatever they want.

ENTP

Quick, ingenious, good at many things. Stimulating company, alert and outspoken.
May argue for fun on either side of a question. Resourceful in solving new and challenging
problems, but may neglect routine assignments. Apt to turn to one new interest after another.
Skilful in finding logical reasons for what they want.

ESTJ
 Practical, realistic, matter-of-fact, with a natural head for business or mechanics. Not
interested in subjects they see no use for but can apply themselves when necessary. Like to
organize and run activities. May make good administrators, especially if they remember to
consider others’ feelings and points of view.

ESFJ

Warm hearted, talkative, popular, conscientiousness, born co-operators, active

committee members. Need harmony and may be good at creating it. Always doing something
nice for someone. Work best with encouragement and praise. Main interest is in things that
directly and visibly affect people’s lives.

ENFJ

Responsive and responsible. They generally feel real concern for what others think or
want and try to handle things with due regard for the other person’s feelings. Can present a
proposal or lead a group discussion with ease and tact. Sociable, popular, sympathetic.
Responsive to praise and criticism.

ENTJ

Hearty, frank, decisive, leaders in activities. Usually good in anything that requires
reasoning and intelligent talk, such as public speaking. Are usually well informed and enjoy
adding to their fund of knowledge. May sometimes appear more positive and confident than
their experience in an area of warrants.

RELIABILITY
VALIDITY

Validity of MBTI scores is typically established by correlating the scores with

findings from various personality instruments and inventories of interest. Statistically
significant correlations have been found between MBTI scores, behaviours reflective of
MBTI constructs, and persons’self-assessment of their own MBTI type (De Vito, 1985;
Myers &McCaulley, 1989). Using factor analysis, Thompson and Borrello (1986) reported
that the factors were largely discrete in their sample, and all items had factor pattern
coefficients higher than .30. These results supported the structure of the MBTI. More
recently, Tischler (1994) noted that “factor analysis provided unusually strong evidence that
the MBTI items are correlated with their intended scales: the scales are almost factorially
pure”.

APPLICATION

The MBTI has applications in diagnosing organizational issues, teamwork,

communication, counselling, careers, strategic thinking, performance appraisal, leadership
and stress management.

 Career: The MBTI helps people identify career or life paths.

 It is useful in strategizing interviews and helping people appreciate that everyone is
not like them.
 Learning styles: Different types learn more effectively in different ways.
  Teambuilding: Particularly effective in building and maintaining teams because it
identifies similarities and differences in communication styles.
 Communication: The types communicate in different ways: big picture(N)/ facts(S);
values(F)/ objectivity(T)/ writing(I)
 Leadership: Type theory contends that all types can lead in a valuable way.
 Counselling: Counselling strategies are more effective taking type in to account,
particularly in relationship counselling.

The main benefit in using the MBTI is its breadth of application. You can use it in
almost any situation and its buttressed by a comprehensive and robust theory of
personality.

REFERENCES

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