Myers & Briggs personality test based on Jung’s personality typology

Fact Checked

Under review

INTJ, ESTP, INFJ… These enigmatic codes respond to different profiles based on the well-known “Myers & Briggs personality test.” This instrument is based on one of Carl Jung’s most interesting theories: psychological types.

The Myers & Briggs personality test is one of the best-known personality instruments among the population. Although it is true that it does not have the acceptance of the entire scientific community, given that it is not a test that meets the standards of reliability and validity, it should be noted that the iMBTI indicator, remains tremendously popular.

Who more and who less has read something related to the INFJ personality, that profile characterized by introversion, intuition, feeling and judgment. Likewise, we may also be familiar with the INFP personality, which Carl Jung called the “healer.” Be that as it may, there is an obvious fact: these letters organized into labels such as INTJ, ESTP, catch our attention and arouse our curiosity.

We are not wrong if we say that it continues to be one of the most used instruments despite its limitations. It is a self-report inventoryThat is, we can do it ourselves in any online test and discover with it what our personality style is according to the standard developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers in 1942.

This instrument is based on the well-known work of Carl Jung titled Psychological types. Let us remember that it was Jung who first introduced the concepts of introversion and extraversion, and that based on this dichotomy, he established 8 personality types. The Myers & Briggs personality test draws on this typology and enriches it even more. Let us therefore learn more aspects about this test.

“One does not achieve enlightenment by fantasizing about the light but by making the darkness conscious…”

-Carl Jung-

Myers & Briggs personality test: purpose, characteristics and reliability

When Isabel Myers and her mother Katherine discovered Jung’s theory of psychological types, they were fascinated.. One of its objectives was therefore to apply this theory in a practical way to better understand individual differences, to deepen the knowledge of human personality and, in turn, facilitate an approach towards our potential and limitations.

Read Also: How to deal with emotional suffering?

It was during World War II when they began to develop this indicator. However, before they had already published articles of interest such as “Find yourself using the personality box” and “From barbarism”.

Thus, when the Myers & Briggs personality test was presented for the first time, it was done with the idea of facilitating job selection processes. The objective was to help people choose those jobs that could best enhance their happiness and personal fulfillment.

Now, two years later this instrument was improved a little more, and a manual for its use was also published. In 1956, the indicator changed its name to its current form (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator).

What information does the Myers-Briggs indicator provide us?

The Myers & Briggs personality test will offer us information about our personality style. This test describes up to 16 very specific typologies.

The objective of the MBTI, therefore, is to help us facilitate self-discovery, to know what is our way of processing the world, of behaving, of relating, know what our strengths are to choose different professional preferences, or even to know our compatibility with other people.

What dimensions does the Myers & Briggs personality test measure?

This personality test is built on four scales. They are the following.

Extraversion (E) – Introversion (I)

It should be noted that All of us have traits of both extraversion and introversion. However, we always have a greater tendency towards an exclusive dimension.

Detection (S) – Intuition (N)

This dimension refers to two ways of interacting with what surrounds us.. Thus, people who prefer detection tend to pay close attention to reality, and they do so through their senses.

Read Also: Differences between delusion, overvalued idea and obsessive idea

However, intuitives are carried away by more abstract factors, by emotions, by patterns and impressions. Likewise, the latter are also more imaginative and reflective.

Thought (T) – Feeling (F)

This dimension offers us information about how we make our decisions.. Some are more logical and objective (reason and thought) and others, for their part, are more emotional.

Judge (J) – Perceive (P)

The final scale informs us about how we interpret what surrounds us and how we decide. Thus, there are those who use judgment and always choose to make firm decisions. On the opposite side, there is someone who is more flexible, perceptive, sensitive and adaptable.

Finally, according to the results we have obtained in each of these four dimensions, we will shape a code, a series of letters that will define our personality style. They are the following:

ISTP – The ArtisanISFJ – The ProtectorISFP – The ArtistINFJ – The LawyerINFP – The HealerINTJ – The ArchitectINTP – The ThinkerESTP – The PersuasiveESTJ – The DirectorESFP – The BraveESFJ – The CaretakerENFP – The ChampionENFJ – The GiverENTP – The TalkerENTJ – The Commander

Application and reliability of the Myers & Briggs Personality Test

As we noted at the beginning, the Myers & Briggs personality test is not an instrument that is accepted by experts. We are facing a popular instrument but one that generates various controversies. To begin with, these descriptions are too vague to describe our behavior.

So much so that The scientific community points out that this instrument falls within what is known as Forer effect. That is, it is enough for them to give us a description to feel instantly identified.

Read Also: Do you know the Electra Complex?

On the other hand, another interesting aspect should be noted. Despite its criticisms and its low reliability and validity, this instrument is often used widely in the vocational area.

As a study by researcher Allen Hammer explains to us, In many educational centers it is usually applied so that students know their vocations. It is a recurring test also in the field of personal development, as well as that test that whoever has done the most and who has done the least on-line to get to know each other better.

However, yesIt will always be more appropriate for a specialized professional to explain the results to us. and who, at the end of the day, offers us adequate guidance. Be that as it may, no one can deny that it remains an attractive and interesting resource.