Facts on Myers Briggs Analysis
- The MBTI was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mothe,r Katharine Briggs, and was introduced into the marketplace in 1973. They based the instrument on the teachings of Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, who believed we are all influenced by a collective unconscious that includes different archetypes, or original models of thought and behavior. Myers and Briggs sought to create an instrument that would lend us greater appreciation of our own strengths and others' gifts as well.
- The MBTI identifies 16 personality types by measuring eight different traits or characteristics. These are grouped in pairs, with each trait being on one end of the scale. Most people find they favor one over the other, and this preference could be weak or quite pronounced. Introversion (I) implies being reserved, quiet and contemplative; extroversion (E) suggests being outgoing, expressive and quicker to act. Intuition (N) emphasizes seeing patterns and possibilities and relying more on gut instinct; sensing (S) encompasses focusing on facts, practicalities and here-and-now concerns. Thinking (T) includes being logical, pragmatic and focusing on justice, fairness and consistency; feeling (F) emphasizes being softhearted and focusing on mercy, compassion and keeping the peace. Perceiving (P) implies disliking confinement and structure and staying open to the possibilities; judging (J) suggests valuing processes and procedures, order and a set routine. If you are an INTP (introverted, intuitive, thinking, perceiving), do not naturally expect to see eye-to-eye with an ESFJ (extroverted, sensing, feeling, judging). You must work at understanding people who perceive the world differently.
- In "At 60, Myers-Briggs is Still Sorting Out and Identifying People's Types," Douglas P. Shuit reports that 89 of the Fortune 100 companies have administered the test. Additionally, 2.5 million people take the test annually. Its quality and reputation have withstood the advent of many new personality tests that pale in comparison with the caliber of results from the Myers-Briggs instrument.
- The MBTI is designed to lend us greater insight into our friends, family and colleagues and thus find better ways of resolving conflicts and connecting on a deeper level. Many managers use the test to foster better communication, promote teamwork and motivate employees in ways that complement their goals and nature. Proper application of the instrument can help to alleviate the misunderstandings that sometimes impede open communication and result in hurt feelings.
- While some traits remain relatively fixed, people can change and therefore test differently on the MBTI over time. In "Personality Type An Owner's Manual," Lenore Thomson concludes that introversion and extroversion are determined more by biology or genes than external factors. Other traits, however, might be more malleable. If your preference for judging over perceiving is fairly weak, you may find yourself becoming more spontaneous or free-spirited over time. Embracing who you are is healthy, but change can be a wonderful thing, too.
