Introduction to MBTI
Allyson Celestra
March 2016
For those who aren't familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), it is a questionnaire based on typological theory by Carl Jung. This questionnaire will generate a four letter acronym based on four possible pairs of traits. In some tests, there is a fifth aspect.This leaves sixteen possible personality types that someone can identify as.
The first letter in that four letter acronym explains how we interact with others. This means we can either be Extroverted (E) or Introverted (I). I’m sure you’ve heard these terms at least once and may identify with one or the other. Introverted individuals keep more to themselves and can get exhausted easily by overloads of social interaction. They tend to prefer quiet activities and find peace in their alone time. On the other hand, extroverts are energized by social interaction and are also very easily excitable.
The second letter in the acronym describes the way in which we see the world and what we make of it. You can fall into two categories: Intuition (N) or Sensing (S). Intuitive individuals tend to be more open-minded and curious about the world around them. They like to dream about all the possibilities in the world while observant people are more grounded. People categorized as sensing prefer logic and what is actually going on in the world. They want to focus on what is going on in that moment and what has already happened instead of fantasizing about the different possibilities.
The third letter refers to how we handle our emotions and the way we look at things. You can be considered as either a Thinking (T) or Feeling (F) individual. People that fall into the thinking category tend to be more logical and rational beings. They prefer facts over feelings. They prioritize their work and efficiency over their emotions which they tend to hide. Feeling individuals are more expressive beings. They are the definition of “wearing your heart on your sleeve”. They tend to care more about keeping the peace within social groups and figuring out solutions that would benefit and make everyone happy rather than what seems to be the most logical.
The fourth letter reflects on the way we plan and go about making our decisions. This is split into Judging (J) or Perceiving (P) types. Judging types tend to be more organized and aren’t big fans of surprises. They want everything clear and concise. Judging individuals tend to not make decisions on a whim. Perceiving types are more spontaneous and are a lot better at improvising than judging types. They relish surprises and are a lot more flexible with their options.
The last type that many people may be unfamiliar with shows how confident we are in the decisions that we’ve made. People can be grouped as either Assertive (-A) or Turbulent (-T) individuals. Assertive individuals are rarely stressed and good at handling what life throws at them. They are sure of themselves and know their boundaries. Turbulent people are extremely sensitive to stress that can stem from perfectionist tendencies. They are more self-conscious about their work and always feel like they need to be doing more.
If you do already know your type, does it sound like you? If you don’t already know your type, try to figure out what you would identify as before taking the test and see if it matches up. You can take the test [HERE]; it’s fairly easy and shouldn’t take you longer than fifteen minutes.
For those who aren't familiar with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), it is a questionnaire based on typological theory by Carl Jung. This questionnaire will generate a four letter acronym based on four possible pairs of traits. In some tests, there is a fifth aspect.This leaves sixteen possible personality types that someone can identify as.
The first letter in that four letter acronym explains how we interact with others. This means we can either be Extroverted (E) or Introverted (I). I’m sure you’ve heard these terms at least once and may identify with one or the other. Introverted individuals keep more to themselves and can get exhausted easily by overloads of social interaction. They tend to prefer quiet activities and find peace in their alone time. On the other hand, extroverts are energized by social interaction and are also very easily excitable.
The second letter in the acronym describes the way in which we see the world and what we make of it. You can fall into two categories: Intuition (N) or Sensing (S). Intuitive individuals tend to be more open-minded and curious about the world around them. They like to dream about all the possibilities in the world while observant people are more grounded. People categorized as sensing prefer logic and what is actually going on in the world. They want to focus on what is going on in that moment and what has already happened instead of fantasizing about the different possibilities.
The third letter refers to how we handle our emotions and the way we look at things. You can be considered as either a Thinking (T) or Feeling (F) individual. People that fall into the thinking category tend to be more logical and rational beings. They prefer facts over feelings. They prioritize their work and efficiency over their emotions which they tend to hide. Feeling individuals are more expressive beings. They are the definition of “wearing your heart on your sleeve”. They tend to care more about keeping the peace within social groups and figuring out solutions that would benefit and make everyone happy rather than what seems to be the most logical.
The fourth letter reflects on the way we plan and go about making our decisions. This is split into Judging (J) or Perceiving (P) types. Judging types tend to be more organized and aren’t big fans of surprises. They want everything clear and concise. Judging individuals tend to not make decisions on a whim. Perceiving types are more spontaneous and are a lot better at improvising than judging types. They relish surprises and are a lot more flexible with their options.
The last type that many people may be unfamiliar with shows how confident we are in the decisions that we’ve made. People can be grouped as either Assertive (-A) or Turbulent (-T) individuals. Assertive individuals are rarely stressed and good at handling what life throws at them. They are sure of themselves and know their boundaries. Turbulent people are extremely sensitive to stress that can stem from perfectionist tendencies. They are more self-conscious about their work and always feel like they need to be doing more.
If you do already know your type, does it sound like you? If you don’t already know your type, try to figure out what you would identify as before taking the test and see if it matches up. You can take the test [HERE]; it’s fairly easy and shouldn’t take you longer than fifteen minutes.