While you have likely seen quite a few personality tests circulating social media, there is one test that stands out from the rest. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a well-known and respected personality test, used by psychologists around the globe, and it’s available online to satisfy your curiosity!
Unlike many of the other personality tests that you see, the MBTI has been widely accepted for its accuracy and insight. Not only do psychologists and experts in the field of mental health use it in a professional capacity, a number of organizations use it as a tool during the hiring and recruiting process including several law enforcement agencies. If this test is accurate enough to be trusted in these serious matters, it’s safe to say that there is something to be learned!
The Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator was first published in 1943, the work of Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. The theories incorporated in the development of the test were inspired by Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. His research discussed the fact that people are different at a very fundamental level, impacting both how we take in information from the world around us as well as the way we perceive the world. Recognizing the importance of this conclusion, and the potential application for it in the real world the MBTI was designed to make this accessible to the general public.
The tests uses 4 distinct dichotomies, each revealing key information about your personality. Each question helps to determine which of these opposing characteristics is most accurate in your life. They then take your preference in each of these pairings and use it to determine which of the 16 personality types is your best fit.
The 4 dichotomies include:
Introversion or Extroversion
Two well-known personality traits, this aspect of the test focuses on whether you prefer to spend your energy involved in events and social gatherings, feeding off the energy that others bring to your life, or if you would rather spend it internally. An extrovert is often seen as outgoing and high energy, quickly jumping to get involved regardless of the circumstance. Meanwhile, an introvert is far more interested in the world within their own head, spending their time in reflection. They enjoy spending time alone, relishing the peace and quiet that comes with solitude, and seeing it as an opportunity to rest and recharge.
Thinking or Feeling
When we make decisions in life, the process that helps us to get there generally falls in one of two camps. Thinking refers to the logical and fact-based approach, allowing your mind to guide your life. Meanwhile, those that fit into the feeling side of this pairing are influenced more so by their hearts. They are compassionate and sensitive, taking the thoughts and feelings of those around them into consideration.
Sensing or Intuition
This part of the test discusses where you focus your attention on an ongoing basis. Are your observations based on the five senses – what you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell? Do you judge your situations by your physical experiences? Or, do you find yourself reading between the lines and determining what is happening at any given time based on the underlying impressions or meanings? This method of discovery and interpretation says a lot about how you see life both big picture as well as on a short-term basis.
Perceiving or Judging
Rather than focusing on how you make your decisions, this pairing refers to the way that others see you structuring your life. Those who fit into the perceiving side of this spectrum are often highly flexible and adaptable to changes that occur around them. Meanwhile, those who fit into the characteristic of judging live a structured life in which they prefer to stay within the ‘norm’, avoiding change.