The MBTI: A Brief History
Major critics of the Myers-Briggs Personality Model point to its nonscientific origin in the work of Jung, a prominent 20th century psychologist responsible for many of our modern psychological concepts, including archetypes and the ideas of extroversion and introversion.
It is true that Jung's psychological Theory of Types did not arise out of statistical analysis or some other data-analytic method. Jung was not interested in identifying and classifying people into type groups in the same way a biologist would classify an insect specimen. The idea that Personality Types are categories of people is a modern misinterpretation.
So What's The "Problem" With the Myers-Briggs?
"I'm definitely an extrovert! Wait, I relate to a lot of introvert characteristics... but I can't be an introvert if I'm an extrovert. These categories are meaningless!"
The Myers Briggs is not a competency test. It's built around how people prefer to act and think-- or the patterns of behavior towards which they are most inclined. You can appreciate the activities of other types, and even intentionally act as a different type. This is the most important aspect of the Myers-Biggs. It is a qualitative description of Personality, not a quantitative metric of behavior.
Testing for the Myers Briggs is far less effective and valuable when compared to more statistically driven personality tools. This is because the MBTI is simply not a numerical tool. By differentiating Types based on preference and inclination, the Myers-Briggs Types provide an excellent method of approaching communication, motivation, and interpersonal understanding.
For Example: when presenting to a strong S, no essential details should be overlooked. If presenting to an N, however, the details can quickly obscure the topic and bore the listener. This differentiation is both essential, and completely driven by the preference or inclination of the audience. Many authors extensively use the MBTI in constructing their characters for exactly this reason.
For Example: when presenting to a strong S, no essential details should be overlooked. If presenting to an N, however, the details can quickly obscure the topic and bore the listener. This differentiation is both essential, and completely driven by the preference or inclination of the audience. Many authors extensively use the MBTI in constructing their characters for exactly this reason.
Is The Myers-Briggs Worth Using?
As a personal and corporate understanding of interpersonal relations? Absolutely.
As a tool for personal understanding and development? Absolutely.
As a metric of absolute behavioral traits? No, the MBTI was not made to measure personality, it was made to describe it.
TL DR: MBTI tests are often ineffective and misinterpreted. The Myers-Briggs Types, on the other hand, are incredibly effective at evaluating preference-driven aspects of Personality, most notably communication and motivation.
