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3.1: Your Psychological Preferences (MBTI)

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    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers based on the framework of personality theory by psychologist Carl Jung. The MBTI is a personality assessment measuring the psychological preferences that influence how people perceive the world and make decisions. This assessment is used widely across the world and has been translated into more than two dozen languages. Many companies use the MBTI to help employees learn more about themselves and how they can strengthen their team efforts plus increase overall productivity for the company. Many colleges and universities use the MBTI to help students with career exploration.

    The MBTI will help you gain a better understanding of your preferences and work environments that best fit you. The MBTI does not measure abilities, skills, values or interests and instead assesses your personality preferences. The MBTI instrument indicates preferences on four facets, or pairs, of opposites called dichotomies (Martinez & Shaker, 2021).

    Please click on the following link to view a video with an introduction of four facets comprising the 16 possible personality types: Video 16 Personality Types [www.youtube.com])

    Personality Theory: The Four Facets

    • Extraversion-Introversion (EI): how you get your energy and where you prefer to focus your attention
    • Sensing-Intuition (SN): how you take in information about the world around you
    • Thinking-Feeling (TF): how you make decisions
    • Judging-Perceiving (JP): how you organize your life
    Activity 3.1
    What's Your Type?

    Complete the following activity to identify your personality type based on your own self reflection. As part of this course, you will take the MBTI using instructions provided by your instructor, and your instructor will generate a report and interpret your results. Please complete the following quick activity to self-identify your personality type then compare these informal results with the actual MBTI results to look for similarities and/or differences.

    Read the descriptions for the four facets. Pick which is more like you.
    • E (Extraversion) or I (Introversion)?
    • S (Sensing) or N? (Intuition)?
    • T (Thinking) or F? (Feeling)?
    • J (Judging) or P? (Perceiving)?
    Facet Descriptions
    Could be described as:
    • Talkative, outgoing
    • Likes fast-paced environments
    • Tends to work out ideas with others and think aloud
    • Enjoys being the center of attention

    Then you prefer

    (E) Extraversion
    Could be described as:
    • Reserved, private
    • Prefers a slower pace with time for contemplation
    • Tends to think things through inside your head
    • An observer rather than the center of attention

    Then you prefer

    (I) Introversion
    Could be described as:
    • Focused on the reality of how things are
    • Pays attention to concrete facts and details
    • Prefers ideas that have practical applications
    • Describes things in a specific, literal way

    Then you prefer

    (S) Sensing
    Could be described as:
    • Imagines the possibilities of how things could be
    • Notices the big picture, see how everything connects
    • Enjoys ideas and concepts for their own sake
    • Figurative, poetic

    Then you prefer

    (N) Intuition
    Could be described as:
    • Makes decisions in an impersonal way using logical reasoning
    • Values justice, fairness
    • Enjoys finding flaws in arguments
    • Reasonable, level-headed

    Then you prefer

    (T) Thinking
    Could be described as:
    • Bases decisions on personal values and how actions affect others
    • Values harmony, forgiveness
    • Likes to please others and point out the best in people
    • Warm, empathetic

    Then you prefer

    (F) Feeling
    Could be described as:
    • Prefers to have matters settled
    • Thinks rules and deadlines should be respected
    • Prefers detailed step-by-step instructions
    • Makes plans, wants to know what you’re getting into

    Then you prefer

    (J) Judging
    Could be described as:
    • Prefer to leave your options open
    • Sees rules and deadlines as flexible
    • Likes to improvise and make things up as you go
    • Spontaneous, enjoys surprise and new situations

    Then you prefer

    (P) Perceiving

    What's your 4-letter personality type?

    The following are brief descriptions of the 16 personality types from Humanmetrics. Click on your personality type or a similar type to see which describes you best.

    16 Personality Types

    ESTJ

    ISTJ

    ENTJ

    INTJ

    ESTP

    ISTP

    ENTP

    INTP

    ESFJ

    ISFJ

    ENFJ

    INFJ

    ESFP

    ISFP

    ENFP

    INFP

    3.1: Your Psychological Preferences (MBTI) is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Heather Burns & Elfi Hoskins.