What is the Myers-Briggs test?
Even if you’re unfamiliar with personality testing, the Myers-Briggs assessment is likely to ring a bell. It’s been around for decades and is widely used in HR and therapeutic circles alike. What is the Myers-Briggs test, what do the Myers-Briggs letters mean and what is the purpose of the Myers-Briggs test? This time-tested personality inventory is designed to help you understand how you process and receive information. When you know yourself, you know what you want and what your skills are. From there, you’re empowered to set SMART goals and get what you want in life.
What is the Myers-Briggs test?
Answers to questions like “What is the Myers-Briggs test?” and “Is the Myers and Briggs test accurate?” center on the role personal psychology plays in behavior. The Myers-Briggs test is a self-assessment tool that makes sense of a person’s behavior by viewing it through a personality lens. The Myers-Briggs theory was created by psychologist C.G. Jung, whose research demonstrated that a person’s “psychological preferences” – how someone perceives and interprets information, makes decisions and maintains flexibility – interact to create 16 “personality types” that drive behavior.
What is the purpose of the Myers-Briggs test?
The Myers-Briggs test is a tool for determining your psychological preferences in four dimensions:
1. Favorite world. Do you prefer to focus on your outer world (extroversion) or inner world (introversion)?
2. Information. Do you prefer to interpret information (intuition) or accept information “as is” (sensing)?
3. Decisions. Do you prefer to make decisions based on people and special circumstances (feeling) or on logic and consistency (thinking)?
4. Structure. Do you prefer to remain open to new information and options (perceiving) or make concrete, permanent decisions (judging)?
Your psychological preferences are coded into letters: E for extraversion, I for introversion, N for intuition, S for sensing, F for feeling, T for thinking, P for perceiving and J for judging.
What do the Myers-Briggs letters mean?
The Myers-Briggs letters represent a code of personality traits. Your psychological preferences in each of the four dimensions are coded to represent your psychological personality. For example, if you prefer extraversion, intuition, feeling and perceiving, your Myers-Briggs personality type is ENFP. If you prefer intuition, sensing, thinking and judging, you’re an ISTJ Myers-Briggs type.
Is the Myers and Briggs test accurate?
For decades, this personality assessment has set a gold standard for self-inquiry, but like all things, it has its limitations. Psychology Today reports that, like all typologies, the Myers-Briggs test has a forced-choice format where you must choose between categories (you can’t be extroverted and introverted). Although this makes sense from a categorical standpoint, it’s difficult for human beings to truly fit into distinct personality categories since personality traits exist on a spectrum (i.e. you might be introverted in some circumstances but extroverted in others). A Myers-Briggs analysis must be taken with the understanding that we’re talking about dominant personality traits, not comprehensive ones. Instead of asking “Is the Myers and Briggs test accurate?” a more precise question is, “Is my self-perception correct?” Since the Myers-Briggs test hinges on self-evaluation (instead of evaluation by a third party), your results are only as valid as your sense of self. So if you think you’re an extrovert but are in fact more introverted, your Myers-Briggs results won’t be able to guide you to greater clarity.
Any personality inventory you take has its pros, cons, strengths and weaknesses. This is why it is advisable to take more than one type of inventory – for example, supplementing what you learn through a Myers-Briggs test versus DISC assessment results.
What is the Myers-Briggs test able to accomplish? Find out for yourself, and discover which of the six human needs are driving you. When you know yourself, you’re able to create the extraordinary life you deserve.
Do you know what is the purpose of the Myers-Briggs test?
Personality tests such as Myers-Briggs is a very common assessment widely used in business. Uncover your psychological personality with the Myers-Briggs test and start succeeding in life. Learn more today through Tony’s Entrepreneur Accelerator Toolkit.