Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

If you've taken Psych 100 and this is old news to you, I apologize. Last week, some article made an off hand reference to the Myers-Brigg Type Indicator assessment. Being an Senser (more on that later), I did some research. It's basically an assessment that measures psychological preferences in how people perceive the world and make decisions. And using a free online knock off version, I got results that kind of blew me away. Apparently it's the most widely used personality test in the world and I've been living under a rock.

Four days later, eight people were sitting around a kitchen table taking the test, sharing results and then reading the wikipedia page for each person's results. And we still haven't stopped talking about it.

So if you're interested, take the test here, and then you can go to wikipedia and put in your 4-letter results and get all sorts of information about it. And if you'd like to post your results in the comments, feel free. I've been speculating about everyone I know, and I'd love to know how my perception lines up with your results. So far only two people have had the same type.

Want more info? As an ESFJ (Provider), I'm happy to help. Read on!

The test is based on the idea of 4 pairs of dichotomies, or opposing psychological preferences, which makes for a possible 16 types. The terms have specific meanings to this test which may differ from their everyday usage.

Some of these descriptions are a bit judge-y, which is off-base, but I thought it was somewhat helpful as a visual.

 1. extraversion/introversion (E/I)
People who prefer extraversion draw energy from action: they tend to act, then reflect, then act further. Conversely, those who prefer introversion expend energy through action: they prefer to reflect, then act, then reflect again.

2. sensing/intuition (S/N)
Sensing and intuition are the information-gathering (perceiving) functions. They describe how new information is understood and interpreted. Individuals who prefer sensing are more likely to trust information that is in the present, tangible and concrete: that is, information that can be understood by the five senses. On the other hand, those who prefer intuition tend to trust information that is more abstract or theoretical, that can be associated with other information (either remembered or discovered by seeking a wider context or pattern)

3.thinking/feeling (T/F)

Thinking and feeling are the decision-making functions. Those who prefer thinking tend to decide things from a more detached standpoint, measuring the decision by what seems reasonable, logical, causal, consistent and matching a given set of rules. Those who prefer feeling tend to come to decisions by associating or empathizing with the situation, looking at it 'from the inside' and weighing the situation to achieve, on balance, the greatest harmony, consensus and fit, considering the needs of the people involved.

4. judgment/perception (J/P) 
Judgment and perception reflect the implementation of the above preferences. Those who favor judgment prefer a planned or orderly way of life, like to have things settled and organized, feel more comfortable when decisions are made, and like to bring life under control as much as possible.Those who favor perception prefer a flexible and spontaneous way of life, and like to understand and adapt to the world rather than organize it.

Happy introspection!

 -av, lover of tests.

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