What is personality type

First, the MBTI is not really a "test. The purpose of the indicator is not to evaluate mental health or offer any type of diagnosis. Also, unlike many other types of psychological evaluations, your results are not compared against any norms. Instead of looking at your score in comparison to the results of other people, the goal of the instrument is to simply offer further information about your own unique personality.

However, other studies have found that the reliability and validity of the instrument have not been adequately demonstrated. A book by The Committee on Techniques for the Enhancement of Human Performance and the National Research Council suggests that "there is not sufficient, well-designed research to justify the use of MBTI in career counseling programs.

Much of the current evidence is based on inadequate methodologies. Because the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator is relatively easy to use, it has become one of the most popular psychological instruments currently in use today.

Approximately two million U. While there are many versions of the MBTI available online, it should be noted that any of the informal questionnaires that you may find on the Internet are only approximations of the real thing. The real MBTI must be administered by a trained and qualified practitioner that includes a follow-up of the results. Today, the questionnaire can be administered online via the instrument publisher, CPP, Inc. The current version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator includes 93 forced-choice questions in the North American version and 88 forced-choice questions in the European version.

For each question, there are two different options from which the respondent must choose. Ever wonder what your personality type means? Sign up to find out more in our Healthy Mind newsletter.

Bjork RA, Druckman D. Jung CG. Psychological Types. In Collected Works of C. Jung, Volume 6. Princeton University Press: Building People, Building Programs. Center for Applications of Psychological Type. Gifts Differing: Understanding Personality Type. Pittenger DJ. Measuring the MBTI And Coming Up Short. Journal of Career Planning and Employment. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for VerywellMind.

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I Accept Show Purposes. Personality Psychology. Overview Intuitive-Thinking. A study published in the January journal Psychological Bulletin synthesized published research papers and found that personality may be altered through therapy, Live Science reported previously. However, he continued, "if you're willing to focus on one aspect of yourself, and you're willing to go at it systematically, there's now increased optimism that you can affect change in that domain.

Because neuroticism is linked to mental health challenges, researchers have recently become interested in trying to reduce neuroticism through therapy. The hope of the study — published in the National Library of Medicine — is that targeting neuroticism will prevent the development of disorders like depression.

Personality also seems to change — slowly but naturally — over the course of a person's life. As people age, they become more extraverted, less neurotic, more agreeable and more conscientious, Live Science reported. Though the Big Five are by far the most research-backed, scientifically based personality traits that have been identified, there are other schemas for measuring personality.

These don't always tend to correlate with life outcomes the way the Big Five do, but people find them entertaining and sometimes helpful for thinking about their own attributes and goals. Pro tip: If a system claims to describe your personality based on your zodiac sign, blood type or Hogwarts house, it's just for fun. Among the most popular is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, which breaks people into 16 "types" based on how their level of introversion or extraversion, their information-gathering style sensing for those who stick to the bare facts or intuition for those who prefer to find patterns , their decision-making preferences thinking for those who like objectivity and fact or feeling for those who prefer to weigh personal concerns and their tolerance of ambiguity in dealing with the outside world judging for those who prefer to get things settled, perceiving for those open to new information.

You're likely to run into versions of the Myers-Briggs online or at work retreats — they're very popular in corporate America. But research on the Myers-Briggs has found that it's not very reliable meaning people get different answers if they take the test several times and that it's not particularly valid meaning that people's answers don't match their real-world behavior or job outcomes very well , Live Science reported in Another popular personality test is the Enneagram Type Indicator, which divides people into nine personality types with additional "wing" types that cover other traits that people might sometimes display.

The Enneagram doesn't have much scientific theory behind it, though, and there's very little research showing that it's valid or reliable, according to Inverse. Finally, you're likely to run across the 16Personalities test online. This test is based on Myers-Briggs but instead of identifying people by four-letter strings, it divides people into 16 social-media-friendly categories like "diplomats" and "explorers.

In studies of personality, researchers found that outside the United States, a sixth trait kept popping up. This trait is along the honesty-humility spectrum. People who are high in honesty-humility are modest, fair and sincere; people who are low in the trait as boastful, greedy and pompous. The HEXACO inventory otherwise overlaps with the Big Five, measuring openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and emotionality which is similar to neuroticism.

Another personality inventory based in scientific theory is the Hogan Personality Inventory , which draws from the Big Five but focuses on interpersonal interactions specifically. This inventory measures people on traits such as ambition, sociability, sensitivity and prudence. Stephanie Pappas is a contributing writer for Live Science covering topics from geoscience to archaeology to the human brain and behavior.

A freelancer based in Denver, Colorado, she also regularly contributes to Scientific American and The Monitor, the monthly magazine of the American Psychological Association. Stephanie received a bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of South Carolina and a graduate certificate in science communication from the University of California, Santa Cruz. Live Science. What personality type am I? Additional resources. Stephanie Pappas. INFJs are creative nurturers with a strong sense of personal integrity and a drive to help others realize their potential.

Creative and dedicated, they have a talent for helping others with original solutions to their personal challenges. INTPs are philosophical innovators, fascinated by logical analysis, systems, and design. They are preoccupied with theory, and search for the universal law behind everything they see.

They want to understand the unifying themes of life, in all their complexity. ENFPs are people-centered creators with a focus on possibilities and a contagious enthusiasm for new ideas, people and activities. Energetic, warm, and passionate, ENFPs love to help other people explore their creative potential.

ENTJs are strategic leaders, motivated to organize change. They are quick to see inefficiency and conceptualize new solutions, and enjoy developing long-range plans to accomplish their vision. They excel at logical reasoning and are usually articulate and quick-witted.

ENTPs are inspired innovators, motivated to find new solutions to intellectually challenging problems. They are curious and clever, and seek to comprehend the people, systems, and principles that surround them. ENFJs are idealist organizers, driven to implement their vision of what is best for humanity.

They often act as catalysts for human growth because of their ability to see potential in other people and their charisma in persuading others to their ideas. ISFJs are industrious caretakers, loyal to traditions and organizations. They are practical, compassionate, and caring, and are motivated to provide for others and protect them from the perils of life. ISFPs are gentle caretakers who live in the present moment and enjoy their surroundings with cheerful, low-key enthusiasm.

They are flexible and spontaneous, and like to go with the flow to enjoy what life has to offer. ISTJs are responsible organizers, driven to create and enforce order within systems and institutions. They are neat and orderly, inside and out, and tend to have a procedure for everything they do.

ISTPs are observant artisans with an understanding of mechanics and an interest in troubleshooting. They approach their environments with a flexible logic, looking for practical solutions to the problems at hand. ESFJs are conscientious helpers, sensitive to the needs of others and energetically dedicated to their responsibilities.

They are highly attuned to their emotional environment and attentive to both the feelings of others and the perception others have of them.