The Myers Briggs Personality Indicator System was invented by Katharine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, a mother and daughter looking for ways to help American women find the jobs best suited to their personalities during World War II. The idea behind the system is that just as people are right-handed or left-handed, we are also inclined to think and act in certain ways, in the way we are most naturally comfortable. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) analyzes four preferences, resulting in 16 possible combinations. Which one are you?
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Finding your brand
Step 1. Determine if you are an introvert or an extrovert
This preference doesn't have much to do with your level of sociability, but with your way of acting. Are you more inclined to act first and think later? Or do you prefer to reflect before acting?
- Someone who acts first tends to feel motivated and excited about doing anything, and is usually a outgoing under the MTBI. They also like to be around people.
- If you're the type of person who needs a break to introspect and reenergize (often in your own time), you probably are. introvert.
Did you know?
Shyness is not always a sign of introversion or extraversion. There are shy extroverts and very sociable introverts. When in doubt, think about what gives you energy and what tends to drain you (even if it's fun).
Step 2. Think about how you collect information
Do you do this through perceptions or intuitions? Sensory people see trees. Intuitives see the forest.
- Sensory they prefer details and concrete facts. They are more likely to say "I can only believe it when I see it." They tend not to trust hunches or hunches when they aren't tied to logic, observation, or fact.
- intuitive, on the other hand, are more comfortable with abstract theories and information. They are spontaneous and more imaginative than sensory ones and like to explore beyond the here and now, especially when thinking about the possibilities of the future. Your thoughts revolve around patterns, connections and flashes of epiphany.
Step 3. Watch how you make decisions
Once you gather information, whether through perception or feeling, how do you come to a decision?
- Do you tend to try to look from the perspective of everyone involved in an attempt to find the most balanced and harmonious solution (for example, reaching consensus)? If the answer is yes, your preference is probably for feeling.
- If you tend to look for the most logical and consistent solution, perhaps even measuring against a set of rules and assumptions, then your preferred way of making decisions is probably through thought.
Tip:
Both approaches are rational, and people with either preference can be emotional. Both types can have strong emotions and make bad decisions. Each type has its value.
Step 4. Think about how you identify with the outside world
Do you tend to communicate judgments or perceptions to others?
- If you have a preference for judgment, you are more inclined to explain your decisions to others and like to solve problems – case closed. You like to make plans, cross things off your to-do list, and meet your obligations before the deadline.
- On the other hand, who prefers the perception you tend to share your observations with the world, leaving questions open. You also prefer to do things as they come, mix work with play, and wait until the last minute before making a decision or making a commitment.
Step 5. Determine your personality type, which is a four-letter combination (for example:
INTJ, ENFP).
- The first letter is I (for Introvert) or E (for Extrovert).
- The second letter is S (for Sensory) or N (for Intuitive).
- The third letter is T (for Thinker, from English Thinker) or F (for Sentimental, from English Feeling).
- The fourth letter is J (for Judge) or P (for Perceptive).
Part 2 of 3: Taking the Test
Step 1. Try taking one or two tests online
Typing "Myers Briggs online test" into Google will show you several exams that can be taken for free. Answer the questions and you'll get your results.
- Your trends that aren't exactly clear may vary depending on the exam or your mood on the day of the exam.
- Remember to answer about how you actually act, not how you want to be.
Step 2. Take the official MBTI test
If you don't trust the abyss of the internet, it might be better to take the MBTI test with a professional, such as a psychologist or even a career counselor.
Step 3. Search for your brand's profile
It's not enough to know your personality type. There are entire profiles that you can look up on the internet or that your psychologist or employer can refer you to. This can help you understand what “sensory” or “perceptive” really means. They are given titles such as “The Giver”, or “The Teacher” etc.
The complete profile describes your personality type in a number of ways – work, personal relationships, home and so on. You might think the four-letter code doesn't look like you, but a deeper analysis might convince you
Part 3 of 3: Using your results
Step 1. Put your type into action
Once you've determined your type, you can begin to understand how you act with the world around you. If you are an INTJ and a salesperson, you might want to re-evaluate your line of work! This test has many uses in everyday life.
- Consider it when you are learning. How do you assimilate and perceive facts and concepts?
- Consider it with your relationships. How do you fit in with other personality types?
- Consider it for personal growth. Knowing your trends is the only way you can recognize them and start expanding them. Or to explore its power!
Step 2. Understand that no preference is better than another
No personality type is superior to another. MTBI seeks to identify natural preferences, not abilities. When determining your type, look from the perspective of what you tend to do, not what you think you should do. Recognizing your own preferences is a useful tool for self-development.
The MTBI exam describes priorities, not skills. For example, Sentimental people can be smart. Judging types don't necessarily live in judging others. Thinking people can have strong emotional intelligence
Step 3. Ask others what their type is
The Myers Briggs test is fascinating and popular: millions of people take the exam every year. Start asking your friends! It can even help you to identify with each other.
An ESFJ and an INTP can have an interesting conversation when it comes to personality type. Find people who are different from you and sit down to talk about the test. And find someone who is the same type - did you know you were the same or did something surprise you? Sometimes it's hard to know
Step 4. Avoid stereotyping
Don't assume that you know other people's types according to how they act or how they look on a specific day. In fact, even if you know the person's type, don't use it to impute negative values to them or ignore bad behavior. You can use personality types to understand someone and better interact with them, but not to limit others.
- Don't use demographics - such as gender or disabilities - to describe a personality. For example, not all men are the Thinker type, just as not all autistic men are Introverted Intuitives.
- Avoid making negative comments about a person's personality type. If you feel annoyed by someone's behavior, describe the bad behavior rather than pointing out defects in the person's personality. For example, Thinker types can and should learn to respect the feelings of others. Perceptuals can and must fulfill their obligations.
- Don't take it for granted that weaknesses commonly associated with your personality type are eternal. You can learn to overcome your weaknesses and grow.
Step 5. Know that this is not the beginning and end of everything
If you are unhappy with your results, don't worry. Yes, this is a pretty prominent test, but you are so much more than your MBTI results. It's like saying “Oh. You are an Aquarius, are you? You will never be punctual or supportive!”. No. That's not how it works.
- There are more personality types than the 16 combinations suggested by the Myers Briggs exam. These combinations only describe a little bit of your personality, not everything.
- And in fact, your results may vary throughout your lifetime. In part, that's because your environment influences your personality so much. So get tested now and retake it in a few years! You may have changed one or two trends.