Myers Briggs Type Indicator

A presentation by Muskan Janu & Eeshita Verma

 INTRODUCTION
The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator is a personality test which assigns one out of 16
personalities to the test taker, using an introspective questionnaire indicating differing
psychological preferences in how people derive energy, perceive the world, take
decisions and face situations.
Carl Jung
The MBTI is based on Carl Jung’s theory of
type. Carl Jung was a Swiss psychoanalyst
who began his work in the 1920's.

➔ PATTERNS
Differences between people are not
random. Instead they form
patterns—types

➔ PERSONALITY THEORY
Every person carries out two kinds of
mental processes:
1. We take in information
2. Then we take decisions using the
information; everyone has preferred
ways of using these mental processes
The Myers
Katherine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers, a
mother and daughter, integrated his work
with their research and developed this very
sophisticated and useful tool.
➔ In World War II, MBTI was used to help
career placement of women while
men were off fighting the war.
➔ Over the next 20+ years, Isabel Myers
collected data and undertook
research to improve the Indicator,
published as a research instrument in
1962.
 MBTI does not measure:
Aptitude Normalcy Etc.
Intelligence

Skill Maturity
IQ

MBTI measures PREFERENCES.

 How to take the test?
For a brief overview, you can take the free test from credible sites
(suggested in the end).
However, for the accurate version, you will have to take the paid test,
online or offline.

Answer as you The questions are

are, not as you answered in
hope to be. You There are no degrees Take the test
may ask other right or wrong (strongly/mildly alone and
people how they answers agree/disagree). honestly.
see you in the The answer to
given scenario, some questions
for an objective may be “it
answer. depends” or
“neutral”
 The Mathematics of MBTI
MBTI
HOW DO WE
WHERE DO WE GET HOW DO WE TAKE HOW DO WE TAKE
ORGANISE OUR
OUR ENERGY? IN INFORMATION? DECISIONS? WORLD?

EXTROVERT INTROVERT SENSING INTUITION FEELER THINKER JUDGER PERCEIVER

2 x 2 x 2 x 2
=16
 QUESTION
How do you prefer to relax at the end of a
stressful week?
 EXTROVERTS INTROVERTS
Extraverted individuals prefer group activities and get Introverted individuals prefer and get recharged by
energized by social interaction. They recharge their social solitary activities and get exhausted by social interaction.
batteries by being with people. They recharge their social batteries by being alone.

The following statements generally apply to me:

The following statements generally apply to me: 1. I am seen as "reflective" or "reserved."
1. I am seen as "outgoing" or as a "people person." 2. I feel comfortable being alone and like things I can
2. I feel comfortable in groups and like working in do on my own.
them. 3. I prefer to know just a few people well.
3. I have a wide range of friends and know lots of 4. I sometimes spend too much time reflecting and
people. don't move into action quickly enough.
4. I sometimes jump too quickly into an activity 5. I sometimes forget to check with the outside world
and don't allow enough time to think it over. to see if my ideas really fit the experience.
5. Before I start a project, I sometimes forget to
stop and get clear on what I want to do and why.

Note:
Shyness,
inconfidence and
an anti social
nature do not
translate to
introversion
Holmes and Watson are on a camping trip. In the middle of the night Holmes wakes up and
gives Dr. Watson a nudge. "Watson" he says, "look up in the sky and tell me what you see."

"I see millions of stars, Holmes," says Watson.

"And what do you conclude from that, Watson?"

Watson thinks for a moment. "Well," he says, "astronomically, it tells me that there are
millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is
in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three.
meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. Theologically, I see
that God is all-powerful, and we are small and insignificant. Uh, what does it tell you,
Holmes?"

"Watson, you idiot! Someone has stolen our tent!”

 SENSORS INTUITIVES
Observant individuals are highly practical, pragmatic and Intuitive individuals are very imaginative, open-minded
down-to-earth. They tend to have strong habits and focus and curious. They are intrigued by hidden meanings and
on what is, and what was. They use their 5 senses to future possibilities. They focus on ‘what could be’.
gather and understand information.
The following statements generally apply to me:
The following statements generally apply to me: 1. I remember events by what I read "between the
1. I remember events as snapshots of what actually lines" about their meaning.
happened. 2. I solve problems by leaping between different
2. I solve problems by working through facts. possibilities.
3. I am pragmatic and realistic 3. I am idealistic
4. I start with facts and then form a big picture. 4. I like to see the big picture, then to find out the
5. I trust experience first and trust words and symbols facts.
less. 5. I trust impressions, symbols, and metaphors more
6. I pay more attention to concrete information than what I actually experienced
6. I pay more attention to abstract information
 QUESTION
What would you do if a friend was
robbed?
 FEELERS THINKERS
Feeling individuals are sensitive and emotionally Thinking individuals focus on objectivity and rationality,
expressive. They are more empathic and warm than prioritizing logic over emotions. They tend to hide their
Thinking types, and focus on social harmony and feelings, and appear cold.
cooperation.
The following statements generally apply to me:
The following statements generally apply to me: 1. I enjoy technical and scientific fields where logic is
1. I am a good communicator. important.
2. I am concerned with harmony and nervous when 2. I think efficiency is more important than
it is missing. cooperation.
3. I look for what is important to others and express 3. I take decisions with my head and want to be fair.
concern for others. 4. I believe telling the truth is more important than
4. I take decisions with my heart and after being tactful.
considering everyone’s feelings 5. Sometimes I miss or don't value the "people" part
5. I believe being tactful is more important than of a situation.
telling the "cold" truth.
Note:
When someone is
a feeler, it does not
mean the/she
doesn’t think.
Similarly, thinkers
have feelings too.
 QUESTION
If tomorrow’s classes were cancelled,
what would you do?
 JUDGERS PERCEIVERS/PROSPECTORS
Judging individuals are decisive, thorough and highly Prospecting individuals are very good at improvising and
organized. They value clarity, predictability and closure, spotting opportunities. They tend to be flexible, relaxed
preferring structure and planning to spontaneity. nonconformists who prefer keeping their options open.

The following statements generally apply to me: The following statements generally apply to me:
1. I like certainty. 1. I am spontaneous.
2. Last minute changes and short notices make me 2. I don’t mind short notices/uncertainty.
uncomfortable. 3. I like to approach work as play or mix work and
3. I like to make lists of things to do. play.
4. I like to get my work done before playing. 4. I work in bursts of energy.
5. I plan work to avoid rushing just before a deadline. 5. I am stimulated by an approaching deadline.

Note
If a person is a
judger, it does not
mean s/he is
judgemental.
 THE 16 TYPES
INFJ INFP ENFJ ENFP
INTJ INTP ENTJ ENTP
ISFJ ISFP ESFJ ESFP
ISTJ ISTP ESTJ ESTP
I I E E
N N N N
F F F F
J P J P

I I E E
N N N N
T T T T
J P J P

I I E E
S S S S
F F F F
J P J P

I I E E
S S S S
T T T T
J P J P
 Merits Demerits
-You get to understand yourself -No combination of 4 letters can define
and your peers better a person. People vary.
-You get to know your strengths -It is a theory revolving around the
and weaknesses and can thus work human mind, and thus, results may be
on them accordingly inconsistent
-You feel understood after realising -One might subconsciously start to
why you act the way you do, conform to his/her MBTI stereotypes,
leading to self acceptance even if they don’t match his/her original
behaviour
-You may find out career
opportunities that suit you -Critics argue that letter by letter typing
is the nascent model and one should
use cognitive typing for more accurate
results
 Companies using MBTI
The most recent statistics indicate that 1 in every 5 Fortune 1,000 companies uses the
test in the hiring process. Eighty-nine of the Fortune 100 companies use it either in the
hiring process, or in the workplace for team-building exercises, leadership coaching,
executive talent management, things like that. The marketplace for workplace
personality assessments is upwards of $2 billion. Many of the companies that publish
and administer these indicators are private, so it’s hard to know exactly what the market
share of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is, but in the late ‘90s, it was estimated that their
share would be about 25 to 30 percent of that market.

So all of the consulting firms — [Boston Consulting Group], McKinsey, Bain, Deloitte,
Accenture — definitely use it. The kinds of corporations that are likely to use it are
service-oriented ones. They’re ones where they’re hiring people whose job it is is to
manage other people.

Source: www.marketplace.org
 How should MBTI NOT be used (in an organisation)?
Reason #1: Someone’s Personality Type Is Not a Reliable Indicator of Their Professional Success
within a Specific Field
For example, if a person has a high score for Introversion, but their work needs them to be
talkative and socially driven in order to succeed, then they will become that person for short
bursts throughout the day.

Is it their preference to be that? No.

But are they capable of it? Yes.

Reason #2: Too Many [Insert Trait Here] Personalities Can Make for an Unbalanced Team

Suppose you disregard the above, and you still want a team composed mostly of, say, Intuitive
personality types. And why wouldn’t you? Intuitive types, when left to their own devices, can be
extremely visionary people. They often work outside the established lines and can push your
company to new, never-before-seen heights.
 How should MBTI be used (in an
organisation)?
Information from personality tests help companies better understand their employees’ strengths,
weaknesses and the way they perceive and process information
a. Assembling teams: MBTI results tell you a lot about how each member of your team likes
to work and with whom they will collaborate most effectively and efficiently.
b. Facilitating communication: As a manager, you will have an easier time communicating
with team members because you will understand how each person works best and what
they need.
c. Motivating employees: Information about an employee's’ personality type can inform how
you manage and motivate them.
d. Less conflict, greater efficiency: Each of us perceives and processes information differently
and those differences show up in our work habits. As a business owner or leader you want
to place your employees in roles that take into account those differences, play to each
person’s strengths and minimize the impact of weaknesses.
 How should MBTI not be
used?
- To determine one’s intellect/worth/rarity
- To justify immoral behaviour
- As the gospel truth of compatibility
- As a pre-employment test Trivia:
- To define growth constraints and thus, The online MBTI
community is usually
concluding that people cannot change biased towards
Intuitives and Introverts.
- To form biases against and for people of certain There are also a lot of
stereotypes associated
types with each type.
These practices should
be actively avoided.
 Can MBTI change?
Unfortunately, the answer is not that simple. According to most personality type theories, the
individual’s type is inborn and does not change. However, individuals can develop traits and
habits that directly contradict the description of their type. How does that happen?
The environment you are in shapes your personality in a certain way, forcing you to develop
traits and habits that might be foreign to your type. For instance, if you are naturally casual
and spontaneous (Prospecting), but your work schedule is very structured and your manager
is obsessive about schedules, your preferences are likely to change. However, you will
probably switch back to being a Prospecting individual as soon as you leave that job. The
same rule applies to other traits as well.
One more thing, sociability is often confused with Extraversion, just like shyness is confused
with Introversion. While Extraverted individuals naturally find it easier to talk to other people
(they gain energy when they do this), there are many shy or solitary people among them.
Conversely, Introverted types lose energy when they communicate with others, but you
would be able to find many articulate individuals in that group.
To conclude, your basic personality type cannot change – however, a temporary change
could be triggered by either the environment you are in or your own will.
 Conclusion
Despite its numerous demerits, MBTI can be used to one’s advantage, if used
correctly. It’s a fun test to help you get to know yourself and your peers better.
Again, no MBTI type is greater or lesser than another, every type is unique.

Think of it this way. You have two hands. You favor one over the other, but you still
use the other hand! In the same way, we all use all types. One is more natural and
more comfortable for us to use, and the other is a little less comfortable but we
still use it daily.
 THANK YOU!
For (free) MBTI tests, go to:
https://www.16personalities.com/free-pers
onality-test
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jty
pes2.asp
For paid ($50) MBTI test, go to:
https://www.mbtionline.com/

Good luck!
You’ll ace this test ;)
Feel free to share your results with us!