LIFESTYLE
Myers-Briggs: How The Famous Personality Test Really Works
By KAITLYNN BOOT
What Is The MBTI?
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a psychometric tool that allows individuals to develop a clearer sense of their personality. This way, people can learn to communicate better, appreciate others’ strengths and differences, and become more self-aware.
How Was It Developed?
Mother-daughter duo Katherine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers developed the MBTI based on the work of psychiatrist Carl Jung. The test was intended to be an accessible tool to help people find jobs suited to their strengths, and it was first published in the early 1960s.
How Does It Work?
Through a series of simple, easy-to-understand questions, the MBTI categorizes people into one of 16 different personality types. Each personality type has its own four-letter code, which represents different personality preferences that describe a single person.
Extroversion & Introversion
Personality types begin with an E for extroversion or I for introversion, which focuses on how a person gives and receives energy. In the context of the MBTI, extroversion and introversion exist on a scale and include how a person responds to their environment.
Sensing & Intuition
Sensing (S) and Intuition (N) are all about how a person learns and absorbs information. If you rely on your senses to create meaning out of facts, you might be Sensing, but if you prefer to think about the possibilities of something, you may belong in the Intuition category.