MBTI is a system for dividing people into 16 different personality types based on how they experience the world and therefore how they act in the world. If you’re as cynical as I, you’re probably thinking “this isn’t some astrology shit, is it?” Fortunately for you, it isn’t.
I’ll begin by allaying some concerns. If you’ve heard of MBTI before, you may have heard concern over the validity of the MBTI. This concern stems primarily from the fact that people don’t always get the same result when they take the test. This makes sense. Firstly, people aren’t cookie cut. Personality is a spectrum, it’s not discrete. Occasionally someone will fall on the line between two types. This doesn’t detract from the indicator’s usefulness itself. It just means those who fall in the gaps will be able to relate to bits and pieces of each type. Another common critique is: “A personality type indicator cannot fall prey to a person’s mood swings”. The fact is that everyone acts differently based on their mood. However, MBTI is about the underlying mechanisms of a person’s thought process. It’s about why they come to certain decisions and life choices based on how their brain is wired. So, while someone may be experiencing an emotional swing while filling out the test once, over several tests any effect will likely be cancelled out. Majority of the time, one is able to tell whether or not they were typed correctly by reading about that type.
I’ll save you the trouble before entering the fun stuff. I am an INTJ. One of the godly intellectual idea people. Oh, and we’re usually seen as arrogant.
The Attitudes
Introversion (I) vs. Extroversion (E)
In Jungian psychology, introversion and extroversion are considered attitudes (as opposed to functions), as they are a general attitude towards the world, as opposed to a way (function) of dealing with the world.
Extraverts are all about the external world. They want to take action, do things, meet people and they get energy through interacting with others and tend to value breadth of knowledge.
Introverts are all about ideas, depth of knowledge, they tend to meet less people but have deeper interactions and they get their energy spending time alone.
The Functions
Sensing (S) vs. Intuiting (N)
These are the functions responsible for how we perceive the world, and in particular what sort of evidence we put our faith in. Thus, they are called the Perceiving functions.
Sensing people tend to value personal experience, tangibility, and tend to distrust their gut. They like intricate details and facts, the information itself.
Intuiting people tend to value patterns, contextually and networked evidence and like to consider the future possibilities of such knowledge. Knowledge for an intuiting person is rooted in the logical principles that govern the information, rather than the information itself.
Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F)
The Thinking and Feeling functions are known as the judging functions.
The difference between these functions are pretty self-explanatory. There are thinkers and feelers.
Thinkers tend to value objective facts when making decisions. Feelers tend to consider the people involved in a decision.
Dominant and Auxiliary functions
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)
This determines which, out of the dominant sensing or judging function, takes priority.
P means they prefer to use their sensing function. J means they prefer to use their judging function.
A Perceiving dominant person prefers to gather information, leave options open and go with the flow. They prefer a changing environment and life. How they gather this information though, depends on which Perceiving function they prefer.
A Judging dominant person prefers to settle matters and move on. They prefer planning and structure in their life. Just as if someone prefers perceiving, how a judging person approaches their “do it and move on” approach will depend on which Judging function they prefer.
IxxP => The auxilary function is extraverted *Perceiving function* and therefore the introverted judging function is dominant. Or vice versa for IxxJ.
ExxJ => The dominant function is the extraverted *Judging function* and have an introverted auxilary function. Or vice versa for ExxP.
This is a little confusing. Hopefully this colourful diagram will help to alleviate that confusion.
How to use the MBTI
The MBTI has many applications, both personal and professional. Professionally, tests such as the MBTI and others like it (Enneagram, Big 5) are used in some workplaces. Ray Dalio’s Bridgewater Capital use the MBTI to foresee disagreements between coworkers and preemptively solve them by implementing systems and procedures to step through when a disagreement is reached. Bridgewater also use it to ensure there are people with complimenting ways of thinking in each task group. For example, an ESFP may be able to better explain how a certain managerial change may affect the people’s working motivation, while bringing some fun into the office, whereas an INTJ will be able to suggest which changes will bring about the greatest delta in efficiency, while bringing pun into the office.
If applying it personally, the MBTI ought to be used as a tool and not a rulebook. It’s a tool that allows you to realise that some of your quirks, or what you thought were quirks, are not uniquely your own. There are others out there just as weird and brilliant as you. Of course, the brilliance does not just extend to each types’ strengths, but also their weaknesses. You should not worship behaviours of type, specifically the double edged ones. For example, many INTJs tend to think their frigidity is something to be relished in order to make the most rational decisions. Truth be told, it’s possible to make rational decisions with a smile on your face, as uncomfortable as it may be temporarily.
Relatedly, it’s important to note that the MBTI is a test of preferences and not ability. That is an xNTx or “rational” is not necessarily more rational than an xSFx, they, as an individual just prefer the faculties of NT. It’s also not a test of the extent of preference, though, some tests may offer an estimate. Having tested “extravert” as your attitude does not mean you must meet with friends every night in order to be fulfilled. It does mean you’re more likely to go out, and enjoy going out than an otherwise equal introvert.
Perhaps the best thing about finding out your MBTI type is that you now have, on paper a list of strengths and weaknesses. Maybe not all of them apply, that’s fine, you were not cookie cut. But surely some of them will. From there you can work out how to use your strengths in a way that minimises your weaknesses.
NB: This is a very brief summary. There is much more detail to be found online elsewhere.
