Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
The Myers -Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI short of english Myers -Briggs type indicator - by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers ) is neither valid nor reliables, so pseudo- scientific tool for the assessment of personality. It represents a form of personality typology
11-14 % ISFJ 9-14 % INFJ 1-3% INTJ 2-4% ISTP 4-6% ISFP 5-9% INFP 4-5% INTP 3-5% ESTP 4-5% ESFP 4-9 % ENFP 6-8% ENTP 2-5% ESTJ 8-12% ESFJ 9-13% ENFJ 2-5% ENTJ 2-5%
Introduction
The MBTI is based on the typology of Carl Gustav Jung, in "Psychological Types " wrote down his observations. Katherine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers picked up on this and carried out series of measurements. They used the results to establish that offers personality assessment commercially the Center for Applications of Psychological Type. The term MBTI is a trademark of the American company CPP Inc. and remained largely unknown in Europe.
Through the publications of David Keirsey Jungian or Myers - briggsche typology gained a greater awareness. It is often used in human resources, since there is to be characteristic correlations between MBTI type and professional suitability.
In the U.S., several dozen books on the MBTI and personality model associated have appeared over time. He has a high prevalence and popularity, while there are only a few and relatively unknown books about it in Germany and the applications are limited largely to the coaching division within a company.
The original MBTI questionnaire is available only for a fee through licensed trainer, usually associated with a subsequent consultation. There are many similarly structured, freely available tests and questionnaires that are based on the same principle as the MBTI, however, do not meet the quality criteria. The most famous of these is the Keirsey Temperament Sorter.
The reliability of the MBTI is bad and it is very common that someone who can not identify with the type that the test found. Even if you have then decided on a type which most closely matches your own personality, you can easily find matches with some other of the 16 types and so change from day to day and the situation on multiple types. With repetition of the test after several weeks or months, the type often varies.
Classification
Carl Gustav Jung noted in his daily interaction with patients that dealing with some people in the world was simply different from his own. He recorded these observations and their characteristic features, naming it and knowing the personality assessment went back for his work advantage. Fundamental to the model is the assessment of the types is available in four functions ( thinking / feeling, sensing / intuition ), which were occupied introvert or extrovert with each of the attributes. The MBTI solved the attributes of the features and created from dimensions (E / I, N / S, F / T - the orientation of J / P was by Briggs and Myers -Briggs added), each indicating the dominant preference. The sequence of the letters is divided into two perception functions and two evaluation functions ( in young there were two plus one ). It is important that a bimodal distribution is used with a very hard separation between the respective Dichotomic in MBTI. This means that there are no occurrences, but only unique preferences ( right or left handed ). All functions and orientations are present in all people. The MBTI tells you, prefers what function is used and in what recourse subordinated.
Everyone is adapted to act in a position in accordance with these events, but most people prefer certain preferred approaches. This is referred to herein as types.
About group studies tests have been developed that allow no -one call already an assessment of the MBTI type. If such a test I ( 3 ) S ( 5) T ( 6) J (5 ) yields, then you write short ISTJ as an abbreviation. Each symbol has four while also a proper name, however depending on the author and the language version may be different. The ISTJ is so named, for example, also " inspector " and describes particularly reliable contemporaries - such categorization is controversial however, as it promotes stereotype images.
Functions
The functions with the attributes introverted and extraverted form the core of the MBTI model. They should explain how the personality of a guy is built. However, there are justifiable doubts as to their validity ( see review) and some authors, such as David Keirsey, have completely turned away from them. In the rest of the literature on the MBTI, they often appear not to be and by the four dimensions (see above) replaced. Although the functions are similar to those of Jung, they are considered somewhat different.
Description of functions:
The functions of the individual types are interpreted as follows: Intro and extraverted functions change from always. In the first and second and in the third and fourth function is rational and irrational functions complement. Perceiving or Judging is based ( in the first extroverted, introverted in the second function ) after the first extraverted function, since the MBTI inventors emanated from the fact that you can only communicate through his extraverted function with the environment. Striking is thus at the introverted that those from the irrational type ( perceiver ) have a dominant rational function and vice versa. The unconscious, so the last four functions correspond to the conscious in the same order, but reversed intro and extroversion.
Questionnaire
The psychological inventory to estimate the MBTI in two stages usually by a questionnaire filled out first. Then the result will be explained to the subjects in detail, and he is asked to make all the changes that it deems necessary because he knows himself differently in the corresponding criteria. After correction by the subject of the so- called "best fit" is ( best fit between subject and Inventory ) were prepared. The questionnaire itself contains a long series of dichotomous questions ( each with two possible answers ), the answers can also fail. Gradations such as " rather yes ", " no more " and "do not know " are not possible.
Of the possible questions are those used for the questionnaire with discriminating value as possible, the answer often deviates from an expected mean value. There must be so different questionnaires, but these are useful only if they have been calibrated by means of a group test. Apart from the official MBTI test sheets of the company CPP is widely nor the " Keirsey Temperament Sorter " known, which is calibrated and is available for free. There are several websites that provide the Keirsey test in many languages online.
The discussion of the test results should always be done, since the compilation and the subquestions rating is ultimately arbitrary. The Jungian observation of various types of remains, however, which are grouped characteristics of the approaches to tasks and can be assigned, and ultimately are typical. Without individual interview, this is done by reread the descriptions of the 16 types and the subject itself selects the most appropriate. The result of the test sheet give you a hint which type is most likely. Only rarely choose another type as most appropriate, determined as the in the test.
The simplicity of this test method is also advantageous as criticism. The simplicity of it is also laymen easily conveyed, but also leaves much room for interpretation and abuse. A central answer (" nor ") or a gradation of response ( " partially applies " ) is not possible. There must always be decided for one side or the question may be omitted.
Application
The use of the MBTI in the personnel area is common especially in the Anglo-American world. The use of recruitment procedures based on statistical surveys in which significant correlations between the working field, the personality type and the satisfaction of the workers were found with the professional field. Here there is a presumption that a suitable personality to the job provides better long-term labor, for example, is rarely sick. This is obvious - but it found no justification for or against use of the MBTI.
In Germany it is also used to, however, outweighs the use as a development tool. The MBTI Step I must not be used ( according to the German licensing training ) for staff selection - from the use of the MBTI Step II more suitable instruments is discouraged due to availability. Background is mainly the theoretical construct: The MBTI is not a test, but an indicator ( Myers -Briggs Type Indicator ). It measures preferences, not properties ( traits ) with forms. Therefore, there is no right / wrong, but only preferences as right or left handed, which have no significance on the quality of performance. The MBTI explicitly takes into account learning behavior, so that a right-handed can learn to perform certain tasks with the left, even better than a left-handed, but it remains right-handed. It follows that the MBTI does not predict how someone will behave; it allows only in retrospect a reflection of the situation and modification of future behavior. This was by Briggs and Myers -Briggs wanted, because they wanted to create a tool based on the experience of two world wars, which facilitates the understanding of the people. Explicitly no man shall be circumcised in its possibilities. Thus, the application of the MBTI is limited to reflect on their own behavior and personal development as a use as a test for selection is questionable and morally questionable.
The free availability of MBTI -like questionnaires third party such as Keirsey has also brought forward the application of MBTI -like systems outside of professional competence. To be used in the Anglo-American world in marriage counseling these tests in order to give the partners hints can to which personality differences must be taken into consideration. The successes, however, have partly led to an overestimation of the MBTI.
Further works
Gunter Dueck engages in some of his works on the MBTI model back (where he uses the remarks by David Keirsey ) and designs based on his own character model.
The couple Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron - Tieger has published several books in order to help people in work, education and partnership, and uses the MBTI as a central tool. Here, too, among others, resorted to Keirseys designs and complemented by decades of observations.
The widespread use of the MBTI -like models has led to other models to personality and character to compare with it. Not the MBTI model per se, but the derivatives of Keirsey resort to the classic four- element theory of the Western world, on the back and the humoral theory and the theory of humors. They had already seen a combination of temperament and health of a person.
In the east, especially in Russia, which built on Jung classification Socionics is very popular and is so to speak the Russian counterpart to the MBTI dar. In socionics, it is not only about the types per se, but the theory of functions by CG Jung is attributed to a stronger meaning, and the relationships of types with each other are detected in a complex model. In addition, the Socionics tried to show a correlation between types and physical characteristics.
Criticism
As is true for all selbsteinschätzenden method for the MBTI the Barnum effect. The subject recognizes himself in descriptions again, although these are rather general and, in reality, most people apply.
Whether people are really assign 16 clearly distinguishable types is highly controversial, because the concept of the 16 types could not be scientifically proven. On the contrary, numerous studies speak against the existence of types, or against dichotomous, in either / or divided personality traits. Instead, characteristics move on a continuous scale on which only represent the end points (eg, introversion and extraversion ) an extreme and most of the people is located approximately in the middle between these two points, see the Big Five (psychology ).
Within three extensive studies, the theory of the function MBTI was checked. The clear result is that the statements of the functions and especially their fixed order of main and secondary functions hardly match the reality and the actual behavior. They could withstand scientific scrutiny in any way. It rough logic errors have been identified in the structure of the functional system, as well as for doubt about whether this ever corresponds to the Jungian theory.
On the part of Socionics also comes the criticism that the MBTI derived from guys work functions misinterpreted. In Socionics the introverted types have the main function, which corresponds to their type code ( Judging or Perceiving ). In the MBTI, they have the type code ( Judging or Perceiving ) opposite the main function. However, the significance of the functions is generally very controversial, see last paragraph.
The original MBTI test is always free of charge, and officially there is little free information. In German-speaking countries, there is a special information poverty, as the official MBTI licensors CPP and the associated organization CAPT ( Center for Applications of Psychological Type ) offer any German websites or other freely -accessible publication in German language. German -language information on the MBTI are therefore only get a charge through licensed third-party or non-licensed unofficial sources. In both cases, the representation of the MBTI mostly works out subjective and very positive. The information and free trials that can be found on the MBTI on the internet are imitations or interpretations, which are usually mixed with subjective impressions or the model of Keirsey.
In particular, in the prognosis of the vocational aptitude and success denied the MBTI test.
Another point of criticism is the stagnation of the model. Although the MBTI was initially developed continuously, there was in the late 1960s and early 1970s, little significant change.