When you sit down and think about someone's personality, you might find that some people tend to be boisterous and bold, some tend to be unconventional and reserved, and some may be a combination of both of these or none of these! So how can we really measure these different types of thinking, feeling and behaving? Keep reading to find out!
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenWhen you sit down and think about someone's personality, you might find that some people tend to be boisterous and bold, some tend to be unconventional and reserved, and some may be a combination of both of these or none of these! So how can we really measure these different types of thinking, feeling and behaving? Keep reading to find out!
Within the field of psychology, the existence of personality types is rather controversial. You may question why this is so, so let us explain. A personality type is known as the psychological classification of different types of individuals, whereas a personality trait reflects a person's pattern of thought, feelings and behaviours.
A personality type can be classified as Type A, B, C or D, with A being ambitious and competitive, B being charismatic and easygoing, C being focused and logical, and D being existential and insightful.
On the other hand, a personality trait is something that implies consistency and stability - someone who scores high on a specific trait like agreeableness is expected to be the same way throughout all situations they may encounter.
Traits are on a continuum, whereas types fit into distinct categories. The two work together in that the characteristics provided by type theory can be seen in trait theory as a continuum, i.e. a scale. Types are limited, whereas traits cover wider aspects of personality.
Now that we have understood the difference between the two, and how one gives rise to the other, let us look at one of the most popular indicators of personality types used across the world today - the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI).
The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report measure and aims to not only identify an individual's personality but also their strengths and weaknesses.
Developed by Isabel Myers and her mother, Katherine Briggs, this indicator was based on Carl Jung's theory of personality types. They wanted to develop a tool to better understand how individual differences can be explained, and formulated a questionnaire based on four different scales, each of which will be explained below. These scales can be combined to describe a personality type.
You need to remember the different scales, detailed below. Try to remember all 8!
This dichotomy was first explored by Carl Jung and was a way to describe how individuals responded to and interacted with the world around them.
Extroverts have a tendency of being action-oriented, enjoying high levels of social interaction while introverts tend to be thought-oriented, enjoying only deep and meaningful social interactions.
The focus of this scale is to observe how people gather information from the world around them, including other people and new experiences.
Individuals that prefer sensing seem to pay a great deal of attention to reality; they like to focus on facts, and details and enjoy hands-on experiences. Those that are more intuitive, however, pay more attention to things such as patterns and impressions and enjoy thinking about abstract theories and the future.
This scale focuses on how people make decisions, and this is influenced by the previous scale, i.e., their sensing or intuiting functions.
Those who prefer thinking tend to place greater emphasis on facts and data, being logical and impersonal when making a decision, whereas those who prefer feeling have a greater likelihood of considering people and their emotions when making a decision.
This is the final scale and it focuses on how people deal with the world around them.
Those who lean toward judging tend to prefer structure and firm decisions, whereas those who lean toward perceiving are flexible and easily adaptable.
There are certain types that the MBTI established based on the above information. When taking the MBTI, you will receive a 'type' at the end which indicates your personality type.
These types are:
The first 8 MBTI types, Beech²
The second 8 MBTI types, Beech²
Having understood the characteristics of each of the 16 personality types offered by the MBTI, we should note that each type is equal and has value, and there is no one type that is better than the other. This test exists to help you understand your own personality type and that of others better, as opposed to being a tool for abnormal diagnoses. Doing so can aid in teamwork in all aspects of life, be it school, relationships or the workplace.
Type A personalities are characterised by an individual's competitiveness, their perfectionism, and their sense for high achievement. Individuals with this personality type are highly driven, motivated and ambitious, and are always working against time in order to achieve their goals.
The INFJ personality type - introverted, intuitive, feeling and judging - is the rarest personality type and is found in just 2% of the population.
According to the MBTI, the 16 personality types are -
The most common personality type that occurs in about 14% of the population, is ISFJ.
Based on the inventory that we have discussed, the MBTI, there are 16 personality types and everyone falls into one of these categories.
What is a personality type?
A personality type is known as the psychological classification of different types of individuals.
What is a personality trait?
A personality trait reflects a person's pattern of thought, feelings and behaviours. Traits are on a continuum.
What do we mean by traits being on a continuum?
Traits are measured using scales and are not distinctly defined. A scale from extroverted to introverted is an example.
What does MBTI stand for when discussing personality questionnaires?
Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI).
What is the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI)?
The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report measure and aims to not only identify an individual's personality but also their strengths and weaknesses.
What is the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI) based on?
Developed by Isabel Myers and her mother, Katherine Briggs, this indicator was based on Carl Jung's theory of personality types.
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