Introduction to Myers-Briggs Personality Type & the MBTI

Personality Type or Psychological Type are terms most commonly associated

with the model of personality development created by Isabel Briggs Myers (aka
Briggs Meyer, Meyer Briggs, Briggs & Myers ) the author of the world's most widely
used personality inventory, the MBTI or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Myers'
and her mother, Katharine Briggs, developed their model and inventory around the
ideas and theories of psychologist Carl Jung, a contemporary of Sigmund Freud and
a leading exponent of Gestalt personality theory.
Beginning in the early 1940's, Myers & Briggs extended Jung's model with the initial
development of the MBTI. They put Jung's concepts into language that could be
understood and used by the average person. Isabel Myers' book "Gifts Differing",
published posthumously in 1980, provided a comprehensive introduction to the
Jung/Myers theory. Myers' book and her philosophy of celebrating human diversity
anticipated the workplace diversity movement.
The MBTI is a registered trademark of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Trust and is
published by CPP, Inc (formerly Consulting Psychologist Press) who also distributes
the Inventory. The MBTI is available from CPP and its licensees in approximately 20
foreign languages. In addition, alternate versions of the inventory have been
scientifically customized and validated for other languages and cultures for which a
straight translation of English language terms would yield inaccurate results.
The Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT) is a non-profit
educational organization founded by Myers and psychologist Mary McCaulley to
promote continued research into psychological type and application of psychological
type to foster enhanced personal development, increased human understanding, and
improved management of human conflict. Another non-profit organization, The
Association for Psychological Type (APT) is an international member education
and certifying organization for professionals who use type in their occupations and
professional practices. Membership is also open to lay persons who want to enrich
their understanding and application of type.

The Basic Model - 2 Kinds of Mental Processes, 2 Kinds of Mental

Orientations
2 Kinds of Mental Processes
In her studies of people and extensive reading of Jung's theories, Myers concluded
there were four primary ways people differed from one another. She labeled these
differences "preferences" - drawing a similarity to "hand preferences" to illustrate
that although we all use both of our hands, most of us have a preference for one
over the other and "it" takes the lead in many of the activities in which we use our
hands.
The first set of mental preferences relates to how people "Perceive" or take in
information. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the second letter.

Those who prefer Sensing Perception favor clear, tangible data

and information that fits in well with their direct here-and-now
experience.
In contrast, those who prefer Intuition Perception are drawn to
information that is more abstract, conceptual, big-picture, and
represents imaginative possibilities for the future.
The second set of mental preferences identifies how people form "Judgments" or
make decisions. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the third letter.

Those who prefer Thinking Judgment have a natural preference

for making decisions in an objective, logical, and analytical
manner with an emphasis on tasks and results to be
accomplished.
Those whose preference is for Feeling Judgment make their
decisions in a somewhat global, visceral, harmony and valueoriented way, paying particular attention to the impact of
decisions and actions on other people.

One of the practical applications of the MBTI and understanding these preferences is
in supporting better Teamwork. Differences in these mental preferences lead to
quite different value structures and communication styles, which can hamper mutual
understanding and cooperation.
For example, people who share Sensing and Thinking preferences find they are
naturally on the same wavelength; they easily understand one another, making good
teammates and partners. Likewise, people who share Intuition and Feeling have a
similar kinship among them. However, in the "real" world, it is more likely that you'll
find a mixed bag of people, a variety of types, in the same work group. While this
diversity can be a useful strength, contributing to greater depth and breadth of team
competence, there will be natural communication barriers within the team due to
their natural mental language differences.
Such differences can be overcome, and the communication gap bridged, with mutual
respect and practice learning to "talk" and "think" in a second or third language. A
MBTI workshop can be seen as an introduction to learning the language, habits and
culture of other types.

2 Kinds of Mental Orientations

There are two other mental preferences that are part of the Myers-Briggs model:
Energy Orientation and Outer World Orientation. The first one is the dimension

of personality discovered by Carl Jung that became widely adopted by general

psychology: Extraversion-Introversion. The second is the dimension of personality
that is Myers' unique contribution to Jung's theory, an element she inferred from
Jung's work but was not clearly addressed as an essential component of his theory of
types. This is the style or orientation one uses in dealing with the external world:
Judging or Perceiving.
Energy Orientation pertains to the two forms of Energy Consciousness each of
us experiences on a daily basis. We occupy two mental worlds: one is inwardly
turned, the other is outward. One of these worlds is our elemental source of energy;
the other secondary. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the first letter.

Those who prefer Introversion draw their primary energy

from the inner world of information, thoughts, ideas, and other
reflections. When circumstances require an excessive amount
of attention spent in the "outside" world, those preferring Introversion
find the need to retreat to a more private setting as if to recharge their
drained batteries.
In contrast, those who prefer Extraversion are drawn to the
outside world as their elemental source of energy. Rarely, if
ever, do extraverted preference people feel their energy
batteries are "drained" by excessive amounts of interaction with the
outside world. They must engage the things, people, places and
activities going on in the outside world for their life force.
While the E-I dimension was Jung's gift to general psychology, unfortunately it has
been widely distorted into a well-unwell scale with characteristics of Introversion
being cast in a negative light and conversely characteristics of Extraversion cast in a
positive light. This cultural bias frequently leads natural introverted types to misidentify their primary preference as Extraversion.
Extraverted Orientation relates to which mental preference one relys upon in
dealing with/relating with the Outside World. It is the mental function that takes
the lead in the Extraverted portion of a person's personality. When this leading
function is one of the two Judging mental preferences, then this orientation is called
Judging. When this leading function is one of the two Perceiving mental preferences,
then this orientation is called Perceiving. In the Myers MBTI Type Code, this is the
fourth letter.

Those who prefer Judging rely upon either their T or F

preference to manage their outer life. This typically leads to a
style oriented towards closure, organization, planning, or in
some fashion managing the things and or people found in the external
environment. The drive is to order the outside world. While some people
employ an assertive manner, others "ordering touch" - with respect to
people - may be light.

Those who prefer Perceiving rely upon either their S or N

preference to run their outer life. This typically results in an
open, adaptable, flexible style of relating to the things and
people found in the outside world. The drive is to experience the outside
world rather than order it; in general lack of closure is easily tolerated.
For person's whose Energy Orientation preference is E, the Extraverted Orientation (J
or P) points to their dominant function, ergo "what you see is what you get." But for
those whose Energy Orientation favors I, their Extraverted Orientation (J or P) is
opposite their dominant function. Thus the four IxxJ types - whose extraverted style
is Judging - are actually Perceiving types on the inside! Thus their extraverted
"personality" can mask their primary nature. Likewise the four IxxP types - whose
extraverted style is Perceiving and thus tend to have an open style - are actually on
the inside Judging oriented!

Differences in Energy Orientation and/or Extraverted Orientation can produce

conflicts for people and life management problems.
Extraverted types who work best by thinking out loud and considering matters in
dialogue can be frustrated by Introverted types whose best work on thinking and
considering is done internally and detached from active interaction. "Why doesn't she
want to tell me what she is thinking; why won't she share her concerns; what is he
hiding?" Likewise Introverted types can be harassed by the natural style of
Extraverted types. "If he'd just shut up, I'd be able to think about what he said; Why
do we have to decide right now; I can' t give you a good answer unless I have some
time to reflect on it!" Introverted types used to reflecting before they speak are
frustrated by Extraverted types who frequently seem to change their mind and
change course (because they reflect out loud, may think or talk about it later, and
then finally conclude - something different).
Types with an extraverted Judging orientation are frequently put off by extraverted
Perceiving types disorderly attention to things and people around them - their
failures to properly plan, organize, manage, and finish affairs. Perceiving types can
be seen as "flakes" who constantly put things off til the absolute last minute. Types
with an extraverted Perceiving orientation often see their opposite number as control
freaks and imperceptive draft horses with blinders on - and even then they
sometimes miss things that are right in front of their noses! Extraverted Judging
types are naturally drawn to management positions; Extraverted Perceiving types
naturally resist being managed!
The mellowing process of aging sometimes produces similar mellowing of the J and P
orientations. Extraverted Perceiving types discover a need and an appreciation for a
greater degree of order in their external affairs and Extraverted Judging types
discover a need and an appreciation for a greater degree of openness and discovery
in their external life.

The Type Code for the 16 Types

The permutations of these four preference dichotomies result in the 16 personality
types that form the basis of Myers' model and the MBTI inventory.

First Letter: E or I

Which is your most favored Energy Source?

Second Letter: S or
N

Which your most favored Perceiving Mental Process?

Third Letter: T or F

Which is your most favored Judging Mental Process?

Fourth Letter: J or P

Which kind of mental process leads your Outside World

Orientation?

While the tendancy is to understand each of the 16 types as the sum of its essential
parts, i.e. ESTJ=E+S+T+J, this misses an important part of the Myers-Jung model:
the interaction of the four preferences and the unique mental patterns these
interactions form. For example, a mere sum of its parts does not explain why INTJ is
the most independent minded of the 16 types. Nor is the intuitive investigatory
aptitude of an ISTP apparent from looking at the four letters of her type code. And at
first blush, the four letter code of an INFP doesn't seem like it fits a computer geek.
Understanding the natures of each type that goes beyond the 4 code letters is part of
the continuing journey in understanding ones self and others.
The middle two letters of the Personality Type Code refer to what Isabel Myers and
Psychologist Carl Jung called the "mental functions" (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking,
and Feeling). Although the four letter type code only shows two of these functions,
everyone has and uses all four of them. Examples. Those who prefer Intuition
(second letter is N) will use or rely upon their Sensing nature in some specialized
way - complimenting rather than conflicting with their more preferred Intuition.
Those whose preference is Thinking (third letter is T) will value and use its opposite,
Feeling, in certain ways and sometimes will let this function be their guide even
though normally the person favors Thinking.
Two Kinds of Functions
Sensing (S) and Intuition (N) are considered Perceiving Functions. They are two
contrasting ways of taking in information. Thinking (T) and Feeling (F) are considered
Judging Functions. They are two contrasting ways of making decisions.
Perceiving and Judging are essential components to all cognitive activity. There can
be no Judging without prior Perception; and no Perception without some form of
Judging inevitably following. They are hand-in-glove processes. Whatever is a
person's most favored Perceiving process combined with whatever is his/her most
favored Judging process is at the core of personality and is a major influence in the
overall constellation of personality development.

The Dominant Function

One of these two most favored processes takes the lead and is termed the
Dominant Function. The other works in a supportive fashion to the dominant and is
termed the Auxiliary Function. So while two personality types may share the same
two middle letters in the code (For example ESTP and ESTJ), their Dominant and
Auxiliary functions can be reversed . . . and thus one reason why there can be
marked differences in their respective personality makeup. In the examples, ESTP is
Sensing Dominant supported by Thinking Auxiliary; whereas ESTJ is Thinking
Dominant supported by Auxiliary Sensing. ESTP prefers the Perceiving half of the
ST Perceiving-Judging pair; whereas ESTJ prefers the Judging half of the ST
Perceiving-Judging pair.
Hierarchy of Mental Functions
Each of the 16 personality types has a characteristic pattern in the alignment of the
four mental functions. This pattern is referred to as a "hierarchy" because they
typically differ in the degree of influence on the personality and the degree they are
consciously experienced. As indicated above, the most important or influential
function is termed the "Dominant" function (#1) and the second most important is
termed the "Auxiliary" (#2). The third in the hierarchy is called the "Tertiary" (#3)
and is the polar opposite of whatever function is the Auxiliary. The Fourth in order
Jung termed the "Inferior" function (#4). It is the mental process with the least
conscious awareness and typically the least developed of the four functions. It is the
polar opposite of whatever is the Dominant. So if INtuition is Dominant, its opposite
- Sensing - is the Inferior or Fourth. If Feeling is Dominant, then its opposite Thinking - is Inferior or Fourth.
The rationale for the opposite relationship of the Dominant and the Inferior (fourth
function) has to do with energy and the natural polarity of the mental functions. For
example, a person with dominant Intuition will direct his/her primary energy to this
function - which happens to be in the exact opposite direction of Sensing. It is like
trying to go North and South at the same time. It is much easier to couple that
dominant with either the Auxiliary or Tertiary because these are not polar opposites
to the main direction. They are like East and West on the compass. So navigating NW
or NE is a natural direction of movement - but North-South is not.
At the end of this article is a table showing the first four places in this Hierarchy of
Functions for each of the 16 types.
Some students of Personality Type, myself included, are uncomfortable with using
Jung's term for the Fourth function: "Inferior." Bear in mind Jung was writing in the
1920's and his works had to be translated from German to English. I bring this up to
caution the reader against jumping to conclusions on this Dominant-Inferior pairing.
To wit, although a person's dominant function might be Feeling and therefore their
inferior function is Thinking, do not presume that their "thinking" is inferior, i.e.
defective!! For reasons to be explained later, there is often a built-in growth dynamic
to consciously develop whatever is opposite one's dominant mental function.
Attitude is Also Important
Here's another Jungian term that carries a somewhat different meaning in the 2006
English speaking world. We don't mean your world view or the rosyness of your
outlook. It isn't like "Lose the attitude, Dude!"

Just as the oppositeness of the mental functions can be comprehended by using the
analogy of the four points of a compass (N/S, E/W), Jung's Attitudes are a
navigational concept. It has to do with orientation. Here again, we encounter
opposites. Jung coined the terms Extraversion and Introversion to refer to the
two polar opposite directions of psychic attention and energy. He found that
whatever was a person's dominant mental function was directed to either the
external world (E) or the internal world (I). This preference in attitude of the
dominant function is a major distinguishing feature in personality type patterns. So
while ISTP and ESTJ both have Thinking as their dominant function, the former
prefers to direct it inward whereas the latter directs it outward. The result is quite
different styles of personality.
This energy preference for the dominant function is denoted by the first letter in the
Myers-Briggs Type Code. Jung had no similar shorthand code for his "psychological
types." Here is a table of the types using Jung's terminology with the MBTI
equivalent in parenthesis:
Introverted Types

Extraverted Types

Introverted Intuition with Thinking

(intj)

Extraverted Intuition with Thinking

(entp)

Introverted Intuition with Feeling

(infj)

Extraverted Intuition with Feeling

(enfp)

Introverted Sensing with Thinking

(istj)

Extraverted Sensing with Thinking

(estp)

Introverted Sensing with Feeling

(isfj)

Extraverted Sensing with Feeling

(esfp)

Introverted Thinking with Intuition

(intp)

Extraverted Thinking with Intuition

(entj)

Introverted Thinking with Sensing

(istp)

Extraverted Thinking with Sensing

(estj)

Introverted Feeling with Intuition

(infp)

Extraverted Feeling with Intuition

(enfj)

Introverted Feeling with Sensing

(isfp)

Extraverted Feeling with Sensing

(esfj)

Another kind of Attitude

Had Myers and Briggs not inferred a second type of Attitude from Jung's work,

there might have only been three letters to their type code. We would have seen
INT, INF, ITS, EST, ETN, etc. But their independent study of
people and people differences, with Jung's typology as an
important tool, lead them to create the polar preferences
of Judging and Perceiving - which became the fourth
letter in their Personality Type Code system. This attitude
is the Outer World Orientation and is related to the kind
of mental function one turns to the outside world.
In the Myers-Briggs four letter code, J means that our
Judging Function (either Thinking or Feeling) is turned to
the outside world and P means that our Perceiving
Function (either Sensing or Intuition) is oriented to the
outside world. So ISFJ indicates Judging Function "F" is
turned to the outside world; INTJ indicates Judging
Function "T" is turned to the outside world. ENFP indicates
this type turns their Perceiving Function "N' to the outside
world; ESTP indicates their Perceiving Function "S" is
oriented externally.

For Extraverted Types, their dominant mental function determines their Outer
World Orientation. Note in the above table that the types with Extraverted
Intuition or Extraverted Sensing have P (for their Perceiving Function) as their
last MBTI type code letter. Conversely those with Extraverted Thinking or Feeling
have J (for their Judging Function) as their fourth letter. With Extraverts, what
you see is what you get; they extravert their most favored mental process, their
Dominant mental function.
For Introverted Types, it is an opposite flow of psychic energy. They direct
their most favored mental function inward and therefore more readily show to the
outside world their supportive or auxiliary function. So the four Introverted Types
whose dominant preference is Perceiving (which is introverted), orient their
Auxiliary preference - which is Judging - to the outside world. Conversely the four
Introverted Types whose dominant preference is Judging (which is introverted),
orient their Auxiliary preference - which is Perceiving - to the outside world. Ergo,
the 4 "I_ _J" Introverted Types are in actuality more strongly governed by their
"P" (Perceiving Function) inside and the 4 "I_ _P" Introverted Types are more
strongly governed by their "J" (Judging Function) inside.

The Yin Yang of J and P

In general people with a Perceiving Outer World Orientation (last letter P)
have a go-with-the-flow orientation, taking things as they come, keeping their
options open, and adapting to whatever comes up. Their opposite, those with a
Judging Outer World Orientation, like to plan their work and work their plan.
They order and anticipate what is going on in the outside world. Think about
people you know; I suspect you can readily find several who fit the mold of J or P
types. This characteristic is one of the four primary ways people differentiate
from one another.
Now understand that everybody is both a J and a P. If they are J on the outside,
they are a P on the inside. If they are P on the outside, they are J on the inside.
Because they tend to hide their dominant function, Introverted Types best
illustrate the befuddlement that can occur due to this Yin Yang duality: what you
see is not necessarily what you get. But even extraverts can cross you up on
occasion. ESTP types are among the most adaptable, go-with-the-flow, in the
moment types. Yet in some situations they can be inflexible, closed minded, and
set in their ways when their inner Thinking Judgment has taken over.
Another element of Yin and Yang is the natural opposite orientation of all four
mental processes. If a person clearly extraverts Thinking, this is a clue that
Feeling is introverted. If what you readily see is Intuition freely used in the
outside world, this is a clue that Sensing is introverted. People who clearly make
their stated judgments based on Feeling, typically use Thinking in their inner
world. ISFJ types who are typically quite courteous, sensitive to the values &
feelings of others, and present a pleasant demeanor can actually be quite firmminded, logical thinkers on the inside. INFP types whose inner Feeling values
dominate how they form judgments can be quite formidable logical debaters,
sometimes to such an extent that their extraverted Thinking disguises the depth
of their inner Feeling.
The Yin Yang of E and I
Picture again the Compass of the Functions. Recall that the mind cannot go both
North and South simultaneously, nor East and West simultaneously. Yet if you add
the dimension of the two energy consciousness realms - introversion and
extraversion, it clarifies what are truly opposite. For example, the polar opposites
of Thinking and Feeling would create strong competition with one another in the

same energy consciousness realm; one must dominate. But it seems, this
competition isn't an issue if they are in different realms: one extraverted and
the other introverted. For example, a person with strong inner Feeling and well
reasoned outer Thinking is a workable personality pattern; the two opposing
mental functions can compliment one another. Likewise with Sensing and
Intuition Functions. For example, the open, exploratory, go-with-the-flow thrust
of extraverted Intuition is nicely counterbalanced by the ability to recall important
details and be grounded by introverted Sensing.
As people grow and mature, this growth of opposites in the opposite realms of
energy consciousness can be a natural pattern of development. People with
dominant introverted Intuition may feel an urge to develop their extraverted
Sensing; people with dominant extraverted Feeling may feel an urge to develop
their introverted Thinking. It becomes a way of achieving some balance and
expanded growth without compromising what is the person's anchor - their
dominant mental function.

While the Hierarchy of Functions mentioned early in this article suggests this
hierarchy forms the requisite growth or development pattern for a type,
environment may alter that pattern. Occupational demands may require that a
person develop skills and or a sensitivity to a mental function out of its natural
order. A Feeling preference person who happens to choose accounting for a
profession will certainly experience a necessity to develop and use the Thinking
function. Also there are certain individuals who are simply atypical of their type
(as are ambidextrous and left handed people whose brain organization is known
to be atypical from what is considered the normal hemispherical organization).
This interaction of nurture with nature or the existence of atypical personality
type continues to incite debate and discussion among students of Personality
Type about the nature of the hierarchy of functions and whether the notion of
hierarchy is even useful. What is presented here is a model of the psyche that
I've found has explanatory value in my interactions with people I know and have
worked with from all 16 type categories and from a variety of backgrounds.

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