A Summary of Personality Typing

Transcription

1 Revision 2.5 A Summary of Personality Typing 21-May-1993 The personality system presented here is known formally as "Jung's theory of personality type" (hereafter referred to as "personality type/types/typing"), first developed by Carl Jung in the early 1920's and more recently resurrected and made into a practical instrument by Myers and Briggs. Sometimes, this system is referred to as the "Myers-Briggs Type Indicator" (or MBTI), but in a rigorous sense, the MBTI is a particular test vehicle for personality typing. Outside of the psychological community, personality typing (typified by the MBTI) is the most widely-used model of human personality. It is used extensively in career counseling and development, business and education. Its penetration into these areas stems partly from the fact that it does not touch upon the tricky aspect of mental health, which is better dealt with by trained counseling psychologists and psychiatrists. In a nutshell, personality typing essentially assumes that our whole personality can be divided into four orthogonal (or independent) areas or scales: energizing, attending, deciding, and living (defined in detail below). Within each scale we have a preference for one of two opposites that define the scale (also described below). This makes for a total of 16 different combinations (2x2x2x2), each of which defines one particular and unique personality type. DESCRIPTION OF THE FOUR SCALES In each of the following four scales, every person usually has a preference for one of the two opposite choices (designated by a letter). This does not mean that they do one at the exclusion for the other - most people go both ways depending on the circumstances. But most people usually do have an overall preference. Where a person does not perceive of a clear and resounding preference, the letter 'X' is used to designate this "I don't know" condition. Important note: the following scale descriptions are simplifications (and perilously close to over-simplification) of quite complex, rigorous, deep and hard-to-understand descriptions presented by Jung (see recommended literature section for references).

2 1. Energizing - How a person is energized: Extroversion (E)- Preference for drawing energy from the outside world of people, activities or things. Introversion (I)- Preference for drawing energy from one's internal world of ideas, emotions, or impressions. [Note: In a deeper sense, energizing is only one facet of this scale -- it's really a measure of a person's whole orientation towards either the inner world (I) or the outer world (E).] 2. Attending - What a person pays attention to: Sensing (S)- Preference for taking in information through the five senses and noticing what is actual. Intuition (N)- Preference for taking in information through a "sixth sense" and noticing what might be. Jung calls this "unconscious perceiving". 3. Deciding - How a person decides: Thinking (T)- Preference for organizing and structuring information to decide in a logical, objective way. Feeling (F)- Preference for organizing and structuring information to decide in a personal, valueoriented way. 4. Living - Life style a person adopts: Judgement (J)- Preference for living a planned and organized life. Perception (P)- Preference for living a spontaneous and flexible life. [Note: An alternative definition of this scale is "Closure - whether or not a person likes an openended lifestyle."] PREFERRED VOCABULARY FOR EACH OF THE FOUR SCALES There seems to be a definite vocabulary associated with each preference for the four scales. By reading the word list on the left and on the right for each scale, and determining which list you like the sounds and/or meanings of the words better, may indicate your preference for that scale. This vocabulary list will also help you to better understand what the four scales actually measure or denote. Also included with each scale is the percentages of the total population (in Western culture) who hold that preference; studies have shown the four scales to be essentially independent of one another (or to be orthogonal, that is, to lack any statistical correlation between them).

3 EXTROVERSION-INTROVERSION INTROVERSION PREFERRED VOCABULARY Extroversion, E (75% of Population) Introversion, I (25% of Population) =================================== =================================== sociability territoriality breadth depth external internal extensive intensive interaction concentration expenditure of energy conservation of energy interest in external events interest in internal reaction multiplicity of relationships limited relationships SENSING-INTUITION INTUITION PREFERRED VOCABULARY Sensing, S (75% of Population) Intuition, N (25% of Population) ============================== ================================ experience hunches past future realistic speculative perspiration inspiration actual possible down-to-earth head-in-clouds utility fantasy fact fiction practicality ingenuity sensible imaginative THINKING-FEELING PREFERRED VOCABULARY Thinking, T (50% of Population) Feeling, F (50% of Population) =============================== =============================== objective subjective principles values policy social values laws extenuating circumstances criterion intimacy firmness persuasion impersonal personal justice humane categories harmony standards good or bad critique appreciate analysis sympathy allocation devotion

4 JUDGEMENT-PERCEPTION PREFERRED VOCABULARY Judgement, J (50% of Population) Perception, P (50% of Population) ================================ ================================= settled pending decided gather more data fixed flexible plan ahead adapt as you go run one's life let life happen closure open options decision-making treasure hunting planned open ended completed emergent decisive tentative wrap it up something will turn up urgency there's plenty of time deadline! what deadline? get show on the road let's wait and see... A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE SIXTEEN PERSONALITY TYPES The two preferences for each of the four scales give 16 different combinations (2x2x2x2). If one includes the 'X' preference (which means either the person has no clear-cut preference, or that they don't know it yet), there can be as many as 81 different combinations. However, each 'X' preference is usually handled by blending and/or closely studying the two associated preferences. The order of designating the letters is done as: Energizing: Attending: Deciding: Living. Here's a summary of the overall personality for each of the 16 types as determined from various studies: ENFJ: "Pedagogue". Outstanding leader of groups. Can be aggressive at helping others to be the best that they can be. 5% of the total population. INFJ: "Author". Strong drive and enjoyment to help others. Complex personality. 1% of the total population. ENFP: "Journalist". Uncanny sense of the motivations of others. Life is an exciting drama. 5% of the total population. INFP: "Questor". High capacity for caring. Calm and pleasant face to the world. High sense of honor derived from internal values. 1% of the total population. ENTJ: "Field Marshall". The basic driving force and need is to lead. Tend to seek a position of responsibility and enjoys being an executive. 5% of the total population.

5 INTJ: "Scientist". Most self-confident and pragmatic of all the types. Decisions come very easily. A builder of systems and the applier of theoretical models. 1% of the total population. ENTP: "Inventor". Enthusiastic interest in everything and always sensitive to possibilities. Non-conformist and innovative. 5% of the total population. INTP: "Architect". Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 1% of the total population. ESTJ: "Administrator". Much in touch with the external environment. Very responsible. Pillar of strength. 13% of the total population. ISTJ: "Trustee". Decisiveness in practical affairs. Guardian of time- honored institutions. Dependable. 6% of the total population. ESFJ: "Seller". Most sociable of all types. Nurturer of harmony. Outstanding host or hostesses. 13% of the total population. ISFJ: "Conservator". Desires to be of service and to minister to individual needs - very loyal. 6% of the total population. ESTP: "Promotor". Action! When present, things begin to happen. Fiercely competitive. Entrepreneur. Often uses shock effect to get attention. Negotiator par excellence. 13% of the total population. ESFP: "Entertainer". Radiates attractive warmth and optimism. Smooth, witty, charming, clever. Fun to be with. Very generous. 13% of the total population. ISTP: "Artisan". Impulsive action. Life should be of impulse rather than of purpose. Action is an end to itself. Fearless, craves excitement, master of tools. 5% of the total population. ISFP: "Artist". Interested in the fine arts. Expression primarily through action or art form. The senses are keener than in other types. 5% of the total population. This article continues. Please see scf.usc.edu/~kanaris.faq-mbti.html for the continuation (relating the personality types to the four temperaments of Hippocrates) and resource material on personality typing.