This is a guest post article by Megan Ray Nichols
Looking in the mirror, what do you see? Get past the superficialities of hair color, skin tone and nose shape. What’s going on inside?
When new information comes your way, do you absorb it as a whole or interpret it yourself? Is your decision-making based on logic or personal concerns?
The answers to these questions are just a couple of insights that come your way after you’ve taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, or MBTI. If you’re curious about one way humans can be classified, try it out. If you’re wondering how the whole thing started, read on.
A Swiss Spark
Switzerland has far more to offer the world than chocolate. Some of the country’s important contributions are the reflections of psychiatrist Carl Jung. Though he was an associate of Sigmund Freud, the two great thinkers butted heads in several areas.
In his 1921 book Psychological Types, Jung examined and categorized personalities. In 1923, Katharine Briggs picked up the text and started thinking.
Briggs was a student of human nature. As a teacher, mother and all-around curious creature, she observed people, read psychology books, drew conclusions and published articles. Jung’s book resonated with Briggs. She and her daughter, Isabel, found his theories of behavior matched their experiences. But what to do, what to do.
Noticing a Need
During World War II, Isabel realized both civilians and military personnel were stuck in jobs they weren’t suited for. This ramped up stress levels and pulled down productivity. If only there was a way to get the right person in the right job.
Myers and Briggs took on this challenge, collecting personality data from public schools, medical schools and businesses. The team based their questions, of course, on Jung’s ideas.
Edward Hay, a family friend and management consultant, jumped on the bandwagon, pulling along many of his clients. Through his connections, Briggs and Myers were able to gather information within settings such as General Electric, Standard Oil, Bell Telephone, the National Bureau of Statistics and Swarthmore College.
Thus the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was born. Myers and her husband self-published the inventory and hired young women to calculate scores.
Significant Support
Nineteen fifty-six was an important turning point for the MBTI. Dr. David Saunders, a psychologist and psychometrician at Princeton, New Jersey’s, Educational Testing Services (ETS), saw value in the personality measurement. ETS became the new publisher, offering Myers-Briggs alongside its other assessments, such as the SAT and intelligence tests.
With the support of ETS, the questionnaire became a go-to tool for high schools and career counseling. Meanwhile, Myers continued to collect and analyze data.
The inventory made a big splash internationally in 1968. Japanese psychologist Takeshi Ohsawa recognized its usefulness for businesses in his country. Ten years later, Ohsawa was using 300,000 copies of the questionnaire annually.
CPP, Inc., became MBTI’s new publisher in 1975. The company offered the tool through a catalog, spreading its use in fields such as education, career and psychological counseling, business, and spiritual advisement. The inventory expanded its availability. Versions were offered in 18 languages by 2004.
Critical Concerns
MBTI doesn’t feel the love from everyone. An accurate historical look has to consider naysayers. Some professionals questioned its accuracy and validity within the field of psychology. Others suggest it ignores critical aspects of personality, such as reactions to stress. MBTI results are often inconsistent upon repeated testing.
There are also critics who find fault because neither Myers nor Briggs had formal training in psychology or similar areas. Actually, Myers had been a successful mystery author, with two published books to her credit. The first, “Murder Yet to Come,” won a $7,500 prize in a 1929 magazine contest.
However, it was Myers’ 1934 book, “Give Me Death,” that raised eyebrows. Its plot revolves around family members’ multiple suicides prompted by their discovery of African-American ancestors. Their choice was even supported by the investigating detectives. The family would no longer be passing along its mixed genetics.
Present Practices
Despite its mixed past, MBTI has a number of applications in contemporary life. In the business world, its information can be used to hone management skills, resolve conflicts, adjust working styles and improve relationships with clients.
Results help some people evaluate job options or even change careers. Legal and health professionals use data to improve interactions with clients and other parties, such as juries. Both teachers and students can incorporate MBTI outcomes to personalize educational experiences. On an individual level, some people embrace their scores to enhance relationships and boost personal growth.
Individual Impressions
It’s this last application that draws many people to the MBTI. Some use it to establish relationships with like-minded individuals. These new friends should have interests and attitudes in common.
Then there are those who adjust their interactions with others based on their knowledge of personality types. These people recognize that certain characteristics make it hard for some folks to get along. For instance, individuals who focus on feelings can’t always understand the motivations and actions of those who made decisions based solely on logic.
A lot of human behavior is based on assumptions, but these aren’t universally shared. MBTI results can bring an awareness of this that helps people handle interpersonal issues. Other individuals are no longer seen as misinformed, shortsighted, arrogant, weak or “insert your negative adjective here.” They’re just different.
If you enjoyed this post and would like to join Megan Ray Nichols in other psychology discussions, check out her blog, Schooled by Science or follow her on Twitter @nicholsrmegan.
