The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Overview, Refresher, and Update Sponsored by the Santa Clara County Psychological Association Bobbi Emel, MFT Presented.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: Overview,

Refresher, and UpdateSponsored by the Santa Clara County Psychological

Association

Bobbi Emel, MFTPresented by (Bobbi’s type)

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The MBTI® Instrument

was developed by Katharine C. Briggs

and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers

based on the work of Swiss psychologist C. G. Jung, who presented his psychological type theory in his book Psychological Types

(published 1921, translated into English 1923).

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Jung’s Theory

Jung believed that preferences are innate—“inborn predispositions.”

He also recognized that our innate preferences interact with and are shaped by environmental influences: Family Country Education and many others

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About the MBTI® Instrument

An indicator—not a test Looks only at normal behavior Forced-choice questions Takes about 20–40 minutes to complete No right or wrong answers—answer as

you see fit Your results are confidential

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About the MBTI® Instrument (cont.)

There are no good or bad types—all types have some natural strengths and some possible pitfalls or blind spots.

The instrument gives practical results you can use: In teamwork In communication In decision making

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Jung’s Theory

We will look at four pairs of opposites—like our right and left hands. We all use both sides of each pair, but one is our natural preference.

Jung believed that our preferences do not change—they stay the same over our lifetime.

What changes is how we use our preferences and often the accuracy with which we can measure the preferences.

The confounding variable—environment!

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Jungian Theory

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Extraversion or Introversion

The direction in which we focus our attention

and energySource: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 9.

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E–I

People who prefer Extraversion: Focus their energy and attention outward Are interested in the world of people and things Draw energy from being around people

People who prefer Introversion: Focus their energy and attention inward Are interested in the inner world of thoughts and reflections Draw energy from being alone

We all use both preferences, but usuallynot with equal comfort.

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People Who Prefer Extraversion

Are attracted to the outer world of people and events

Are aware of who and what is around them Enjoy meeting and talking with new people Are friendly, often verbally skilled, and easy

to know Tend to speak out easily and often at

meetings May not be as aware of what is going on

inside themselves

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People Who Prefer Introversion

Are attracted to the inner world of thoughts, feelings, and reflections

Are usually very aware of their inner reactions

Prefer to interact with people they know Are often quiet in meetings and seem

uninvolved Are often reserved and harder to get to know May not be as aware of the outer world

around them

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People Who Prefer Extraversion

Do their thinking as they speak May act and/or speak first, then (possibly)

think Tell you about themselves, speaking rapidly Give breadth to life Can get bored and restless if they’re alone

too long Can seem shallow and intruding to Introverts Need Introversion for balance

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People Who Prefer Introversion

Need time to gather their thoughts before speaking

Reflect and think before (possibly) acting Want to know you before self-disclosing Become drained and tired interacting with

people (particularly strangers) Give depth to life Can seem withdrawn and secretive to

Extraverts Need Extraversion for balance

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Extraversion or Introversion

Source: N. J. Barger & L. K. Kirby, Introduction to Type® and Change (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 2004), p. 4.

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Some Key Words Associated with

Extraversion

Action

Outward

People

Interaction

Many

Expressive

Do-Think-Do

Introversion

Reflection

Inward

Privacy

Concentration

Few

Quiet

Think-Do-Think

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Sensing or Intuition

The way we take in information and the kind

of information we like and trustSource: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 9.

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S–N

People who prefer Sensing: Prefer to take in information using their five senses

—sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste

People who prefer Intuition: Go beyond what is real or concrete and focus on

meaning, associations, and relationships

We all use both ways of perceiving, but we typically prefer and trust one more.

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People Who Prefer Sensing

See and collect facts and details Are practical and realistic Start at the beginning and take one step

at a time Are specific and literal when speaking,

writing, and listening Live in the present, dealing with the here

and now Prefer reality to fantasy

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People Who Prefer Intuition

See patterns, possibilities, connections, and meanings in information

Are conceptual and abstract Start anywhere and may leap over basic

steps Speak and write in general, metaphorical

terms Live in the future—the possibilities Prefer imagination and ingenuity to reality

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People Who Prefer Sensing

Like to work with the parts to see the overall design

Like set procedures, established routines Prefer practical, concrete problems and

dislike theoretical or abstract problems Can seem materialistic and too literal to

Intuitive types Need Intuition for balance

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People Who Prefer Intuition

Study the overall design to see how the parts fit

Thrive on change, new ideas, and variety Prefer imaginative new solutions to

problems and become impatient with details

Can seem impractical dreamers to Sensing types

Need Sensing for balance

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Sensing or Intuition

Source: N. J. Barger & L. K. Kirby, Introduction to Type® and Change (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 2004), p. 4.

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Some Key Words Associated with

Sensing

Facts

Realistic

Specific

Present

Keep

Practical

What is

Intuition

Ideas

Imaginative

General

Future

Change

Theoretical

What could be

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Thinking or Feeling

The way we make decisions

Source: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 10.

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T–F

People who prefer Thinking: Make their decisions based on impersonal, objective

logic

People who prefer Feeling: Make their decisions with a person-centered,

values-based process

Both processes are rational and we use both often, but usually not equally easily.

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People Who Prefer Thinking

Use logic to analyze the problem, assess pros and cons

Focus on the facts and the principles Are good at analyzing a situation Focus on problems and tasks—not

relationships May not include the impacts on people or

people’s emotions in their decision making

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People Who Prefer Feeling

Use their personal values to understand the situation

Focus on the values of the group or organization

Are good at understanding people and their viewpoints

Concentrate on relationships and harmony May overlook logical consequences of

individual decisions

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People Who Prefer Thinking

Take a long-term view, seeing things as an onlooker

Are good at spotting flaws and inconsistencies and stating them clearly

When required, can reprimand or fire people Believe fairness, justice, and equitability are

very important May seem cold and detached to Feeling types Need Feeling for balance

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People Who Prefer Feeling

Take an immediate and personal view of situations

Like to show appreciation and caring for others Have difficulty telling people unpleasant things Believe fairness means treating each

individual as a whole person May seem overly emotional and irrational to

Thinking types Need Thinking for balance

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Thinking or Feeling

Source: N. J. Barger & L. K. Kirby, Introduction to Type® and Change (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 2004), p. 4.

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Some Key Words Associated with

Thinking

Head

Distant

Things

Objective

Critique

Analyze

Firm but fair

Feeling

Heart

Personal

People

Subjective

Praise

Understand

Merciful

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Judging or Perceiving

Our attitude toward the external world and how we orient ourselves to it

Source: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 10.

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J–P

People who prefer Judging: Want the external world to be organized and orderly Look at the world and see decisions that need to be

made

People who prefer Perceiving: Seek to experience the world, not organize it Look at the world and see options that need to be

explored

We all use both attitudes, but usually not with equal comfort.

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People Who Prefer Judging

Like to make plans and follow them Like to get things settled and finished Like environments with structure and clear

limits Enjoy being decisive and organizing others Handle deadlines and time limits

comfortably Plan ahead to avoid last-minute rushes

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People Who Prefer Perceiving

Like to respond resourcefully to changing situations

Like to leave things open, gather more information

Like environments that are flexible; dislike rules and limits

May not like making decisions, even when pressed

Tend to think there is plenty of time to do things

Often have to rush to complete things at the last minute

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People Who Prefer Judging

Like rapidly getting to the bottom line and deciding

Dislike being interrupted on a project, even for a more urgent one

May make decisions too quickly, or cling to a plan

May not notice new things that need to be done May seem rigid, demanding and inflexible to

Perceiving types Need Perceiving for balance

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People Who Prefer Perceiving

Want to explore all the options before deciding

May start too many projects and have difficulty finishing them

May have trouble making decisions, or have no plan

May spontaneously change plans May seem disorganized and irresponsible to

Judging types Need Judging for balance

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Judging or Perceiving

Source: N. J. Barger & L. K. Kirby, Introduction to Type® and Change (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 2004), p. 4.

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Some Key Words Associated with

Judging

Organized

Decision

Control

Now

Closure

Deliberate

Plan

Perceiving

Flexible

Information

Experience

Later

Options

Spontaneous

Wait

The Type Table

ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

ISTJ11.6%

ISFJ13.8%

INFJ1.5%

INTJ2.1%

ISTP5.4%

ISFP8.8%

INFP4.4%

INTP3.3%

ESTP4.3%

ESFP8.5%

ENFP8.1%

ENTP3.2%

ESTJ8.7%

ESFJ12.3%

ENFJ2.5%

ENTJ1.8%

The Type Table

Understanding the 16 Types

Not necessarily E + S + F + P = Type

ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ

ISTP ISFP INFP INTP

ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP

ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ

STs: The “bottom-line” people.“Who, what, where, when, why, just tell me what I need to know.”

SFs: The “customer service” people“Who, what, when, where, why, how can I help everyone?”

NFs: “Possibilities for people”“I see interesting potential for people’s development and growth.”

NTs: “Possibilities for systems”“I can develop strategies for making the system work better.”

Understanding the 16 Types

ISTJ ISFJ

ISTP ISFP

ISs: “Thoughtful realists”Careful, dependable, preserve what is right and what is working. ESTP ESFP

ESTJ ESFJ

ESs: “Action-oriented realists”Readily take action to make things happen in the here and now

INFJ INTJ

INFP INTP

INs: “Thoughtful innovators”Think through the big picture, develop complex understandings.

ENFP ENTP

ENFJ ENTJ

ENs: “Action-oriented innovators”Brainstorm ideas, make connections, see new ways.

Type Dynamics

Value added:

Dynamics . . .

1. Identifies and describes the dominant function – the core of the personality

2. Clarifies what we extravert – how others see us, our communication style

3. Makes clear that every type has a part that is introverted – not seen

Type Dynamics

Dominant – our favorite, most used function

Auxiliary – our second favorite

function Tertiary - not in our type

Inferior - not in our type, the function we are least comfortable using

Type Dynamics

Dominant

Auxiliary

Tertiary

Inferior

E N F PE I

S T

JEI

I

Type Dynamics

Essential things to know:Extraverts extravert their dominant function and introvert their auxiliary function

Introverts introvert their dominant function and extravert their auxiliary function

What this means:With extraverts – what you see is what you get!

With introverts – what you see is not their most preferred function.

Type Dynamics

General = Dominant function

Aide = Auxiliary function

Extraverts: General is out front, Aide is helping

Introverts: General is in the tent, Aide is out front

Type Dynamics

Being “In the Grip”

Moderate stress: Tendency to exaggerate the dominant function

Extreme stress: May cause an eruption of the inferior function

Development of type dynamics through the lifespan

•The focus of the first half of life is on directing energy into the dominant and auxiliary functions, developing self-knowledge and competent ways to be in the world and in relationships.

•Midlife brings confusions and opportunities. The way one has always been becomes less satisfying and identity itself is questioned.

•Finally comes increased access to previously unacknowledged parts of the self, associated with the tertiary and inferior functions – the possibility of integration, wholeness, individuation.

““

Briggs Myers, I. (1985). Introduction to Type, p. 35

MBTI Forms

Form M Self-Scorable

MBTI Forms

Form M - Profile• 2 pages

- Reported type- Clarity of reported preferences- Type description

Form M - Complete• 5 pages

- Profile information- More extensive type description:

descriptors, characteristics of type, type with others, type at work, potential blind spots for type

MBTI Forms

Form M Interpretive Report

• 5 pages- Similar to the Form M Complete, except

has more detail about type description- Information about type dynamics

MBTI Forms

Form Q Step II

Explores 20 facets – 5 for each preference – that gives more information about type. May answer questions like, “Why am I an introvert if I enjoy talking so much?”

Applications in clinical practice

Increase clinician’s information regarding:

• Behavior in the therapeutic setting

• Which preferences may be underdeveloped• Client behaviors when “In the Grip”

• How to help clients become more comfortable with their preferences

• Your own preferences and how they inform your therapeutic style

Other applications

Relationships• Understand and respect differences• Recognize differing styles of focus of attention, where energy is drawn, how information is taken in, how decisions are made, and relationships to the outside worldParenting• Become more aware of child’s own emerging preferences• Recognize that parent’s type may be different than child’s and guards against assumption that what works for the parent will work for the child

Other applications

Learning styles• May help clients understand how they best take in information in a number of different settings: work, school, interests.

Problem-solving• Help clients learn which function they

tend to use in problem-solving. May encourage growth of other, less-used functions.

Other applications

Careers

• May help clients narrow fields of interest to them

Business/teamwork• Handling:

- Conflict- Change- Communication difficulties

• Increase teamwork

Accessing the MBTI forms and reports

CPP, Inc.

• Formerly Consulting Psychologists Press• Sole publisher of the MBTI

Accessing Materials• www.cpp.com• www.capt.org