Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), commonly referred to as the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. The test was developed by two lay Americans Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, who were writers. Their test was inspired by the personality typology developed by Swiss psychiatrist, Carl Gustav Jung.
The test is a self-report instrument aimed at determining the personality type and psychological preferences of a person. In more detail, it assesses four mental processes that determine personality. The MBTI takes these preferences together to put people into 16 different personality types that can provide one with unique insights into how individuals see the world and make their decisions.
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The History of Myers-Briggs Personality Test
The development of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) traces back to the early 20th century. In 1917, Katharine Cook Briggs began her study of personality and identified four temperaments: meditative, spontaneous, executive, and social. A few years later, in 1923, Carl Gustav Jung’s book Psychological Types appeared in English translation. Jung’s work revealed striking similarities as well as important differences compared to Briggs’ ideas, sparking her deeper interest in his typology.
Over time, Isabel Briggs Myers, Katharine’s daughter, became an active partner in the project. Although neither woman had formal training in psychology, they were determined to put Jung’s theory into practice. Isabel received guidance in test construction, scoring, and validation from Edward N. Hay, a statistician and expert in psychometrics. Through years of collaboration and refinement, their efforts gradually culminated in the creation of the Myers-Briggs Personality Test. What began as a personal interest evolved into a comprehensive psychometric tool designed to capture and explain the many dimensions of human personality.
Development of Myers-Briggs Personality Test
The turbulent events of World War II played a major role in shaping the future of the MBTI project. During this time, Isabel Briggs Myers began to believe that if people could better understand each other’s personalities, they might work together more effectively and reduce conflicts in the post-war world.
With this vision in mind, she set out to make Jung’s theory of psychological types accessible to everyday people. This commitment became her life’s work and led to the creation of a personality type indicator.
For the next two decades, Myers worked diligently, writing and refining questions, and carefully testing both the instrument and the theory behind it. Her dedication finally paid off in 1962, when the first official version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was published. From that point on, the MBTI began its journey into classrooms, workplaces, and personal development, becoming one of the most recognized tools for understanding personality.
Carl Gustav Jung – Biographic Note
Carl Gustav Jung (1875–1961) was the first psychiatrist to systematize personality typology. He is best remembered for his early collaboration with Sigmund Freud, with whom he helped establish psychoanalytic theory in its formative years. However, Jung eventually broke away from Freud and went on to create his own school of thought, known as analytical psychology, which he developed partly in response to Freud’s psychoanalysis.
Throughout his career, Jung introduced and developed influential psychological concepts such as extraversion and introversion, archetypes, and the collective unconscious. These ideas not only transformed psychiatry but also left a lasting mark on fields as diverse as religion, literature, and cultural studies.
Carl Jung’s Theory of Personality
C. G. Jung developed one of the most influential theories of personality. He believed that personality is shaped both by inherited factors and by the collective unconscious—a vast reservoir of human experiences passed down through generations. To Jung, the psyche consisted of both conscious elements, such as thoughts and perceptions, and unconscious ones.
A central idea in Jung’s theory is the concept of archetypes—universal patterns and symbolic images found in all cultures, literatures, mythologies, and dreams. Examples include the Hero, the Shadow, and the Mother. Jung described archetypes as unconscious blueprints for behavior, stored within the psyche and activated at different stages of life.
C.G. Jung’s Typology
In his typology, Jung identified two psychological attitudes—extraversion and introversion—which and four functions. The attituds describe how people relate to the inner and outer world. Personality, according to Jung, is shaped by the interaction between these two attitudes and the four psychological functions, he called, thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition.
Two Attituds
Extroversion: The extravert is oriented toward the external world. Outgoing and adaptable, extraverts form connections easily and approach new situations with confidence. They thrive in social settings and welcome fresh experiences with enthusiasm.
Introversion: The introvert, in contrast, is primarily focused on the inner world. Reflective and reserved, introverts tend to be cautious and prefer careful observation before engagement. They value introspection over external activity and often approach new situations with hesitation rather than spontaneity.
This polarity between introversion and extraversion highlights the complexity of human personality. Both attitudes play a vital role in shaping the diversity of human experience, offering different but equally valuable ways of perceiving and engaging with the world.
Four Psychological Function
Apart from attitudes, Jung identified four psychological functions, which he divided into two groups: rational and non-rational.
Rational functions are thinking and feeling. Both involve making judgments.
- Thinking focuses on logic, order, and principles like cause and effect.
- Feeling, in Jung’s sense, is not about emotions but about making value judgments—deciding what is good or bad, desirable or undesirable. It could even be called an “evaluative function.”
Non-rational functions are sensation and intuition. These don’t operate through reasoning.
- Sensation is about direct perception of the world through the senses.
- Intuition goes beyond what is immediately visible, “looking around the corner,” drawing on possibilities.
The Interplay of Attitudes and Functions
In Jungian psychology, personality types can be divided into eight distinct types, formed by the combination of one attitude and one dominant function. The two attitudes—extraversion and introversion—describe whether a person is primarily oriented toward the external world or the inner world. These attitudes are then paired with one of the four psychological functions—thinking, feeling, sensation, or intuition.
Each type represents a different way of perceiving, processing, and interacting with the world. Together, they form the foundation of Jung’s typology, which later inspired the development of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
How the Myers-Briggs Test Works
MBTI is a self-report questionnaire that assesses personal preferences in the four pairs of dichotomies established by Jung. After selecting which side of each dimension that an individual gravitates towards, the test gives a person a four-letter personality code (e.g., ENTJ, ISFP).
Every letter includes one of the preferences:
I/E: Extrovert or introvert
S/N: Sensing /Intuition
T/F: Think or Feel
J/P: Judging/ Perceiving
An example of this can be seen with an ENTJ- extraversion, intuition, thinking, and judging who is usually a confident, organized manager who loves to solve problems and strategic planning. It has been reported that many successful leaders were of this kind, including Steve Jobs.
One of the key strengths of the MBTI is its non-judgmental approach. Instead of labeling traits as good or bad, it describes them as preferences, showing how differences can complement rather than conflict with each other. This perspective makes the MBTI especially valuable in areas such as team building, career development, and relationship counseling.
The Four Dichotomies Explained:
Introvert (I) vs. Extrovert (E) – An introvert finds his or her power in seclusion and contemplation, but an extrovert will crave people and external sensation.
Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N) – Sensors are concerned with the realities and facts of the present and the here and now, whereas intuitives are aimed at capturing patterns, meanings and future potential.
Thinking (T) vs. Feelers (F) – Thinking – debaters are objective, emphasizing thinking; Feelers- they are emphatic and harmonious.
Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P)- Judging type likes structure in plans; perceiving type wants to be spontaneous and ready to change.
The 16 Personality Types
The MBTI finds 16 personality types by combining all the four dichotomies:
Idealists
ENFJ: Motivating, inspiring, convincing.
INFJ: Visionary, insightful and closed-off.
INFP: Empathetic, imaginative and idealist.
ENFP: Excitable and versatile and creative.
Creative Personalities
ESTP: Vibrant, practical and risk-takers.
ISTP: Observant, realistic and independent.
ESFP: Outgoing, lively and spontaneous.
ISFP: Kind, sensitive and adaptable.
Rational Thinkers
ENTJ: Effective, assertive and strategic.
INTJ: Strategic, creative and persistent.
ENTP: Imaginative, inquisitive and fast-thinking.
INTP- Logical, meditative and conceptually creative.
Guardians
ESTJ: Decisive, reliable and organized.
ISTJ: Hard working, diligent and stable.
ESFJ: Caring, considerate and genuine.
ISFJ: Devoted, affectionate and devoted.
Why the MBTI Is Widely Used
MBTI maintains a high profile in the global market because people find it useful. It is being utilized in many fortune 500 companies to train their leaders, build team cohesion, and resolve conflict. It is often used in educational institutions to guide careers and in the case of therapists and coaches to enhance self-awareness and interpersonal relations.
MBTI is also useful in personal relationships, however in this case it assists couples and friends to interpret disparities between their way of communication, priorities and decision-making styles, hence, eliminating misunderstandings.
Myers-Briggs Personality Assessment at CHMC Dubai
MBTI is provided in 3 guided sessions for better interpretation:
Intake Session (90 minutes)
A thorough conversation about a personal background, life experiences and aims.
Assessment Session (60 minutes)
The use of the MBTI questionnaire with the help of the professional.
Feedback & Recommendations Session (60 minutes)
Personal feedback review to analyze the results, mark the strengths, possible dilemmas, and personal recommendations. In the process, clients do more than learn their personality type; they also learn practical ways to maximize their strengths in personal and workplace scenarios. Finally, the MBTI is not only a tool of diagnosis, but an avenue towards self-discovery and personal