A Summary of Personality Typing

Revision 2.5

21-May-1993

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank the many people who provided input to make this summary possible. Special thanks go out to Joe Butt and Marina Margaret Heiss for their extensive suggestions and contributions.

INTRODUCTION

As we look around us, we observe the great variety of personality traits among people. For example, some people are very outgoing and fun-oriented, while other people are more quiet and introspective. It is from these observations one can confidently say that everybody is gifted with a unique personality.

The question arises: "Can we model, at least approximately, human personality?" A related question is: "If we can model human personality, does such a model have any value or interest?"

In the physical world scientists are always trying to model nature. For example, physicists have developed several theories (e.g., relativity, quantum mechanics, etc.) in an an attempt to do this. It is clear that these theories are not yet complete (there is no accepted Grand Unified Theory yet), yet physicists do use these "incomplete" models to quite accurately describe (and predict!) what is observed in nature.

The same holds true for personality modeling. There are many personality models that have been developed from the beginning of recorded history, all of which have their strengths and shortcomings. No "true" model of human personality has yet been developed, and one can argue fairly convincingly that human personality is just too complex of an animal to ever be able to model perfectly. However, the models that have been developed do seem to approximately and reasonably model human personality to an accuracy that makes them useful and predictive. This last point, admittedly, is one of current debate by psychologists and non-psychologist alike (e.g., what is "reasonable accuracy"?).

So, assuming, that we can model human personality with "reasonable accuracy", what value would such a model have? I can see two values:

  1. helping an individual understand themselves and thus relate better with themself, and
  2. helping an individual understand others so that they are better able to relate with them - not only for personal relationships such as friendships, but for other relationships as well (business, etc.).

Of course, just as the known models (laws) of physics are a double-edged sword, that is, they can be used for destructive as well as constructive purposes, so too, can personality models be used in a similar manner - for good and for not-so-good. Does the possible misuse of personality models therefore make them unfit for use? I think not, but I do know many people who are extremely uncomfortable with typing or modeling human personality for the very reason of abuse or misuse. Of course, this whole summary of one particular personality system makes the assumption, by its very existence, that the benefits of personality modeling far outweigh the hazards. I'll let you be the final judge of this.

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.

Personality typing is not used nor studied much within the psychiatric and research/academic psychological community because it is, first of all, rejected by some schools of thought on basic philosophical grounds (e.g., cognitive psychology). Also, many counseling psychologists don't find it useful for their purposes because it does not measure mental health. But this doesn't mean that practicing psychologists eschew personality typing - many counselors do use this system for their patients/clients, particularly for helping people to "find themselves" and similar, non-mental health related purposes.

Outside of the psychological community, however, 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.

This summary will cover the following subjects:

  1. Description of the Four Scales.

  2. Preferred Vocabulary for Each of the Four Scales.
    (One way, short of a test, to help one determine where they stand on each scale. The word lists also help to further define the scales).

  3. A Short Summary of the Sixteen Personality Types.
    (A very short description of each type - more complete profiles are available.)

  4. Correlation of Personality Typing to the Four Temperaments.
    (The "Four Temperaments" comprise very well-known and oft-used models that divide up human personality into four major groups or temperaments. The first system was developed by Hippocrates in ancient Greece (where the four temperaments are better known as the Four Humours). Recently, there have been more modern and refined "Four Temperament" models, such as Keirsey and Bates, who found that the sixteen personality types can be summarized into four temperaments which parallel (if only approximately) the four Hippocratic humours of Sanguine, Melancholic, Choleric and Phlegmatic.)

  5. Resource Materials on Personality Typing.
    (Where to get more information).

  6. Summary Profiles for Each Personality Type (future expansion)
    (This will include one or two page summaries for each type, an expansion of number 4 above.)

  7. A Short Test (future expansion)
    (A test to help you focus on your type or types that most closely fit your personality.)

I hope you enjoy the wonderful world of personality typing as much as I do. Give it a test drive. You just may find it: fun, challenging, significant, and useful.

And have a good day (typical 'NF' closing, see below).

Jon Noring Internet: noring@netcom.com

(btw, please do subscribe to the Usenet newsgroup 'alt.psychology.personality'. There's discussion there about personality typing. If you have anonymous ftp access, you can also get this file and similar files from site netcom.com (192.100.81.100) in subdirectory /pub/noring/personality/*)

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).

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, value-oriented 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 open-ended 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).

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: "/dOCUMENTS/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.

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.

CORRELATION OF PERSONALITY TYPING TO THE FOUR TEMPERAMENTS

There are other systems that have been developed to model human personality. The most well-known and oft-used ones are those that divide human personality into four major groups or temperaments. Hippocrates in ancient Greece described the first four temperament system, also known as the "Four Humours": sanguine, melancholic, choleric, and phlegmatic. More recently, Keirsey and Bates took the sixteen personality types and categorized them into four recognizable temperaments based on certain combinations of three of the four scales: SJ, SP, NT, and NF. In addition, they named each temperament after a Greek god who, from mythological legends, best exemplifies the personality attributes of that temperament: Epimetheus (SJ - "Hindsight"), Dionysius (SP - "Let's Drink Wine"), Prometheus (NT - "Foresight"), and Apollo (NF - "Reach for the Sky").

There is some correlation and overlap between the Hippocratic Humours and the Keirsey-Bates temperaments, but the fit is nowhere near perfect. To complicate matters, the commonly understood definitions of the Hippocratic humours have themselves changed over time; there is no commonly agreed to definition. It is an area of sharp disagreement as my e-mail attests. Thus, I will focus on the Keirsey-Bates system, and try, best as I can, to correlate it to a modern definition of the four Hippocratic Humours (as defined in the book "Personality Plus", by Florence Littauer). By the way, the more traditional interpretation of the Hippocratic Humours differs from the modern one mainly in that the Melancholic and Phlegmatic are essentially reversed. I welcome input to further clarify the correlation between the Keirsey-Bates temperaments and the Hippocratic temperaments.

The Keirsey-Bates system is summarized as follows: (Note: The lists of focus/needs/beliefs/behaviors for each temperament is an aggregate list; this means that any one person of that temperament will probably exhibit or have only some of these attributes. The other two scales plays a role in this.)

RESOURCE MATERIALS ON PERSONALITY TYPING

BOOKS

Please Understand Me, An Essay on Temperament Styles, by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates. Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, P.O. Box 2748, Del Mar, CA 92014 (619-632-1575).

One of the more widely known books describing the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It includes a self-test (many do not consider it to be as good as the "real" MBTI test).

Portraits of Temperament, David Keirsey. Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, P.O. Box 2748, Del Mar, CA 92014 (619-632-1575), 1987.
Gifts Differing, Isabel Briggs-Myers (with Peter Myers). Consulting Psychologists Press, 1980 ISBN 0-89106-011-1 (pb) 0-89106-015-4 (hb).

The real Please Understand Me, from the horse's mouth (i.e., the daughter in the original mother/daughter pair). A good bridge between Jung and PUM, but no self-test included.

Manual: A Guide to the Development and Use of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, by Isabel Briggs-Myers and Mary H. McCaulley. Consulting Psychologists Press, 1985.
LifeTypes, by Sandra Hirsh and Jean Kummerow, ISBN 0-446-38823-8 USA and ISBN 0-446-38824-6 Canada. Warner Books, Inc., 1989.
Facing Your Type, George J. Schemel and James A. Borbely. Published by Typofile Press, Church Road, Box 223, Wernersville, PA 19565.
Type Talk. Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen. Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc. (Tilden Press also mentioned.) ISBN 0-385-29828-59.

An easy-to-read book that gives profiles for all sixteen personality types.

Type Talk at Work. Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen. ISBN 0-385-30174-X.
Type Watch. Otto Kroeger and Janet M. Thuesen.
The Leadership Equation. Lee Barr and Norma Barr. Eaking Press, Austin, Texas. 1989.
Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in Organizations. Sandra Krebs Hirsh. Consulting Psychological Press, Inc., Palo Alto, CA. 1985.
People Types and Tiger Stripes. Gordon Lawrence. Available from Center for Application of Psychological Type, Gainesville, Florida. ISBN 0-935652-08-6.

This book is written primarily to help teachers counsel students, but it applicable for other related uses.

Working Together. Olaf Isachsen and Linda Berens. New World Management Press, Coronado, CA. 1988.
From Image to Likeness -- A Jungian Path in the Gospel http://www.wiredbrain.com/documents/JOURney, W. Harold Grant, Magdala Thompson and Thomas E. Clarke. Paulist Press, 545 Island Road, Ramsey, NJ 07446. ISBN: 0-8091-2552-8, 1983. This book deals with people's spiritual growth vis a vis personality types.
Prayer and Temperament, by Michael and Norrisey. Other bibliographic information not known at present.
Personality Types and Religious Leadership, by Oswald and Kroeger. Available from the Alban Institute, 4125 Nebraska Ave NW, Washington, D.C., 20016. Phone -- 1-800-457-2674. Other bibliographic information not known at present.
Psychological Types, C.G. Jung, H.G. Baynes (translator). Bollingen Series, Princeton U.P., 1971 ISBN 0-691-01813-8 (pb) 0-691-09770-4 (hb).

This book (originally written in the early 1920's) inspired Briggs & Myers to create the MBTI test. If you've only read Please Understand Me, then you'll have some trouble making the correlation.

An Introduction To Theories of Personality, B.R. Hergenhahn. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey, 1990.
An Empirical Investigation of the Jungian Typology, by Leon Gorlow, Norman R. Simonson, and Herbert Krauss. In Theories of Personality, Primary Sources and Research, editors: Gardner Lindzey, Calvin S. Hall, Martin Manosevitz, Robert E. Krieger Publishing Company, Florida, 1988.
The Measurement of Learning Style: A Critique of Four Assessment Tools, Timothy J. Sewall, University of Wisconsin, 1986.
Dichotomies of the Mind: A System Science Model of the Mind and Personality, Walter Lowen (with Lawrence Miike). John Wiley, 1982 ISBN 0-471-08331-3.

A bizarre, but intriguing attempt to "correct" the MBTI's inherently 'F' focus to a 'hyper-T' perspective.

PERIODICAL LITERATURE

The Type Reporter. Susan Scanlon, Editor. For Subscription information, mail to: 524 North Paxton Street, Alexandria, VA 22304. (703) 823-3730.

It comes out roughly 8 times a year, and costs $16 for a year's subscription; I've found it worth the money. Recent topics include "Mistakes When Teaching Type", "Spending and Saving", and "Making Love"

/DOCUMENTS/JOURnal of Psychological Type. The official research http://www.wiredbrain.com/documents/ JOURNAL of the Association for Psychological Type, 9140 Ward Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64114.

One of the few outlets for research on the MBTI as 'real' personality psychologists usually don't publish on it.

Mental Measurements Yearbook (MMY). Has lists of references to articles in peer-reviewed http://www.wiredbrain.com/documents/ JOURNALs in which the MBTI test is used. An excellent review of MBTI is given by Anthony DeVito in the 9th MMY, and two additional reviews in the 10th MMY. The recently published 11th MMY does not include these. The MMY are available in the reference section of most college and university libraries.

OTHER

Consulting Psychologists Press is the publishing arm of the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT). It distributes the official MBTI tests and official interpretation guides, a thick Atlas of Types which gives empirical type distributions for a wide range of population categories (e.g., policemen, system analysts, high-school students), and many studies. CAPT puts out a catalog of available resources. CAPT can be reached at:

CAPT 2815 NW 13th Street Suite 401 Gainesville, FL 32609 1-800-777-CAPT

"Madness and Temperament: A Systems View of Psycho/documents/pathos/pathology and Treatment"

An audiocassette package consisting of verbatim, unedited presentations from a seminar at the Holiday Inn, March 4&5, 1989, by Dr. Eve Delunas. Ordering information: InfoMedix, Garden Grove, CA 92643, (714) 530-3454.

--

Number one goal in life: To get one of my posts submitted to alt.humor.best-of-usenet 

Charter Member --->>>  INFJ Club.

If you're dying to know what INFJ means, be brave, e-mail me, I'll send info.
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