Both Myers and Briggs were fascinated by Jung's theory of psychological types and realized that it could be applied to the real world. During World War II, they began researching and developing indicators that could be used to help understand individual differences.
Myers created the first inventory of pen and pencil versions during the 1940s, and the two began testing judgment on friends and family. They continued to develop the full instrument over the next two decades.
By helping people understand themselves, Myers and Briggs believe they can help people choose jobs that best suit their personality types and lead healthy and happy lives.
Based on the answers to the questions in the inventory, people are identified as having one of 16 personality types. Each personality type is named with a 4 letter code, namely:
- ISTJ – The Inspector
- ISTP – The Crafter
- ISFJ – The Protector
- ISFP – The Artist
- INFJ – The Advocate
- INFP – The Mediator
- INTJ – The Architect
- INTP – The Thinker
- ESTP – The Persuader
- ESTJ – The Director
- ESFP – The Performer
- ESFJ – The Caregiver
- ENFP – The Champion
- ENFJ – The Giver
- ENTP – The Debater
- ENTJ – The Commander
According to the Myers & Briggs Foundation, it's important to remember that all types are equal and each type has a value.
Are There Benefits for Children?
Although it can help understand yourself and choose a suitable job, the MBTI personality test is not recommended for children. Myers and Briggs also revealed that the test they designed focused on adults.
They have also made terms and conditions regarding the minimum age that must be possessed when trying the MBTI personality test. They advise parents to give their children space and just be a good observer in the child's personality development.
Personality tests are likely to help guide a person later in life. However, parents do not need to test a child, even to help with parenting. Pay attention and let children show who they are.
In addition, the accuracy of the MBTI personality test is still controversial among experts to this day. One who opposes using this test in children is Benjamin Hardy, Ph.D., an organizational psychologist and author of Personality Isn't Permanent.
According to him, type-based personality tests do not meet the standards of good science, even though they are very popular. The idea that personality is "hard-wired" or fixed is inaccurate.
In addition, according to him, viewing personality as a rigid "type" is also an inappropriate view of personality. Even Carl Jung, whom Myers-Briggs looks up to, stated that there is no such thing as a pure introvert or extrovert.
Type-based personality tests might encourage people to have a fixed mindset about themselves. Because instead of explaining personality, it gives people a sense of identity in the form of “types” or “categories”.
Once people make something an aspect of their identity, they can be blind or thoughtless all the time when the label is wrong. So, instead of risking making your child have a fixed mindset, it's better to let him grow and develop, find his own way.
That's the discussion about the MBTI personality test, which turns out to be not recommended for children. It would be better if parents choose a different approach to parenting, instead of focusing on finding out the child's personality type.
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