Myers-Briggs is the oldest tests that seems to have withstood the test of time. It is used around the world in academia, government, research and businesses. It's my favorite. I consider it the Holy Grail, not because it's scientifically proven yet, but because is an effective tool. It establishes a common language with which we can better communicate and understand each other. It was based on clinical observation by Carl Jung. Carl was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapists. His work in psychological types, typologies, not only influenced psychiatry, psychology, anthropology, archaeology, literature and religious studies, but tenants of personality types are also used in comic books, superheroes and religious character types and archetypes. Although Jung started with 32 types, the Myers-Briggs mother-daughter team reduced his 32 to 16 types. The 16 types have four preferences with which we experience the world; extroversion, introversion. This is where we get our energy. The extroverted types learn best by talking and interacting with others, by interacting with the physical world. Extroverts can process and make sense of new information. The introverted types prefer quiet reflection and privacy. Information processing occurs for introverts as they explore ideas and concepts internally. Sensing and intuition. This is how we take information in. The second continuum reflects what people focus our attentions on. Sensing types enjoy learning environment which the material is presented in a detailed and sequential manner. Sensing types often attend to what is occurring in the present, and can move to the abstract after they have established a concrete experience. Intuitive types prefer a learning atmosphere in which an emphasis is placed on meaning and associations. Insight is valued higher than careful observation, and pattern recognition occurs naturally for intuitive types. Thinking and feeling. This is how we make decisions. The third continuum reflects a person's decision preferences. Thinking types desire objective truth and logical principles, and are natural at deductive reasoning. Feeling types place an emphasis on issues and causes that can be personalized while they consider other people's motives. Judging and perceiving. This is how we organize our world. This last preference reflects how a person regards complexity. Judging types will thrive when information is organized and structured, and they will be motivated to complete assignments in order to gain closure. Perceiving types will flourish in a flexible learning environment in which they are stimulated by new and exciting ideas. Judging types, they like to be on time, while perceiving types may be late and/or procrastinate. The underlying assumption of the Myers-Briggs personality test is that we all have specific preferences in which we construe our experiences, and these preferences underlie our interests, needs, values and our motivation. Type preferences are neither good or bad. It is thought we are born to have certain preferences, and these are formed up as we mature. Once we level off, so to speak, we can retest and retest and we will test the same, unless going through a major life change. As an example, we're usually either left or right-handed. Although we could use the opposite hand, our preference is to use one over the other. This is the same for personality preferences. We are boxed in into four preferences. We can act from other preferences, but we prefer one over the other. It comes more naturally to us. It's easier, effortless. Once you understand these four preferences, you can identify others type preferences, by the words they use and their behaviors, and once you know this you can identify types under stress and when they're off their natural center or preferences. People might say "They're just not themselves," or perhaps if we're close to the middle of the preferences, we can better understand each side of the preference. We're not as rigid. This is always a fun conversation, especially for introverts who prefer meaningful conversation to small talk. So, don't think that type preferences box you in. You have the ability to use them small. Myers-Briggs is used for academic advising, career advising and organizational assessment. Just as you have a type, other people have types as well as teams and entire organization. For example, Federal Express has an ENTJ approach to their organization. My organization, an ambulatory health care center, is an E/I STJ org. Coursera's organization type may be an INFP. Although only met a small group, I could easily see how an innovative company, such as Coursera, would have visionary types, such as INFPs, on board. The type of a team that work is created by assessing the type of each individual on the team. This team is made up of ISTJs, ESTP, ESTJ, couple ENFPs. A team made up of eight Es, six Ns and seven Ts and an equal number of J and Ps. This team has a type of an ENTJ/P. This team would be highly extroverted, almost equal with the sensing and intuitive preference, highly thinking and equally judging and perceiving. So, the introverts may feel outnumbered, and they should be encouraged to contribute as well as the feeling types who may feel overwhelmed by so many thinkers. The other type preferences are equal. Forming a team and knowing the makeup of the team type can be insightful, and help you to better understand how the team gets their energy, takes information in, makes decisions and organizes life at work. This slide is just showing you the US population of all the various types. The majority seem to be in the ISTJ and the ESTJ type preferences. INTJ and INFJ are in the minority. Remember this when learning about your type and others. That's the basics about Meyers-Briggs. Now we'll get started with the big five.
