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

2. 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).

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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!

7. Jungian Theory

8. Extraversion or Introversion
The direction in which we focus our attention and energy
Source: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 9.

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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

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

15. 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

16. Sensing or Intuition
The way we take in information and the kind of information we like and trust
Source: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 9.

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. 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

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

23. Some Key Words Associated with
Sensing
Facts
Realistic
Specific
Present
Keep
Practical
What is
Intuition
Ideas
Imaginative
General
Future
Change
Theoretical
What could be

24. The way we make decisions
Thinking or Feeling
The way we make decisions
Source: I. B. Myers, Introduction to Type®, 6th ed. (Mountain View, CA: CPP, 1998), p. 10.

25. 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.

26. 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

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

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

31. Some Key Words Associated with
Thinking
Head
Distant
Things
Objective
Critique
Analyze
Firm but fair
Feeling
Heart
Personal
People
Subjective
Praise
Understand
Merciful

32. 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.

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

34. 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

35. 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

36. 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

37. 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

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

39. Some Key Words Associated with
Judging
Organized
Decision
Control
Now
Closure
Deliberate
Plan
Perceiving
Flexible
Information
Experience
Later
Options
Spontaneous
Wait

40. The Type Table ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ ISTP ISFP INFP INTP ESTP ESFP ENFP
11.6%
ISFJ
13.8%
INFJ
1.5%
INTJ
2.1%
ISTP
5.4%
ISFP
8.8%
INFP
4.4%
INTP
3.3%
ESTP
4.3%
ESFP
8.5%
ENFP
8.1%
ENTP
3.2%
ESTJ
8.7%
ESFJ
12.3%
ENFJ
2.5%
ENTJ
1.8%
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ

41. The Type Table

42. Understanding the 16 Types
ISTJ
ISFJ
INFJ
INTJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFP
INTP
ESTP
ESFP
ENFP
ENTP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFJ
ENTJ
NTs: “Possibilities for systems”
“I can develop strategies for making the system work better.”
NFs: “Possibilities for people”
“I see interesting potential for people’s development and growth.”
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?”
Not necessarily E + S + F + P = Type

43. Understanding the 16 Types
ISTJ
ISFJ
ISTP
ISFP
INFJ
INTJ
INFP
INTP
ISs: “Thoughtful realists”
Careful, dependable, preserve what is right and what is working.
ENs: “Action-oriented innovators”
Brainstorm ideas, make connections, see new ways.
ESTP
ESFP
ESTJ
ESFJ
ENFP
ENTP
ENFJ
ENTJ
ESs: “Action-oriented realists”
Readily take action to make things happen in the here and now
INs: “Thoughtful innovators”
Think through the big picture, develop complex understandings.

44. 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

45. 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

46. I J E N F P T S Type Dynamics Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior I E

47. Type Dynamics Essential things to know: What this means:
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.

48. 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

49. Type Dynamics Being “In the Grip”
Moderate stress: Tendency to exaggerate the dominant function
Extreme stress: May cause an eruption of the inferior function

50. 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

51. MBTI Forms
Form M Self-Scorable

52. MBTI Forms Form M - Profile Form M - Complete Reported type
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

53. 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

54. 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?”

55. 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

56. Other applications Relationships Parenting
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 world
Parenting
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

57. Other applications Learning styles Problem-solving
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.

58. Other applications Careers Business/teamwork
May help clients narrow fields of interest to them
Business/teamwork
Handling:
- Conflict
- Change
- Communication difficulties
Increase teamwork

59. Accessing the MBTI forms and reports
CPP, Inc.
Formerly Consulting Psychologists Press
Sole publisher of the MBTI
Accessing Materials