The Myers-Briggs typology is a personality typology that arose on the basis of Jung's typology in the 40s of the 20th century and became widespread in the USA and Europe. Based on this typology, a psychological testing system was created - the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Prevalence.

The Myers-Briggs diagnostic system has found wide application in business, in the largest Western companies. In the United States, up to 70% of high school graduates undergo a personality type determination using the MBTI to choose a future profession. More than 2 million people complete the MBTI questionnaire every year. The MBTI questionnaire has been translated into 30 languages ​​(including Russian) and is used all over the world.

The main application areas of the Myers-Briggs typology:

• self-knowledge and personal growth;
• career growth and career guidance;
• development of organizations;
• management and leadership trainings;
• problem solving;
• family consultations;
• education and curriculum development;
• scientific work;
• Interpersonal interaction trainings.

Criticism.

The scientific basis of the Myers-Briggs typology is questionable. Some of these doubts stem from the developers' lack of qualifications and training in psychometrics. Another part of the doubts is related to the very idea of ​​the typological approach in psychology. Thus, the typological approach assumes the presence of distinct “types”, i.e. bimodal distribution of responses on a dichotomous scale. While in research the distribution of answers tends to be normal and the presentation of results in a binary format (thinking-feeling, extraversion-introversion, etc.) entails, on the one hand, a noticeable loss of information, and on the other hand, leads to errors in measurement.

Last updated: 12/20/2014

Have you ever heard someone describe themselves as an INTJ or ESTP? Have you wondered what these mysterious letters could mean? So, these people mean their personality type according to the Myers-Briggs typology. The Myers-Briggs psychological testing system is a self-administered questionnaire designed to determine a person's personality type, strengths and preferences. The questionnaire was developed by Isabella Myers with Katherine Briggs, her mother, based on their work on Carl Jung's theory of personality types.

Today, this questionnaire is considered one of the most widely used psychological tools in the world.

Working on the Myers-Briggs test

Both Isabella Myers and her mother Catherine were fascinated by Jung's theory of psychological types; they concluded that the theory could have real applied value. During World War II, Myers and Briggs began research and began developing a scale that could be used to measure individual differences. By helping people understand themselves, Myers and Briggs decided that they could also help people choose a career that would best suit their personality type and lead to a healthier, happier life.

Myers created the first handwritten version of the test in the 1940s, and women began testing it on friends and family members. Over the next two decades, they continued to refine the language and content of the test.

Myers-Briggs System Overview

Based on the answers to the questions, people are classified into 16 personality types. The purpose of the MBTI is to allow respondents to further explore and gain a better understanding of themselves: their preferences, strengths and weaknesses, possible career options and compatibility with others. None of the following personality types can be considered better or worse. This system is not a tool designed to look for dysfunction or abnormality. The goal of its developers was simply to help you learn more about yourself.

The questionnaire itself consists of four different scales:

• Extraversion(E)- introversion(I). This scale was first studied by Jung in his theory of personality types, and was presented as a way of describing people's reactions to phenomena and interaction with the outside world. While these terms are familiar to most people, the way they are used here is somewhat different from the popular way. Extroverts are outward-oriented and tend to prefer activities that involve social interaction; they feel energized by spending time with other people. Introverts focus on their inner world and tend to be reflective and introspective. In solitude, they find what they need to feel great. To some extent, we can exhibit traits of both an extrovert and an introvert, but most of us are still inclined to one of these “poles.”
• Common sense(S)- Intuition(N). This scale draws our attention to how we collect information from the world around us. Just as with extroversion and introversion, all people from time to time resort to both common sense and an intuitive search for a solution, depending on the situation. But, according to MBTI, one thing still dominates in a person. People who prefer common sense tend to pay close attention to reality, especially what they can perceive through their own senses. They tend to focus on facts and details and enjoy hands-on experience. Those who prefer intuition tend to pay more attention to things like patterns and impressions. They love to think about the possible, imagining the future and formulating abstract theories.
• Thinking(T)- Feeling(F). This scale focuses on how people use the information they have collected when making decisions. People who prefer to think focus their attention on facts and objective data. When making decisions, they are usually consistent, logical and objective. Those who prefer feeling are likely to consider only their emotions.
• Judgment(J)- Perception(P). The last scale shows on what basis people base their interaction with the outside world. Those who are prone to judgment prefer balanced and firm decisions. People who are more receptive are more open, flexible, and adaptable.

Each personality type has a four-letter code, there are 16 in total:

The Myers-Briggs system will help you look at yourself from an interesting point of view; that's why it is still very popular. Even without filling out a formal questionnaire, you can probably already recognize some of the tendencies described above in yourself.

The only important thing to remember is that all types are equal, and that each type has a special meaning. By studying or working in a group, you can benefit from understanding your own strengths and understanding others' strengths. For example, working on a project together with other group members, you could understand what each of them is strong in, what each of them really has a talent for. By recognizing these differences between team members, you will be able to distribute tasks more accurately and achieve your goals faster.

How is the Myers-Briggs system different from other instruments?

First, the MBTI is not actually a test as such. There are no right or wrong answers to this questionnaire and no one type can be considered superior to the others. The purpose of the questionnaire is not to assess mental health or select diagnostic tools.

Second, unlike many other types of psychological tools, your results are not compared to any norms. Instead of comparing your results to other people's, the system simply offers additional information about your unique personality.

Reliability and validity of the questionnaire

According to Myers and Briggs, the MBTI meets accepted standards of reliability and validity. However, some studies have shown that the reliability and validity of the test results have not been adequately demonstrated.

Studies have shown that between 40% and 75% of respondents received completely different results when taking the test a second time. A 1992 book by the Committee on Human Performance and the National Research Council states that “...there has been no research to justify the use of the MBTI in career guidance programs. Most of the evidence is based on unapproved techniques."

MBTI today

Because the Myers-Briggs Inventory is relatively easy to use, it has become one of the most popular and most commonly used psychological instruments today. Approximately two million adults in the United States undergo it each year.

There are many versions of the MBTI available on the Internet today, but it should be noted that none of the unofficial questionnaires that are freely available can be considered even as close to the real thing. The actual MBTI questionnaire must be completed under the guidance of a qualified and experienced professional who can then correctly interpret the results.

The current version of the Myers-Briggs questionnaire includes 93 questions in the North American version and 88 in the European version. For each question there are two answer options, from which the respondent must choose only one.

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The article discusses the development of Jung's typology. The American and domestic branches of the development of his ideas are compared. The overlaps and divergences between socionics and MBTI are discussed.

Key words: Jung, socionics, MBTI, Myers-Briggs typology, tests, theory, distribution.

As you know, the analogue of socionics in the USA is the Myers-Briggs typology, which is often briefly called MBTI after the name of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) questionnaire - Today it is an officially recognized test and scientific direction in psychology. More than 3 million typings are carried out per year in the USA alone; 86 of the 100 largest companies form teams taking this typology into account.

Developing independently and, accordingly, having differences in terminology and models, socionics and MBTI still represent one scientific direction and coincide in the main thing: types and their descriptions. At the same time, many of the obstacles that socionics faces today are already a passed stage in the development and recognition of MBTI.

Socionics and MBTI, being in unrelated, parallel development, repeat the history of many exact and natural sciences, which for a long time developed on opposite sides of the Iron Curtain or oceans. Examples of such development can be aircraft rocket science, cybernetics, genetics and many other sciences. Today we see that MBTI is more focused on practical application, while socionics is more focused on deep study of the theoretical part, as well as on the development of additional models.

What is socionics?

T.N. Prokofiev describes the basis of socionic theory as follows:
“The socionics approach is based on the idea of ​​K.G. Jung about the presence of mental functions in a person, each of which performs its own work. K.G. Jung identified four mental functions: thinking, feeling, intuition, sensation, which can be considered as channels for perceiving, processing and transmitting information of varying quality. By analogy with the natural metabolism of cells, the flow of information coming to a person is split by the psyche into separate components. But not just any one, but a specific channel corresponding only to it is responsible for receiving and processing each of these components.”

In this regard, A. Augustinavichiute writes:

“The discovery of C. G. Jung is the discovery of a mechanism for selecting signals perceived by the psyche. This mechanism can be called the information metabolism (IM) code or the rules of the language through which information is transmitted.” Therefore, the second name of Socionics is “the theory of types of information metabolism.”

In socionics, Jung's mental functions are renamed by A. Augustinavichiute, and thinking, feeling, intuition and sensations are called logic, ethics, intuition and sensory, respectively.

“By presenting, following Jung, each of the four functions in an extroverted and introverted setting, Aushra received eight mental functions, which correspond to eight aspects of information flow. The combination of computer science and psychology made it possible for Aušra Augustinavičiūta to build models of the structure of psychological types. Model A is built in accordance with the position of S. Freud's psychoanalysis on the structure of the psyche, including consciousness and the unconscious: ego - superego - id. The structure is depicted as two rings of functions. The mental ring reflects primarily the social in a person, the vital ring reflects the biological. The socionic model serves for reliable diagnosis of psychological types, as well as for determining the relationships between personality types» .

What is MBTI?

In 1921 K.G. Jung published a book called Psychological Types, the academic language of which was difficult for the layman to understand, and, accordingly, few could apply his ideas in practice. However, during World War II, two American women, Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Briggs, developed an accessible way to use Jung's ideas in everyday life. Their goal was to give people the ability to easily determine their type without diving deeply into Jung's academic theory.

The Myers-Briggs Indicator has been the subject of extensive scientific analysis and study, and considerable evidence has been collected for the validity and reliability of the test (Carlson, 1985; Furnham & Stringfield, 1993). The Myer-Briggs Indicator Form G is based on Jung's teachings about personality types. Typing is carried out in a self-diagnosis format using a test printed on paper. It consists of 94 questions with a choice of one of 2 answer options. Based on these answers, preferences are determined according to the four dichotomies described in Jung’s theory: extraversion/introversion (Extraversion–Introversion), sensory/intuition (Sensation–Intuition), logic/ethics (Thinking–Feeling), rationality/irrationality (Judging–Perceiving). By the way, it should be noted that the Russian word “irrationality” has a negative connotation, corresponding to the Russian “unreasonable”. “Form G” is a marking of the evolutionary development of the questionnaire, which went through several stages of clarifying questions based on the results of a scientific analysis of the methodology and results of this test. Thus, MBTI theory currently defines dichotomies, types (16), and several small groups have been described.

The MBTI is the most popular test in the United States and, according to written sources, in the world. It is mainly used in business and education to work more effectively with students and employees in corporations. The test results are used primarily for career guidance, as well as to determine your leadership style and to form effective teams. Those. Most often, the test is financed not by the person being typed, but by an interested organization. There are special practices and exercises aimed at teaching employees to use their strengths to solve problems more effectively and to better understand the actions and thinking of other team members.

The questionnaire is also informally used during hiring, although the MBTI organization itself is categorically against this and regards it as discrimination. In the USA, the resume does not indicate gender, age, nationality or skin color, because... If denied, the company may be sued for denial on grounds of discrimination, even if the person provided the information themselves. That is, for ethical reasons, the MBTI is considered a tool for improving the inclusion of people in the work process, and not for filtering.

It is important to note that MBTI is not a science, it is a product. It was created to make Jung's type theory accessible to people, and the result is a branded, proprietary test. The test has been developed for decades, tested and verified. But nevertheless, the test itself is a derivative of psychology, including Jungian psychology, which is developing and includes interpretations and analysis of the MBTI test.

The main development in the popularity of MBTI is thought to have occurred in the 1970s, with 1.5 million typings recorded in 1986 and 3.5 million typings in 2011. This means personal paid typing followed by work with a licensed specialist.

Anyone can obtain the right to use the test by completing a four-day training and briefly learning how to interpret its results. The main target audience is personal growth coaches, corporate trainers and psychologists. Psychology in the USA is a licensed profession. Therefore, according to the law, in order to work with clients, you must constantly gain qualification points for professional education and pass exams every 5-10 years. The MBTI is part of a scoring system in psychology.

Similarities and differences

Over the past decades, many attempts have been made to link these two systems. We would like to present the resulting conclusions from an article by Lithuanian researcher Lilita Zelita from 2014 in the journal “The humanities and social studies”.

Lilita Zelita has studied more than a hundred works of socionic researchers and more than sixty works of MBTI specialists. The general conclusion is: “Socionics and MBTI have a common theoretical base (C. G. Jung’s Theory of Psychological Types), a general description of the main dichotomies, partially divergent functional models and common final results (16 types and their characteristics). Both theories do not contradict each other, but are mutually complementary, and thus can be used to better understand oneself and others in everyday situations, in the family, in education, in work.".

That's what it means. All basic dichotomies coincide, several small groups are known in MBTI, the general description of the types coincides with the socionic one.

At the same time, the MBTI also has functional models of each type.

Rice. 1 Type functions in MBTI

For half of the types (extroverts), the models completely coincide with the socionic ones. And the models of introverted types differ from socionic ones (Fig. 1). So, for example, for the ISFP type, which stands for introvert/sensory/feeling/receptive or in socionic terms introvert/sensory/ethical/irrational, i.e. SEI (ISFP, “Dumas”) theoretical model of the order and scope of functions is as follows - the first, dominant function is introverted ethics, and the second, complementary one is extroverted sensing. According to the socionic model, this would correspond to the ESI type (ISFJ, “Dreiser”)..

The functions in the MBTI model are defined as follows.

It is important to note that the type in MBTI is determined through the dichotomies of Jung’s basis based on the results of filling out the questionnaire, and the models do not form the basis for further theoretical constructions and practical application.

Lilita Zelita explains the differences in the theoretical layout and descriptions in MBTI and socionics by differences in the types of their founders and key representatives. The language used in type theory is understandable to ordinary people, since its founders - Katherine Briggs, Isabel Briggs Myers and others, were from the humanities club, and their leading functions were ethics and intuition. Socionics was founded by A. Augustinavichiute, and most of its key representatives, including V. Gulenko, G. Reinin, A. Bukalov, T. Prokofieva - from the club of researchers with the leading functions of logic and intuition.

It is important to note that MBTI is considered as self-identification, self-report: a person shows who he wants to be, what interests him. This is done on the basis of independently completing a test of 96 questions within 20 minutes. Additionally, information is provided on the percentage preponderance of the dominant trait. In this way, a person can see which functions are more pronounced, and where the excess or deficiency is insignificant. Often a recommendation is given to look at information about a related type. The test results are then verified by a specialist.

Socionics focuses on assessing the type from the outside, which is more objective, but technically much more difficult. For correct self-diagnosis, a person must not only have a very deep knowledge of socionic theory, Model A, the characteristics of various types and be free from social stereotypes and approved models of behavior, but also understand and know himself well, accept himself as he is. Such requirements make self-diagnosis very difficult and biased. This issue is discussed in more detail in the article by T.N. Prokofieva and V.G. Prokofiev “Puzzle technology. Quality standards for socionic diagnostics".

This fact - self-diagnosis - explains the difference in assessing the uniformity of the distribution of types among people according to MBTI and socionics. In socionics, as far as we know, it is believed that the distribution is approximately uniform, but in MBTI there are statistics according to which the distribution is uneven. The extreme representatives are the types ISFJ - ethical-sensory introvert - 13.8% of the population, and ENFJ - ethical-intuitive extrovert - 1.5%

A number of articles discussing the complexities of MBTI typing emphasize that the main problem is an overly simplified description of types. After all, extroverts are not necessarily noisy and introverts are quiet, but the point is how a person perceives and processes information. Here you can see a direct connection with the concept of “information metabolism” and the coincidence in this issue between MBTI and socionics. And in order to avoid superficial interpretation, it is recommended that the diagnostician personally explain the results of the MBTI test.

In 2008, personality researchers (Linda V. Behrens and Dario Nardi) added four additional functions to the MBTI model, so-called "shadow" functions, which a person does not normally exhibit, but which can arise when a person is under stress. Shadow processes " work more at the edges of our awareness... We usually experience these processes in a negative way, but when we are open to them they can be quite positive“- write scientists in the manual for working with the MBTI test “Understanding Yourself and Others: An Introduction to the Personality Type Code”. Thus, in the latest MBTI model there are 8 functions, of which 4 are in the conscious block and 4 in the shadow block. Here is a table with a translation into Russian based on materials from the site http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/16types/16types.cfm.

Accordingly, extroverted functions of the type in MBTI are reflected by introverted ones in the shadow block, and vice versa. Thus, in the latest theoretical model of MBTI researchers, the presence of 8 functions, 4 main and 4 shadow, is deduced, which theoretically corresponds to the mental and vital rings in the socionic model A. At the same time, “shadow” functions “are activated at the borders of awareness” and more often demonstrate themselves with the negative side, which coincides with the characteristics of the subconscious according to Freud and Jung, but does not quite correspond to their location in model A, because the reaction to the vital functions of model A is not always negative.

It should be noted that the interpretation of the “main” functions of the MBTI is generally similar to the socionic one, but not in all respects.

The first one is basic. Develops first in childhood, requires a minimal amount of energy to use, is the strongest and most confident, can sometimes cause inconvenience to others with its “dominance”

The second is auxiliary, the second is developing. With it we support both ourselves and those around us. In a positive manifestation - a caring parent, in a negative one - too caring, critical, inhibiting.

The third is additional to the auxiliary(although interpreted as a function of children's joy). Source of energy. At the age of 20-30, we are attracted to activity in this function. Often creativity occurs through the third function, but in its negative manifestation a person is too infantile.

The fourth is painful. This function can develop already in adulthood, giving balance to life. Before this, fears, negative projections on others and “shoulds” are associated with it.

The interpretation of the role of each of the identified “shadow” functions in MBTI still differs from the interpretation of the socionic model, while reflecting the corresponding main functions.

Fifth the function is characterized as crybaby.

Sixth – critical parent, stopping and demoralizing others.

Seventh - a deceptive distraction, according to it, what is not important seems important to us.

Eighth – demonic, destructive a function whose actions are usually regretted later.

Comment by T.N. Prokofieva:

"Let us analyze the correspondence of models using the example of TIM ILE (ENTP, Don Quixote) to see the similarities and differences.

What can we say? In some places the characteristics are similar, in others they are not at all. Especially in terms of the functions of the ID block, the MBTI interpretation is not similar to the socionic one. And with awareness and unconsciousness, not everything is clear.
Of course, I would like to read more detailed descriptions of what “basic” means in MBTI, for example.
Is it the same as in socionics? What about “auxiliary”? This was the case with Jung, but a lot of time has passed since then. How do Western colleagues understand all this now?
Well, what about introverted models? Let's look at the example of SEI (ISFP, “Dumas”).

If certain similarities were observed with the extroverted model, then judge for yourself with the introverted model. So far the result is puzzling. Does anyone use this model? Does it have detailed interpretation and practical application?
And the most important thing I want to say is: a model is just a model. It is designed to model some processes for easier study and description. It is far from a fact that this model is conceived and interpreted as a model of information metabolism in the socionic sense. Perhaps it serves to model completely different processes.
There is no way to say that there are different types in the MBTI just because the functions have been assigned a different number. We know the main thing: types are determined using a questionnaire based on basic dichotomies and applied on the same grounds. Models are not involved in diagnostics, nor in type descriptions. What exactly do they describe and whether they are used for something or whether they remain simply written on paper - I would like to understand"

conclusions

The MBTI test does not fundamentally contradict socionic theory in terms of Jung’s basis. This is not surprising, since both theories have the same basis. Moreover, recent theoretical studies of MBTI bring it even closer to socionic theory. At the same time, the MBTI test is supported by a significant number of international studies confirming both its scientific significance and reliable support for the idea of ​​​​four dichotomies and 16 types.

The key difference between MBTI and socionics is the point of view of the person being typed. In one case, this is self-typing, which, in fact, results in information not so much about who a person is, but about who he sees himself. In socionics, the methodology is aimed at independently typing a person the way he interacts with the real world. The difference between the results of self-typing and typing can be very significant, because in fact, these are answers to completely different questions.

In everyday life, quite often you hear how this or that person calls himself. Many people have questions about what this means and how did he know it? It turns out that such people determine their personality type according to the Myers-Briggs system of psychological testing. Such tests are a questionnaire that can be used to objectively and accurately assess personality.

The tests used include instruments that make it possible to measure basic mental functions (motor skills, memory, attention). First of all, such tests are used to obtain an objective description of functional disorders. The test results will help you make a correct diagnosis and select the appropriate method of treatment or therapy, if necessary.

Test history

The Myers-Briggs psychological testing system was developed by American women Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers-Briggs. The typology was based on the work of psychiatrist Jung “Psychological Types”. Mother and daughter developed a unique psychological system, supplementing existing tests with a new scale.

The Myers-Briggs typology is very popular in the West, but in Russia, Ukraine and Lithuania, Jung’s ideas turned out to be on the socionic path. There are many connections between this path and the Myers-Briggs system, although there are some disagreements. These differences mainly concern issues of type.

Why are psychological tests needed?

Currently, psychological tests have become widely used in hiring. help the HR manager identify critical moments of non-compliance with requirements, assess the mental and physiological characteristics of the applicant, correlate the characteristics of the type with the requirements of the position and work performed, and, if necessary, send an already working employee to professional training.

For example, the director of the HR department of a large company uses a psychological test during an interview. They come in different characters, but quite often they ask you to depict something. By analyzing the drawing, you can identify problems, life contradictions and an idea of ​​the applicant as a whole. When using the Myers-Briggs typology, the candidate's temperament, performance and stress resistance are revealed.

In the West, about 70% of school graduates use the Myer-Briggs definition to objectively choose a future profession.

Working on the test

Fascinated by Jung's psychological theory of types, Katherine and her daughter Isabella came to the conclusion that this theory could indeed be applied in practical terms. They began to study and began to develop a scale whose purpose was to measure individual differences. At that time, the Second World War was going on. The Americans decided to help people understand not only their own “I”, but also determine which profession is more suitable for their personality type and will contribute to a healthy and happy life.

Katherine and Isabella used the handwritten version of the test on their friends and acquaintances. Over the next few decades, they improved it - changing the wording and content. Subsequently, the Myers-Briggs test became one of the widely used psychological tests in the world. It truly reveals a person's strengths and preferences.

Test scaling

The Myers-Briggs typology is unique, and no one type can be called better or worse. The proposed system is not designed to detect dysfunction and abnormality. The goal of the developers is to help with self-knowledge.

The Myers-Briggs Questionnaire is some interconnected scales:

• Extraversion (E)-introversion (I). Jung introduced this scale by describing people's reactions to processes and interactions with the outside world. Extroverts constantly interact with other people, they spend most of their time with them and feel in good shape. Others, introverts, on the contrary, are fixated on their inner world, constantly thinking and analyzing themselves. Such people feel most comfortable alone. You can exhibit the characteristics of both an extrovert and an introvert, but you will still fall into one of these sides.
• Common sense (S) - intuition (N). This scale focuses on collecting information from the outside world. All people (extroverts and introverts) use both common sense and make decisions based on intuition. Despite this, only one side can be treated based on the Myers-Briggs system. People who are more oriented toward common sense try to use what they can get from their own senses, and generally pay attention to reality. They enjoy gaining practical experience and focus on details and facts. People who are intuitive pay the most attention to impressions and patterns. They usually formulate abstract theories, think about the future and the possible.

• Thinking (T)-feeling (F). The scale stops at those points at which people make decisions and manage the information they collect. Those who prefer to reason focus on objective data. When making decisions, such people are consistent, objective and logical. Those who rely on feelings perform all actions based on their emotions.
• Judgment (J)-perception (P). This scale reveals the basis of people’s interaction with the outside world. Firm and informed decisions are made by people who are used to thinking. Perceptive people are very open, flexible and capable of rapid adaptation.

Myers-Briggs types

Personality is classified into 16 types depending on the results of the questionnaire: ISTJ, ISTP, ISFJ, ISFP, INFJ, INFP, INTJ, INTP, ESTP, ESTJ, ESFP, ESFJ, ENFP, ENFJ, ENTP, ENTJ. Each type reveals personality traits, tastes, needs, abilities, positive and negative qualities.

How is the Myers-Briggs system different from other instruments?

The main difference is that the system developed by the Americans is, in principle, not a test. The questionnaire is not a collection of answers that are correct or incorrect. All types are absolutely equal, none is superior to the other.

The second difference from other psychological tools is that the results are not compared with any norms. Instead, the system offers information about the uniqueness of the individual.

Questions of psychological testing

The questions are primarily determined by the test being used. The testing procedure itself must meet strict requirements. The first of these involves the availability of equipment, an example of which is a testing program or a computer. Another requirement is preliminary instruction for performing the test. And finally, the time frame for taking the test.

In addition to these requirements, for the reliability of the results, the test must be carried out by a specialist. For this reason, this method is mainly used by large companies that can pay the costs of specialized institutions dealing with such issues. In small companies, the Myers-Briggs test can be carried out by a human resources manager who is trained as a psychologist.

Reliability and acceptability of the system

The Myers-Briggs system meets all the basic parameters of reliability and acceptability. However, from some studies it can be determined that this has not been adequately demonstrated and proven.

Research also showed that about half of respondents who took the test a second time received completely different results. The National Research Council states that the Myers-Briggs study has not been conducted in vocational orientation programs, meaning that virtually all of its typology is based on unapproved methods.

Criticism of the test

Accumulated empirical evidence from professional psychologists has shown that some Myers-Briggs type scales do not function at the clinical diagnostic level. The author of the latest adapted version of the psychological testing system, E. F. Abelskaya, believed that the results obtained were acceptable for sociological research, but not for individual research. She justified this by the fact that such inaccuracies can fail in determining a specific type of person.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator has also been criticized because of its normal distribution of responses, meaning that it would classify many people into different types with little difference in measurement. This situation also increases the occurrence of measurement error.

To summarize, we can say with confidence that, despite all the criticism and possible mistakes, it is still recommended to take the test to objectively gain knowledge of your individual qualities, temperament, characteristics, motives, talent, strengths and weaknesses. The information received will make life and interaction with other people much easier.