The Myers Briggs Type Indicator is a psychological assessment tool used to compartmentalize the varieties of human personality into 16 different types. The test was developed by Katherine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. Although neither woman was a psychologist, Katherine Briggs did work as a school teacher at a time when it was commonly believed that too much education was harmful to a woman’s reproductive health.
Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darknesses of other people.
– Carl Jung
The Myers Briggs test is based on the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Gustav Jung. It uses a four factor model system featuring 4 slots or ‘functions’ arranged in order of importance; the Dominant function, Auxiliary function, tertiary function and inferior function, respectively. The first slot indicates attitude preference: extroversion (E)/introversion (I). The second slot indicates how we take in and perceive information: intuitive (N)/sensing (S). The third slot indicates how we process and judge information: thinking (T)/feeling (F). The fourth slot indicates how we apply action: perceiving (P)/ judging (J).
There are 8 different cognitive functions forming 16 different personality combinations. How the function stacks work together differs depending on the cognitive theory used. The most common model assigns an alternating sequence of extroversion and introversion across the function stack where if the dominant and tertiary are extroverted, then the auxiliary and inferior functions will be introverted.
Cognitive theory dictates how the functions are paired and ordered in the stack. IxxP types for example, while being perceivers, have a judging trait (thinking or Feeling which sit in the 3rd slot) as their dominant function. The dominant function would be either introverted thinking or introverted feeling which means that this function serves as the primary and strongest developed cognitive characteristic of that personality type. In the case of a IxxJ type, then the dominant function will be formed by a perceiving trait (sensing or intuition).
ENFPs are described as warmly enthusiastic, imaginative and insightful. They open themselves to possibilities and are strongly driven to create a unique identity while pursuing a life that is meaningful and creatively fulfilling. However, as with the other 16 MBTI types, there is a shadow side to the ENFP ...
The INTJ is a personality type described as reserved, perceptive, methodical, and decisive. They make plans, take action on them and go about their lives in a very purposeful yet introspective way. This constitutes the INTJ’s conscious ego, but as with the other MBTI types, there is also another side ...
The ISFP personality is described as quiet, friendly and sensitive with a taste for adventure and physically stimulating experiences. However, that is not the whole story. As with the other MBTI types, there is a shadow side to the ISFP and that shadow happens to take the form of an ...
The shadow type of ISTP is ESTJ. In Jungian psychology, the shadow represents the unconscious self and the aspects of our personality that we don’t accept as part of our ego identity. The shadow tends to manifest in ways unaware to us as a disruptive and negative force, However, when ...
The shadow type of INFP is ENFJ. Each MBTI type consists of 4 cognitive functions but in truth, every person utilizes all eight. The 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th functions are considered shadow functions. Jungian analyst John Beebe conceptualized the functions in terms of archetypal roles. The 1st being the ...
The shadow type of ENTP is INTJ. According to Carl Jung, the shadow represents the unconscious mind and the darker aspects of personality such as our insecurities, anger and neuroses. In Jung’s theory, the inferior function (the weakest and least developed cognitive function) serves as the gateway to the shadow ...
The inferior function is often regarded as the gateway to the shadow and a bridge to the unconscious. According to Jung, the inferior function is where much of the unwanted, negative and suppressed aspects of our ego-complex reside. In older theories, the inferior function is regarded as being mostly unconscious ...
1. Doing too Much on Their Own. As an introvert who strongly values independence and autonomy, the INTP prefers to make themselves as self-sufficient as possible. While ESFJs prefer to work in teams, INTPs prefer to go solo. Pride can make it hard for INTPs to ask for help even ...
Unless you live inside a Disney movie, animals can’t speak. The quirky animal sidekicks you can get in life tend to focus on eating stuff they shouldn’t, instead of making witty one-liners. But despite it all, animals have a personality. And very distinctive ones at that, too. Dogs do not ...
Warm, enthusiastic and imaginative, the ENFP is a personality who embraces a life full of possibilities. If you are an ENFP, it means you are a highly creative person who seeks to extract deeper meaning from life’s experiences. You have a penchant for recognizing patterns and connections between ideas and ...
If you are an INFP, it means that you are an introvert who is passionate, idealistic, sensitive, curious, adaptable and imaginative. For you, what you feel is what’s real and important. You tend to let your heart be your guide in your decisions. You seek to be authentic and true ...
If you are an INTJ, it means that you are an introvert who is analytical, structured and very strategic. You go about life in a very purposeful and deliberate way. You are someone who thinks ahead and always has a plan for what you intend to do. Surveys show that ...
If you are an INTP, it means you are an introvert driven by both creative and intellectual urges. You are inquisitive, logical, and above all, deeply contemplative. It is your nature to try and figure out the logic behind everything. You do this because you have a tireless desire to ...
Each of the 16 personality types have a way of life and perspective that is meaningful to them on account of their cognitive preferences. These cognitive preferences can likely be distilled into different philosophies that each MBTI type implicitly follows. Here is a look at the school of philosophy that ...
