information about personality types
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Information About Personality Types
Personality typing is a tool with many uses. It's especially notable for it's helpfulness
in the areas of growth and self-development. Learning and applying the theories of
personality type can be a powerful and rewarding experience, if it is used as a tool
for discovery, rather than as a method for putting people into boxes, or as an excuse
for behavior.
The sixteen personality types which we use in our assessment are based on the
well-known research of Carl Jung, Katharine C. Briggs, and Isabel Briggs Myers. Carl
Jung first developed the theory that individuals each had a psychological type. He
believed that there were two basic kinds of "functions" which humans used in their
lives: how we take in information (how we "perceive" things), and how we make
decisions. He believed that within these two categories, there were two opposite
ways of functioning. We can perceive information via 1) our senses, or 2) our
intuition. We can make decisions based on 1) objective logic, or 2) subjective feelings.
Jung believed that we all use these four functions in our lives, but that each
individual uses the different functions with a varying amount of success and
frequency. He believed that we could identify an order of preference for these
functions within individuals. The function which someone uses most frequently is
their "dominant" function. The dominant function is supported by an auxiliary (2nd)
function, tertiary (3rd) function, and inferior (4th) function. He asserted that
individuals either "extraverted" or "introverted" their dominant function. He felt that
the dominant function was so important, that it overshadowed1
all of the other
1 1: to cast a shadow over 2: to exceed in importance :OUTWEIGH
http://dict//key.DD900E7D1A47994CB52F0BFC7C75D11E/OUTWEIGHhttp://dict//key.DD900E7D1A47994CB52F0BFC7C75D11E/OUTWEIGHhttp://dict//key.DD900E7D1A47994CB52F0BFC7C75D11E/OUTWEIGHhttp://dict//key.DD900E7D1A47994CB52F0BFC7C75D11E/OUTWEIGH -
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functions in terms of2 defining personality type. Therefore, Jung defined eight
personality types:
1.
Extraverted Sensing (modern types: ESFP, ESTP)
2. Introverted Sensing (modern types: ISTJ, ISFJ)3. Extraverted Intuition (modern types: ENFP, ENTP)4. Introverted Intuition (modern types: INFJ, INTJ)5. Extraverted Thinking (modern types: ESTJ, ENTJ)6. Introverted Thinking (modern types: ISTP, INTP)7. Extraverted Feeling (modern types: ESFJ, ENFJ)8. Introverted Feeling (modern types: INFP, ISFP)
Katharine Briggs expounded3
uponJung's work, quietly working in silence and
developing his theories further. But it was Katharine's daughter Isabel who was really
responsible for making the work on Personality Types visible. Isabel, using her
mother's work and Jung's work, asserted4
the importance of the auxiliary function
working with the dominant function in defining Personality Type. While
incorporating the auxiliary function into the picture, it became apparent that there
was another distinctive preference which hadn't been defined by Jung: Judging and
Perceiving. The developed theory today is that every individual has a primary mode
of operation within four categories:
1. our flow of energy2. how we take in information3. how we prefer to make decisions4. the basic day-to-day lifestyle that we prefer
2
3
4
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Within each of these categories, we "prefer" to be either:
1. Extraverted or Introverted2.
Sensing or iNtuitive
3. Thinking or Feeling4. Judging or Perceiving
We all naturally use one mode of operation within each category more easily and
more frequently than we use the other mode of operation. So, we are said to
"prefer" one function over the other. The combination of our four "preferences"
defines our personality type. Although everybody functions across the entire
spectrum of the preferences, each individual has a natural preference which leans in
one direction or the other within the four categories.
Our Flow of Energy defines how we receive the essential part of our stimulation. Do
we receive it from within ourselves (Introverted) or from external sources
(Extraverted)? Is our dominant function focused externally or internally?
The topic of how we Take in Information deals with our preferred method of taking
in and absorbing information. Do we trust our five senses (Sensing) to take in
information, or do we rely on our instincts (iNtuitive)?
The third type of preference, how we prefer to Make Decisions, refers to whether
we are prone to decide things based on logic and objective consideration (Thinking),
or based on our personal, subjective value systems (Feeling).
These first three preferences were the basis of Jung's theory of Personalty Types.
Isabel Briggs Myers developed the theory of the fourth preference, which is
concerned with how we deal with the external world on a Day-to-day Basis. Are we
organized and purposeful, and more comfortable with scheduled, structured
environments (Judging), or are we flexible and diverse, and more comfortable with
open, casual environments (Perceiving)? From a theoretical perspective, we know
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that if our highest Extraverted function is a Decision Making function, we prefer
Judging. If our highest Extraverted function is an Information Gathering function, we
prefer Perceiving.
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Personality Types Today
The theory of Personality Types, as it stand today, contends that:
An individual is either primarily Extraverted or Introverted
An individual is either primarily Sensing or iNtuitive
An individual is either primarily Thinking or Feeling
An individual is either primarily Judging or Perceiving
The possible combinations of the basic preferences form 16 different Personality
Types. This does not mean that all (or even most) individuals will fall strictly into one
category or another. If we learn by applying this tool that we are primarily
Extraverted, that does not mean that we don't also perform Introverted activities.
We all function in all of these realms on a daily basis. As we grow and learn, most of
us develop the ability to function well in realms which are not native to our basic
personalities. In the trials and tribulations of life, we develop some areas of
ourselves more throughly than other areas. With this in mind, it becomes clear that
we cannot box individuals into prescribed5
formulas for behavior. However, we
can identify our natural preferences, and learn about our natural strengths and
weaknesses within that context.
The theory of Personality Types contends that each of us has a natural preference
which falls into one category or the other in each of these four areas, and that our
native Personality Type indicates how we are likely to deal with different situations
that life presents, and in which environments we are most comfortable.
5
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Learning about our Personality Type helps us to understand why certain areas in life
come easily to us, and others are more of a struggle. Learning about other people's
Personality Types help us to understand the most effective way to communicate
with them, and how they function best.
Practical Application for Personality Types
Career Guidance What types of tasks are we most suited to perform? Where are
we naturally most happy?
Managing Employees How can we best understand an employee's natural
capabilities, and where they will find the most satisfaction?
Inter-personal Relationships How can we improve our awareness of another
individual's Personality Type, and therefore increase our understanding of their
reactions to situations, and know how to best communicate with them on a level
which they will understand?
Education How can we develop different teaching methods to effectively
educate different types of people?
Counselling How we can help individuals understand themselves better, and
become better able to deal with their strengths and weaknesses?
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The Four Preferences
The Four Preferences are:
Extraversion and Introversion
Sensing and Intuition
Thinking and Feeling
Judging and Perceiving
Extraversion and Introversion
When we talk about "extraversion" and "introversion", we are distinguishing
between the two worlds in which all of us live. There is a world inside ourselves, and
a world outside ourselves. When we are dealing with the world outside of ourself,
we are "extraverting". When we are inside our own minds, we are "introverting".
We are extraverting when we:
Talk to other people Listen to what someone is saying Cook dinner, or make a cup of coffee Work on a car
We are introverting when we:
Read a book Think about what we want to say or do Are aware of how we feel Think through a problem so that we understand it
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#EIhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#SNhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#TFhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#JPhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#JPhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#TFhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#SNhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/four-prefs.html#EI -
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Within the context of personality typing, the important distinction is which world we
live in more often. Do we define our life's direction externally or internally? Which
world gives us our energy, and which do we perhaps find draining?
Sensing and Intuition
The "SN" preference refers to how we gather information. We all need data on
which to base our decisions. We gather data through our five senses. Jung
contended that there are two distinct ways of perceiving the data that we gather.
The "Sensing" preference absorbs data in a literal, concrete fashion. The "Intuitive"
preference generates abstract possibilities from information that is gathered. We all
use both Sensing and Intuition in our lives, but to different degrees of effectiveness
and with different levels of comfort.
We are Sensing when we:
Taste food Notice a stoplight has changed Memorize a speech Follow steps in a plan
We are Intuitive when we:
Come up with a new way of doing things Think about future implications for a current action Perceive underlying meaning in what people say or do See the big picture
Within the context of personality typing, the important distinction is which method
of gathering information do we trust the most? Do we rely on our five senses and
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want concrete, practical data to work with? Or do we trust our intuitions without
necessarily building upon a solid foundation of facts?
Thinking and Feeling
When Jung studied human behavior, he noticed that people have the capability to
make decisions based on two very different sets of criteria: Thinking and Feeling.
When someone makes a decision that is based on logic and reason, they are
operating in Thinking mode. When someone makes a decision that is based on their
value system, or what they believe to be right, they are operating in Feeling mode.
We all use both modes for making decisions, but we put more trust into one mode
or the other. A "Thinker" makes decisions in a rational, logical, impartial manner,
based on what they believe to be fair and correct by pre-defined rules of behavior. A
"Feeler" makes decisions on the individual case, in a subjective manner based on
what they believe to be right within their own value systems.
We are making decisions in the Thinking mode when we:
Research a product via consumer reports, and buy the best one to meet ourneeds
Do "The Right Thing", whether or not we like it Choose not to buy a blue shirt which we like, because we have two blue shirts Establish guidelines to follow for performing tasks
We are making decisions in the Feeling mode when we:
Decide to buy something because we like it Refrain from telling someone something which we feel may upset them Decide not to take a job because we don't like the work environment Decide to move somewhere to be close to someone we care about
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Some decisions are made entirely by Thinking or Feelings processes. Most decisions
involve some Thinking and some Feeling. Decisions that we find most difficult are
those in which we have conflicts between our Thinking and Feeling sides. In these
situations, our dominant preference will take over. Decisions which we find easy to
make and feel good about are usually a result of being in sync with both our Feeling
and Thinking sides.
Judging and Perceiving
Judging and Perceiving preferences, within the context of personality types, refers to
our attitude towards the external world, and how we live our lives on a day-to-day
basis. People with the Judging preference want things to be neat, orderly and
established. The Perceiving preference wants things to be flexible and spontaneous.
Judgers want things settled, Perceivers want thing open-ended.
We are using Judging when we:
Make a list of things to do Schedule things in advance Form and express judgments Bring closure to an issue so that we can move on
We are using Perceiving when we:
Postpone decisions to see what other options are available Act spontaneously Decide what to do as we do it, rather than forming a plan ahead of time Do things at the last minute
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We all use both Judging and Perceiving as we live our day-to-day life. Within the
context of personality type, the important distinction is which way of life do we lean
towards, and are more comfortable with.
The differences between Judging and Perceiving are probably the most marked
differences of all the four preferences. People with strong Judging preferences might
have a hard time accepting people with strong Perceiving preferences, and
vice-versa. On the other hand, a "mixed" couple (one Perceiving and one Judging)
can complement each other very well, if they have developed themselves enough to
be able to accept each other's differences.
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The Four Temperaments
Some of the most important recent work done in the field on Personality Typing has
been done by David Keirsey, who has created the theory of temperament associated
with type. In his research, he has made observations that have allowed him to
combine two of the four sets of preferences, into four distinct temperament
categories. Each of the sixteen personality types fits into one of these temperament
categories. The titles used here for the temperament types, and the individual
personality types listed within each temperament, are Keirsey's own descriptions.
You'll notice that they do not match our labels for the types.
SJ - "The Guardians"
Keirsey describes the SJ group's primary objective as "Security Seeking". The SJ
grouping includes the types:
ESTJ - "The Supervisors" ISTJ - "The Inspectors" ESFJ - "The Providers" ISFJ - "The Protectors"
SP - "The Artisans"
Keirsey describes the SP group's primary objective as "Sensation Seeking". The SP
grouping includes the types:
ESTP - "The Promoters" ISTP - "The Crafters" ESFP - "The Performers"
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ESTJ.html -
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ISFP - "The Composers"
NT - "The Rationals"
Keirsey describes the NT group's primary objective as "Knowledge Seeking". The NT
grouping includes the types:
ENTJ - "The Fieldmarshals" INTJ - "The Masterminds" ENTP - "The Inventors" INTP - "The Architects"
NF - "The Idealists"
Keirsey describes the NF group's primary objective as "Identity Seeking". The NF
grouping includes the types:
ENFJ - "The Teachers" INFJ - "The Counselors" ENFP - "The Champions" INFP - "The Healers"
http://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENFP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENFJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENTP.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/INTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ENTJ.htmlhttp://www.personalitypage.com/html/ISFP.html -
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High-Level Description of the Sixteen Personality Types
ISTJ
Serious and quiet, interested in security and peaceful living. Extremely thorough,
responsible, and dependable. Well-developed powers of concentration. Usually
interested in supporting and promoting traditions and establishments.
Well-organized and hard working, they work steadily towards identified goals. They
can usually accomplish any task once they have set their mind to it.
ISTP
Quiet and reserved, interested in how and why things work. Excellent skills with
mechanical things. Risk-takers who they live for the moment. Usually interested in
and talented at extreme sports. Uncomplicated in their desires. Loyal to their peers
and to their internal value systems, but not overly concerned with respecting laws
and rules if they get in the way of getting something done. Detached and analytical,
they excel at finding solutions to practical problems.
ISFJ
Quiet, kind, and conscientious. Can be depended on to follow through. Usually puts
the needs of others above their own needs. Stable and practical, they value security
and traditions. Well-developed sense of space and function. Rich inner world of
observations about people. Extremely perceptive of other's feelings. Interested in
serving others.
ISFP
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Quiet, serious, sensitive and kind. Do not like conflict, and not likely to do things
which may generate conflict. Loyal and faithful. Extremely well-developed senses,
and aesthetic appreciation for beauty. Not interested in leading or controlling others.
Flexible and open-minded. Likely to be original and creative. Enjoy the present
moment.
INFJ
Quietly forceful, original, and sensitive. Tend to stick to things until they are done.
Extremely intuitive about people, and concerned for their feelings. Well-developed
value systems which they strictly adhere to. Well-respected for their perserverence
in doing the right thing. Likely to be individualistic, rather than leading or following.
INFP
Quiet, reflective, and idealistic. Interested in serving humanity. Well-developed value
system, which they strive to live in accordance with. Extremely loyal. Adaptable and
laid-back unless a strongly-held value is threatened. Usually talented writers.
Mentally quick, and able to see possibilities. Interested in understanding and helping
people.
INTJ
Independent, original, analytical, and determined. Have an exceptional ability to turn
theories into solid plans of action. Highly value knowledge, competence, and
structure. Driven to derive meaning from their visions. Long-range thinkers. Have
very high standards for their performance, and the performance of others. Natural
leaders, but will follow if they trust existing leaders.
INTP
Logical, original, creative thinkers. Can become very excited about theories and ideas.
Exceptionally capable and driven to turn theories into clear understandings. Highly
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value knowledge, competence and logic. Quiet and reserved, hard to get to know
well. Individualistic, having no interest in leading or following others.
ESTP
Friendly, adaptable, action-oriented. "Doers" who are focused on immediate results.
Living in the here-and-now, they're risk-takers who live fast-paced lifestyles.
Impatient with long explanations. Extremely loyal to their peers, but not usually
respectful of laws and rules if they get in the way of getting things done. Great
people skills.
ESTJ
Practical, traditional, and organized. Likely to be athletic. Not interested in theory or
abstraction unless they see the practical application. Have clear visions of the way
things should be. Loyal and hard-working. Like to be in charge. Exceptionally capable
in organizing and running activities. "Good citizens" who value security and peaceful
living.
ESFP
People-oriented and fun-loving, they make things more fun for others by their
enjoyment. Living for the moment, they love new experiences. They dislike theory
and impersonal analysis. Interested in serving others. Likely to be the center of
attention in social situations. Well-developed common sense and practical ability.
ESFJ
Warm-hearted, popular, and conscientious. Tend to put the needs of others over
their own needs. Feel strong sense of responsibility and duty. Value traditions and
security. Interested in serving others. Need positive reinforcement to feel good
about themselves. Well-developed sense of space and function.
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ENFP
Enthusiastic, idealistic, and creative. Able to do almost anything that interests them.
Great people skills. Need to live life in accordance with their inner values. Excited by
new ideas, but bored with details. Open-minded and flexible, with a broad range of
interests and abilities.
ENFJ
Popular and sensitive, with outstanding people skills. Externally focused, with real
concern for how others think and feel. Usually dislike being alone. They see
everything from the human angle, and dislike impersonal analysis. Very effective at
managing people issues, and leading group discussions. Interested in serving others,
and probably place the needs of others over their own needs.
ENTP
Creative, resourceful, and intellectually quick. Good at a broad range of things. Enjoy
debating issues, and may be into "one-up-manship6". They get very excited about
new ideas and projects, but may neglect the more routine aspects of life. Generally
outspoken and assertive7. They enjoy people and are stimulating company. Excellent
ability to understand concepts and apply logic to find solutions.
ENTJ
Assertive and outspoken - they are driven to lead. Excellent ability to understand
difficult organizational problems and create solid solutions. Intelligent and
6 If you refer to someone's behaviour as one-upmanship, you disapprove of them trying to make
other people feel inferior in order to make themselves appear more important.
7 Someone who is assertive states their needs and opinions clearly, so that people take notice.
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well-informed, they usually excel at public speaking. They value knowledge and
competence, and usually have little patience with inefficiency or disorganization.
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How we Develop our Personality Types
An age-old question8
which most people have pondered at some point in their lives
is "why are we the way we are"? Unfortunately, I can't clue you in on the answer to
that question in a really authoritative way, but I can tell you about work that has
been done to determine how people's Personality Types are developed.
The more recent studies done around Temperament suggest that we are each born
with our temperaments intact. Efforts are being made to prove this. For more
information about temperaments, click here.
W. Harold Grant did a lot of work with Jung's theories, and concluded that Jung
believed that Personality Type has a developmental process which can be observed
through an individual's life. The early phases of our lives help determine the
dominance ordering of the four functions (Sensing, Intuition, Thinking and Feeling),
and the development of our dominant and auxiliary functions. The later phases help
us develop our tertiary and inferior functions.
Let's take a look at Grant's phases of development, using the INFJ Personality Type as
an example:
From age 0 - 6 years
At this early age, we use all four of the functions in an indiscriminate fashion. We
"try on" the different functions for size, determining which ones work best for us.
The little INFJ has not yet emerged as any particular personality type, although his
8 An age-old story, tradition, or problem has existed for many generations or centuries.
(WRITTEN)
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parents may notice trends in behavior which appear to have the characteristics of
one or more types.
From 6 - 12 years
During this phase, our dominant function begins to develop and assert itself. Our
young INFJ begins to appear dreamy and introspective - he begins to prefer to use
his iNtuition to take in information, and he chooses to do this alone (Introverted).
The dominant function of "Introverted iNtuition" begins to show itself as the
prevailing aspect of his personality.
From 12 - 20 years
The auxiliary function asserts itself as a powerful support to the dominant function.
Since all recent studies point towards the importance of a well-developed team of
dominant AND auxiliary functions, this is an important time of "self-identification".
Research suggests that people without a strong auxiliary function to complement
their dominant function have real problems.
In our INFJ example, we see the auxiliary Feeling function come to the front during
this phase as a support to the dominant iNtuitive function. Since the INFJ's dominant
function is an Information Gathering function, the auxilary function must be a
Decision Making one. Without a Decision Making process, we would flounder about
and never get anything done! As the auxilary Feeling process comes forth, the INFJ
begins to develop the ability to make decisions based on his personal value system.
This auxiliary decision making process will be Extraverted, since the dominant
function is Introverted. Since the decision making function is Extraverted, our subject
now emerges as a "Judger", rather than a "Perceiver". Our INFJ Personality Type is
now pretty firmly set in place, and we know the dominance ordering of the four
functions.
From 20 - 35 years
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We begin to use our tertiary function more frequently and with better success. Our
INFJ begins to use his Introverted Thinking function. He continues to make
judgments with his Extreverted Feeling auxiliary function, but he also begins to make
judgments based on logic and reason, which he works through in his own mind,
rather than discussing it with others.
From 35 - 50 years
We pay attention to our fourth, inferior function. We feel a need to develop it and
use it more effectively. Our INFJ begins to use his Extraverted Sensing function. He
becomes more aware of his surroundings and begins to take in information from
others in a more literal, practical sense. He continues to rely on his dominant
Introverted iNtuitive function to take in information, but he is more able to use his
Extraverted Sensing function than he has been before in his life. Some researchers
have attested that the appearance of our inferior functions at this phase of life may
be responsible for what we commonly call the "mid-life crisis".
From 50 onwards
From this age until our deaths, we have accessibility to all four functions. However,
we use them in a more disciplined, differentiated manner than when we were very
young. Our basic Personality Type continues to assert itself, but we are able to call
upon all four functions when needed.