Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Myers–Briggs Inventories

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology

Synonyms

MBTI

Definition

The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a self-report personality inventory. In contrast to most personality tests, which represent a trait perspective (i.e., personality constructs as continuous variables), the MBTI is based on type theory, and conceptualizes four personality preferences as dichotomous constructs. These four preferences are extraversion-introversion (EI: oriented inward or outward), sensing-intuition (SN: reliance on sensorial information versus intuition), thinking-feeling (TF: tendency to make judgments based on logical analysis or personal values), and judgment-perception (JP: preference for using either TF or SN processes for interacting with the world). Because the four scales each have two dimensions, 16 personality types (letter combinations) can be identified from the interactions among preferences. Specified cutoff scores are used to assign examinees to one of these 16 different personality type categories. The MBTI was initially...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 1,350.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 1,299.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References and Readings

  • Barbuto, J. E. (1997). A critique of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and its operationalization of Carl Jung’s psychological types. Psychological Reports, 80, 611–625.

    Google Scholar 

  • Boyle, G. J. (1995). Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI): Some psychometric limitations. Australian Psychologist, 30, 71–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Carlson, J. G. (1985). Recent assessments of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Personality Assessment, 49, 356–365.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dudding, B. A., & Dudding, G. S. (1995). Exploring psychological type in children with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). In Proceedings: XI International Conference, Association for Psychological Type, Kansas City, 19–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A. (1996). The Big Five versus the Big Four: The relationship between the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the NEO-PI five factor model of personality. Personality and Individual Differences, 21, 303–307.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., Moutafi, J., & Crump, J. (2003). The relationship between the Revised NEO-Personality Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Social Behaviour and Personality, 31, 577–584.

    Google Scholar 

  • Furnham, A., & Stringfield, P. (1993). Personality and work performance: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator correlates of managerial performance in two cultures. Personality and Individual Differences, 14, 145–153.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gardner, W. L., & Martinko, M. J. (1996). Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to study managers: A literature review and research agenda. Journal of Management, 22, 45–83.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hammer, A. L., & Mitchell, W. D. (1996). The distribution of MBTI types in the US by gender and ethnic group. Journal of Psychological Type, 37, 2–15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, R. J., Murry, W. D., & Markham, S. E. (1994). Evaluation of the three short-form versions of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Personality Assessment, 63, 181–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hunsley, J., Lee, C. M., & Wood, J. M. (2003). Controversial and questionable assessment techniques. In S. O. Lilienfeld, S. J. Lynn, & J. M. Lohr (Eds.), Science and pseudoscience in clinical psychology (pp. 39–76). New York: Guilford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson, S. L., Parker, C. P., & Dipboye, R. L. (1996). A comparison of competing models underlying responses to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Career Assessment, 4, 99–115.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jung, C. G. (1971). Collected works of C. G. Jung: Vol. 6. Psychological types (trans: Baynes, H. G., revised by R. F. C. Hull). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press (Original work published 1921).

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaufman, A. S., Kaufman, N. L., & McLean, J. E. (1993). Profiles of Hispanic adolescents and adults on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 76, 628–630.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McCaulley, M. H., & Martin, C. R. (1995). Career assessment and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Career Assessment, 3, 219–239.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCaulley, M. H. (1985). The selection ratio type table: A research strategy for comparing type distributions. Journal of Psychological Type, 10, 46–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCrae, R. R., & Costa, P. T. (1989). Reinterpreting the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator from the perspective of the five-factor model of personality. Journal of Personality, 57, 17–40.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, I. B. (1962). The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator manual. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, I. B., & McCaulley, M. H. (1985). Manual: A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (2nd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, I. B., McCaulley, M. H., Quenk, N. L., & Hammer, A. L. (1998). MBTI manual: A guide to the development and use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (3rd ed.). Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pittenger, D. J. (1993). The utility of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Review of Educational Research, 63, 467–488.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pietri-Taleb, F., Riihimäki, H., Viikari-Juntura, E., & Lindström, K. (1994). Longitudinal study on the role of personality characteristics and psychological distress in neck trouble among working men. Pain, 58, 261–267.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pittenger, D. J. (2005). Cautionary comments regarding the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 57, 210–221.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quenk, N. L. (2000). Essentials of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator assessment. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saggino, L. J., Cooper, C., & Kline, P. (2001). A confirmatory factor analysis of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Personality and Individual Differences, 30, 3–9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shi, R., & Yang, Y. (2009). Exploring the construct validity of the Chinese version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator G. Social Behaviour and Personality, 37, 591–600.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Independent Practice, 1324 College Drive, S7N 0W5, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada

    Terry Levitt

Authors
  1. Terry Levitt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Professor of Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry Virginia Commonwealth University – Medical Center Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, VCU, 980542, Richmond, Virginia, 23298-0542, USA

    Jeffrey S. Kreutzer

  2. Kessler Foundation Research Center, 1199 Pleasant Valley Way, West Orange, NJ, 07052, USA

    John DeLuca

  3. Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and Neurology and Neuroscience, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – New Jersey Medical School, New Jersey, USA

    John DeLuca

  4. Independent Practice, 564 M.O.B. East, 100 E. Lancaster Ave., Wynnewood, PA, 19096, USA

    Bruce Caplan

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this entry

Cite this entry

Levitt, T. (2011). Myers–Briggs Inventories. In: Kreutzer, J.S., DeLuca, J., Caplan, B. (eds) Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_2027

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_2027

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79947-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79948-3

  • eBook Packages: Behavioral Science

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation