The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is not only a popular personality assessment tool but also one of the most widely used. This 16 personalities test, based on Carl Jung's theory of psychological types, was originally developed by a mother-daughter duo: Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs. Since its inception in the 1940s, MBTI-based personality tests have been used to help individuals gain insight into their personality and behavior.
But what exactly does the 16 personalities test reveal? And how can you harness this knowledge to enhance various aspects of your life?
The 16 Personalities Test can help you understand different aspects of yourself and how they come together to form your whole personality. By taking the test and reflecting on the results, you can gain a better understanding of your strengths, weaknesses, preferences, and motivations. This self-awareness can be like putting the pieces of a puzzle together to create a clearer picture of who you are.
In this in-depth article, we will explore what the 16 personalities test reveals and how you can use those seemingly random letters for self-improvement and understanding others.
Related: Can the MBTI Personality Test Help You with Career Planning?
Brief Overview of the 16 Personalities Framework
Before we can go into detail answering the question, "What does the 16 personalities test best reveal?", let's start with a bit of a primer for those who may be new to the framework. The 16 Personalities test, based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), best reveals an individual's personality type across four key dimensions or four dichotomies: Extraversion vs. Introversion, Sensing vs. Intuition, Thinking vs. Feeling, and Judging vs. Perceiving. It provides insights into how people perceive the world and make decisions, helping them understand their strengths, weaknesses, communication styles, and preferred work environments.
The 16 personalities framework is based on four dichotomies:
- Introversion (I) vs. Extroversion (E) dichotomy reflects how individuals recharge their energy. Introverts focus inward, drawing energy from solitude and recharge through introspection. On the other hand, extroverts are outgoing and thrive on external stimulation, gaining energy from social interactions and external experiences. Unlike the Big 5 framework, which views this trait along a spectrum, with some people being ambiverts, the MBTI sees it as an either/or.
- Intuition (N) vs. Sensing (S) focuses on how individuals perceive information. Sensors rely on concrete information and facts gathered through their senses, focusing on details and things at the present moment. Intuitives are drawn to abstract ideas and possibilities, trusting their gut instincts and imagination to make decisions.
- Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F) relates to individuals decision-making. Thinkers make decisions based on logic and objective analysis, while feelers consider emotions and values. They make decisions based on personal values and their impact on others.
- Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P) outlines how individuals organize their lives. Judgers prefer structure and planning, seeking closure and making decisions promptly. Contrastingly, perceivers are adaptable and spontaneous, keeping their options open and exploring possibilities.
Each of these dichotomies reflects a preference, and combining these preferences results in 16 unique personality profiles, each represented by a four-letter code. For example, someone with a preference for Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging would be classified as an INFJ personality type.
What Does the 16 Personality Test Best Reveal?
The 16 personalities test provides insights into various aspects of your personality. From your communication style to how you make decisions and approach relationships. Let's explore the key areas that the 16 personalities test can reveal:
Strengths and Weaknesses
Each personality type has its own set of unique strengths and weaknesses. Thus, the 16 personalities test identifies your natural strengths—qualities and traits that come naturally to you and make you stand out.
It also sheds light on your potential blindspots—areas where you may struggle or need to work on to improve. For example, the ISFJs in the workplace are known for their reliability, dedication, and attention to detail. Unfortunately, they may also struggle with setting boundaries and adapting to change.
Communication Style
The 16 personalities test may also reveal your communication preferences. Are you more direct or indirect in expressing yourself? How do you handle or find solutions after a conflict?
The test can also reveal whether you're more introverted or extroverted and how you prefer to interact with others. Do you thrive in a team-oriented or independent work environment?
Motivation and Values
Our motivation and values play a significant role in our decision-making and behavior. The test provides clues to your driving forces and what fulfills each personality type.
This knowledge can help you align your choices and actions with your intrinsic motivations and values. For instance, an ENFP personality type may be motivated by helping others and making a positive impact, while an ENTJ may value organized and structured environments.
Information Processing
Are you more detail-oriented or big-picture-oriented? The personality tests also reveal whether you rely more on concrete facts (sensing) or abstract ideas (intuition) when you process information. This can even indicate someone's problem-solving approach.
Take an ISTJ personality type, for example. While they like to spend time alone, they prefer a step-by-step approach to problem-solving. In contrast, an ENTP may enjoy brainstorming and exploring different ideas.
Decision Making
As mentioned earlier, the Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F) dichotomy reflects how individuals make decisions. Understanding your decision-making style can improve self-awareness and help you navigate challenges more effectively. For instance, someone with a preference for thinking may struggle with considering others' emotions in decision-making, while feelers may prioritize harmonious outcomes over logic.
Simply put, the 16 MBTI personality test helps reveal your decision-making approach, enabling you to make more informed, conscious decisions.
Work Preferences
The 16 personalities test is often used in the workplace to help individuals and teams understand their work preferences. It can reveal whether you are more suited for jobs that require attention to detail, creativity, or leadership skills.
Employers can also use the test results to identify how well a candidate can do in highly structured or unstructured roles. The information can also be used in career planning and development, helping individuals find roles that align with their natural strengths and preferences.
Relationship Dynamics
These test results can also reveal insights into your relationships—both personal and professional. It can highlight potential points of conflict or compatibility between different personality types, offering guidance on how to go through communication differences effectively.
For example, if someone has a preference for introversion and the other for extroversion, they may have different compatibility levels and require different approaches to communication. A better understanding of these differences can help build more fulfilling and effective relationships.
Cognitive Functions
Another aspect of the 16 personalities test is its focus on an individual's dominant cognitive functions—their primary way of perceiving and judging information.
For example, an INTP personality type has dominant Introverted Thinking (Ti) and Extroverted Intuition (Ne) functions, indicating a preference for analyzing information and generating new ideas.
Weaknesses of the 16 Personality Types Test
While the 16 personality test results offer valuable insights, it does not paint the full picture of someone's personality. Like any other psychometric test, the 16 personalities assessment has limitations and weaknesses.
Some common criticisms include:
Test is Based on Self-Reported Responses
The 16 personalities test relies on self-reporting. Hence, it can be biased or influenced by external factors. Not only that, but individuals may also answer questions based on how they perceive themselves or what they believe you expect of them rather than their true behavior.
It Doesn't Consider Individual Differences and Complexities
The test categorizes individuals into specific personality types, but this does not mean everyone in the same category behaves or thinks identically. Each person is unique, and some may exhibit a different personality trait from several different personality types. A person's character also comes into play, adding even more complexity.
It's Not Scientifically Backed
The 16 Personalities test is not based on empirical evidence and is viewed as more of a theory that has faced scrutiny from the scientific community. Some critics argue that it lacks scientific rigor and reliability, making it difficult to use as a valid measure of personality traits.
How to Use Your 16 Personality Type Test Results
Although the 16 personalities test has limitations, you can still use it for your benefit. Below is a quick breakdown of how to actively use your 16 Personality Type Test results for positive impact in various areas of your life:
Enhance Self-Discovery and Awareness
- Increase Self-Awareness: Reflect on your results. Does your personality profile resonate? Where does it feel spot-on, and where are there surprises? This is a starting point for greater self-discovery and a better understanding of who you are as an individual.
- Identify Strengths: Each type has natural talents. Knowing yours helps you recognize where to lean in and build confidence (analyzing data for a thinker, creating harmony for a feeler, etc.)
Target Growth Areas
- Conscious development: Your results likely hint at potential weaknesses. Where does your type naturally have limitations? Practice stepping outside your comfort zone to develop those areas. Maybe a Judger could benefit from added flexibility, or an introvert could practice social skills.
- Build the weaker side: Depending on your type, certain aspects of life may not come naturally. For example, a creative project can be more challenging for a thinker, while goal setting is relatively easy. Use this information to balance and develop both sides.
Career Development
- Finding Your Fit: Research careers that often attract people with your personality type. This gives you good starting points for exploration. Consider work environments too—structured vs. fluid, team-centric vs. independent, etc. Moreover, you can make use of the Holland code career test to find one that suits you best.
- Leveraging Strengths: Focus on roles that play to your natural abilities. A creative Intuitive will likely feel stifled in a highly detail-oriented job. A social extrovert might thrive in sales or customer service.
- Targeting Skill Development: If a dream career requires a skill that's not your strongest suit, create a targeted development plan.
Relationships
- Better Communication: Personality differences are at the root of many misunderstandings. Learning your type versus others' helps you tailor your communication style, be more patient, and bridge gaps.
- Understanding Conflict: Why do you clash with certain people? Personality-type insights can shed light on friction points. An extrovert/introvert pairing or a thinker/feeler duo need to understand their differences to work together effectively.
- Appreciating Others: The 16 types show there's no single "right" way to be. This fosters understanding and respect for people who approach life differently than you do.
Habits and Routines
- Productivity: Adjust your work habits based on your type to improve productivity. Introverts might need longer blocks of alone time for focus, while Extroverts could benefit from collaborative brainstorming.
- Stress Management: Knowing your triggers helps you plan accordingly. A perceiver might feel overwhelmed by too much-imposed structure, while a judger gets anxious with open-ended plans.
- Decision-Making: If you're prone to over-analyzing, set deadlines to move forward (helpful for some thinking types). Feeling types may need to actively consider the practical side of decisions.
Can 16 Personality Tests be Used in the Hiring Process?
While the 16 personality test is not scientifically validated, some human resources and hiring managers use it as part of their hiring process to evaluate potential candidates. They use it to uncover the decision-making process, strengths, weaknesses, and how a candidate processes information.
During this test, candidates must select which of the given statements best aligns with their personality. They will either agree, disagree, or remain neutral for each prompt. Based on their responses, employers can determine the best candidates that fit a particular role.
16 Personality Tests: A Tool, Not a Definitive Answer
The 16 personality types test reveals a great deal about an individual and can be an excellent tool for personal development. It can be used to reveal your assets, such as your prowess in communication and finding solutions. It also reveals flaws, such as a tendency to overthink or get overwhelmed easily. It can also help you learn how to leverage your strengths and work on your weaknesses.
Overall, the 16 personality test offers many benefits that you can take advantage of. However, it should not be viewed as a final or definitive answer to your personality.
Instead, use it as a tool for self-discovery and growth.
You are more than just 16 categories and labels—you are a unique and complex individual with endless possibilities. Use the results of this test to enrich your understanding of yourself and those around you.
