Does MBTI Influence Academic Major, Academic Performance, and Career Decision-Making in Chinese First-Year University Students?

Sep 17, 2026

In recent years, Chinese Generation Z has shown strong enthusiasm for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), often attributing academic or life challenges to MBTI personality types. This study examines how MBTI affects academic major selection, academic performance, and career decision-making among first-year university students in China. Data from 203 freshmen across seven majors in Guangdong were analyzed with MBTI scales and SPSS 27. Results show Judging/Perceiving relates to structured disciplines, Intuitive students perform better, and MBTI has limited impact on career decisions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Related Work

Overview of the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)

Table 1. MBTI Dichotomy

Does MBTI Influence Academic Major, Academic Performance, and Career Decision-Making in Chinese First-Year University Students? Jing Tang Public Course Department, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510631, China Email: [tangjing96047@sina.com](tangjing96047@sina.com) Abstract In recent years, Chinese Generation Z has shown a strong enthusiasm for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), often attributing academic or life challenges to their MBTI personality types. This study aims to explore the effects of MBTI on academic major selection, academic performance, and career decision-making among first-year university students in China. Data were collected from 203 freshmen across seven majors at a comprehensive university in Guangdong Province using MBTI personality test scales, peer evaluations, and an open-ended career decision questionnaire. Statistical and correlation analyses were conducted using SPSS 27. The findings revealed that: (1) the Judging/Perceiving dimension is significantly correlated with structured disciplines; (2) Intuitive students tend to perform better academically; and (3) MBTI has a limited impact on career decision-making. These results suggest that while MBTI can offer insights into student preferences, its predictive power is constrained, especially in culturally and societally influenced contexts. Educators should take these factors into account when utilizing MBTI in academic settings and encourage students to explore career paths beyond their perceived personality constraints. Keywords: MBTI; Academic Major; Academic Performance; Career Decision-making. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a globally recognized tool that is used in 115 countries and 29 languages, and it has been used by 88 of the Fortune in recent years (Choong & Varathan, 2021); millions of people have taken the assessment each year, and it is used widely in education, career counseling, and organizational development to understand personality dynamics (Yang, 2022). In China, Generation Z has widely embraced MBTI, viewing it as a cultural tool that reflects personal identity and self-awareness. The popularity of MBTI is amplified by social media platforms, and many students attribute their academic and life challenges to their MBTI personality type (Wang et al., 2024) . As these students enroll in universities, freshmen often face uncertainty in their academic majors and making career decisions, which is a critical process for their future success. This study examines the relationship between MBTI and academic major, academic performance, and career decision-making in Chinese first-year university students. It explores the role of this popular tool in shaping their educational and professional paths. Related Work 2.1 Overview of the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) was a self-reported questionnaire developed by Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs, rooted in Carl Jung's theory (Jung,1971) of psychological types in 1998. It is widely used to measure and describe people's mental activity patterns and behavioral preferences regarding energy sources, access to information, making decisions, and dealing with life (Zong, 2021) . The MBTI includes a 94-item forced-choice questionnaire that categorizes each person into four "dichotomies," or dimensions, which are thought to correspond to different aspects of personality (Myers et al., 1998). Each dichotomy allows for two "preferences" or values that focus on four aspects of human personality: how they focus attention, how they absorb information, how they make decisions after taking in information, and how they deal with the world (King & Mason, 2020) . Table 1. MBTI Dichotomy | Description | Dimension | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | Extrovert (E): They tend to focus on the external world, gaining energy from acting and feeling drained by introspection | Attention Orientation Extraversion (

FAQs

What does the study investigate about MBTI among Chinese first-year students?

It examines the effects of MBTI on academic major selection, academic performance, and career decision-making among Chinese first-year university students.

How were the data collected and analyzed in this research?

The study collected data from 203 freshmen across seven majors using MBTI personality test scales, peer evaluations, and an open-ended career decision questionnaire. Statistical and correlation analyses were conducted using SPSS 27.

What were the main findings regarding MBTI and student outcomes?

The Judging/Perceiving dimension correlates significantly with structured disciplines. Intuitive students tend to perform better academically, while MBTI shows limited impact on career decision-making.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by wps_ap_test_251126_0180