Measuring the MBTI - And Coming Up Short

Sep 17, 2026

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The text examines the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and challenges its reliability and validity. It contrasts a hypothetical personality-based career prediction approach with the claim that many research findings cannot support the MBTI’s broader assertions. The discussion highlights the test’s widespread popularity across workplaces, schools, churches, and counseling settings, while emphasizing that psychologists question whether meaningful conclusions can be drawn. It also outlines origins, distribution history, and a brief theory of 16 types built on four preference dimensions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

A Brief History of the MBTI

A Brief Theory of Type

Measuring the MBTI... And Coming Up Short by David J. Pittenger * Some research has shown that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test doesn't really measure what it purports to measure. The author, too, has his reservations as to its reliability and validity. Imagine a test that would allow you to predict the type of career for which a person is best suited For example, Mary comes to you for career counseling. She presents you with her education and work history, and an outline of her career objectives. Specifically, she says that she would like to find an entry-level position where she can help people, and is interested in a career in the social services. You then administer a personality inventory. The scores suggest to you that Mary is a logical person who is achievement oriented, quick to identify flaws in others, and values truth over tact in herself and others. Based on these observations, you conclude that Mary may not be well suited for work that requires empathy for others' feelings and tolerance for ambiguity. Instead, you suggest to Mary that her strong points are tile ability to focus her attention upon objective information and to make rational decisions. You then advise Mary to consider alternative careers that match her education, abilities, values, and personality. Many claim that such a test is available with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) .1 Recently, Paul D. Tieger and Barbara Barron-Tieger described how the MBTI can be used by career counselors to help clients find jobs for which they are best suited and with which they will be most satisfied.2 Indeed, they claim that understanding aperson's type is one of the most important factors to consider when helping that person make career decisions. The Tiegers also provide a brief summary of the MBTI test and review how it can be used in job counseling. The MBTI is a very popular test of personality. Each year millions of copies of the test are administered in the workplace, schools, churches, community groups, management workshops, and counseling centers. Many people see the MBTI as an invaluable tool that helps them understand their own behavior as well as the behavior of others. In spite of the popularity of the MBTI, there are many problems with its use. There is a large body of research that suggests that the claims made about the MBTI cannot be supported. In other words, although the MBTI appears to measure something, many psychologists are not convinced that any significant conclusions can be based on the test. In this article I will review the basic research that questions the validity of the MBTI. *David J. Pittenger is assistant professor and Chair of the Department of Psychology at Marietta College. He has written extensively in his field, and has received a Teaching Excellence Award, Early Career from Division Two of the American Psychological Association. Dr. Pittenger earned his Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Georgia, his M.S. from Texas A&M University, and his B.A. from the College of Wooster. A Brief History of the MBTI The MBTI was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katherine Briggs. Katherine Briggs became interested in type theory after reading Carl Jung's book, Psychological Type. Isabel Briggs Myers shared her mother's interest in type theory and began to create the MBTI in the early l940s as a test to be used for personnel selection.3 Myers believed that different occupations favored different personality orientations, and that Jung's theory provided a theoretical link between personality and job performance. In 1957, the Educational Testing Service (ETS) began to distribute the MBTI for research purposes. ETS spent considerable time and resources in deciding whether the MBTI should have been adopted as a part ofits vast library of proprietary tests. After an unfavorable internal review of the test, ETS chose not to pursue the further development and ended its relationship with Myers.4

FAQs

Why does the author question the MBTI’s reliability and validity?

The text states that research suggests claims about the MBTI cannot be supported, and many psychologists are not convinced that significant conclusions can be based on the test.

How does the article illustrate the MBTI approach to career counseling?

It presents a hypothetical case where personality inventory scores are used to infer traits and then to suggest career alternatives, such as concerns about empathy and tolerance for ambiguity.

How did the MBTI spread from its early development to wide use?

The article describes development by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katherine Briggs, distribution by ETS for research purposes in 1957, and later marketing after Consulting Psychologists Press acquired the rights in 1975.

Sep 17, 2026

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