Validity-Study - Reliability and Validity of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

History, reliability, and validity of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) are reviewed. The text explains its roots in Carl Jung’s psychological type theory and how Katharine Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers developed the assessment using four dichotomies. It compares revised forms M and Q, describing scoring approaches and internal consistency results. Validity evidence is summarized through behavioral findings, factor analyses, correlations with related measures, and even brain-scan studies. Applications and references conclude the discussion.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

History

Reliability

Validity

References

History, Reliability and Validity of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) Instrument History The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment is the best-known and most trusted personality assessment tool available today. As many as 1.5 million assessments are administered annually to individuals, including to employees of most Fortune 500 companies. The Myers-Briggs® assessment has its roots in Carl Jung’s theory of psychological type. Katharine Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, developed Jung’s theory and the first forms of the instrument, sharing a vision “to enable individuals to grow through an understanding and appreciation of individual differences in healthy personality and to enhance harmony and productivity among diverse groups.” In developing their assessment, Briggs and Myers sought to sort personality preferences using the three dichotomies explicitly described in Jung’s writing, along with a fourth dichotomy made explicit by Briggs and Myers. These four dichotomies are • Extraversion (E) and Introversion (I): differentiating people who direct their energy primarily outward toward other people and events from people who direct their energy primarily inward toward their inner environment, thoughts, and experiences • Sensing (S) and Intuition (N): differentiating people who take in information primarily through the five senses and immediate experience from people who take in information primarily through hunches and impressions and are more interested in future possibilities • Thinking (T) and Feeling (F): differentiating people who make decisions primarily based on logic and objectivity from people who make decisions primarily based on personal values and the effects their decisions will have on others • Judging (J) and Perceiving (P): differentiating people who prefer structure, plans, and achieving closure quickly from those who prefer flexibility, spontaneity, and keeping their options open Reliability The MBTI assessment has been revised several times since it first appeared in 1942. New item formats and scoring methods were developed and tested first by Isabel Myers and later by professional psychometricians, with each revision leading to technical improvements over the previous form. The mostrecent forms are Form M and Form Q, both of which use item response theory (IRT)-based scoring and itemselection. Form M, first published in 1998, is the standard form for identifying an individual’s four-letter type. Based on results from a broad, nationally representative sample of 3,009 people, each of the four preference scales has internal consistency reliability of .90 or greater. Form Q, first published in 2001, identifies an individual’s four-letter type and produces a more detailed representation of individual differences within type by reporting 20 facets. Based on results from a nationally representative sample of 1,378 people, median internal consistency of the 20 facets is .77. Validity Validity of both Forms M and Q has been examined through behavioral observations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, correlations with related measures, and even brain scans. For instance: • Introverts spend significantly more time than Extraverts conducting “heads down” work, while Extraverts spend significantly more time doing work in open areas (Schaubhut, Thompson, & O’Hara, 2008) • INtuitives express significantly greater interest in Artistic occupations than Sensors (O’Hara, Thompson, Donnay, Morris, & Schaubhut, 2006) • Thinkers score significantly higher than Feelers on dominance, while Feelers score significantly higher on nurturance (Quenk, Hammer, & Majors, 2001) • Judgers score significantly higher than Perceivers on order, while Perceivers score significantly higher on change (Quenk, Hammer, & Majors, 2001) In fact, a research database maintained by the Center for Applications of Psychological Type (CAPT) lists more than 10,000 articles, books, and

FAQs

What are the four dichotomies used in the MBTI assessment?

The MBTI uses Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving to describe preference differences.

How do Forms M and Q differ in reliability reporting?

Form M uses internal consistency for each preference scale, with values of .90 or greater in the reported sample. Form Q provides a more detailed profile via 20 facets, with a median internal consistency of .77.

What kinds of evidence support MBTI validity for Forms M and Q?

Validity is supported through behavioral observations, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, correlations with related measures, and references to brain-scan evidence.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Callum