Personality Types

Understanding Personality Types: What Are They?

Why do individuals and organisations use personality tests, and is there any merit in exploring a person's individual traits? There have been numerous attempts to categorise individuals into different styles of personality, but the validity of labelling personality types has been called into question.

There are many personality tests available online. The most popular ones include Myers Briggs (MBTI), Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS), Enneagram, and Big Five Personality Questionnaire.

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Each test measures five main personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness. Each trait is measured on a scale of 1-7, where 7 is the highest score.

Some tests measure these traits based on your answers to questions, while others use a questionnaire format. Regardless of the type of personality test used, each provides valuable information about your personality.

People often wonder why they view the world in such a different manner from other individuals having different personality types. Much of this has to do with their cognitive functions. Every individual lives and views life in an entirely different way. A cognitive function possesses the greatest priority in one's mind. The individual “lives” this specific function, and all the stimuli are filtered through it. This is sometimes referred to as the dominant function of the person.

One of the better-known personality questionnaires is the Myers-Brigg Indicator.

Note: While the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is widely used, it lacks strong scientific validity. Research shows poor test-retest reliability (people often get different types when retested) and the discrete type categories don't reflect how personality actually exists on continuous dimensions. The Big Five personality model (OCEAN) has substantially stronger empirical support in psychological research.

Myers-Brigg Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality test developed by Carl Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers. The MBTI measures four different types of personalities based on preferences in thinking, feeling, sensing, and judging.

Each type represents a unique perspective on life and work. Understanding these differences helps us understand ourselves better and makes working together more effective.

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What Are the Most Popular Personality Tests for Self-Discovery?

The most popular personality tests include Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Keirsey Temperament Sorter (KTS), Enneagram, and Big Five Personality Questionnaire. Each test measures five main personality traits: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness on a scale of 1-7. These tests provide valuable insights through either direct questions or questionnaire formats.

Keirsey Temperament Sorters (KTS), Developed by David Keirsey in 1976, KTS is based on his theory that there are nine basic temperaments. He identified three primary temperaments: artistic, practical, and enterprising.

Enneagram, The enneagram is a system of psychological typology used to describe human behavior. It was created by Dr. Oscar Ichazo in 1980. There are nine distinct personality types within the enneagram: 1) the egoist; 2) the intellectual; 3) the mystic; 4) the socializer; 5) the achiever; 6) the guardian; 7) the artist; 8) the follower; 9) the idealist.

Big Five Questionnaire, The Big Five Questionnaire was developed by psychologists Richard E. Mayer and Peter Salovey in 1990. It measures five dimensions of personality: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness and neuroticism.

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBT): This questionnaire was developed by Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs. It measures 16 personality traits, including introversion/extroversion, sensing/intuition, thinking/feeling, judging/perceiving, and perceiving/judging.

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How Do Myers-Briggs Cognitive Functions Work in Education?

Myers-Briggs cognitive functions shape how students process information and engage with learning materials, with each type having a dominant function that influences their classroom behavior. Teachers can recognize these patterns to understand why introverted students may need different processing time and why certain students miss or focus on specific types of information. Understanding these functions helps educators move beyond learning style myths to address actual cognitive preferences.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) is grounded on the theory of psychological type by Carl Jung. The following list are the dominant functions of all the Myers-Briggs personality types and used by individuals to receive more precise knowledge about themselves and other persons whom they come in contact with. It specifies a person's four dimensions of personality preference:

• Where they focus their attention, Introversion (I) or Extraversion (E)
• How they absorb information, Intuition (N) or Sensing (S)
• How they make decisions, Feeling (F) or Thinking (T)
• How they handle the world, Perceiving (P) or Judging (J).

The colour of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator squares shows the dominant function of each type. Red represents feeling function; blue shows thinking; yellow indicates intuition, and green represents Intuition, sensing.

The 4 letters that constitute psychological types may help people understand themselves and their dealing with others. One must fill out a questionnaire and attend a feedback session conducted by a qualified Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator practitioner to assess their MBTI personality type.

The Myers-Briggs Company offers training to nearly 2,000 people every year to become qualified practitioners. They belong to a wide range of backgrounds, from personal coaches to HR consultants.

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ENTP & ENFP Personality Types: Extraverted Intuition Explained

Those with Extraverted Intuitive types pay more attention to identifying a range of possibilities and connections they may find in the exterior world. People with Extraverted sensing types are the most spirited when they can imagine future solutions, innovations and potentialities.

As Extraverted Intuition is a thinking function, people of Extraverted Intuitive types come at life from a place of exploration, curiosity and openness. People of Extraverted Intuition pay more attention to observing and understanding than making judgments.

People of Extraverted Intuitive types are often popular who see life from different angles and enjoy discovering unusual solutions to complex situations. While other Psychological Types might avoid the chaos, those with extraverted intuition feel messy circumstances are thrilling that demand innovative strategies.

INTJ & INFJ Personality Types: Understanding Introverted Intuition

The dominant function of those with Introverted Intuition remains concentrated on noticing a situation at work. People of Introverted Intuition types would frequently ask questions like “What else is happening here?” which keeps them focused on examining underlying patterns, themes, and inspirations.

People of introverted Intuitive types are forward-thinkers and love putting together broad-range visions and plans to accomplish. For those of Introverted Intuition psychological type, it is easy to foresee how things will happen and sense evolving patterns and their impact on the upcoming time. While paying more attention to what might happen in future, they can skillfully see the inner of themselves and others. People with Introverted Intuition are not happy to leave things how they are.

Rather, those of introverted Intuitive types would focus on seeing things in a new direction and offer a deeper layer of meaning to everything.

People with introverted sensing types have a dominant Introverted Intuitive nature which makes them in close contact with their unconscious world. People with Introverted sensing types may interpret dreams, find symbolism, and have “gut” feeling dimension for the situations that seem to appear suddenly and unexpectedly.

ISFP & INFP Personality Types: Introverted Feeling Explained

People with Introverted Feeling type concentrate on assessing their surrounding based on what they feel is right and authentic for people. They keep their focus on issues of values, conscience, beliefs, and identity and believe in staying honest about who they are, and do not change themselves for external influences.

Even if people with the Introverted feeling type try to impose their rules on them, people with the Introverted Feeling type prefer to hear the small voice inside them that leads them to follow their truth, their conscience, and their desires.

People of these psychological types belong to the introverted feeling type are in close contact with the human experience and make effort to make decisions based on what is truly worthy in life. People of the Introverted Feeling type hold a lot of insight and depth due to their ethically-conscious, introspective nature.

Since Introverted Feeling is a process of judgement, they face conviction in life. People of Introverted Feeling type wish to discover their path and pursue it without being impacted by societal pressures.

ISTP & INTP Personality Types: Understanding Introverted Thinking

Their dominant function remains concentrated on detecting the truth of what something is. People with Introverted Thinking Functions sift past community biases and rules and try to reach the basis of a principle, theory or idea.

Those with Introverted Thinking Function organize falsehoods and truths in their mind and sort them out based on their relationships and connections with one another. Accuracy is at the bottom of your mind, they look for the most appropriate solution to any difficulty that comes their way.

Individuals with Introverted Thinking Function enjoy taking ideas or objects apart and assessing how they all match together. A person with an Introverted Thinking type, will follow his curiosity in different ways.

Their main goal is to think with the utmost clarity, with no irrational sentimental judgments or biases coming their way. Individuals with Introverted Thinking Function search for logical consistency in their thinking function and they enjoy increased expertise in specific fields of occupation.

ESFJ & ENFJ Personality Types: Understanding Extraverted Feeling

Their dominant function remains concentrated on unifying individuals and responding to their feeling dimensions values and needs. People belonging to the Extraverted Feeling type keep on assessing the sentimental “temperature” of the place they are in and can skillfully change the atmosphere of the place with their strong presence.

They keep people together and help unite them to achieve a common goal. Their personality traits include making people feel comfortable and use humor, gesture and words to make everyone at ease.

ESTJ & ENTJ Personality Types: Extraverted Thinking Explained

The dominant psychological function of people of these Psychological Types is to focus on working out life’s problems logically, efficiently and promptly. They strive to structure and organize their surroundings such that tasks can be done as effectively and rapidly as possible.

They are conscious about resources and time and understand how to utilize these to their utmost capability. Since Extraverted Thinking involves a process of judgement, they concentrate on moving forward, achieving objectives, and making decisions.

When they make judgments, they concentrate on causality, logic and facts. Some may consider them to be brusque, but it also allows them to stay focused on their goals without becoming sidetracked by ever-changing feeling dimensions and moods.

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ISTJ & ISFJ Personality Types: Understanding Introverted Sensation

The dominant function of people of these Psychological Types is to compare and contrast past with the present to discover what they may trust. They ground themselves in experience, sense impressions and reflect on recollections to navigate them forward.

They value practicing stuff until gaining expertise in a specific field. People of these psychological types are specialists and frequently learn the subject of studies of their choice. They demonstrate extraordinary attention to detail, and mostly find changes before others. Since they value strength, they are gifted with the art of building positive traditions and routines that bring a sense of comfort and consistency in their life.

They are Introverted Sensor, which gives them more knowledge of inner-body sensations. They may frequently sense thirst, hunger or fatigue and can better sense nuances in flavors than other people.

ESFP & ESTP Personality Types: Extraverted Sensation Explained

The dominant psychological function of people of these Psychological Types is to remain present with the world around them and immerse themselves in it as completely as possible. They are willing to explore, taste and touch, all of the experiences of life.

Drawn to novelty and excitement, you love physical activities, risks and adventures. Since they are extremely immersed in their present, they may notice objects and details more quickly and precisely than others. They are Extraverted Sensors, they possess a restless desire to remain alert and active.

Due to this, they are most energetic, quick-witted, and responsive. Hence, they are mostly quick to answer in the situation of a crisis and are experts in controlling a lot of contradicting external stimuli.

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Why Should Teachers Understand Personality Types in the Classroom?

Understanding personality types helps teachers identify their natural teaching blind spots and recognize how their dominant cognitive function affects what they notice about different learners. This knowledge prevents the limiting effects of personality labels while enabling teachers to decode unspoken signals from students, particularly introverted ones. It also clarifies the crucial difference between personality preferences and actual learning needs for better differentiation.

Understanding your personality can be a transformative journey, offering a wealth of insights that can shape your personal and professional life. Here are nine compelling reasons to delve deeper into your personality:

1. Self-awareness: Understanding your personality type can lead to a greater sense of self-awareness. This can help you understand your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences, leading to more informed decisions and actions.
2. Career Guidance: Personality traits can significantly influence career success. For instance, a study in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that certain personality traits are linked to career success. Understanding your personality can guide you towards careers that align with your natural inclinations.
3. Improved Relationships: Understanding your personality can help you understand others, improving your interpersonal relationships. You can better appreciate the differences between people and adapt your communication style to suit others.
4. Personal Growth: Understanding your personality can be a catalyst for personal growth. It can help you identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to overcome challenges.
5. Stress Management: Knowing your personality can help you understand how you respond to stress, enabling you to develop effective coping strategies.
6. Motivation: Understanding what motivates you can help you set and achieve personal and professional goals.
7. Conflict Resolution: Understanding your personality can help you manage and resolve conflicts more effectively. You can understand your conflict style and adapt your approach to suit different situations.
8. Leadership Development: Understanding your personality can enhance your leadership skills. Leaders who understand their personality can adapt their style to motivate and inspire their teams effectively.
9. Personal Satisfaction: Ultimately, understanding your personality can lead to greater personal satisfaction. As Carl Jung, the psychologist who developed the theory of psychological types, once said, "Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes."

Key Insights:

• Understanding your personality can lead to greater self-awareness, improved relationships, and personal growth.
• Personality traits can significantly influence career success.
• Understanding your personality can enhance your leadership skills and help you manage stress and conflict more effectively.



What Do Teachers Need to Know About Introverted Students?

Introverted students process information differently and their silence often indicates deep thinking rather than disengagement or lack of understanding. These students typically need more time to formulate responses and prefer written communication or small group discussions over large group participation. Teachers should recognize that introversion is not a learning deficit but a different cognitive processing style that requires adjusted engagement strategies.

Introvert personality traits are often misunderstood and even stigmatized in our extroverted society. However, being an introvert is not a negative thing. In fact, it can bring many strengths and benefits to an individual's life.

What does it mean to have an introverted personality and what are the common misconceptions surrounding introverts, and how to embrace and thrive as an introvert?

Personality characteristics of introverts include a preference for solitude, a tendency to think before speaking or acting, and a sensitivity to overstimulation in social situations. However, introverts are often misunderstood as being shy or unfriendly, when in reality they simply recharge their energy through quiet reflection rather than social interaction. By understanding and embracing their unique personality traits, introverts can thrive in both personal and professional settings.

The introvert personality is just one dimension of personality, along with extroversion, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism. These dimensions are used to categorize individuals based on their traits and behaviors. It's important to note that no one dimension is better or worse than another, and individuals can possess traits from multiple dimensions. By understanding the different dimensions of personality, we can better understand ourselves and those around us, leading to improved communication and relationships.

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Evaluating Personality Instruments: Are Personality Tests Worth It?

There are dozens of different personality tests available online that claim to tell you whether you're introverted, extroverted, etc. But is it really worth spending money on a personality type test?

There are plenty of other factors that influence our behavior, including our upbringing, culture, environment, and genetics. So while knowing your personality type might be fun, it's probably not going to change much about who you are or how you act.

Plus, personality tests aren't always accurate. Some companies offer personality tests that are based on questionable research methods, and others are just plain inaccurate. And since personality tests are subjective, they can lead to arguments among friends and family members.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hidden costs of using personality labels like MBTI in the classroom, and how might they limit student potential?

Personality labels can create rigid expectations that prevent teachers from seeing students' full capabilities and adaptability. Rather than boxing students into categories, educators should view personality preferences as one factor amongst many that influence learning. This approach allows for more flexible support that adapts to students' evolving needs rather than predetermined assumptions.

How do cognitive functions affect the way different students process information and engage with learning materials?

Each student has a dominant cognitive function that acts as their primary filter for processing all stimuli and information. For example, students with introverted intuition focus on underlying patterns and future possibilities, whilst those with extraverted intuition explore multiple connections and innovative solutions. Understanding these differences helps teachers recognise why some students need more processing time or approach problems from unexpected angles.

What's the difference between personality preferences and actual learning needs, and why does this matter for differentiation strategies?

Personality preferences indicate how students naturally tend to process information, but they don't determine their learning capabilities or requirements. Effective differentiation focuses on meeting diverse learning needs rather than assuming personality type dictates learning style. This distinction helps teachers provide varied instructional approaches without limiting students to narrow categories.

How can teachers recognise and support introverted students who may process differently in the classroom?

Introverted students often need more time to process information internally before participating, and their silence doesn't indicate disengagement or lack of understanding. Teachers can support these students by providing advance notice of discussion topics, offering written reflection time, and creating multiple ways to demonstrate engagement beyond verbal participation. Recognising that introverted students may be deeply engaged even when quiet helps teachers avoid misinterpreting their classroom behaviour.

What should teachers know about their own personality types and potential blind spots when working with diverse learners?

Teachers' dominant cognitive functions shape what they naturally notice and emphasise in their instruction, potentially creating blind spots for students who process differently. For instance, a teacher with strong sensing preferences might focus heavily on concrete details whilst missing students who need big-picture connections. Awareness of these tendencies helps educators consciously vary their approach to reach all learners effectively.

Which personality assessment tools are most relevant for educational settings, and what do they actually measure?

The most common tools include Myers-Briggs (MBTI), Big Five, Enneagram, and Keirsey Temperament Sorter, each measuring traits like extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. However, proper MBTI assessment requires qualified practitioners and formal feedback sessions, making it less practical for casual classroom use. Teachers should focus on understanding the underlying concepts of cognitive differences rather than formal testing.

How can understanding personality types like ENTP, ENFP, INTJ, and INFJ help teachers create more inclusive learning environments?

Students with extraverted intuition (ENTP/ENFP) thrive with open-ended exploration and innovative problem-solving opportunities, whilst those with introverted intuition (INTJ/INFJ) prefer seeing underlying patterns and future applications. Creating learning experiences that accommodate both preference types, such as offering both collaborative brainstorming and individual reflection time, ensures all students can engage meaningfully. This understanding helps teachers design varied activities rather than relying on one-size-fits-all approaches.