We will quickly go through the theory of the Myers Briggs Type Indicator system, it´s only necessarily to read this if you want a deep theoretical understanding of the system. This is the "why" behind it all, explaining how it works in the background. This information is not necessarily if you just want to use the system, but knowing it makes things way clearer.

The Myers Briggs system is based on a theory about how we turn information from our senses into actions. This theory exists out of four factors influencing the progress and the way we handle each of those factors determines our personality type. There are two main ways of handling each of those factors and between those two ways there are continuums. So for example there is the judgment factor (preferences), this factor has two ways of judgment (emotional and logical), and each person is somewhere in between these two opposites.

The other three factors work exactly like this and so each person has a way they perceive, a way they judge, a way they focus these things and a way they use it all. Those four preferences together make up their personality type. So for example your type could be INTP, that means you prefer the “I” in one factor, the “N” in one, the “T” in one and the “P” in the last one. Now let´s look at the following picture, before we get deeper into the system.

 

The two ways of perceiving (N vs S)
The first side of the continuum is the Intuition side which is symbolized with the letter N. When you perceive with Intuition you try to fit all information that comes in, into a big concept or model. Everything that comes in is fit into one main concept and the most important thing is how different facts relate to each other and there relevance in the bigger picture. So intuition is a very efficient way of handling information.

The other side of the continuum is the more sensing side, which is symbolized with the letter S. This side is the opposite of intuition, so it just filters facts without relating it to the other facts or fitting it into a bigger picture. Sensors are usually more into the right now; they like to have things happening around them, they like action. Or in other words you could say that sensors have a way higher need for data from the senses, but they use what they get less efficient.

Nobody is 100% sensor or 100% intuitive and being intuitive isn´t always better than being a sensor.

The two ways of judging (T vs F)
So you have got the information organized in your way but how do you use this information, that´s what the judging continuum deals with. The two sides are thinking (logic) and feeling (emotional). Logical is A+B=C kind of thinking, things are judged like a scientist is judging things without putting feelings into it. The other side is the emotional side, judging based on how you feel about things.

An often made mistake is that thinkers have less feeling. That’s not true at all, the only difference is that they put less value to their feelings.  So feeling like doing something isn’t a valid argument in their conscious mind.

Thinkers unconsciously still base a lot of their actions on feelings which they often explain in their head with invalid logic. Feelers do the same thing yet they more often base decisions on feelings and also usually accept that a decision was made based on feelings. Because they do so they often have a better understanding of their own and other people’s feelings yet a very self-conscious thinker can train this skill too.

Again nobody is fully judging based on thinking or based on feeling and both thinking and feeling has advantages and disadvantages.

The T is the symbol for thinking and F stands for feeling.

The two ways of focus (P vs J)
This preference wasn’t in the Carl Jung theory but it’s crucial for making the whole theory useful. The theory is totally based on the other two continuums, so some people prefer to perceive (P) and others to judge (J). A judger makes decisions quick, he has matters settled while a perceiver doesn’t like to make decisions and will perceive a lot before they make any decision.

Of course nobody can be 100% a Perceiver or 100% judger because this person wouldn’t be able to make any decisions.

The two ways to use this all (I vs E)
The last continuum is the hardest to fully understand. It’s the continuum of Introversion (I) against Extroversion (E). An introvert is focused on his inner world; he needs time alone to recharge. The extrovert is the opposite of that he gains energy by socializing and he is focused on the outer world.

The hard thing about this is that this continuum influences how we use the others. Because when we are introverts we change our focus (J or P) to the outer world. So if you’re an INTP you will prefer intuition to your inner world but you will prefer thinking to your outer world. In other words to the outside world you are a J but inside you are still a P. Intuition (from P) is still way stronger, it just shows up slightly different. For extroverts this doesn’t happen an ENTP will both prefer intuition to their inner and outer world.

I hope you could follow it, if not that’s not a problem on the indication page you will learn how to use the system in a practical way. Don’t make any decisions yet on what you are because this is almost impossible with only the very little and abstract information on this page. After you have learned the practical side you might want to come back and study this page again.

Myers Briggs Personality Assessment