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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to be a Myers-Briggs evangelist?

151 replies

summerbreezer · 01/08/2013 20:08

Just done the test here:

www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp

And read about my personality type:

www.personalitypage.com/

I am completely blown away by the accuracy of it. It explains why I get on with some people, and why I conflict with others.

Anyone else done this?

OP posts:
LimitedEditionLady · 01/08/2013 21:44

Im a INFJ too....dunno how i feel about that?

Original poster
summerbreezer · 01/08/2013 21:45

greenfolder. My friend and I thought of that very objection - so we filled out the answers for each other as well as ourselves. We both placed each other in the same personality type.

I liked it. It worked for me.

OP posts:
curlew · 01/08/2013 21:48

good thing to start with

curlew · 01/08/2013 21:49

"I disagree it isn't scientific. It based on years of researchers by psychologists including Carl Jung."

As far as I know, neither Myers not Briggs were psychologists. And jaunt was only involved insofar as Myers and Briggs read his book.

TeaMakesItAllPossible · 01/08/2013 21:50

ENTP here. But I suspect I'm not meant tone here!

I think it's an interesting framework to help you communicate with others. Understanding that someone likes to organise detail way in advance against just decide the objective can really help if you're managed by or have to deal with one of those other fuckers someone who does things differently.

But I would say that as I like looking at how things work. Wink

Over time, and in different situations, your preferences can change.

curlew · 01/08/2013 21:50

jung, not jaunt! Was that a Feudian slip?

TeaMakesItAllPossible · 01/08/2013 21:51

To be ... Not sure who Tone is but I bet he's not an ENTP

ARealDame · 01/08/2013 21:52

Yes, I am a Myers-Briggs evangelist also. At times it has given me deep insight into my character and sensitivity. It has been very illuminating and helpful. I think a lot of the INs and INFs hang out on internet forums!

WafflyVersatile · 01/08/2013 21:53

I guess people like labels but what's the point?

The worry in a work setting is that they fix you as being a certain type then it can be used against you.

Like saying 'well so and so will do this because she is a gemini and you know what they're like'.

AnnabelleLee · 01/08/2013 21:57

neither myers or briggs were scientists of any kind, they read a book by Jung and then just made it up.
It might be the worlds most used psychological test, but it isn't actually used by psychologists. What does that tell you?

YoniBottsBumgina · 01/08/2013 21:58

ENFP. I am convinced this is the WORST type to be, but quite pleased all the same to have a type! ENFPs are all chaotic, disorganised, messy and incapable of sticking to anything because something else NEW and EXCITING pops into our brains about every five seconds. We are distracted by shiny things, unfortunately the shiny things are inside our own heads. We also talk constantly, in the same irritating way that a four year old does (but I hope my jokes are better - actually, no, even my jokes are not better.)

Boxes (half finished packing), sofa cushions on the floor (was letting DS make a trampoline, yesterday), paper strewn all over floor, impulse buy dinner at my desk (also covered in crisp packets) Yep, I'm definitely ENFP.

unlucky83 · 01/08/2013 21:58

I did this (a lot of years ago) - in a workshop type situation - really can't remember what I was now but for every category I was borderline
I did it again several years later (and I couldn't remember much about it) - and again every category borderline - and when I looked back and checked discovered this time I came out the exact opposite.
(Sure if I did it again I would probably be a different combination of letters...)

When I had counseling my therapist said I have two very distinct sides to my personality...really distinct - and I needed to learn how to accept and appreciate both ...

I have been told by someone I am the most organised disorganised or disorganised organised person they have ever met ...

(I am also a gemini - two personalities....Smile)

Not sure what that means - but do think it says something about me ...?? (probably more than the letters of a M-B test...)

monicalewinski · 01/08/2013 22:00

We also did the test in conjunction with "Belbin", which was to do with the roles you tended towards in teams. This was pretty accurate too - we all had to guess what roles we thought others in our syndicate were, how we perceived ourselves and how we scored on the test; minimal variation between the 3 was the outcome.

It's good to use as a tool I think, but to accept without question is too far.

WineNot · 01/08/2013 22:03

Ooh, how very interesting.

Everyone's going to have a different opinion on stuff like this.

I know it's helped me... And it's helped me when coaching people out of performance management measures (note... It wasn't used to put them in it in the first place). Perhaps it's coincidence...

Interesting that it describes colleagues, me, my husband our careers and our relationship to an absolute 'T' though.

On the back of 4 questions....

curlew · 01/08/2013 22:05

There seem to be two personality types on this thread. Those that think personality tests are a good idea and ignore evidence to the contrary. And another one.

motownmover · 01/08/2013 22:10

It isn't actually accurate - your profile can change.

It doesn't have predictive validity.

MrsCocoa · 01/08/2013 22:12

I'm a fan and was gutted when Mariella Frostrup compared MBTI to astrology...

I used to have a copy of this - a fascinating guide to parenting based on your child's MBTI preference:
www.amazon.co.uk/Nurture-Nature-Understand-Childs-Personality/dp/0316845132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1375391220&sr=8-1&keywords=myers+briggs+children

AnnabelleLee · 01/08/2013 22:12

It doesn't have any validity.

alwaysinamuckingfuddle · 01/08/2013 22:17

INFJ here too...

There's a few of us on here, isn't there?

WineNot · 01/08/2013 22:33

Not sure there's any evidence that MBTI 'is a bad idea' is there?

Not valid or scientific maybe.

But 'a bad idea'?

AnnabelleLee · 01/08/2013 22:36

Well, its a bad idea to use it as a scientific instrument and take it seriously. If you know and accept it as a bit of fun, then its a perfectly good idea.

Original poster
summerbreezer · 01/08/2013 22:39

Exactly, Wine. That's what it boils down to.

There are plenty of bad ideas to get worked up about.

Female Genital Mutilation = bad idea.
Condom use discouraged in the developing world = bad idea.

MB is an idea. A theory. Some people think it is valid, others don't. There are arguments for and against. Why the need to "dis-credit" it? And look down on those who consider it to be valid as "ignoring the evidence"?

At the end of the day, it's a personality test!

OP posts:
AnnabelleLee · 01/08/2013 22:41

You never answered my qquestion though. What you linked to isn't a Myers-Briggs test.

AnnabelleLee · 01/08/2013 22:42

Oh, and using something like FGM here is rather revolting, not to mention bogus.Hmm

WineNot · 01/08/2013 22:46

I'm pretty comfortable I the way I use it. I take it seriously in some circumstances as a tool. One tool.

Like when helping a team member understand why they hated arguments when they were avoiding conflict to the extent that it affected the team they managed.

Perhaps it's bullshit. But telling them there was a reason for it (their personality type) and that it wasn't their fault, and was something they could learn to do differently, gave them the confidence to do just that.

Ain't no one gonna discredit that with me.