Myers Briggs—The Psychological Scales

By Jilaine Parkes, president and founder of Sprigg Talent Management Systems

Did you know that the fundamentals of how we think are usually fixed by the time we are 3 or 4 years old although the brain continues to allow some plasticity until puberty?!

By the time we reach the age of 12 or 13, our adult learning begins to overlay our core personality, which is when the blending of nature and nurture becomes more apparent.

Determining one’s natural Myers-Briggs Personality Type is complicated by our life-long learning experiences. The classic question is: “Am I this way because I learned it or is this just the way I am?”

Perhaps it’s a bit of both and discovering (or rediscovering) the traits and nature of your personality can dramatically enrich your work and personal lives and give you new understanding and appreciation of the personality traits of colleagues and friends.

It’s important to highlight at this juncture that, although one side of each scale is thought to be dominant for each of us, it doesn’t mean it’s the only way we can or do relate to the world. It is, however, usually our preference and the style we use most naturally. For example, if you’re a person who relies on feelings, this doesn’t mean that you can’t use objective data to make decisions, but fans of Myers-Briggs methods would argue that it suggests you’ll probably use feelings to some degree.

So, what are the Myers Briggs Scales? Myers Briggs offers four psychological scales:

[E]xtroversion—[I]ntroversion: Our flow of energy and how we like to interact with others

• Extroverts are stimulated by events and people external to themselves. They show their feelings, learn by talking, and work well in groups.
• Introverts prefer private reflection, self-examination, and self-discovery. They hide their feelings, prefer to work alone, and learn by watching.

[S]ensing—[IN]tuition: How we learn

• Sensing people use their five physical senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell) to interpret the world. They like real-life examples, prefer practical exercises, and get the facts while possibly missing the main idea.
• Intuitive people prefer to rely on instincts. They work based on hunches and feelings, use their imagination, and get the main idea while missing some of the facts.

[T]hinking—[F]eeling: How we make decisions

• Thinking people use logic and objective criteria. They ask “Why?” and enjoy debates.
• Feeling people use their values and subjective ideas. They use lots of words, and they prefer harmony, agreement, and helping others.

[J]udging—[P]erceiving: How we deal with the world

• Judging people are purposeful, and they like structure, plans, rules, and organization.
• Perceiving people take a laid-back, relaxed approach. They’re flexible, open to change, and like to explore.

Also, part of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) profile assesses the relative clarity of your preferences for a particular side of the scale. This is known as the Preference Clarity Index (PCI).

About Jilaine Parkes
Jilaine Parkes is a knowledgeable and passionate HR/Organization Development Professional with nearly 25 years combined experience in large, dynamic organizations and independent HR/OD Consulting. Contact Jilaine at jparkes@sprigghr.com or call her on 888-797-5583 or visit www.sprigghr.com.