Dear Martin and Tipsters,
The MBTI has evoked mixed responses from psychometricians. It is almost like
the Rorschach in that it seems to have its detractors and its devotees.
On the negative side, in his testing textbook, Richard Gregory says that it has
a "horoscope-like" quality. On the positive side, reliability coefficients are
respectable and validity coefficents are not too different from other
self-report personality instruments.
My own opinion is that on paper the test is not unlike others of its ilk, but
that it may have been used in ways that are not completely justified. For
example, if the profiles are used to match people to work together, what is the
evidence that this improves their ability to do so?
Sincerely,
Stuart
_______________________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: Bourgeois, Dr. Martin [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: December 10, 2009 8:59 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
Subject: [tips] MBTI
I just received the following email from my university, and before responding,
I thought I'd get some other opinions. Here's the email:
Based upon Carl Jung's research on psychological types, the Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator (MBTI) was developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother Katharine
Cook Briggs, and has become the most widely trusted personality inventory in
the United States and throughout the world. Participants will complete the
MBTI inventory, learn about personality types, and receive their individual
personality profiles during this series. In Session #1, participants will
complete the MBTI inventory, with program and results covered in Session #2.
My understanding is that the MBTI is held in low regard by personality
psychologists, and has shown little validity. Any thoughts?
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