Personality Types
I’m a sociologist. I study how humans interact with each other and the world around them. It’s a messy subject, and one that doesn’t have an easy answer—but there are patterns we can find when looking at how people relate to each other. One of these patterns is personality type.
Humans are complicated.
You may have heard that humans have personalities, and that’s true! We are all different and we have our own ways of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
But while this is true, it’s also not enough to explain every aspect of personality. Personality traits (like introversion and extroversion) don’t tell us anything about what people want from their lives or where they’ll end up in the future. And even if we did know those things about someone—which we can’t—it wouldn’t tell us why they got there. For example: if I told you that one person was an extrovert but another one was an introvert.
Would you know what kind of job each person would be most likely to pick? Would you know whether or not either of them would ever get married? If not, then maybe “personality” isn’t quite as useful as some people think!
16 personalities are the end goal
The 16 personalities are the end goal of this conversation.
The 16 personalities are a combination of the 4 pairs of opposites: introvert vs extravert, thinker vs feeler, intuitive vs sensing, and judging vs perceiving
They’re based on the Jungian theory of personality types and were popularized by psychologist Carl Jung in 1921. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is another example of this kind of theory; it also uses four dichotomies to define 16 different types.
The Myers & Briggs test is everywhere.
The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is everywhere. It’s used by psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors to help clients better understand themselves; employers use it to select the right people for jobs; it’s even being taught in schools as a way of introducing students to personality psychology.
It’s also commonly taken online by people who want to know more about their own personalities and why they do what they do—and most importantly, how this affects their relationships with others.
There are 4 pairs of opposites.
- Opposites are not the same as extremes.
- Not all opposites are equal.
- There are 4 pairs of opposites: introvert vs extrovert, sensing vs intuitive, thinking vs feeling and perceiving vs judging.
- You can find one or more opposites in each personality type. For example, an ESTJ is both a judger and a thinker; an ENFP is both an extrovert and intuitive type; and so on.
Introversion vs. extroversion
Introverts are people who are more likely to be shy and quiet. They often prefer reading or working in a quiet environment rather than socializing, and may not enjoy meeting new people.
Extroverts, on the other hand, tend to be outgoing and talkative at times. They usually enjoy being around others and might even be considered “the life of the party.”
Sensing vs. intuition
If you’re a Sensor, you prefer to be practical and realistic. You like to have a plan—you want to know what’s going to happen next. If you’re Intuitive, your thoughts are more abstract and intuitive. You like ideas that don’t necessarily make sense right away but will eventually come together with some exploration and thought. Sensors like to keep things simple; Intuitives can get lost in all of the possibilities they see in front of them.
The two personality types are very different but share one thing: they both need each other! In order for us all to work together as a team (or family), we need sensors that can break down the big picture into smaller tasks so everyone knows what needs doing when it comes time for action. And on top of that, without intuitive there would be no innovation or creativity in our world; their ability for abstract thinking allows us all kinds of amazing new ideas!
Thinking vs. Feeling
Thinking types are objective, impersonal, and logical. They are more likely to be leaders than followers.
Feeling types are subjective, personal, and emotional. They are more likely to be followers than leaders.
Judging vs. Perceiving
Judging types are more structured and organized. They prefer to have a plan and stick to it, but they also like to be flexible when necessary. They’re generally good at time management, have high expectations of themselves and others, and are often perfectionists.
Perceiving types are more flexible and spontaneous. They can adapt easily to new situations, which makes them great employees because they’re always willing to learn new things or try out different projects. However, this flexibility can also cause them some problems: perceiving types tend not to think as much before acting impulsively on their impulses; they aren’t very organized or disciplined; they don’t like being part of a team (since groups require compromise).
You can discover a lot about yourself by learning more about personality types..
- You can discover a lot about yourself by learning more about personality types.
- You can understand how you work with others, and how they work with you.
For example: if you like to be in charge of things and need to be able to move quickly on projects, but the person you’re working with enjoys taking things slowly and meticulously, that may not end well for either of you.
Conclusion (Personality Type)
Even though we started with 16 personalities, there’s always more to learn (and a lot of fun to be had). You can take the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test online at any time, and it will tell you which personality type best describes you. Once you know this information, it helps open up doors that might have previously been closed off from view. It allows us to understand ourselves better by learning about others who share similar traits but come from different backgrounds or cultures — which is one reason why this material has become so popular among businesses today! Learn your Personality Type today!
