MBTI test

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is probably one of the most useful personality tests around. It looks at 4 sets of attributes : Introversion|Extroversion, Intuition|Sensing, Thinking|Feeling, and Perceiving|Judging. This leads to 16 combinations, that give you a surprisingly clear and accurate indication of your overall personality type. Ask yourself if your current job profile/career matches your personality type. If it does, chances are that you are quite content with your job.

Here is a free MBTI test that you can take. The 16 types at a glance.

Update: A comment points out that the validity of the test is questionable. You can read about multiple points of view on the test here, at Wikipedia.

The basic skeptical claim against the MBTI is that any conclusions made from the types lack falsifiability, which can cause confirmation bias in the interpretation of the results. It has also been argued that the terminology of the MBTI is so vague and complicated that it allows any kind of behavior to fit any personality type, resulting in the Forer effect, where an individual gives a high rating to a positive description that supposedly applies specifically to him. Therefore it is difficult to validate any of the claims made by the MBTI using scientific methods. Carroll says, “no matter what your preferences, your behavior will still sometimes indicate contrasting behavior. Thus, no behavior can ever be used to falsify the type, and any behavior can be used to verify it.” Carroll is correct in this observation, however, the MBTI is not intended to be used as trait measurement instrument, but only as an indicator of preference similar to handedness. Carroll’s argument could be construed as spurious since no behavior could be used to falsify one’s handedness preference (right-handed or left-handed), nor could any behavior be construed to verify it.

I tend to agree with the above argument that the test could be used as an indicator of preferences, and not a trait measurement tool. Of course most people fall somewhere between introversion|extraversion, inuitive|sensing etc and not necessarily at either extreme, but it still helps to know your dominant preferences.