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Your Personality Type is BS. Shocker.
Mischief Monthly Presents {THE}SIS
Welcome back, nerds. Introducing {THE}SIS, our way of apologizing for missing three articles in a row. Sorry. 😬
These articles are going to be just a little bit different. Think of them like Mid-Monthlys, but they’re about real and grounded topics that apply to what we’re studying, learning, and experiencing here at college, and choices being made that affect all of us.
Everyone knows the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator Test. Most of us Gen Z-ers took it and UMary freshmen are required to take it as part of their introductory courses. What most of us don’t know is how flawed it is.
Annie Mercer is here to fix that.
In recent years, the popularity of the sixteen “personality types” has increased exponentially, and, naturally, most people have come to misunderstand the original theory. Many will simplify the process of attributing someone to a type (referred to as “typing”) by reducing it to dichotomies, such as introvert/extravert, sensing/intuitive, feeling/thinking, judging/perceiving. This, however, is far too simple, as it leads one to the conclusion that, for example, one who is a “thinker” has no capacity for feeling, and the converse. Another problem that arises from dichotomy-based typing is “intuitive bias,” which is the mindset that leads people to attribute themselves to an intuitive type instead of a sensing type. There are a multitude of reasons for intuitive bias. For example, one might believe that intuitive types are necessarily more intelligent, thus they want to be associated with the “smart” types. Similarly, those that are more intuitive (especially if they are introverted) are, by their nature, generally more interested in introspection⸺which means that a majority of “personality tests” will favor those who often look inward.
The main problem with MBTI tests is that they tend to favor overblown stereotypes and a sensationalizing of the theory, often reducing it to the level of, say, horoscopes. Personality tests also tend to ignore cognitive functions, which are rooted in fact (as observed by Jung) in favor of the shallow dichotomy-based typing, where a test-taker is asked questions that would lead them to discover whether they favor the following four main functions of consciousness: sensing, thinking, feeling, and intuition.
In order to properly type oneself, one must learn the difference between the eight cognitive functions: Extraverted Thinking (Te), Introverted Thinking (Ti), Extraverted Feeling (Fe), Introverted Feeling (Fi), Extraverted Intuition (Ne), Introverted Intuition (Ni), Extraverted Sensing (Se), and Introverted Sensing (Si). This essay will refer to these functions by their two-letter shorthand for simplicity and clarity. Each personality type consists of a lineup of eight functions, alternating between introverted and extraverted. A type is recognized by its four most prominent functions, although it is important to note that every person has every single function; one’s type is determined by the order in which these functions present themselves. The first function in a given type is that type’s “dominant function.” The dominant function is the function that one uses the most; the “lens” through which one perceives and interacts with the world. The other functions can be said to “serve” the dominant function.
There are four values for sensing. Those with Ni tend to prefer planning for and thinking of the future as opposed to the past, and their imagination is highly active and turned inward. Those with Ne may juggle many different ideas, beliefs, and theories at once, giving equal probability to the truthfulness of each. Si mainly concerns itself with contrasting present sensory data with past stored data, and is often associated with tradition, attention to detail, and memory. Those with Se tend to value physical experiences, “living in the moment,” They prefer learning all of the facts associated with a given idea, event, or field. Those with Se also value immediate results when it comes to the absorption and synthesis of data.
There are four values regarding thinking. Those with Ti strive for internal harmony within their logical framework, and they integrate any new data they collect into this framework. Those with Te are more likely to try to “impose” their logical framework on the world around them, and are typically less open minded than someone with Ti. Those with Te also tend to be well-organized and in control of their personal space. Those with Fi tend to place great trust in their “gut feelings,” and tend to reject ideas that are in apparent contradiction to their sense of self. Those with Fe prioritize adapting to whatever social environment they find themselves in, and place a great deal of importance in the maintaining of social order within a group, often at the expense of their personal belief.
While the personality types and cognitive functions offer a great deal of information about people, it is important to note that no labels placed on any human being are infallible, as every single person is uniquely made by God. The sixteen personality types are among the most accurate categories that one can impose on a person, yet, even within people of the same type, there will be noticeable (and oftentimes glaring) differences. This is why this theory remains a “pseudoscience,” as it most likely cannot be fully proved or disproved. However, typology based on cognitive functions is exponentially more accurate than dichotomy-based typing.
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