CHAPTER 6
MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE THEORY
Not designed to be a theory of career development, but a theory of personality that focuses on
decision-making styles.
The two most basic concepts are perception-judgment and extraversion-introversion.
PERCEIVING AND JUDGING
Two ways of PERCEIVING
Sensing:
• Taking in information through visual and auditory processes along with smell, taste,
Intuition:
• Concerns the use of the unconscious, indirect and adds ideas to external perceptions
The Two Ways of JUDGING (After an Idea is Perceived, a Judgment is Made)
Thinking:
• Analyzing and being objective about an observed idea or event
Feeling:
• Subjective reaction, often related to one’s values
Combinations of Perceiving and Judging
Sensing and Thinking:
• Likely to focus on collecting facts that can be verified by their observations
• Want to see and hear what has happened
Sensing and Feeling
• Aware of the importance of feelings to themselves and others when making decisions
• More interested in observations about people than objects
• Medical, social work, teaching
• Will focus more on information about people and occupations, being aware of how
they’d feel in these jobs
Intuition and Feeling
• Personal, warm, and inspired
• Apt to take a creative approach to meeting human needs and be less concerned
Intuition and Thinking
• Make decisions based on analysis
• Enjoy solving problems, especially those that are theoretical
The Preference for Perception or Judgment
Some people prefer to make decisions based on relatively few facts (judgment), while others
prefer to weigh many facts before reaching a judgment (perception).
People who have perceiving attitudes continue to take information in and do not decide.
EXTRAVERSION AND INTROVERSION
Introversion:
• Making perceptions and judgments based on one’s interests in his or her inner
world
• Concepts and ideas in inner world are important
• Enjoy thinking
Extraversion:
• Based on outer world
• People and objects in outer world
• Like to take action
• Want to work with people or things by talking and interacting
THE 16 TYPE COMBINATIONS
Descriptions provide an overview of the characteristics of people who fit into the 16 types.
DOMINANT AND AUXILIARY PROCESS –
Complex concepts. Some instructors may skip this.
USING THE MYERS-BRIGGS TYPOLOGY IN COUNSELING
There are overlapping occupational choices that are made by people in each type.
THE ROLE OF OCCUPATIONAL INFORMATION
THE ROLE OF ASSESSMENT INSTRUMENTS
The MBTI is crucial in the use of the theory. Several report forms exist.
APPLYING THE THEORY TO WOMEN AND CULTURALLY DIVERSE POPULATIONS
The MBTI has been translated into many languages. Studies have been done on gender and
COUNSELOR ISSUES