Section IX. Myers-Briggs Personality Types and Their Learning Styles

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI ) is a model of psychological types—not of learning styles—but it provides a useful perspective on why certain ways of learning and writing are more appealing to some people than to others.

Based on the research discussed in Carl Gustav Jung's Psychological Types, published in 1921, the MBTI instrument was designed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers, who worked on it for over 30 years. Jung believed people's preferred cognitive processes range along three dimensions: (1) either introversion or extroversion as a way of relating to others, (2) either sensing or intuition as a way of perceiving the world, and (3) either thinking or feeling as their preferred way to reach conclusions. To these Briggs and Myers added a fourth dichotomy: (4) either perceiving or judging as one's attitude toward the outer world. The MBTI treats these four approaches as dichotomies; in all four of the pairs, people tend to prefer one approach over the other. For example, an extrovert's energy and attention are directed more toward other people, actions, and objects; an introvert's energy and attention is more inward on ideas and concepts.

It is important to avoid oversimplifying MBTI categories. First of all, these are not evaluative categories; no judgment is involved. One MBTI type is not superior to another in any way. Although extroverts may value their social skills and introverts may value their ability to reflect deeply, nothing in Jung's work or in Briggs and Myers's work implies the superiority of one type over another. Nor do Jung or Myers and Briggs suggest that extroverts are incapable of deep reflection or that introverts lack social skills. Of the two alternatives, a person will usually prefer one direction over the other much of the time--but not in every context. Everyone has elements of all the types. To be labeled introvert by the MBTI does not mean one has no extrovert characteristics; it means the person prefers focusing energy and attention by looking inward (introversion) over looking outward at other people (extroversion).

The MBTI is a 126-item questionnaire that can be filled out in less than 30 minutes. The MBTI identifies one’s preferences in each of these four alternative ways of functioning: extrovert (E) or introvert (I) as the preferred way of focusing one’s energy, sensing (S) or intuition (N) as the preferred way of learning about the world, thinking (T) or feeling (F) as the preferred way of making decisions, and judging (J) or perceiving (P) as the preferred way of approaching the world. These four pairs result in 16 possible types. For example, if you are "serious, quiet, earn success by concentration and thoroughness" (Myers, cited in DiTiberio & Jensen, 1995, p. 217), then you would answer the 126 items in a way that would categorize you as ISTJ (Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judgment) because of the preferences for these options that you selected on the questionnaire.

Some of the bipolar scales used in several learning style models parallel those used by the MBTI, so many researchers have employed the MBTI in investigating the learning styles preferred by the 16 Myers-Briggs types.

Table 7 below shows the learning preferences associated with the eight basic MBTI types. Notice that the left and right columns show nearly opposite preferences.

Source: Campbell, D. E. & Davis, C. L. (1990). Improving learning by combining critical thinking skills with psychological type. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 1, 43.

Table 8. Aspects of personality important for problem solving and decision making
 

MBTI Dimension	Orientation	Criteria for Judging Effectiveness	Techniques	Strengths
Extravert	Outside world of people and things	Can "talk through" problem in group Works in "real world"	Brainstorming Thinking aloud  Outcome psychodrama	Attend to external reality Listen to others
Introvert	Inner world of ideas	Internal logic, value of ideas  Want to reflect on problem	Brainstorming privately Incubation	Attend to internal consistency of solutions
Sensing	Facts and details from past and present	Personal experience Practicality of solutions Conforms to standards	Share personal values, ideas facts, Overload Inductive reasoning Random word technique	Attend to details What could go wrong Develop and implement specific steps of solution
Intuitive	Concepts and principles Possibilities for future	Meaningfulness of facts, details Solutions consider total situation Prospect for originality	Classify, categorize, Deductive reasoning Challenge assumptions Imaging/ visualization Synthesizing	See connections and links Develop complex solutions Implications of improper solution(s) Develop major phases
Thinking	Objectivity Logic and reason	Solutions make sense based on facts, models, and/or principles	Classify, categorize Analysis Network analysis Task analysis	Attend to internal and external consistencies Evaluate for efficiency and effectiveness
Feeling	Subjectivity Values and affect	Solutions consider impact on people	Share personal values Listen to others' values Values clarification	Evaluate for impact on people Evaluate in terms of valued by participants
Judging	Organization Structure and closure	Decisions are made  Solution can be implemented A step-by-step procedure to follow	Evaluation PMI technique Backward planning Select single solution	Identify possible defects Follow steps during Implementation Evaluate for effectiveness and efficiency
Perceiving	Data gathering Processing solutions	Solutions are flexible and adaptable Enough information provided in solution Variety of alternatives considered	Brainstorming  Random word technique Outrageous provocation Taking another's perspective	Develop complex solutions Flexibility

Huitt, W. (1992). Problem solving and decision making: Consideration of individual differences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Psychological Type, 24, 33-44. Available: http://www.valdosta.edu/~whuitt/psy702/files/prbsmbti.html

Notice that each MBTI dimension is associated with useful problem-solving techniques and with useful criteria for judging the effectiveness of the solutions—but notice also that they are quite different. While Huitt’s table identifies the strengths and not the limitations of each MBTI dimension, instructors can assume that in most cases the strengths their students are more likely to be missing are those of the opposite MBTI dimension. That is, an extrovert is likely not to have the strengths of the introvert: to "attend to internal consistency of solutions," and the sensing type is not likely to have one of the strengths of the intuitive type: to "see connections and links."

The problem-solving techniques that students will favor or need help with is also associated with the four MBTI temperaments. For example, an SJ will be good at using details and anticipating outcomes; the opposite temperament, NF, tends to overlook important details and is unrealistic about outcomes. Huitt (1992) identifies in Table 9 the preferred problem-solving techniques of the MBTI temperaments and what they are most likely to need help with.

Table 9. Aspects of temperament important for problem solving and decision making
 

Temperament	Goal	Important Elements	Preferred Processes & Techniques	Need Help
SP	Take Action	Oriented to present Adaptable, flexible,   reality-oriented Value own experiences Flexible process for defining and solving	Iterative approach to process Simulations Role playing Subcommittees to work out details and step-by-step plan	Coherence of plan Following selected solution
SJ	Follow Tradition Fulfill Duty	Oriented to past, present Loyal, helpful, useful to social units Value evolutionary change	Prefer going step-by-step Prefer known solutions that work  Task analysis Simulations	Categorizing and classifying Generating creative alternatives
NT	Understand, control, and explain reality Acquisition of competencies	Use of logic and reason Oriented to future Logical correctness of principles and concepts	Model development Challenging assumptions Structured controversy Model development	Attending to facts and details Looking at impact on people
NF	Becoming Self-discovery	Oriented to future Possibilities for people Value intuition and inspiration	Self-analysis Values clarification	Attending to facts and details Developing realistic alternatives Carefully monitor implementation

Huitt, W. (1992). Problem solving and decision making: Consideration of individual differences using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Journal of Psychological Type, 24, 33-44. Available: http://www.valdosta.edu/~whuitt/psy702/files/prbsmbti.html

The problem solving process is usually described as having at least four stages (identifying/understanding the problem, processing the data and choosing a solution, implementing the solution, and evaluating the effectiveness of the solution). Each stage requires a variety of techniques to accomplish that stage well. The two tables above show that a class that requires a good deal of problem solving will have students whose learning styles do not favor learning some of the needed techniques. The remedy, of course, is to develop in our students the techniques and strengths they do not easily acquire, if these abilities are important for solving problems in our disciplines. Every Myers-Briggs temperament needs help with at least one aspect of the problem-solving process. The teaching strategy most often recommended for teaching problem solving to all styles is using structured small-group problem-solving tasks, where students can demonstrate the techniques and strengths of their own types and learn from the techniques and strengths modeled by other types (McCaulley, 1987; Huitt, 1992). Specific details about the steps and techniques to incorporate into collaborative problem-solving assignments can be found in McCaulley’s and Huitt’s articles.

Among the four preferred indicators that define one’s personality type, two will dominate. Table 10 below shows the dominant function. Why is this relevant? As table 11 will show, some types prefer the common thinking methods, and some do not--depending on their domnant function.

Source: Campbell, D. E. & Davis, C. L. (1990). Improving learning by combining critical thinking skills with psychological type. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 1, 39-51.

 

THINKING AND LEARNING STRATEGIES	PREFER	NOT PREFER
Abstract Thinking	NT	ST
Analytical Thinking	T	F
Critical Thinking	NT	SF
Metacognition and Introspective Self-Analysis	ITP	EFJ
Reading Articles With Opposing Views	P	J
Tolerating Ambiguity	NP	SJ

Source: Alexander, Jessie & Kelly, John, "Using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in the Classroom." Professional Development Day Presentation, Prince George's Community College, Largo, MD. January 1998.

The article by Charles Schroeder, "New Students—New learning Styles" (1993) is an excellent discussion of the need to adapt college teaching methods to higher education’s most populous group: predominantly Sensing students; available at http://virtualschool.edu/mon/Academia/KierseyLearningStyles.html

Writing instructors will be interested in John K. DiTiberio and George H. Jensen's  Writing and Personality: Finding Your Voice, Your Style, Your Way (1995).  It describes the likely writing strengths and weaknesses of the basic Myers-Briggs types.  As you might guess, intuitive and thinking types are best suited to writing academic essays; sensing and feeling types prefer them least.

Two web sites offer free online Myers-Briggs imitations where you and your students can fill out questionnaires that provide your personality type in the four scales used by the MBTI.

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