Sixteen Personality Types
Generated from Four MBTI Dimensions
(Click image to enlarge)
The sixteen personality types resulting from the cross-products of the four dimensions
are shown in the first figure.
Many people believe trait instrumentation, such as the MBTI, provides leverage in
predicting behavior in social groups. MBTI's four dimensions were found to be correlated
with four of the Big Five robust personality dimensions.
Organizational consultants may use the MBTI to encourage a better fit between personalities
and roles. Because the basic assumption under-girding the MBTI is that the types
it identifies are immutable in nature, the consultant's mission has more
to do with enhanced articulation of individual differences and organizational responsibilities
than with behavior change.
Some research has indicated that the distribution of MBTI types is highly skewed
in the working population. Sundstrom and associates found that nearly three-quarters
of their sample of managers in business were Thinking-Judging types. Perhaps business
settings are self-selecting in this regard, hiring Thinking-Judging types over other
types (Thinking-Perceiving personalities and all Feeling types). Or, it may be that
Feeling types, in general, are less inclined to seek managerial positions.