Ugh. This comes up so often on Hacker News that I've prepared a FAQ paragraph about how unvalidated the Myers-Briggs test is. Read the articles you'll find at the links for much more information than I have time to type here with arthritic fingers. The Skeptic's Dictionary discussion[1] is a good place to start, but there are other critiques of the test too. Don't miss the discussion of the National Academy of Sciences review of the test.[2] "Overall, the review committee concluded that the MBTI has not demonstrated adequate validity although its popularity and use has been steadily increasing. The National Academy of Sciences review committee concluded that: 'at this time, there is not sufficient, well-designed research to justify the use of the MBTI in career counseling programs,' the very thing that it is most often used for." Psychologists who really know about personality testing don't regard the Myers-Briggs test as a worthwhile test.[3]
An article from the Washington Post newspaper sums up the matter pretty well:
"Now, 50 years after the first time anyone paid money for the test, the Myers-Briggs legacy is reaching the end of the family line. The youngest heirs don’t want it. And it’s not clear whether organizations should, either.
. . . .
"Yet despite its widespread use and vast financial success, and although it was derived from the work of Carl Jung, one of the most famous psychologists of the 20th century, the test is highly questioned by the scientific community."[4]
Comments
Ugh. This comes up so often on Hacker News that I've prepared a FAQ paragraph about how unvalidated the Myers-Briggs test is. Read the articles you'll find at the links for much more information than I have time to type here with arthritic fingers. The Skeptic's Dictionary discussion[1] is a good place to start, but there are other critiques of the test too. Don't miss the discussion of the National Academy of Sciences review of the test.[2] "Overall, the review committee concluded that the MBTI has not demonstrated adequate validity although its popularity and use has been steadily increasing. The National Academy of Sciences review committee concluded that: 'at this time, there is not sufficient, well-designed research to justify the use of the MBTI in career counseling programs,' the very thing that it is most often used for." Psychologists who really know about personality testing don't regard the Myers-Briggs test as a worthwhile test.[3]
An article from the Washington Post newspaper sums up the matter pretty well:
"Now, 50 years after the first time anyone paid money for the test, the Myers-Briggs legacy is reaching the end of the family line. The youngest heirs don’t want it. And it’s not clear whether organizations should, either.
. . . .
"Yet despite its widespread use and vast financial success, and although it was derived from the work of Carl Jung, one of the most famous psychologists of the 20th century, the test is highly questioned by the scientific community."[4]
[1] http://www.skepdic.com/myersb.html
[2] http://www.psychometric-success.com/personality-tests/person...
[3] http://www.indiana.edu/~jobtalk/HRMWebsite/hrm/articles/deve...
[4] "Myers-Briggs: Does it pay to know your type?" 14 December 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-leadership/myers-b...
A lot of Carl Jung's work is some of the most ridiculous pseudo-science that I've ever seen. MBTI is less credible due to its relationship with Jung.
I agree with you 100%. MBTI is garbage.
but I hope you can still appreciate the irony of your post Mr. Skeptical