MBTI: what are the 16 personalities?

If you’ve ever taken the Myers-Briggs personality test, you know it classifies you into one of 16 personalities based on your unique combination of character traits. Through a series of questions, it measures your degrees of extraversion versus introversion, intuiting versus sensing, thinking versus feeling, and judging versus perceiving. Your answers reveal the dominant trait in each set, resulting in a personality type like ESTJ or INFP. 

Regardless of whether you agree with the findings, this personality assessment is a great tool for improving your self-awareness and helping you identify potential career paths. It can also give you areas to focus on for personal and professional development.

Knowing what the individual letters in each personality type stand for and what the 16 personalities indicate can help you learn more about yourself and your strengths, preferences, and opportunities for growth.

What is the Myers-Briggs personality test?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment that identifies you as one of 16 personality types. It’s a self-report questionnaire that helps you uncover four things about yourself:

• What energizes and depletes you
• How you take in information
• Your decision-making skills
• How you approach the world around you

Writer Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Cook Briggs, developed the MBTI during World War II. It was based on psychologist Carl Jung’s personality theory and theory of individual preferences, which argues that fundamental differences in mental and emotional functioning lead to the variations seen in human behavior. 

The Myers-Briggs personality assessment is often used to help people explore career fields, improve communication in the workplace, and support leadership development. You can also use it as an activity for personality development to identify your character traits and self-reflect on your strengths and weaknesses.

Extroverted people tend to gain energy from spending time with others and likely enjoy social interaction. They process things by bouncing ideas off other people. 

Conversely, introverted people tend to direct their energy inward. If you’re introverted, you’re more likely to enjoy alone time and process things internally rather than through discussing them with someone else.

Intuiting (N) vs. sensing (S)

The second letter in your personality type will be either an N for intuiting or an S for sensing. These characteristics help explain how you absorb and trust information. 

If you’re intuitive, you process information based on patterns and possibilities, especially if you have introverted intuition. You’re a more abstract thinker who uses your imagination to analyze situations. 

Sensing types, on the other hand, rely on specific details and facts to process information. If you are sensing, you likely use your human senses to understand your surroundings and situations.

Thinking (T) vs. feeling (F)

You’ll find either a T or an F as the third letter in your personality type, which stands for thinking or feeling. These psychological functions, identified by Carl Jung and built upon by Isabel Briggs Myers, help you understand how you make decisions. 

If you fall into the “thinking” category, you’re likely more practical and rely on logic to make decisions. If you’re in the “feeling” category, you’re more likely to follow your heart and emotions.

Judging (J) vs. perceiving (P)

The final letter in your MBTI personality test result will be a J or a P for judging or perceiving. This area helps describe how you interact with the outside world.

Judgers often prefer structure and order. They’re well organized and like to focus on one thing at a time rather than multitasking. Meanwhile, those in the perceiving category tend to be more flexible and adaptable. They tend to keep their options open and absorb information for longer periods of time.

People with the INTJ personality type have a unique way of looking at the world, which makes them great innovators. They’re logical, often relying on objective observations and thoughtful analyses to make conclusions. INTJ personality types thrive when they’re alone with their thoughts, making them more introverted. They’re great at organizing work and completing it at high performance standards. 

ENTJ

The more extroverted version of INTJ, ENTJ personality types make great leaders. They’re direct, decisive, and quick to identify inefficiencies in processes and solutions. They enjoy setting goals and making long-term plans to solve complex organizational problems. Their ideas are usually well informed, and they find it meaningful to share their knowledge with others.

INFP

People with the INFP personality type are introspective daydreamers who excel at solo work. They tend to be more introverted and self-expressive. They’re loyal friends and protective of their personal values. They’re also empathetic, meaning they’re good at understanding what others need and ensuring no one else has to compromise their values.

ENFP

Similar to INFP, the ENFP personality type excels in creativity and passion. However, those with an ENFP personality are extroverts (sometimes spelled “extraverts”). They’re also open-minded and great at bringing people together and making every task an adventure. They’re excellent problem solvers and enjoy a good challenge.

INTP

INTP personality types are introverted and find more value in ideas than social interaction. They’re analytical, curious, and think outside the box to find solutions that may seem counterintuitive. They’re usually quiet and have a deep ability to focus. They’re also receptive to new ideas and enjoy taking an unconventional approach to life.

ENTP

ENTP personalities are quick on their feet and excellent brainstormers. They’re idea-oriented, creative, and charismatic. People with ENTP traits have a unique mix of charm and knowledge, and their extroversion is marked with enthusiasm. They have strong communication skills and are experts at reading people. Because of this, they often excel in public-facing roles.

• Strengths: Abstract thinking, idea generation, resourcefulness
• Areas to improve: Following through, tolerance, procrastination

ISTP

People with an ISTP personality are flexible and highly observant. They’re hands-on learners, making them handy and resourceful, especially when it comes to things like mechanics or crafting. They value straightforward communication and make sense of the world using logical reasoning. They’re also self-reliant and excel at staying in the present.

• Strengths: Adaptability, problem-solving, authenticity
• Areas to improve: Excessive skepticism, emotional sensitivity, commitment

ESTP

ESTP personality types take a pragmatic approach to life and may find theories and broad concepts boring. They’re energetic and spontaneous and learn best by doing. They are highly perceptive and great at identifying when something needs to change. They’re also sociable, making them natural group leaders, even when they aren’t seeking leadership roles.

• Strengths: Orientation toward action, tolerance, social skills
• Areas to improve: Impulsiveness, adhering to structure, big-picture thinking

ISFP

Although people with an ISFP personality are introverted, they’re loyal and committed to those in their corner. Their introversion drives them to be quiet yet kind and encouraging, making them likable and great team players. They have a bold imagination, are highly passionate about their interests, and tend to encourage others to find their passions, too. They excel in positions where they can be creative and compassionate.

ESFP

The more extroverted version of an ISFP is an ESFP. ESFPs are friendly and outgoing, making them great entertainers. They’re accepting and have excellent people skills. They’re also positive thinkers who easily adapt to new people and environments. They make work fun while also bringing a realistic and common-sense approach to problem-solving. 

• Strengths: Creativity, optimism, friendliness
• Areas to improve: Conflict avoidance, sensitivity, focus

ISTJ

ISTJ personality types are thorough, dependable, and responsible. People with this personality type are fact-minded, disciplined, and highly organized. They strictly adhere to guidelines, making them great at being productive and reliably meeting deadlines. They’re also calm and practical, which helps them make rational decisions.

• Strengths: Reliability, integrity, honesty
• Areas to improve: Combating burnout, stubbornness, spontaneity 

ESTJ

People with an ESTJ personality type are decisive and quick to act. They can make great people managers and project managers due to their organizational skills and efficiency. ESTJs are dedicated, strong-willed, and enjoy constructing order out of chaos. They prefer predictability and are fully committed to high standards.

ISFJ

ISFJ personality types are highly conscientious and observant. They remember specific details and concern themselves with how their decisions will make others feel. They take pride in hard work, often going above and beyond expectations. They’re also meticulous, supportive, and practical, making them a well-rounded team member for any project. 

• Strengths: Commitment, patience, diligence
• Areas to improve: Change aversion, holding back emotions, sensitivity

ESFJ

The more extroverted companion to the ISFJ personality, ESFJ personalities are social, community-minded, and great at connecting with others. They’re loyal, determined, and proactive, and they have a strong desire to help others. They value stability and appreciation for their contributions and are practical collaborators. 

• Strengths: Teamwork, consistency, eagerness to help
• Areas to improve: Self-confidence, self-care, fear of judgment 

INFJ

INFJ personality types value connection and meaningful relationships. They want to use their strengths to help others, and they have strong beliefs when it comes to ethics. They’re insightful, leading them to uncover what motivates those around them. They also exhibit passion and creativity, motivating them to shoot for the stars. 

• Strengths: Altruism, honesty, implementation
• Areas to improve: Perfectionism, combating burnout, defensiveness

ENFJ

Similar to INFJ personalities, ENFJ personality types are warm and have a strong moral compass. They naturally inspire others through their desire to help each individual realize their full potential, which has a way of making people feel seen. Their empathy, coupled with charisma and an ability to capture attention, makes them great leaders.

• Strengths: Reliability, open-mindedness, passion
• Areas to improve: Decisiveness, overcommitment, people pleasing

• Lack of research: Despite its popularity, few studies provide empirical evidence on the MBTI as a good predictor of behavior, according to a scientific review article published in Frontiers in Psychology.
• It’s inconsistent: Many anecdotal reports describe receiving different results after retaking the assessment only a few months later.
• It’s subjective: The MBTI measures people’s perceptions of their personality at the time they take the test. Since it’s difficult for someone to objectively measure their own personality and their perceptions may change, the reality could differ.
• Vague descriptions: Its descriptions of the 16 personalities don’t draw clear and distinct lines between each type, which can lead people to fit into multiple types at once.

1. Online: You can purchase the full assessment online for yourself using MBTIonline.  
2. Through an MBTI Certified Practitioner: An MBTI Certified Practitioner can administer the test to you directly.
3. Through work or school: If you’re employed or are a student, you may be able to take the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator through your organization. Try asking your HR manager or academic advisor about taking the assessment.

While you’ll see plenty of websites advertising a free personality test, you can only purchase the full and original Myers-Briggs personality assessment at MBTIonline. The free options are typically simplified versions of the original.

If you don’t feel aligned with the methodology used by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, there are plenty of other personality tests you can try to help increase your self-awareness. Four other popular personality assessments include the following:

• Big Five Personality Test: The Big Five Personality Test is designed to help you leverage your natural strengths to achieve your goals faster. It outlines the concept known as the Big Five personality traits, which is a theory suggesting that human personalities derive from five core personality traits: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. These traits are often referred to by the acronym OCEAN.

• Keirsey Temperament Sorter: Created by David Keirsey, the Keirsey Temperament Sorter classifies people according to four temperaments: the Artisan, the Guardian, the Idealist, and the Rational. Unlike the MBTI, this personality test focuses more on concrete behaviors than on a person’s thoughts or feelings. It’s often used in a professional context to help with career exploration, team building, and leadership development. This test either uses the Myers-Briggs personality types or breaks personalities down into something similar.

• Enneagram: The Enneagram of Personality identifies people as one of nine interconnected personality types that describe them according to their fears and motivations. Your Enneagram personality type can help you find patterns in how you interpret the world and manage your emotions, making it a great tool for self-discovery.
• DiSC Personality Test: A DiSC assessment is a workplace personality test designed to help you understand your work behavior. The “DiSC” abbreviation stands for its four main personality styles: dominance, influence, steadiness, and conscientiousness. Each of these personality types aims to explain why you react and communicate in a certain way, which can help you uncover more effective ways to interact with your coworkers. 

You can also try taking a career aptitude test to learn more about your interests and how they align with potential career paths. Another place to start could be to research jobs for introverts or jobs for extroverts based on the traits you identify with most. Working with a career coach can also be a great way to help you start your career search on the right foot.

Understand yourself better by working with a BetterUp Coach to find your most meaningful career opportunity yet.