The 16 Types in Brief
The four letters of your MBTI type combine and interact with each other to give your whole psychological type. There are 16 possible combinations that result when one preference from each of the four pairs of opposites (E-I, S-N, T-F, and J-P) combine.
These combinations are called personality types, or psychological types, and are designated by the four letters representing their four component preferences.
Each type is greater than the sum of its parts, the preferences interact dynamically to create a hierarchy of preference within the processes (S, N, T, and F), from most to least preferred. The specific ways in which the preferences in each type interact were identified by Jung and expanded on by Myers and Briggs. The dynamic nature of personality type is the essence of the Jung psychological theory and the MBTI framework.
Below, you will find short descriptions of each of the 16 Personality Types in Brief. Each type will have things in common with adjacent types, with types in the same half of the table and in the same column or row. You may see aspects of yourself in several of the descriptions, however there should be one that describes you at your most comfortable.
One of the most valuable aspects of the MBTI assessment is that it helps people understand personality as a dynamic and developing system, rather than simply a set of traits. The MBTI identifies 16 personality types, each representing a unique pattern of preferences that interact with one another and evolve throughout a person's life.
Within type dynamics, the terms dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior are used to describe the four main mental processes that shape a person's personality. These can also be thought of as a person's first, second, third, and fourth preferred ways of taking in information and making decisions.
The Eight Mental Processes
In his book Energies and Patterns in Psychological Type, John Beebe describes the eight mental processes in everyday language, helping to explain what each process is trying to achieve:
Fi
INTROVERTED FEELING
Evaluating what matters personally, understanding values, and determining what feels right.
Fe
EXTROVERTED FEELING
Building relationships, encouraging harmony, and responding to the needs of others.
Ti
INTROVERTED THINKING
Analysing, defining, understanding concepts, and seeking internal logical consistency.
Te
EXTROVERTED THINKING
Organising, planning, managing resources, and achieving results efficiently.
Ni
INTROVERTED INTUITION
Imagining possibilities, recognising patterns, and gaining insights about future outcomes.
Ne
EXTROVERTED INTUITION
Exploring possibilities, generating ideas, and seeing potential opportunities.
Si
INTROVERTED SENSING
Drawing on past experience, checking facts, and ensuring reliability and accuracy.
Se
EXTROVERTED SENSING
Engaging fully with the present moment, experiencing life directly, and responding to what is happening around you.