On publishing the MBTI or Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in 1943, Isabel Briggs Myers established 16 types in the Myers-Briggs system.
These types use a 4 letter code (such at INTP, for example) that come from the 16 possible combinations of these 4 dichotomies:
- Introversion vs Extraversion (I/E)
- Wether a person orients primarily to their inner world or their outer world
- Sensing vs iNtuition (S/N)
- Wether a person orients to concrete reality or patterns and possibilities
- Thinking vs Feeling (T/F)
- Wether a person primarily evaluates information based on impersonal logic or emotional criteria
- Judging vs Perceiving (J/P)
- Wether a person prefers order or freedom in their external environment
In 1978, David Keirsey published a book called “Please Understand Me” that proposed that these 16 types can be categorized into 4 temperaments.
I’ve taken the liberty of changing the names of the 4 temperaments for the purposes of this site. Here are the temperaments with my updated names and each of the types that fall under them with brief descriptions:
Citizens (aka Guardians [types with an S and a J)])
ISTJ (The Rock)
ISFJ (The Supporter)
ESTJ (The Boss)
ESFJ (The Host)
Catalysts (aka Artisans [types with an S and a P)])
ISTP (The Assassin)
ISFP (The Dionysian)
ESTP (The Showperson)
ESFP (The Juice)
Advocates (aka Idealists [types with an N and a F])
INFJ (The Oracle)
INFP (The Healer)
ENFJ (The Mentor)
ENFP (The Inspirer)
Masterminds (aka Rationals [types with an N and a T])
INTJ (The Architect)
INTP (The Logician)
ENTJ (The Visionary)
ENTP (The Experimenter)