The challenge of personality type tests

The Meyers-Briggs is the most well known personality type test.  It creates an interesting portrait of our personality types.  It’s quite simple to take and the results give one a great deal to think about.  It was a great help to me five years ago when I was seeking some sense of confirmation when changing my life course.

Liz posted on the tendency for blogger’s to be introverted today and I think it’s a valid point.  What’s interesting is her probing question does social media turn the introvert into an extrovert?

I want to share my experience with this subject before answering the question.  I’ve taken the test on three different occasions, as a teen, in my twenties and in my thirties.  The results changed somewhat, though not a great deal, each time.

I’ve always come out with intuition as the dominant.  But other aspects have changed.  The first time taking the test I came out extroverted.  The second and third times introverted.  Also the first and second time I took the test the secondary function was thinking, whereas the third time that result was feeling.

The point I’d like to make clear: as we develop, or individuate as Jung would call it, it’s in filling in the non-dominant aspects of our personality that takes us down the path toward our wholeness.

So back to Liz’s question.  In as much as social media helps the introvert stretch the comfort zone toward extroversion, then real growth is taking place.  Likewise, in as much as extroverts pick up these blogging tools and spend more time exploring introversion…then these tools are doing more than delivering content.

It’s why I think the psyche, on a collective level, adores these tools.