The Internet has a number of useful tools and resources for developing your understanding of personality type. Remember – don’t take the results of ANY questionnaire at face value, but always explore further to decide which type you think fits you best when you are not trying to please other people. (These links all work as of Oct 2017)
FREE resources
If you want to start a DIY journey to discover your Best-fit Type, here are some starters. However, they all have their flaws, so try 2 or 3 different quizzes, and then read the types they suggest. You are aiming for the description that feels MOST like you, before you learned or when you are not trying to be something else. This may take some time, as we are sometimes distorted by our environment.
- Personality Hacker is a quick, easy quiz with good questions, worth trying alongside the others. Descriptions quite short.
- Team Technology have developed some good descriptions and a number of free reports. Try taking it a few times, see if your results differ and if you can find the type that fits best.
- Personality type & career – A good, thoughtful quiz by author Paul Tieger, allowing considered self-assessment with understanding (the equivilent of the self-assessment you would do with a practitioner). It has an optional paid-for career report, but don’t order one until you are clear about your type.
- The sixteen Myers-Briggs types – Some really excellent longer descriptions (up to about four pages) of each of the types. Draws out more of the subtle differences between whole types, to help you decide between them.
- Jungian function theory – This is the basis of the M-B system, and gives a clearer idea of the dynamics involved in the inter-relationship between preferences. A good, clear description. ** The ‘working out the letters’ approach is really just a shortcut for getting at the underlying dynamics discussed here. ** If you are unsure between (for example) INFP and INFJ, then compare Introverted Feeling/Extraverted Intuition with Introverted Intuition/Extraverted Feeling.
More FREE information
- The Psychology Junkie blog has a *huge* amount of information on all the types, including how you relate to others, how you handle stress, how to clarify between two types, strengths, handling grief, understanding cognitive functions, and so on. Always a good read, and you can sign up to receive updates directly in your Inbox.
- Working out your team role from Team Technology – A look at one’s role at work and a comparison with psychological type, providing a possible basis for understanding the stress points and potential directions for change or challenge in your job. The roles are based on the eight Function-Attitudes.
- More descriptions of 16 types from Carol Craig – A well-developed and thorough set of profiles which while free online can also be purchased on a CD for use by practitioners in workshops and assessments. Web site includes pages of application info.
- About the Cognitive Functions from Linda Berens, including an introduction to Archetypes.
- Introducing Interaction Styles from Linda Berens – a great lens for understanding yourself and teams
- Introducing Temperaments from Linda Berens – understanding your core needs and how not meeting them can make you disfunctional
- 16 Personality Types from Type Coach – key words and phrases for each type, leading to a full page simple description.
Paid-for resources
- Type Coach does an online ‘verifier’ using videos to support the explanations.
- MBTI Complete is an American site which gives you the official MBTI™ questionnaire online and then leads you through a self-analysis to help you find your best-fit type. The site is supportive and informative, and may be a good back-up option if you can’t find a qualified practitioner to help you.
- Type Academy (UK) is a member organisation that has regular in-depth training in type-related topics, with videos and other materials available.
Type Charities
British Association of Psychological Type (BAPT) – a UK charity supporting groups and individuals interested in psychological type, whether practitioners or not. They have a FREE e-news and various events, an annual conference (for anyone) and a quarterly journal (for members), an active Facebook page, a YouTube channel, and a list of Type Practitioners for all.