The 16 Personalities Test: How does it work?

December 29, 2020

The 16 Personalities Test: How does it work?

The 16 personalities test is based on the personality types created by Isabel Briggs Myers and her mother, Katharine Briggs, in the 1960s. This personality test is found on 16 personalities.com & is completely free. Myers and Briggs proposed that there were four key dimensions to categorize people:

Introversion vs. Extraversion
Sensing vs. Intuition
Thinking vs. Feeling
Judging vs. Perceiving

These dimensions are popularly referred to as the 16 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality types.

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This test uses acronyms to represents each dimension. This means that:

I/E stands for Introversion vs. Extraversion
S/N stands for Sensing or Observing vs. Intuition
T/F stands for Thinking vs. Feeling
J/P stands for Judging vs. Perceiving or Prospecting

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WWhat is the meaning behind these letters?

16 personalities.com, the source of the test, describes these letters in the following way:

I/E: Introversion or Extraversion

This dimension refers to how we interact with our surroundings.

Introverted individuals prefer solitary activities and get exhausted by social interaction. They tend to be quite sensitive to external stimulation in general – whether it’s sound, sight or smell.

Extraverted individuals prefer group activities and get energized by social interaction. They tend to be more enthusiastic and more easily excited than Introverts.

S/N:Sensing or Observing vs. Intuition

The second aspect determines how we see the world and process information.

Sensing or Observing focus on their five senses and are interested in the information they can directly see, hear, feel, and so on. They tend to be hands-on learners and are often described as "practical.

Sensing or Observant individuals are highly practical, pragmatic and down-to-earth. They tend to have strong habits and focus on what is happening or has already happened.

Intuitive individuals are very imaginative, open-minded and curious. They prefer novelty over stability and focus on hidden meanings and future possibilities.

T/F:Thinking vs. Feeling

This aspect determines how we make decisions and cope with emotions.

Thinking individuals focus on objectivity and rationality, prioritizing logic over emotions. They tend to hide their feelings and see efficiency as more important than cooperation.

Feeling individuals are sensitive and emotionally expressive. They are more empathic and less competitive than Thinking types, and focus on social harmony and cooperation.

J/P:Judging vs. Perceiving or Prospecting

This aspect reflects our approach to work, planning and decision-making.

Judging individuals are decisive, thorough and highly organized. They value clarity, predictability and closure, preferring structure and planning to spontaneity.

Prospecting individuals are very good at improvising and spotting opportunities. They tend to be flexible. They don’t like to conform. They prefer to keep their options open.

New dimension: Identity

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What makes the 16 personalities test different from the existing Myers Briggs test, is the additional dimension of Identity.

The Identity aspect shows how confident we are in our abilities and decisions. It underpins all other dimensions or aspects.

There are 2 types of Identity:

ü Assertive denoted by the letter A; and

ü Turbulent denoted by the letter T.

Assertive (-A) individuals are self-assured, even-tempered and resistant to stress. They refuse to worry too much and do not push themselves too hard when it comes to achieving goals.

Turbulent (-T) individuals are self-conscious and sensitive to stress. They are likely to experience a wide range of emotions and to be success-driven, perfectionistic and eager to improve.

How do the acronyms work?

Myers & Briggs theorized that each person should be able to choose a preferred style from each dimension.

Personality example 1: The Entertainer

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For instance, using the example of The Entertainer personality type (from the previous blog post), the Entertainer would see, by doing the test, that they prefer extroversion over introversion. This is symbolized by the letter E. This forms one key characteristic of their personality.

It doesn’t stop there. The Entertainer would go continue to identify which style they prefer from the remaining dimensions. For example, do they prefer Sensing vs Intuition?

According to the test’s personality analysis of The Entertainer, they prefer to use their senses or to observe rather than use intuition. This means that they are Sensing or Observant, symbolized by the letter S.

Do they prefer Thinking vs. Feeling?

The test shows The Entertainer tends to value emotions more than rationality. This means that they are Feeling, symbolized by the letter F.

Do they prefer Judging vs. Perceiving or Prospecting?

The test also shows The Entertainer prefers spontaneity over certainty or having everything things planned out.

This means that they are Perceiving or Prospecting, symbolized by the letter P.

Finally, the acronym that represents The Entertainer is ESFP.

The last aspect, Identity, shows how confident this person is in their abilities and decisions. Depending on one’s answers, one might be an Assertive Entertainer or a Turbulent Entertainer. Therefore, overall, one may be ESFP-A or ESFP-T. This means that if you are an ESFP-A, you are Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Prospecting & Turbulent. On the other hand, if you are an ESFP-T, you are Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Prospecting & Turbulent.

Personality example 2: The Advocate

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For further illustration, let’s use the example of The Advocate personality type (from the previous blog post), The Advocate would see, by doing the test, that they prefer introversion over extraversion. This is symbolized by the letter I.

According to the test’s personality analysis of The Advocate, they prefer to use their intuition rather than their senses. This means that they are Intuitive, symbolized by the letter N.

Do they prefer Thinking vs. Feeling?

The test shows The Advocate tends to value emotions more than rationality. This means that they are Feeling, symbolized by the letter F.

Do they prefer Judging vs. Perceiving or Prospecting?

The test also shows The Advocate prefers certainty & predictability over spontaneity. This means that they are Judging, symbolized by the letter J.

Finally, the acronym that represents The Advocate is INFJ.

The last aspect, Identity, shows how confident this person is in their abilities and decisions. Depending on one’s answers, one might be an Assertive Advocate or a Turbulent Advocate. Therefore, overall, one may be INFJ-A or INFJ-T. This means that if you are an INFJ-A, you are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging & Assertive. On the other hand, if you are an INFJ-T, you are Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging & Turbulent.

You don’t have to memorize

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You don’t have to worry about memorizing the acronyms. The 16 personalities website explains everything in a simple manner. You can always go back to refresh on what your acronyms mean.

However, it is important to discuss what the letters mean so that you can understand how the test works. In other words, you need to understand what traits the test takes into account in analyzing your personality so that you can comprehend your results fully.

Word of encouragement

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Not everything in your test results will make you happy. You’ll get both the good & the bad, but it is honest. You deserve the truth. Regardless of what the truth is, you're still an amazing person.

It is important to remember that your personality is only one aspect that influences the way you communicate & behave in every situation. Other factors like environment, our experiences, and our individual goals may cause you to act differently. So, don’t fret if you don’t fit into every little feature in your personality type.

Ultimately, this is about personal growth so that you can transform into a better communicator & a better person.

Interested in discovering your true personality?

Go to 16personalities.com to find out!

Happy testing!

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