Myers's Four Groups
Crossing paths with Isabel Myers got me in the habit of typewatching
way back in 1956. Myers completed her book The Myers-Briggs Type
Indicator in 1958 and published it in 1962, though Educational Testing
Service had been using her questionnaire, the MBTI, for some years doing
personality research in numerous colleges and high schools around the
country, and this is where I first encountered her work.
I soon found it convenient and useful to partition Myers's sixteen
types into four groups, which she herself suggested in saying that all four
of what she referred to as the "NFs" were alike in many ways and that all
four of the "NTs" were alike in many ways-although what she called the
"STs" seemed to me to have very little in common, just as the "SFs" had
little in common. However, four earlier contributors, Adickes, Spranger,
Kretschmer, and Fromm, each having written of four types of character,
helped me to see that Myers's four "SJs" were very much alike, as were
her four "SPs." Bingo! Typewatching from then on was a lot easier, the
four groups-SPs, SJs, NFs, and NTs-being light years apart in their
attitudes and actions. This, then, is what Myers had to say about the four
groups:
The SPs
Myers had SPs probing around their immediate surroundings in order
to detect and exploit any favorable options that came within reach. Having
the freedom to act on the spur of the moment, whenever or wherever an
opportunity arises, is very important to SPs. No chance is to be blown, no
opening missed, no angle overlooked-whatever or whoever might turn
out to be exciting, pleasurable, or useful is checked out for advantage.
Though they may differ in their attitude toward tough-minded ness (T) and
friendliness (F) in exploring for options, and though some are socially
expressive (E) and some reserved (I), all of them make sure that what they
do is practical and effective in getting what they want.
Consistent with this view Myers described SPs as "adaptable," "artistic,"
and "athletic"-as very much "aware of reality and never fighting it "-as
"open-minded" and ever "on the lookout for workable compromises"-as
knowing "what's going on around them" and as able "to see the needs of
the moment"-as "storing up useful facts" and having "no use for theories"-
as "easygoing," "tolerant," "unprejudiced," and "persuasive"-as
"gifted with machines and tools"-as acting "with effortless economy"-as
"sensitive to color, line, and texture"-as wanting "first-hand experiences"
and in general "enjoying life." So SPs, as seen by Myers, are very much
like one another and very much different from the other types, the SJs,
NFs, and NTs.
The SJs
Myers had SJs, like SPs, observing their close surroundings with a
keen eye, but for an entirely different reason, namely that of scheduling
their own and others' activities so that needs are met and conduct is kept
within bounds. Thus for SJs, everything should be in its proper place,
everybody should be doing what they're supposed to, everybody should be
getting their just deserts, every action should be closely supervised, all
products thoroughly inspected, all legitimate needs promptly met, all approved
ventures carefully insured. Though SJs might differ in being toughminded
(T) or friendly (F) in observing their schedules, and though they
can be expressive (E) or reserved (I) in social attitude, all of them demand
that ways and means of getting things done are proper and acceptable.
And so Myers described the SJs as "conservative" and "stable"-as
"consistent" and "routinized"-as "sensible," "factual," and "unimpulsive"-
as "patient," "dependable," and "hard-working"-as "detailed,"
"painstaking," "persevering," and "thorough." This too is a clear-cut pattern
of action and attitude, highly unlike that of the SPs, NFs, and NTs.
The NFs
On the introspective side, Myers had NFs as friendly to the core in
dreaming up how to give meaning and wholeness to people's lives. Conflict
in those around them is painful for NFs, something they must deal with in
a very personal way, and so they care deeply about keeping morale high in
their membership groups, and about nurturing the positive self-image of
their loved ones. Indeed, while they might differ from each other on how
important judging schedules (J) or probing for options (P) is in acting on
their friendly feelings, and while their social address can be expressive (E)
or reserved (I), all NFs consider it vitally important to have everyone in
their circle-their family, friends, and colleagues-feeling good about themselves
and getting along with each other.
Thus Myers, an INFP herself, saw her fellow NFs as "humane" and
"sympathetic"-as "enthusiastic" and "religious"-as "creative" and "intuitive"-
and as "insightful" and "subjective." Again this is a distinct picture
of attitude and action, showing NFs to be very much like each other and
greatly different from SPs, SJs, and NTs.
The NTs
Also on the introspective side, Myers had NTs as tough-minded in
figuring out what sort of technology might be useful to solve a given
problem. To this end, NTs require themselves to be persistently and
consistently rational in their actions. Though they may differ in their preference
for judging schedules (J) or probing for options (P) as they tackle
problems, and though they can seem expressive (E) or reserved (I) around
others, all NTs insist that they have a rationale for everything they do, that
whatever they do and say makes sense.
So Myers described the NTs as "analytical" and "systematic"-as "abstract,"
"theoretical," and "intellectual"-as "complex," "competent" and
"inventive"-as "efficient," "exacting" and "independent"-as "logical"
and "technical"-and as "curious," "scientific," and "research-oriented."
Here again is a unique and easily recognizable configuration of character
traits, the NTs a breed apart, starkly different from SPs, SJs, and NFs.
