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Has anyone ever taken a real MBTI?

The Ü™

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If you have, how much more reliable are they compared to the online questionnaires such as Human Metrics?

I was looking at the prices to take a "real" MBTI, and they're pretty outrageous. What kind of questions do the real ones ask?

I've mostly identified myself with a certain type by reading such books as Do What You Are and Type Talk. I liked Please Understand Me II at first, but it seems that each type was put into a specific box.

I also found Please Understand Me II somewhat contradictory, labeling the SP temperament as "artists" rather than placing art into the NF temperament, which I felt was more logical, given that NF is known for creativity and imagination in the traditional sense since traditional art is more about expressing abstract notions from the mind.

But anyway, what am I better off doing? On nearly all the online MBTI tests I took, I come out as either INTJ or INTP. What would the chances be for coming out as one of those two types on a real MBTI?

Anyone who has taken the real MBTI please answer.
 

Varelse

Wait, what?
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
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1,698
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INTJ
I got to take it for a class.

Honestly, it didn't seem that dissimilar from the online tests I've seen. A bit longer, perhaps.

My results are usually INTP, with some slight variations on the strength of the functions. Once, I did test INTJ on an online one, as well.

The official test gave me a strong INTP.
 

Wolf

only bites when provoked
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
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INTJ
The online ones are less reliable and seem to vary more. Some place me so far from my type it's not even funny.
 

rivercrow

shoshaku jushaku
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I've done both. I've also taken the official Keirsey test. (Disclaimer: I administer and interpret MBTI, so I have a strong bias.)

I'm wary of results from free tests. Specifically, I question:
  • Where did this test come from?
  • What are the metrics behind the test's scoring and construction?
  • Is the test valid? Where are the reliability details?

I can get all these questions answered with official MBTI materials.

Also, I am uncomfortable with a psychological profile of any sort that does not include some kind of direct contact and validation process. I just can't take that kind of thing seriously. But that's me.
 

The Ü™

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Can you fill me in with this "validation process?" I don't exactly understand.

And what do you mean by interpreting?
 

rivercrow

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Can you fill me in with this "validation process?" I don't exactly understand.

And what do you mean by interpreting?

Interpreting is just the process of scoring the test (I hand score) and making decisions about what the scores say. For instance, if there isn't a clear preference (close to the midline), what might that suggest?

The validation process is the business of going through the concepts of MBTI and the theory with the client and seeing if the client is comfortable with the results. Some factors can affect reliability of the MBTI tool. Many can be controlled during the administration of the sorter; some, like stress levels, stage of type development, social and cultural biases, etc, are not so easily controlled and have to be accounted for during validation.

For example, it's fairly well documented that the MBTI (especially prior to Form M) has reduced reliability with African American populations, particularly with the T/F scale. (Reduced meaning, in the mid-80% as opposed to the mid-90% for the overall population.) Subsequently, when working with populations that the MBTI has reduced reliability with, we need to take care to address these areas.

Make sense? It's a little late, so please ask if I need to clarify more.
 

rivercrow

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Hm.... There's more that goes into interpretation. If I am working with a client who appears to have particular preferences, I need to tailor my discussion for that Type. ESTJs have different interests and need different approaches than do ENJP, ISFPs, or INFJs. You get the idea....
 

Alesia

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Joined
Apr 27, 2007
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90
MBTI Type
INFP
If you have, how much more reliable are they compared to the online questionnaires such as Human Metrics?

I was looking at the prices to take a "real" MBTI, and they're pretty outrageous. What kind of questions do the real ones ask?

I've mostly identified myself with a certain type by reading such books as Do What You Are and Type Talk. I liked Please Understand Me II at first, but it seems that each type was put into a specific box.

I also found Please Understand Me II somewhat contradictory, labeling the SP temperament as "artists" rather than placing art into the NF temperament, which I felt was more logical, given that NF is known for creativity and imagination in the traditional sense since traditional art is more about expressing abstract notions from the mind.

But anyway, what am I better off doing? On nearly all the online MBTI tests I took, I come out as either INTJ or INTP. What would the chances be for coming out as one of those two types on a real MBTI?

Anyone who has taken the real MBTI please answer.

I'm a certified MBTI administrater as well. I give classes and admininster the official MBTI test. Of course, I've taken it myself. It is hard to understand how much is involved in creating such a test unless you try to do it yourself. What specific questions would you ask to measure Sensing and Intuition, for example? It is soooo not as simple as it may look. And the wording, and words have to be very exact. The official MBTI has been through a great, great deal of research and revision and continues to try to improve it's impressive 80% reliability rate. That means that 80% of the time a person takes the test they agree with the outcome.

I would say that if you test as INTP or INTJ, then likely you would test as one or the other on the official MBTI, if you are comfortable with the general descriptions of the two. If you're comfortable seeing yourself as INTX and letting yourself discover eventually which one you are, then let it go.

But if you want to take the best test there is, and have someone to help you with follow up, take the official MBTI, from a certified MBTI adminstrater. You are far more likely to not only find your true type, but understand what it all means.

Weighing the cost of the MBTI with how important it is to you to know your exact type is up to you. I think the majority of people (like 60 to 70% maybe) can be comfortable with the results of online tests. But if you find you are having difficulties really deciding and are bothered by it, then I'd take the plung with the official MBTI test.

Personally, I took the test first from Keirsey's short test at the beginning of his book Please Understand Me. I tested INFP, and it fit. No problems. I'm just rather decidedly INFP. Last time I took the official test was in a week long MBTI training program about 15 years ago and I score about 100% for each function. So, I can no longer take a test objectively because I know what each question is trying to answer. I'm sure the same is true for a lot of the "oldies" around here.
 

rivercrow

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Trying to build those questions is an amazing exercise! That exercise made me fall in love with MBTI all over again. It's not perfect--nothing can be--but there's a beauty to the thing.....

Oddly, this is one of the reasons I enjoy trying to invent Type Alike/Experience Difference exercises, like the T/F game I ran here a few weeks back. That game took me 12-15 hours to construct, plus help from friends--but it was so very worth the effort!

I agree about the lack of objectivity due to familiarity. That's another reason why I don't like the online tests--I don't think it helps with reliability.

Alesia has another excellent point: what do you want out of it? Excellent. Thanks!
 

Maverick

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Apr 29, 2007
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880
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ENTJ
Yes, that's how I found my type. Obviously, the "real" MBTI has the advantage that it's items have been checked for reliability and validity. Other online tests provide no information on this and they might well come up with the questions out of nowhere without any verification of them through testing and statistical analysis.
 

The Ü™

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I'm a certified MBTI administrater as well. I give classes and admininster the official MBTI test. Of course, I've taken it myself. It is hard to understand how much is involved in creating such a test unless you try to do it yourself. What specific questions would you ask to measure Sensing and Intuition, for example? It is soooo not as simple as it may look. And the wording, and words have to be very exact. The official MBTI has been through a great, great deal of research and revision and continues to try to improve it's impressive 80% reliability rate.

You say that the wording has to be exact. Is this to avoid contradictions between the different functions? For example, both Sensing and Judging types are resistant to change, while iNtuitive and Perceiving types embrace change.

The way I've interpreted it is that Sensors are weary of change in terms of new ideas while Judgers are weary of change in their personal habits.

I, for example, am very open to new ideas and actively look for them. I get stressed with detail work and I'm not what you would consider practical. I identify more with the imagination. But at the same time, I don't particularly like changing habits. Upon my understanding, since the S-N function is one's way of perceiving and the J-P function is the way one prefers to live his life in the outer world.

It is said that Perceivers are procrastinators, and I procrastinate on a great many things, but the way I see it is that all MBTI functions procrastinate in their own way. I procrastinate when it comes to actually getting off my ass and doing something constructive, but I am always ready to explore ideas and involve myself in activities requiring imagination.

As for the Thinking-Feeling functions, I know that Thinking has nothing to do with being an intellectual. I always defined intellectual as the enjoyment of learning for the sake of learning, without the desire for a practical application. So would intellectualism be more of an iNtuitive trait?

I appreciate you guys helping me out. I'm often insecure and I sometimes become obsessive to the point of losing sight of things.
 

KMCE

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May 9, 2007
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I did the test by Kiersey last year. The test report gave you a breakdown of your preference for each letter in a 10 point scale.

I was ESTJ according to the test.

The official one? I have never done it. And frankly I am not going to shell out $150 for another personality test. I would rather buy myself a tie or some sports wear. Plus the school most likely offers some sort of MBTI test for free so why bother.
 

rivercrow

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I did the test by Kiersey last year. The test report gave you a breakdown of your preference for each letter in a 10 point scale.

I was ESTJ according to the test.

The official one? I have never done it. And frankly I am not going to shell out $150 for another personality test. I would rather buy myself a tie or some sports wear. Plus the school most likely offers some sort of MBTI test for free so why bother.

Yup, there are all kinds of places to take the MBTI, if you're interested.

I took the MBTI first when I was 17 as part of a continuing ed class on self-exploration. There were a battery of other tests as well (Strong, CPI, I think something else, too).

The career counseling and student counseling services when I was in college offered MBTI.

Many employers also offer MBTI through their HR/personnel development departments, sometimes for a small fee to offset the cost of the answer sheets or computer scoring subscription.
 

"?"

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May 2, 2007
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I took the Step II in 2001, and am quite sure I got the S/N wrong. Yet, any assessment is only as reliable as the person is honest taking it, and in knowing themselves.
 

Wolf

only bites when provoked
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Apr 24, 2007
Messages
2,127
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Yeah, as a young teenager. INTJ.
You seem like an IXTJ that has done some heavy drugs for a long time. It would explain a lot about the way you act...
 

hereandnow

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Apr 23, 2007
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I was tested twice and both times came out an INTP. The tests were 11 years apart and consisted of an in-depth interview in addition to the test.
 

Nighthawk

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May 23, 2007
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I took one at a psychologist's office in the early 90's. I came out some sort of SJ variant. I don't think it was accurate at all. I was still in the military and answered all the questions the way the military would have expected me to answer them. In short, I was living a lie ... which explains the serious unhappiness I had in that profession.

Some years later, I became interested in MBTI and self-tested INTJ regularly. Once again however, I was answering the questions more in line with my profession (software engineer) than what was truly inside of me. I had come to terms with my N ... but still felt that I had to portray the J structure and organization demanded in the corporate world. Of course, military J indoctrination did not help either.

I finally came into my own as my true type (INTP) around the turn of the millenium ... when I picked up a few of the Tieger books and started analysing myself in light of my actions rather than answering some questions. INTP made the most sense and I was happiest exhibiting those characteristics. I believe it is the best fit for me, although I do have some learned J tendencies ... and the P/J axis is the closest one for me.
 
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