An Overview of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
If the Enneagram helps me understand a character's core motivation, the MBTI helps me nail down how they take in and process information and how they tend to make decisions. I think these two personality systems work quite well together for writing!
The MBTI is probably the best-known personality typing system out there, at least in the U.S. I remember taking the test in my public high school (although I don't remember the result, my current guess for my type is based on what I've learned through reading).
There's a lot of junk science out there when it comes to personality tests in general, and the MBTI is no exception. I think it, like most personality typing systems, is most useful when viewed as a framework for understanding the different ways people might interact, rather than as a final label on who you are.
I'll assume most people are familiar with the MBTI, and this post will mostly focus on the Type Dynamics (since I never learned those!), but here is a quick reminder of what each letter stands for:
Extroverted / Introverted
So, the more time I spend with the Myers-Briggs system, the more I see that Type Dynamics are really the key to understanding how the system works.
The two outer letters of your type (E/I and J/P) are called orientations, because they modify the inner two letters. The two inner letters are called mental processes, because they reflect how you take in information and make decisions. The Type Dynamics come from your mental processes.
Your mental processes are split into two letter pairs; N and S each describe a way of gathering information, and F and T each describe a way of making decisions.
The Perceiving functions, from myersbriggs.org:
People who prefer Sensing pay more attention to information that is concrete and tangible. They focus on what is, by paying attention to specific details and facts. They rely on perception through their five senses (trust experience).
People who prefer Intuition pay more attention to the patterns and possibilities in the information they receive. They focus on what could be, by looking at the big picture and making connections between the facts. They use their five senses, too, but rely on perception through insights and hunches (trust inspiration).
The Judging functions, also from myersbriggs.org:
People who prefer Thinking put more weight on objective principles and impersonal facts when decision-making. They focus on logic and analysis.
People who prefer Feeling put more weight on personal concerns and the people involved when decision making. They focus on values and relationships.
There are eight mental processes in total: Introverted and Extroverted versions of iNtuiting, Sensing, Feeling, and Thinking. These are frequently referred to as Ne, Ni, Se, Si, Fe, Fi, Te, and Ti.
Each type will tend to use four of these processes: one iNtuiting, one Sensing, one Feeling, and one Thinking. Between your two Perceiving (information-gathering) processes (iNtuiting and Sensing), one will be extroverted, and one will be introverted. The same is true between your two Judging (decision-making) processes (Feeling and Thinking).
Here is where the orientations come in. The last letter of your type (J or P) refers to whether you outwardly express your preferred Perceiving process (S or N) or your preferred Judging process (T or F). Types with J will outwardly express (or extrovert) the Judging process, where types with P will extrovert the Perceiving process.
So, if you are an -NTJ type, here is what that tells you:
your preferred Perceiving process is iNtuiting
your preferred Judging process is Thinking
you extrovert Thinking, and therefore you introvert iNtuiting
therefore, your four processes will be Te, Ni, Fi, Se (note that these are not in the correct order yet)
With all of that information, the letter E or I will tell you which of your two preferred processes is your Dominant Process.
For example, an INTJ's Dominant Process would be Ni, because their two preferred processes are Te and Ni, and the I tells us that the introverted process is their Dominant Process. On the other hand, an ENTJ's Dominant Process will be Te, because they have the same two preferred processes as an INTJ, but they use the extroverted one more.
Now, how do you figure out your function stack (aka the order of your four processes)?
Well, if you know the first two, it's quite straightforward to figure out the last two!
I think of it as a mirror. For an INTJ, whose first two processes in order are Ni Te, we know their last two processes will include both Se and Fi. Whichever process is first, its opposite will come last. In this case, it means that an INTJ's last process will be Se, which is the opposite of Ni. This means their function stack is Ni Te Fi Se.
This is so different than what I thought!
Yeah, me too! But I actually find the Myers-Briggs system to be a lot more meaningful and applicable this way. It's not about whether you're an Introvert or an Extrovert; we all need both alone time and time with people to meet our needs.
I've frequently made the mistake of typing by letter pair rather than cognitive function. Or just going by the type description, which can be even less accurate.
But, just like your Enneagram, your Myers-Briggs type is not who you are. It's a framework for understanding how you process information and make decisions. (And the Enneagram is a framework for understanding your core motivations.)
Ok, I'm on board with typing by cognitive function. But what does all this actually mean? How do I apply it to the characters I'm writing, or to myself?
First, some more vocabulary.
The first process in your function stack is your Dominant Process, the second is your Auxiliary Process, the third your Tertiary Process, and the fourth your Inferior Process.
Your Dominant Process will reflect a large part of how you think, both at your best, and when under stress. Your Auxiliary Process will act to support your Dominant Process. Your Tertiary Process is generally developed later in life, and won't be used as frequently as the first two. Your Inferior Process is developed even later, and tends to be the least natural/comfortable process for a person to use.
Under extreme stress, the Inferior process can become activated, and sort of take over.
As I've been working through my Personality Types series, I've found that focusing on the Dominant and Inferior processes tends to give the most accurate result.
So, with that in mind, here are some combinations of Dominant and Inferior processes with descriptions of what they look like! (All quotes are again from myersbriggs.org)
Ne -- -- Si (ENFP and ENTP)
Sees possibilities in the external world. Enthusiastic and enjoys networking. Trusts the big picture, forms patterns and connections, which can then be shared with others. Keyword: Brainstorming.
over the top, swamped with options, change for the sake of change
obsess over internal unrelated facts or details (tunnel vision), uncomfortable with turning inward so may withdraw and become depressed, focus on imagined physical ailments
To discern: consider auxiliary Fi or Ti
Ni -- -- Se (INFJ and INTJ)
Can appear visionary. Connects unconscious images, themes, and connections to see things in new ways. Brainstorm internally with themselves. Trusts and relies on inner insights, which may be hard for others to understand. Keyword: Visioning.
unrealistic visions, only accept data that supports their theories, make things overcomplicated
obsess over external, small, unimportant details, overindulge in sensual pleasures (overeat, over drink, etc.), see environment as hostile and dangerous
To discern: consider auxiliary Fe or Te
Se -- -- Ni (ESFP and ESTP)
Acts on concrete data in the here and now. Likes to experience the world—active, talkative, and social. Trusts the present, what is tangible and real. Keyword: Experiencing.
overindulgence, hyperactive, overly talkative
wild fantasies and visions of impending disaster (catastrophize the future), attribute meaning where there is no meaning, come up with extravagant visions of unseen forces of cosmic proportions
To discern: consider auxiliary Fi or Ti
Si -- -- Ne (ISFJ and ISTJ)
Compares present facts and situations to past experience. Excellent recall for specific details. Trusts and remembers the past. Stores sensory data that is important to them for future use. Keyword: Remembering.
dogmatic, obsess about unimportant data, withdraw
lose sight of details and facts, impulsive behaviors, worry over multiple possibilities, too many options (catastrophize the future)
To discern: consider auxiliary Fe or Te
Fe -- -- Ti (ENFJ and ESFJ)
Seeks harmony with and between people in the outside world. Interpersonal and cultural values are important. Encouraging and interested in others. Keyword: Harmonizing.
insistent they know what is best for everyone, intrusive, ignore problems, force superficial harmony
overly critical and negative towards themselves, depressed and withdrawn feeling inadequate, all-or-none judgements, obsessed over seeking absolute truth
To discern: consider auxiliary Ni or Si
Fi -- -- Te (INFP and ISFP)
Seeks harmony of action and thoughts with personal values. May not always articulate those values. Empathetic, sensitive, and idealistic. Keyword: Valuing.
carry the weight of the world on their shoulders, hypersensitive, pompous, feel sorry for themselves
overly critical and negative toward others, judge others harshly, quick to take action to try and control/correct their own imagined incompetence which often backfires making the problem worse
To discern: consider auxiliary Ne or Se
Te -- -- Fi (ENTJ and ESTJ)
Seeks logic and consistency in the outside world. Concern for external laws and rules. Logical, analytical decision makers who organize the environment to achieve goals. Keyword: Organizing.
detached, cold, overly rational, critique lack of logic in others
hypersensitive to emotions, feel emotional but try to control it, afraid of feeling strong emotions and try to hide it
To discern: consider auxiliary Ni or Si
Ti -- -- Fe (INTP and ISTP)
Seeks internal consistency and logic of ideas. Trusts internal framework, which may be difficult to explain to others. Experience a depth of concentration that is objective and analytical. Keyword: Analyzing.
obsessive search for the truth, detached, look only at cons, driven like a machine out of control
use logic to an extreme in an emotional, obsessive way, hypersensitive emotional state in relationships, strong emotional reactions—loss of control
To discern: consider auxiliary Ne or Se
How does this help with writing characters?
Where I find this to be most helpful is in thinking about how a character will outwardly respond to new information or surprising events, and what their introspection might sound like.
As an example, Bloom Within Us is mostly told from Kyo's perspective.
At his best, Kyo is warm, friendly, and perceptive about others. When lightly stressed, he can appear angry (though this is usually a mask for his intense anxiety and fear). He will also do just about anything to get Tohru to smile (or to stop crying), and we know he buries his biggest worries.
Under extreme stress, Kyo gets trapped in some extreme negative self-talk. He becomes withdrawn, depressed, feels worthless, and even becomes suicidal. He holds himself responsible for just about anything that goes wrong, and will remove himself from the company of those who love him most (and who he loves most).
Looking at the above descriptions, I think this best matches the description of Dominant Fe and Inferior Ti, meaning he is an E-FJ type.
The next step is to consider his Auxiliary process - either Ni or Si. I think the best way to do this for the purposes of this series is to look at the descriptions of Dominant Ni and Si, and from those, Si seems a much better fit, making his most likely type ESFJ.
Let's check by looking at the description of ESFJ (also from myersbriggs.org):
Warmhearted, conscientious, and cooperative. Want harmony in their environment, work with determination to establish it. Like to work with others to complete tasks accurately and on time. Loyal, follow through even in small matters. Notice what others need in their day-to-day lives and try to provide it. Want to be appreciated for who they are and for what they contribute.
That sounds like Kyo to me!
What about you? What's your Myers Briggs type?
Well, here's where I tell you I've been wrong about my type!
Previously, I thought I was either ENFJ or INFJ, but this is because I was typing by letter pairs and/or descriptions. While there is a lot about those two types that I connect with, it turns out they don't really connect to my mental processes very accurately.
When I think about myself at my best (this is tough to share!), I think I'm imaginative, optimistic, always eager to share my ideas (and hear others' ideas!), perceptive of larger patterns, and able to make a large number of connections between ideas and concepts very quickly.
When I'm lightly stressed, I get overwhelmed quickly. I will experience "analysis paralysis," and it can take me a long time to follow-through on things because they suddenly feel much more difficult.
When I'm under extreme stress, I need a tremendous amount of rest. During these times, I find it incredibly draining to interact with anyone outside of my immediate family, and I will withdraw from the world for extended periods of time. I can also find myself in OCD spirals, taking meaning that does not exist and blowing it out of proportion.
These descriptions all match up quite strongly with Dominant Ne and inferior Si. This means my type is most likely either ENFP or ENTP, and the next step is to look at how I make decisions to figure out whether my Auxiliary process is Fi or Ti.
It's hard to answer this question in an unbiased way, but, for better or worse, I have a very strong idea of the sort of person I want to be. I have trouble letting things go when they strike a particular nerve, and I get easily frustrated, because I have such a clear picture of how things "should" be.
Reading the descriptions above of Fi and Ti, it's clear Fi is a much better fit. This means my Myers Briggs type is most likely ENFP!
Here is the description of ENFP:
Warmly enthusiastic and imaginative. See life as full of possibilities. Make connections between events and information very quickly, and confidently proceed based on the patterns they see. Want a lot of affirmation from others, and readily give appreciation and support. Spontaneous and flexible, often rely on their ability to improvise and their verbal fluency.
I hope this has been a helpful breakdown of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator!
Edit: This post received a major update on June 27, 2025. Updates to several characters' posts to follow!
Character Personality Types Series Masterpost
