AN EMPIRICAL-EVALUATION OF THE MBTI TYPOLOGY

The popular Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) applies a classification schema that allocates all respondents to one of 16 types on the basis of four preference scores. The study's aim was to evaluate the empirical validity of the MBTI classification scheme. The approach taken was to apply two cluster analytic procedures to the four standardized scale scores. One method applied was Ward's hierarchical grouping procedure and the other a non-hierarchical average linkage. Five clusters in the first sample of 100 men could be matched across the two procedures, and four clusters in the second sample of 100 were also matched. On the whole, agreement between the MBTI 16 categories and the empirically derived clusters was weak or negligible. Some reasons why the MBTI typology is defective as a classification scheme are carefully delineated. © 1991.