I find Myers Briggs usefully predictive. Similar to what Haidt is doing with emotion. Is it something to snicker at around here?
Sometimes, but not justifiably so. (I would snicker at the claim that MBTI is the optimal way to categorize personality traits, or even a claim that it is close to optimal. But I certainly wouldn’t snicker at people finding it useful given that it is what they have.)
I wouldn’t think it’s optimal either. Certainly better to do measurements and verify predictions in a controlled manner, but not all evidence comes in plecebo controlled double blind trials.
I like the move of at least some interpretations of breaking open the black box of personality in terms of finite function and attention that imply limitations and tradeoffs.
I approve of the methodology used to construct Big Five. Specifically the part where there actually was one. I’d be a little surprised if the submitter happened to have access to big 5 test results for a sufficient number of peers for it to have been significantly useful for her. Most people don’t. In such cases I don’t sneer at use of MBTI nomenclature because it is being used as a partial replacement to implicit ‘common sense’ cultural psychological nomenclature that is inevitable in any human language and which is even less rigorous.
I’d be a little surprised if the submitter happened to have access to big 5 test results for a sufficient number of peers for it to have been significantly useful for her. Most people don’t.
I guess most people don’t have access to MBTI test results for their peers, either, so that’s not a good reason to prefer MBTI to Big Five.
I guess most people don’t have access to MBTI test results for their peers, either
Well, in my experience they’re frequently self-reported on forums, social networks, etc. And—again, in my experience—knowing people’s MBTI (with some confidence that they’re honestly reporting actual results from a real test) is certainly better for very broadly predicting someone’s personality (and constraining expectations about at least their social actions, so not just Forer effect) than their star sign or political affiliation (barring the more extreme options… although I have seen a few fascists who were just generally confused and alienated and liked cute things) or religious self-identification or whatever!
Sometimes, but not justifiably so. (I would snicker at the claim that MBTI is the optimal way to categorize personality traits, or even a claim that it is close to optimal. But I certainly wouldn’t snicker at people finding it useful given that it is what they have.)
I wouldn’t think it’s optimal either. Certainly better to do measurements and verify predictions in a controlled manner, but not all evidence comes in plecebo controlled double blind trials.
I like the move of at least some interpretations of breaking open the black box of personality in terms of finite function and attention that imply limitations and tradeoffs.
Well, there’s the Big Five...
I approve of the methodology used to construct Big Five. Specifically the part where there actually was one. I’d be a little surprised if the submitter happened to have access to big 5 test results for a sufficient number of peers for it to have been significantly useful for her. Most people don’t. In such cases I don’t sneer at use of MBTI nomenclature because it is being used as a partial replacement to implicit ‘common sense’ cultural psychological nomenclature that is inevitable in any human language and which is even less rigorous.
I guess most people don’t have access to MBTI test results for their peers, either, so that’s not a good reason to prefer MBTI to Big Five.
Well, in my experience they’re frequently self-reported on forums, social networks, etc. And—again, in my experience—knowing people’s MBTI (with some confidence that they’re honestly reporting actual results from a real test) is certainly better for very broadly predicting someone’s personality (and constraining expectations about at least their social actions, so not just Forer effect) than their star sign or political affiliation (barring the more extreme options… although I have seen a few fascists who were just generally confused and alienated and liked cute things) or religious self-identification or whatever!