All About The Jung Typology Test For Personality Types

The Jung personality test, also known as the Jung Typology Test or the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test, generally categorizes each individual into one of 16 personality types. People can use the Jung personality test to determine their tendencies in relationships, find potential employees with desirable characteristics, and explore their future career paths. 

When you have a deep understanding of your personality traits, you can enhance your strengths and go on a journey of personal growth. However, it can be important to keep in mind that no personality test may be entirely accurate. For more individualized insight into your personality, it can be helpful to speak with a licensed mental health professional.

This article explores the Jung Typology Test, a personality assessment based on the theories of Carl Jung and further developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs. Widely used in various contexts, including pre-employment screening, this test is said to help individuals and employers understand different personality types, providing valuable insights into personal strengths and workplace dynamics.

How do I find out my Jung personality type?

Psychologists can administer the Jung personality test, and you must generally pay to take the tests, whether online or offline. Your psychologist or psychiatrist must usually be licensed to give the tests. The consultation often accompanies an analysis, so you may garner more from it than just reading the results yourself. 

That is not to say that you cannot discover your Jung personality type without spending extra cash. There can be many free versions online, but it can be important to keep in mind that these are usually from informal organizations, so there is generally no guarantee that psychologists back up their claims. In addition, they do not typically assess your personality to the extent that paid versions do. 

The free tests usually consist of a few generalized questions to diagnose your Jung personality type, which may result in an inaccurate result. Some may offer a more in-depth survey but require further action (such as creating an account, payment, etc.) before allowing you to view your results.

What are the Jung personality types?

When you look at the 16 Jung personality types, you may be baffled by their names, which can appear to be cryptic. They are typically composed of four capital letters, each with a meaning developed through years of psychological research.

While everyone can be unique in their thoughts and behaviors, Carl Jung felt that each person could fit into a more generalized model of personality. He first developed the Jung personality types based on two principles: how we perceive things and how we make decisions. He then branched out by observing that we can perceive the world through our senses and intuitions and make decisions either logically or emotionally. While this was generally considered to be a huge stride in psychological research, it was not until later that the current 16 personality types model was finalized.

Isabel Briggs and her mother, Katherine, later expanded on Jung's idea to produce the full 16 personality types. While Isabel Briggs mostly agreed with Jung's previous work on personality types, she discovered two additional perspectives of an individual's personality that Jung had not considered: judging vs. perceiving. After struggling to produce a generalization of various personality types, she came up with the following letters to represent each trait.

Introversion vs. extraversion

The letter “E” stands for extraversion, and the letter “I” stands for introversion. These two can constitute a segment of personality termed the "flow of energy." This may distinguish whether we gain energy from the external or internal world. It can be worth noting, however, that only some people may be considered complete extroverts or complete introverts. Our tendencies toward introversion and extraversion may also change depending on other circumstances or as we age and develop.

Sensing vs. intuition

The letter “S” stands for sensing, and the letter “N” stands for intuition. These can describe how one perceives the world most of the time. For example, you may rely on your five basic senses to make sense of what is happening around you (sensing), or you may rely on your instincts to perceive current events (intuition). The assigned letter can describe your tendencies in most situations. Again, you may rely on your senses or instincts in certain circumstances that differ from the personality type the test assigns you.

Thinking vs. feeling

To denote the two general ways we can make decisions, the letters “T” and “F” can be used. “T” stands for thinking, in which we can use our logic and objectivity to make decisions. “F” stands for feeling, meaning we tend to rely on our whims and emotions to make decisions. While many people use a mixture of both, many people tend to rely more on one over the other. The Jung personality test generally determines whether you make more logic-based or emotion-based decisions and assigns you the corresponding letter.

Judging vs. perceiving

Lastly, the letter “J” stands for judging, and the letter “P” stands for perceiving. These two are the personality traits added by Isabel Briggs-Myers, and they usually describe how we interact with the world around us on a daily basis. Someone with a more judging type tends to be more organized and purposeful when going about their days, while individuals with a perceiving type may be more flexible and diverse regarding their schedule.

What are the 16 personality types in the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator?

Different combinations of the letters mentioned above can create the 16 Jung personality types. The types and their nicknames are listed below:

• ISTJ - The Duty Fulfiller
• ISTP - The Mechanic
• ISFJ - The Nurturer
• ISFP - The Artist
• INFJ - The Protector
• INFP - The Idealist
• INTJ - The Scientist
• INTP - The Thinker
• ESTP - The Doer
• ESTJ - The Guardian
• ESFP - The Performer
• ESFJ - The Caregiver
• ENFP - The Inspirer
• ENFJ - The Giver
• ENTP - The Visionary
• ENTJ - The Executive

Why is the Jung personality test important?

The Jung personality test can be entertaining to take with your friends and family, and it can also carry real-world importance.

By carefully using these Jung personality tests, employers can select individuals who may fulfill their duties to their maximum potential. For example, if a managerial position needs to be filled, a recruiter may want to look for someone with an ENTJ personality type. According to the test, ENTJs usually have significant influence over others through superb organization and speaking skills, and they can often make solid decisions. On the other hand, if a studio is looking for a new artist, they may want an ISFP or an ESFP personality type because of their creative minds.

Similarly, current employees and students can receive helpful counseling after discovering their Jung personality types. The career path they are pursuing or will be pursuing may not align with their internal interests, or they may unleash more potential they didn't know they had. Psychologists can assess individual strengths and weaknesses and help steer them to a happier, more successful path.

Assessing an individual's strengths and weaknesses can have even more real-world applications. By conducting the Jung personality test on children, we may find a more effective method of teaching and passing on information. Some students may be visual learners, while others may learn best through auditory strategies. Listening to a lecture may be helpful to one person, but a hands-on experiment may help another student more. Such research can be fueled by assessing students' learning styles based on their Jung personality types.

You can also apply the Jung personality types on a more personal level. A couple in marriage counseling can get additional help by knowing more about themselves through their Jung personality types, for instance. Most of the time, friends and family can be well-acquainted with each other, yet may not fully know what others are truly like, and most of the misunderstandings can stem from this disconnect. By walking through each other's Jung personality types with a licensed psychologist, couples, and families can open up more and attempt to understand where others are coming from.

Learn how your personality types affect you in therapy

Jung’s personality types and the subsequent Myers-Briggs personality types can have real-world applications, and research shows the results may be clinically significant. 

For example, people with greater tendencies toward introversion and perception may be more prone to depression and anxiety, which can help clinicians diagnose some disorders.

Knowing more about yourself can affect how you navigate life, and talking to a therapist can help you figure out more about who you are and how your Jung personality type can impact how you live your life. If you’re ready to get started, consider online therapy as a convenient way to connect with a licensed mental health professional.

Benefits of online therapy

If you’re interested in exploring the role your personality type may play in your life, online therapy often makes it easy to schedule sessions at a time that works for you. One of the primary benefits of online therapy may be that you can speak to your therapist from the comfort of your home. You can message your therapist anytime, and they will generally get back to you at their earliest convenience. 

Research shows that online therapy can be highly effective. Although there isn’t currently much research regarding the efficacy of online therapy for learning about your personality type, one review found that online treatment was generally effective at treating many mental health disorders, including depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and phobias. Whether you want to learn more about your personality type and how it informs your life or talk to someone about any concerns or symptoms you’ve been experiencing, therapy can provide you with the professional guidance you deserve.