MBTI vs Big Five: What Personality Tests Really Show

Level: C1

Printable: Student handout (PDF | Word) | Teacher’s key (PDF | Word)

Before You Read

Think about these questions or discuss them with a partner.

Have you ever taken a personality test, online or at school? What did it say about you, and did you agree?
Would your friends describe you as more outgoing or more reserved? Does it change with the situation?
How might attitudes toward personality tests differ by country, age group, or workplace?

Reading

The question often comes within minutes of meeting someone new: “What’s your MBTI?” Answer “INFP” or “ESTJ,” and the other person may nod as if they now understand you. Four letters have become a convenient shorthand for personality, traded in conversation and online. In South Korea a few years ago, they even crept into hiring, with some cafes and companies asking applicants for their type. Many people who take a free online test find the result uncanny. The description seems to know them better than their friends do.

In a classic 1948 experiment, the psychologist Bertram Forer gave his students a personality test and then handed each of them a personal profile. Every student received the same text, much of it borrowed from astrology writing, and on average they rated its accuracy 4.3 out of 5. Its statements were vague and flattering: you have hidden potential, you can be sociable at times and reserved at others. Almost anyone can see themselves in lines like these. Psychologists call this the Barnum or Forer effect, and it helps explain why a type description can feel accurate whether or not the test behind it is any good.

The MBTI was developed in the 1940s by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, neither of whom had formal training in psychology, building on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types. It places people in one of two boxes on each of four scales, such as introvert or extravert (also spelled extrovert), which produces sixteen types. The problem is that people rarely fall neatly into boxes. When researchers plot the scores, most people cluster near the middle of each scale rather than at the ends. A cut-off at the midpoint is therefore arbitrary: it can pigeonhole someone who scores just above the line as an extravert and someone just below it as an introvert, although the two are almost identical. Partly as a result, the types are flimsy. Studies have found that roughly 40 to 75 percent of people get a different type when they retake the test after only about five weeks.

Most personality researchers rely on a different model, the Big Five. Instead of types, it measures five traits, each on a spectrum: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism, a tendency to feel anxious, moody, or easily upset. The model grew out of a simple idea: if a trait matters to people, their language will have words for it. Researchers sorted thousands of everyday adjectives and found that they tended to fall into about five families. The evidence for the model is far more robust than for the MBTI. Scores stay fairly stable over time, twin studies suggest that genes explain roughly 40 to 60 percent of the differences between people, and the traits predict real outcomes. Conscientiousness, for example, is linked to better job performance and even to a longer life.

Whether the Big Five holds up everywhere is less certain. It has been tested in dozens of countries, usually with similar results. But when researchers gave a translated questionnaire to Tsimane forager-farmers in the Bolivian lowlands, the answers did not fall into five groups. People who called themselves reserved also tended to call themselves talkative, and only two broad clusters emerged, roughly hard work and helpfulness toward others. Defenders of the model suggested that translation problems or abstract questions might explain the gap. More broadly, most of the evidence comes from people describing themselves, and self-reports are prone to bias.

What about introverts and extraverts? First, introversion is not the same as shyness. Shyness is a fear of being judged, while introversion is closer to a preference for quieter, less intense settings. A gregarious person can still be shy, and a confident speaker can feel drained after a long party. Many researchers link extraversion to sensitivity to rewards: extraverts tend to seek out excitement, attention, and social contact, while introverts often prefer stimulation in smaller doses. And because extraversion is a spectrum, most people sit somewhere in the middle. One leading researcher estimates that about nine in ten people are neither strongly introverted nor strongly extraverted.

Nor is personality fixed for life. On average, people tend to mellow between their twenties and forties, becoming calmer, more organized, and more socially confident. Behavior can also be stretched. In a week-long trial in Australia, volunteers who were asked to act more sociable and assertive reported more positive feelings, although the more introverted volunteers also reported more tiredness and felt less like themselves. A four-letter type can be a fun conversation starter, but it is worth being wary of letting it decide who gets a job. One telling detail: the foundation that promotes the MBTI states in its own guidelines that the test was not designed for hiring.

Vocabulary

Each word has a frequency score, a rank, and a tag. The score shows how common the word is in modern English: higher means more common, and each full point means roughly ten times more common. The rank is the word’s position on a list of about 321,000 English word forms, from most to least common. The tag shows where you are most likely to meet the word: Current, Formal, Literary, or Dated. The paragraph number shows where the word first appears in the reading. The labels are information, not instructions. Deciding which words are worth your time is up to you. How to read the scores, ranks, and tags.

For many people, an MBTI type is a convenient shorthand for personality.
In our office, “the blue room” is shorthand for the big meeting room on the third floor.

Many people find their online test result uncanny.
She bears an uncanny resemblance to her grandmother at the same age.

The profile was vague and flattering, so almost every student liked it.
That jacket is very flattering on you.

A cut-off at the exact midpoint of a scale is arbitrary.
The age limit of 25 for the discount seems completely arbitrary.

A strict cut-off can pigeonhole two very similar people as opposites.
The actor did not want to be pigeonholed as a comedian.

The MBTI types are flimsy: many people get a different result a few weeks later.
He gave a flimsy excuse for missing the meeting.

The Big Five measures each trait on a spectrum.
The party has support from across the political spectrum.

The evidence for the Big Five is more robust than for the MBTI.
We need a robust plan that still works if something goes wrong.

It is not clear that the Big Five holds up in every culture.
His story did not hold up once the police checked the times.

A gregarious person can still feel shy in some situations.
My gregarious uncle talks to everyone at family dinners.

A confident speaker can still feel drained after a long party.
After three exams in one day, I felt completely drained.

Introverts often prefer stimulation in smaller doses.
Babies need stimulation, such as songs, colors, and play.

On average, people tend to mellow between their twenties and forties.
My father was strict when I was young, but he has mellowed a lot.

It is worth being wary of letting a test decide who gets a job.
Be wary of messages that ask for your password.

One telling detail is that the MBTI guidelines say the test was not designed for hiring.
It was telling that nobody wanted to speak first at the meeting.

Word Partners

Collocations. Match the two halves to make common phrases. Then use three of the phrases in sentences of your own.

1. an uncanny	a. of strangers
2. a flattering	b. spectrum
3. an arbitrary	c. excuse
4. a flimsy	d. with age
5. across the political	e. decision
6. feel emotionally	f. resemblance
7. mellow	g. photo
8. be wary	h. drained

Answers

an uncanny resemblance (f)
a flattering photo (g)
an arbitrary decision (e)
a flimsy excuse (c)
across the political spectrum (b)
feel emotionally drained (h)
mellow with age (d)
be wary of strangers (a)

Word families. Complete each sentence with the correct form of the word in brackets.

The description was __________ accurate, as if it had been written by a close friend. (uncanny)
He tried to __________ his manager with compliments before asking for a day off. (flattering)
The winners were chosen __________, so nobody understood why they had won. (arbitrary)
Some people find a busy market __________, while others find it exhausting. (stimulation)
Three hours of video calls can be very __________ for anyone. (drained)
She looked at the strange email with some __________ before she opened it. (wary)

Answers

uncannily
flatter
arbitrarily
stimulating
draining
wariness

Activity Page

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Speed Challenge

Answer 12 questions against the clock. Every wrong answer adds 5 seconds, and the lowest score wins. Open the speed challenge in a new tab.

Quick Reading and Typing: Personality Tests in Brief

A shorter version of the reading that uses the lesson vocabulary. Read it for a quick introduction to the topic, or use it for reading aloud, shadowing (reading along with a model), and typing practice.

People often ask a new acquaintance: “What’s your MBTI?” Four letters have become a convenient shorthand for personality. In South Korea a few years ago, some cafes and companies even asked job applicants for their type. Many people find their online test result uncanny. It seems to know them better than their friends do.

Part of the reason is the Barnum effect. In 1948, a psychologist gave all of his students the same personality profile. It was vague and flattering, yet on average they rated its accuracy 4.3 out of 5. Almost anyone can see themselves in lines like these.

The MBTI places people in one of two boxes on each of four scales, such as introvert or extravert. But most people score near the middle of each scale. A cut-off at the midpoint is arbitrary. It can pigeonhole two almost identical people as opposites. The types are also flimsy. Many people get a different type when they retake the test after about five weeks.

Most researchers prefer the Big Five, which measures five traits, each on a spectrum. The evidence for it is far more robust. Scores are fairly stable, and conscientiousness predicts job performance and even a longer life. Still, it is not clear that the model holds up everywhere. Among the Tsimane people of Bolivia, the answers did not fall into five groups. Self-reports are also prone to bias.

Introversion is not shyness. Shyness is a fear of being judged, while introverts simply prefer stimulation in smaller doses. A gregarious person can be shy, and a confident speaker can feel drained after a party. Extraverts tend to seek out excitement and social contact. Most people sit somewhere in the middle. On average, people tend to mellow between their twenties and forties. A four-letter type can start a conversation, but it is worth being wary of letting it decide who gets a job. One telling detail: the MBTI’s own guidelines say the test was not designed for hiring.

How to practice

Read the text silently once and check any words you are unsure of.
Read it aloud slowly, one sentence at a time. On the typing page, the Listen button reads each line with your device’s voice, so you can listen first and then repeat.
Shadow: read aloud again at a natural speed, trying to keep a steady rhythm without stopping.
Record yourself, listen back, and note one sentence to practice again.
Type it on the typing page below and check your speed and accuracy.

Open the typing practice in a new tab

Comprehension Questions

What did some cafes and companies in South Korea ask job applicants for?
What happened in Forer’s 1948 experiment?
How does the MBTI sort people?
Why is a cut-off at the midpoint of each scale a problem?
Why does the writer call MBTI types flimsy? Give the evidence.
How is the Big Five different from the MBTI, and why do researchers prefer it?
What are two weaknesses or open questions about the Big Five?
How is introversion different from shyness?
Why do you think the writer ends with a detail from the MBTI guidelines? Is it a convincing ending?

IELTS-Style Questions

True, False, or Not Given: “The students in the 1948 experiment were studying psychology.” Explain your answer using the reading.
Yes, No, or Not Given: “The writer believes that four-letter types should never be mentioned, even in casual conversation.” Explain your answer using the reading.
Author’s purpose: Why does the writer describe the 1948 experiment? Is it (a) to explain why a type description can feel accurate even if the test is weak, (b) to show that astrology can predict personality, or (c) to explain how the MBTI was first created?

AI Discussion Prompt

I just read an article about personality tests. It explained why MBTI types are popular and why they can feel accurate (the Barnum or Forer effect), why researchers find MBTI results unreliable, how the Big Five model measures traits on a spectrum, its limits in other cultures such as among the Tsimane of Bolivia, the difference between introversion and shyness, and how personality changes with age. I am an English learner at about C1 level. Please ask me one question at a time, starting with my own experience of personality tests. Respond to my ideas first, challenge me with a counterargument when it fits, then briefly correct any language errors and suggest one more precise word or phrase I could have used.

AI Vocabulary Prompt

I want to practice vocabulary from an article about personality tests, introverts, and extraverts. Please quiz me on the following words one at a time, using a mix of question types: multiple choice, true/false, and sentence completion. Give me feedback after each answer before moving on, and bring back the words I miss later. Here are the words: shorthand, uncanny, flattering, arbitrary, pigeonhole, flimsy, spectrum, robust, holds up, gregarious, drained, stimulation, mellow, wary, telling.

Discussion Questions

How often do people around you talk about MBTI types? In what situations?
When do you feel most energized: in a group, with one close friend, or alone?
Describe a time when you felt drained after socializing. What helped you recover?
Have you ever been labeled by others in a way that did not fit you? How did it feel?
Why do you think personality tests spread so easily on social media?
Have you ever read a horoscope or a description of yourself that felt uncanny? Looking back, why might it have felt that way?
Can a person be both shy and outgoing? Give an example from your own experience.
Is it fair for a cafe or a company to ask job applicants for their personality type? Why or why not?
In a job, which matters more, personality or skills? Can the two really be separated?
Should people try to act more outgoing than they naturally are, for example at work or in class? What are the costs and benefits?
How has your own personality changed since you were a teenager? What caused the change?
Most personality tests were developed in Western countries. What problems might appear when they are used in other cultures?
If a perfectly accurate personality test existed, who should be allowed to see your results, and why?
Is it more useful to think of people as types or as positions on a spectrum? What do we gain and lose with each?

Language Focus: Expressing Tendency: tend to, be prone to, on average

What it is: We use tend to + base verb, be prone to + noun, and on average to describe what usually happens, not what always happens. A tendency (noun) is a pattern of behavior. These forms let a writer make a general claim while leaving room for exceptions.

Why writers use it: Personality research describes patterns across many people, never rules for every individual. Words of tendency keep claims accurate: extraverts tend to seek excitement, but not every extravert does, all the time.

Examples from the reading:

“Researchers sorted thousands of everyday adjectives and found that they tended to fall into about five families.”
“People who called themselves reserved also tended to call themselves talkative…”
“Most of the evidence comes from people describing themselves, and self-reports are prone to bias.”
“On average, people tend to mellow between their twenties and forties…”

Part A. Sentence starters Finish each sentence so that it is true for you.

tend to / tend not to

When I am under pressure, I tend to …
At large parties, I tend not to …

be prone to / on average

When I write in English, I am prone to …
When I am tired, I am more prone to …
On average, students in my country tend to …

Model answers

When I am under pressure, I tend to make lists and work late.
At large parties, I tend not to talk to people I do not know.
When I write in English, I am prone to mistakes with articles.
When I am tired, I am more prone to forgetting my keys.
On average, students in my country tend to study late at night before exams.

Part B. Questions Answer each question in a full sentence. Try to answer using tend to, be prone to, or on average. Then ask a partner.

What do you tend to do on a free Sunday?
What kinds of small mistakes are you prone to when you are in a hurry?
How do people in your family tend to celebrate birthdays?
What do first-year university students tend to worry about?
On average, how much time do you spend on your phone each day?

Model answers

On a free Sunday, I tend to sleep late and then meet a friend for lunch.
When I am in a hurry, I am prone to typing errors and forgetting things.
My family tends to celebrate birthdays with a big dinner at home.
First-year students tend to worry about making friends and managing their time.
On average, I spend about four hours a day on my phone.

Online Resources

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (Wikipedia). The history of the MBTI and a clear summary of the research on its reliability (paragraph 3).
Extrovert or Introvert? Most People Are Actually Ambiverts (Scientific American). Why most people fall in the middle of the introversion and extraversion spectrum (paragraph 6).
New study throws into doubt the universality of the Big Five (APA Monitor on Psychology). A short report on the Tsimane study in Bolivia and how other researchers responded (paragraph 5).
Companies Hiring Part-Time and Full-time Employees with MBTI, a Test People Take for Fun (Kyunghyang Shinmun). A Korean newspaper report on employers who asked job seekers for their MBTI type (paragraph 1).
Ethical Use of the MBTI Assessment (The Myers & Briggs Foundation). The MBTI’s own rules for fair use, including the statement that it is not for hiring (paragraph 7).