MBTI Among Young People: A Delicate Balance
Young people's fascination with MBTI raises questions about its nature. Is it psychology or a new form of mysticism? This article explores the pros and cons of MBTI and its impact on young people.
MBTI Among Young People: Psychology or 'New Mysticism'?
In recent years, conversations filled with English letters like 'Are you an I or an E person?' and 'Can P people understand the inner world of J people?' have become popular among young people's social circles. These are all personality types from the MBTI personality test. If someone hasn't heard of MBTI by now, they might seem a bit out of touch with fashion.
The test is based on the psychological type theory proposed by psychologist Carl Jung. Jung divided people's personality types into two basic attitudes of 'introversion (I) - extroversion (E)' and four functions of 'sensing (S) - intuition (N)', 'thinking (T) - feeling (F)'. Myers and Briggs added the dimension of 'judging (J) - perceiving (P)', creating 16 different personality types.
MBTI can be used for self-introduction and breaking the ice. It also helps young people deepen their self-awareness and build confidence. However, people wonder about its scientific nature. Is it just like those old magazine psychological tests or even astrology, only saying what the test takers want to hear? Does the popularity of MBTI turn into a blind following of a 'new mysticism'?
Actually, professional psychologists point out that all psychological tests are just reference tools. We shouldn't take them as absolute truth or let them become shackles. For most non-professionals who want to understand and express themselves through MBTI, the key is to view the test results rationally and use them for our own benefit without being obsessed.
Some people worry that dividing everyone into 16 types will increase young people's bad habit of 'labeling' others and ignore the richness and complexity of human nature. On one hand, this concern is reasonable. A person's personality is composed of countless details and cannot be completely defined by four letters. People with the same MBTI type may be very different, and those with different types may still get along. We should remember that people are not made up of labels. Only through heart-to-heart communication can we truly understand a person.
On the other hand, we should also see that in the process of individual cognition of the outside world and self, the 'labeling' classification method is not completely useless. Sometimes, only by putting the people and things we encounter into familiar frameworks can we find an entry point for further cognitive information. This applies to getting along with others and ourselves.
MBTI and other psychological tests are just ways for young people to achieve self-awareness and socialize with others. MBTI is not so scientific and doesn't need to be reduced to 'mysticism'. For young people who want to explore personality issues, the important thing is not which way to choose but to find the 'destination' and grasp the direction.
In conclusion, MBTI is a tool that has its uses and limitations. Young people should approach it with an open and rational mind.