Why Do People Believe in MBTI Despite Its Unscientific Nature?

This article explores why the MBTI test, despite being considered unscientific, is still popular among many people. It delves into the history, controversies, and reasons behind its appeal.

Why Do So Many People Believe in the Unscientific MBTI Test?

Recently, a friend of mine who wishes to remain anonymous shared a story. His girlfriend sent him a link to a popular MBTI 16 personality test on a public account. Looking at the 93 questions, he was about to give up as he is a firm believer in the 'too long, didn't read' principle. However, not wanting to displease his girlfriend and also not wanting to spend so much time on the test, he told her there were too many questions and asked her to take a bath first. As soon as she turned around, he quickly clicked through the questions randomly and then went back to playing games. Surprisingly, his girlfriend thought the test was very accurate even though he had expected a completely absurd result.

MBTI, short for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, is a self-administered questionnaire that attempts to classify people into different personality types based on four dichotomies: introversion or extroversion, sensing or intuition, thinking or feeling, and judging or perceiving. Although it has been around for a long time and has gained popularity periodically, it is highly controversial in the field of psychology and is even considered 'pseudoscience'.

The制定者of MBTI, Myers mother and daughter, were just psychology enthusiasts without formal psychology degrees. As a measurement tool, MBTI has problems with reliability and validity. People's test results can change over time, and the forced-choice and binary classification methods make its reliability questionable. Without reliable reliability, validity is also difficult to establish.

Despite its unreliability, MBTI is still popular for several reasons. Firstly, the large number of questions makes it seem more scientific. Secondly, like astrology and fortune-telling, it uses the 'Barnum effect', where people tend to believe in general and broad personality descriptions that seem to fit them. Additionally, the results are often positive, giving people a sense of self-affirmation.

Some people have even turned MBTI into a big business. The copyright holder, CPP, charges a significant amount for official tests and training for certification administrators. In a society where many people have an urgent need to 'know themselves', these玄学tests provide a shortcut, allowing people to label themselves and find like-minded individuals quickly.

In conclusion, while MBTI may seem appealing, it is important to recognize its limitations and not rely too much on it for understanding one's personality.