Talking about what I don't know about (MBTI)

[joanne0012]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at y..., "davewitley" <dfrankiswork at n...> wrote:
> Joanne, twelfth of that ilk, wrote about Myers-Briggs:
> 
> > Most of the "real" test questions are in 
> > terms of what do you prefer, or what do you usually do, whereas the 
> fake questions often ask the respondents to draw conclusions or 
> inferences about their characteristics.
> 
> One problem I have with psychometric tests is that their compilers 
> don't seem to be aware of the distinction between what you prefer and 
> what you do, thus statements of the type:
> 
> 'I usually make decisions on the spur of the moment';
> 
> 'I prefer to consider all options carefully before deciding'
> 
> are often posed as if they are opposites, when quite easily both 
> could be true,  . . . . 
> Since I have never done MBTI - and require convincing about the $5 - 
> does the team think that it copes well with issues of this sort?

David, you'll be glad to hear that, in reviewing the questions, I see that the terms 
like "prefer" or "would you rather", "do you like to" or "Do you usually" appear in 
the question part, before the multiple choices are offered.

There are multiple versions of the test; I have on file one version with 94 items 
on it and another with 126, copyrighted a year apart.  The longer one starts 
with,

When you go somewhere for the day, would you rather
(A) plan what you will do and when, or
(B) just go?

And another question asks,

Do you prefer to
(A) arrange dates, parties, etc., well in advance, or
(B) be free to do whatever looks like fun when the time comes?

There are also questions about actual behaviors, such as

In getting a job done, do you depend on 
(A) starting early , so as to finish with time to spare, or
(B) the extra speed you develop at the last minute?

Some questions have 3 or 4 possible responses.

There is also a major section with 45 pairs of words, and the subject is asked 
"Which word in each pair appeals to you more?"  One of the pairs is actually 
"thinking" and "feeling", and another pair is "imaginative" and "matter-of-fact"!

On the other hand, some questions are too subjective.  "One asks are you (A) 
easy to get to know, or (B) hard to get to know".  I, for one, have met people 
whom I am certain would answer that one differently from people who have tried 
to get to know them!

Joanne the Twelfth