Myers Briggs in Movies, Books, & TV

The Basics

If you've been around long enough, you've observed something: no two people are exactly a like. With different experiences, passions, skills, and many more factors, there have never been two completely identical people. However, you've also probably observed something else: some people have similar personalities. Maybe you've noticed that you and your mother are extraordinary planners, while your brother and best friend are excellent procrastinators. Perhaps you have no problem striking up a conversation with a new face, but notice your friend, who tends to listen quietly in most conversations. And while your head is swarming with far off ideas and theories, you struggle to explain to your factual, sensible grandmother why you are basing your college major off of a "gut instinct." 

If you sense these differences, congratulations, you are becoming a psychologist. Since the age of the Greeks, humanity has been fascinated with classifying each other into different temperaments or personality types. The best personality configuration that I have yet to find is the Myers Briggs Personality Type. This test places people into a personality type, based off of four different components. 

1. How we're energized: Introvert or Extravert (I or E)

Before I begin this discussion, I need to make a forewarning: FORGET THE STEREOTYPES. When I first took the test and saw that I was an Introvert, I scoffed, saying, "How in the world can I be an introvert!? I enjoy talking to people and being a performer!" Being an introvert does not mean that you are an anti-social, wallflower. Likewise, being an extravert isn't synonymous to a wild, party-goer, who continually talks without listening. 

Instead, your first letter determines where you draw your energy from. The best analogy I've heard about this is to picture a red solo cup. 

If you're an introvert, you start out your day with your cup full of a beverage. However, with each interaction you have, your cup becomes drained of its beverage. 

If you're an extravert, your cup starts out empty. As you come in contact with people, their interactions fill your cup up.

In other words, introverts are energized by being alone, while extraverts are energized by being around other people.

2. How we gather Information: Sensing or Intuition (S or N)

I'm an S (Sensing). My friend, Claire, is an N (Intuition). My "thought talk", or what runs through my head, tends to associate my thoughts with my senses, tangible occurrences, and memories. When I walk by a rose bush, I think, "That bush reminds me of a bush I saw outside of Mrs. Shaw's house a few days ago. Mmmm... I just love the smell of roses." For my friend Claire, her "thought talk" consists of problem solving, envisioning the future and cause and effect issues, and pondering on possibilities for her book. Often time, she zones out of conversations, getting caught up in her daydreams. When she passes a rose bush, she pictures the bush in the world of the stories she's creating, which leads her to envision a new plot point.

In other words, if you're an S, you think in terms of reality and prefer tangible, real information. If you're an N, you enjoy theories and possibilities, and can zone out of conversations, due to the immense amount of daydreaming or thinking going on in your head.

3. How we make decisions: Thinking or Feeling (T or F)

If you're a T, you tend to make most choices based off of logic, rationality, and objectivity. If you're an F, you tend to be sensitive and make most decisions based off of harmony and emotion.

4. How we live: Judging or Perceiving (J or P)

Judger: (This does not mean that you are judgmental) You tend to be organized, responsible, see deadlines as sacred, and are more peaceful when your environment is clean and tidy. You are the one who either plans your to-do-list and/or social outings.

Perceiver: You tend to be a procrastinator and enjoy doing things spur of the moment, rather than planning every second of your day. You don't mind an untidy environment. You might be nontraditional and easy-going. You are the one who easily naps during that boring history class.

When you take the test, you will get one letter from each category. This special combination is when the fun stuff comes in. Take it, and see if you can relate to your pop culture personality twins!