NCJ Number
97606
Date Published
1984
Length
21 pages
Annotation
This booklet explains the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality test and describes how this instrument can help police managers and officers recognize personal differences and use them to strengthen the agency.
Abstract
Based on Carl Jung's theory of types, the MBTI identifies four basic preferences that relate to (l) the way people become aware of the outside world, (2) how they make decisions, (3) their degree of flexibility, and (4) orientation toward the outside world. The test categorizes people as sensing or intuitive (S or N), thinking or feeling (T or F), judging or perceiving (J or P), introverted or extroverted (I or E). There are 16 possible combinations of these preferences (such as ISTJ or EPNF), and each combination displays common personality characteristics. Analysis of MBTI tests taken by 722 law enforcement personnel revealed that a slight majority were introverts (inner-directed people). Over three-quarters preferred sensing over the intuitive mode, 85 percent preferred thinking over feeling, and about 83 percent judging over perceiving. This suggests that most law enforcement personnel are STJ's who are logical in nature and design their environments to close out issues as quickly as possible. The MBTI can be used as a team-building tool, as an instrument to examine issues from different perspectives, as a technique to help managers deal with employees, and as an aid to officers in helping them understand why they feel uncomfortable in certain situations. The booklet describes the four temperaments associated with the MBTI categories and their reactions to police work. Charts are included.