Having been taken by over 470,000,000 people, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) has gained popularity in recent years for its ability to teach individuals about themselves and others.

Developed by a curious mother-daughter duo, Katharine Cooks Briggs began studying personality types upon meeting her future son-in-law, Clarence Myers, who she noticed saw the world much differently than herself.

Briggs’s daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, aspired to find a way for people to understand one another better in the post-war world, believing that it would lead society towards more teamwork and less conflict.

Isabel Myers self-published the MBTI in 1962 and devoted the next twenty years of her life towards ensuring its accuracy.

A result of the pair’s goal of a peaceful world, the MBTI groups test-takers into one of sixteen personality types with each type being categorized by four letters.

The first letter of one’s personality type determines where one focuses his or her attention and is categorized with an “E” standing for “extraversion” or an “I” standing for “introversion.”

A test-taker who enjoys a variety of tasks, a quick pace and feels energized by social interaction falls under the extraversion category; conversely, a test-taker who prefers to work alone or in small groups, focuses on one task at a time and feels exhausted by social interaction falls under the introversion category.

Three out of four of the most popular personality types at Marlow High School fall under the introversion category, and junior MariAnne Anderson is no exception with her ISTJ personality type.

“I’m more introverted than extroverted because I prefer to be by myself and feel better that way,” noted Anderson. “My MBTI results are accurate to who I am.”

The second letter of one’s personality type determines the way one takes in information and is categorized with an “S” standing for “sensing” or an “N” standing for “intuition.”

Sensors ae described as more realistic individuals, often focusing on facts and details in order to come up with solutions while their opposite, intuitives, seek creative solutions to problems and tend to focus on possibilities. 

In like manner, the third letter of one’s personality type determines the process one uses to make decisions, with “T” standing for “thinkers” and “F” standing for “feelers.”

The thinker category consists of the portion of the population who make decisions based on logic, objectively weighing pros and cons as well as valuing honesty, while the feeler portion of the population makes decisions based on personal values and the impact the decision will make on others, being both sensitive and cooperative.

Unlike Marlow High’s half-sensor half-intuitive results, the student body consists of more feelers than thinkers.

Senior Renee Vermillion, ENFP and complete opposite of Anderson on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, is one of the feelers making up the majority MHS population.

“I tend to overthink, so I usually try to follow my instinct and not doubt myself,” explained Vermillion.

Lastly, the final letter of one’s personality type determines how one perceives the world around them. 

The “judger” type is expressed with the letter “J” and consists of test-takers who tend to be organized and prepared, enjoying sticking to plans and following most rules.

On the opposite side, “perceivers,” identifiable by the letter “P,” enjoy keeping their options open, acting spontaneously and having flexibility.

Once again, Marlow High School’s majority falls under the perceiver category, collectively being less strict on oneself in terms of schedules.

A survey sent to the MHS student body found that the majority of the pupils—specifically 13.5%—have the INFP personality type.

Just behind INFP, 11.5% of students identify as ISFJ, followed by ENFP and ISTP with 9.6% respectively.

The top four personality types represent 44.2% of Marlow High School’s student body, and the other twelve personality types are represented by smaller populations.

With the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator helping students understand themselves better, Marlow High School will continue to encourage students to be compassionate about one another and promote a more understanding society.