Is the MBTI personality test accurate? | Andrew Bustamante and Lex Fridman

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[DrSpooglemon]

The problem with self-report tests is that a persons beliefs about themselves could colour how they answer the questions. People don't always have an accurate sense of how they actually function.

[harisrashid]

I wish they talked about the cognitive functions as that’s the main part about the MBTI that makes it legit in my opinion. Being able to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses and how to improve.

[nicolemarie]

I’m glad he’s sticking up for MBTI but also sad that he seems unaware of Jung’s Cognitive Functions which are the backbone of the MBTI types. Please don’t rely on tests to determine your type, research the cognitive functions to figure out which functions/stack you best relate to. ENTPs use dominant extroverted iNtuition (Ne), secondary introverted Thinking (Ti), tertiary extroverted Feeling (Fe) and inferior introverted Sensing (Si). Compare that to his wife ISFJ - dominant introverted Sensing (Si), secondary extroverted Feeling (Fe), tertiary introverted Thinking (Ti), and inferior extroverted iNtuition (Ne). He was absolutely right that he’s opposites with his wife (Ne-Ti-Fe-Si vs Si-Fe-Ti-Ne), but technically they share all the same functions, so they are more alike than say an ESFP (Se-Fi-Te-Ni), who share 0 functions in common with ENTPs/ISFJs.

[ProfEmerita]

Bec of my occupation, I’ve taken the MBTI about 15 times, long and short versions, over past 40 years. The result was always the same (INFJ) which didn’t mean much to me until I understood the cognitive functions. Spot-on correct. As a psychotherapist and professor emerita, I’d say that close to 100% my past and current behavior is explained by the MBTI, IQ, and family background. Carl Jung was a genius.

[fluffyclouds]

INFJ here. Lex is one of us. He has said before that was his result. It’s incredibly obvious to me. Logic & emotion. The way he’s so easily moved & yet also analytical. The way he calls his audience “dear friends”.

[karolkozak]

I think the problem with these tests is with how they are conducted. We often like to think about ourselves in a distorted way. Your self-perception gets in the way of accurately assessing current state. You can rate yourself as very empathetic while 10 people who know you very well would say you're definitely not. :)

[ModelSisters]

INFJ here. I've taken the test once every decade for the last three decades... always an INFJ. And it fits me... a socially adept introvert who has spent months in silent meditation, a career that allowed me to be solitary yet be part of a dynamic team, a relationship style that connects with the universality of all beings, and an altruistic nature that even loves haters.

[lindzyk]

I love the MBTI but also think the Big 5 is the top test that all are based on.

[iswaloh]

Remember the only reason the Myers Briggs Company exists is to make a profit. Its board members have publicly come out and said they reject usage of MBTI for legitimate psychological research. Yet they're still sitting on the board of the company because of the money. Nothing wrong with people who enjoy taking the tests, but Myers Briggs itself is primarily motivated by profiting off of name recognition, charging corporations millions to administer their outdated tests, rather than advancing genuine psychological understanding.

[rdAlchemist]

MBTI was invaluable for me during my Dark Night of the Soul, I learned so much about myself and connected the dots on a lot of my unconscious behavior patterns. I know MBTI has gotten a bad rap in recent years but it was more than helpful for me and those around me

[dekayallday]

MBTI was a game changer for me (INTP) and I wish I’d taken it earlier. Amongst other things, recommended career choices have fallen into my interests.
With that being said, I do think that taking the test more times than one will yield same result due to test subject’s predisposition to answer in the same manner: objective subjectivity, if you will.

[DimashCastellucci]

I have taken a few tests throughout the years, and it never actually changed as an INTP-T and it’s really accurate. I believe in exploring myself but not being divided into groups.

[maulekuul]

I've taken the test 3 times over the last 15 years and gotten 3 different results. All were closely related with my life and career circumstances at the time. I agree that there is an unchanging, core personality, but do not believe that an MBTI result is a definitive reflection of it.

[RetroXRicardo]

What a wonderful interview and discussion on these MBTI types. I discovered your channel through the YouTube algorithm. Fascinating!👋👋👋

[thecommonsensecapricorn]

Also I find it extremely hard to answer direct questions on a scale like that. I always feel like I have a complex answer. "Do you like being around other people?" Yes, if it's like-minded and interesting people, no if it's just for the sake of being around people

[bigimportantman]

MBTI experts do a bad job of explaining how the letter system actually works.

Lex is probably an INFJ. But that does not mean he’s a “feelings” person or “judgmental”.

INFJ just the simplified way of stating that your functional stack is:

Ni Fe Ti Se Ne Fi Te Si


So… His top three functions would be:

Ni (Introverted Intuition): It’s kind of like having a mysterious voice in your head that automatically finds answers to your questions. People with a high Ni are great at figuring things out themselves & seem to be born with an innate sense of wisdom.

Fe (Extroverted Feeling): It is ability to understand & connect with people on a deeper level. It doesn’t mean you like small talk with tons of strangers. It means you like dissecting how people like Elon Musk think & then articulating it in a way that people from all walks of life can connect with.

Ti (Introverted Thinking): This is the ability to consciously analyze abstract ideas and frameworks. You use Introverted thinking for things like advanced mathematics, computer programming, Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, debating theoretical concepts, etc.

[lars]

Certified MBTI practitioner here. "S" (sensing) has nothing to do with being graceful or movement or artistic skill. The MBTI has great value, but this guest should not be speaking as an authority on it when he clearly doesn't have a clue. This is why the MBTI gets a bad wrap. He was wildly incorrect a number of times throughout this clip.

[Roundbeargames]

MBTI ain't perfect, but I've struggled for decades finding out who I am and what kinda jobs I'd truly enjoy. Later in life I found out I'm INTP and my entire journey up to that point and the results just made sense. Even before I took any personality test I was already moving towards jobs & life style that I've ALWAYS felt drawn to.

[zrienkersh]

When I was in the foreign service they tested everyone and it was very useful and you could see everyone’s types in their files if you managed them or if they managed you. Also there is research on relationships. ENTP would match with INTJ, INFJ, or ENTJ best.

[hypno]

Issues with reproducibility and poor construction aside, one of the things that puts me off of the mbti is the childlike fervor that people approach it with, like a "which Harry Potter house are you" quiz. Very eager to let it entirely define their being, it parallels a lot of the pronoun games that young teenagers are playing right now. Just stay sharp and examine your own thoughts people.