Test results

Personality type: The Defender (ISFJ-A)
Individual traits: Introverted – 97%, Observant – 54%, Feeling – 78%, Judging – 97%, Assertive – 58%
Role: Sentinel
Strategy: Confident Individualism

Being a Defender

According to the test results, I am a defender. Defenders protect those who are close to them and value friendship. The need to feel appreciated and the feeling of warmth of a community is overwhelming for ISFJ personalities. They, therefore, place their families as a top priority and can do anything for their comfort. They are also the first to renew conversations with old friends and organize get-togethers to revive old unions. Since they are introverts, defenders prefer to keep the small circle they are used to close. The defender personality describes my character, as meeting new people is not one of my favorite activities. I prefer to watch a movie in the silence of my home rather than go for a movie date. When in public, I tend to stay in the shadows and only talk when spoken to. I also do not start conversations unless it is essential such as asking for something I am entirely unable to figure out. I find gatherings, no matter how small uncomfortable and being in front of people feel awkward.  A group of familiar faces is more comfortable to face compared to strangers. For instance, family Christmas gatherings are easier to sit through compared to dinners and parties.

These types of people also tend to serve others to the extent of forgetting about themselves. For this reason, they are often overworked in a bid to give their best. They are also likely to be used as doormats because they rarely take credit since for them doing what is expected of them is a virtue. They are also overworked since they don’t prefer to delegate duties. ISFJ prefer to complete tasks on their own, as they believe that “If you want it done well, do it yourself” (Jankowski, 2016). Their work ethics are also high, and it is rare to find them in scandals since they have a strong moral stand and prefer to be sacrificial lambs rather than break laws.

Defenders also keep their emotions to themselves, so they often suffer from the inside although they appear happy outwardly (Jung, 2016). Their change in behavior could be due to a sudden shift that saddening them and only careful observation can detect it. They are likely to get distracted by the slightest issues such as a dog walking on the sidewalk while driving and end up causing an accident. As they are usually careful people, this is not normal. It is a signal that a lot is running through their minds. Those around them need to pick these signals as early as possible and try to get them to open up since they are likely to get depressed without their friends knowing.

Although the test results describe me as an assertive person, I am often swayed by pity since I am more of a feeling person as opposed to thinking. My heart functions ahead of my brain, so emotions easily sweep me. My decisions are, therefore, swayed in cases where another party may be offended by them. Offending others is one of my biggest fears, and the impression I give people about myself is a significant concern. In cases where people’s emotions are not involved, I am very assertive and stick to my plan since I am a great planner who plans even the slightest tasks and sees them to completion.

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and Carl Jung’s Theory

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI is the most commonly used tools for personality assessment. It is a self-introspective questionnaire that guides an individual during the evaluation process of how they perceive, based on their judgment, their environment and responds to challenges (Furnham, 2017). Being aware of other people, how they behave, happenings, nature, and ideas determine the personality of an individual. Constructed by Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers (her daughter) they addressed human perception in two broad perspectives: identifying basic preferences based on Jung’s theory and determining and describing the 16 personality types that are a result of the interactions among the four perceptions. These two, when combined, discover how an individual responds to stress, anxiety, excitement or pressure and how they make decisions.

Carl Jung’s theory that human perceptions are based on intuition, feeling, sensation and thinking is a relationship that creates an accurate relation between the thoughts and actions of an individual, which is an assessment of how the environment influences decision making (Merchant, 2016). These are the four senses through which a human being connects with their environment.  The MBTI is however only an accurate predictor if answered correctly and honestly. The results are thus biased in some cases. When answered honestly, it helps people understand why others behave in a certain way and why they cannot be changed (Stein, & Swan, 2019). The sixteen personality types are a reflection of different and diverse individuals are. For psychologists, the connection between Jung’s theory and MBTI is also crucial during counseling. It helps psychologists deduce why their clients behave so, and the most appropriate approaches to their issue.

Conclusion

The Meyers-Briggs test is a vital asset in psychology for assessing personality types, which explains different preferences and approaches. It also helps psychologists understand the perfection of others, which determines what kind of advice is best to give.

References

Furnham, A. (2017). Myers-Briggs type indicator (MBTI). Encyclopedia of personality and individual differences, 1-4.

Jankowski, J. (2016). The Protector: Your Guide to the ISFJ Personality Type. LOGOS MEDIA.

Jung, C. (2016). Psychological types. Routledge.

Merchant, J. (2016). Analytical Theory (Jung). Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences, 1-6.

Stein, R., & Swan, A. B. (2019). Evaluating the validity of Myers‐Briggs Type Indicator theory: A teaching tool and window into intuitive psychology. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 13(2), e12434.