Personality tests are everywhere — from workplace assessments to online quizzes. Two of the most well-known are the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) and the Big Five Personality Model. For many, these tools feel like a roadmap for self-understanding. But just like any system of categorizing people, they come with both benefits and limits.

Why Personality Tests Appeal

Much like astrology, personality frameworks give us:

• Language for self-understanding. Being an “INFJ” or scoring high in conscientiousness can feel validating when it matches your lived experience.
• A sense of direction. These frameworks simplify complex patterns into something you can work with.
• Practical insights. Beyond self-reflection, personality models can highlight strengths, blind spots, and even career environments where you’re most likely to thrive.

The difference? Unlike astrology, both Myers-Briggs and Big Five are grounded in psychological theory and research, even if Myers-Briggs is more debated in academic circles.

Myers-Briggs vs. Big Five: What’s the Difference?

Myers-Briggs (MBTI):

• Based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types.
• Categorizes people into 16 “types” (e.g., INFP, ENTJ).
• Strengths: Easy to understand, widely used in workplaces, helps people connect through shared “types.”
• Limitations: Lower reliability (results can change), less supported in scientific research.

Big Five:

• Measures personality on five dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism.
• Supported by decades of research as the most reliable model of personality.
• Strengths: Predicts life outcomes such as job performance, well-being, and even health.
• Limitations: Feels less “catchy” and less personal than MBTI, which can make it harder for people to connect with.

How I use them in therapy:

• MBTI can help clients quickly find language for self-reflection and explore relational dynamics.
• Big Five provides a more research-backed framework to guide conversations about career fit, resilience, and long-term growth.

The Benefits of Personality Frameworks

When used thoughtfully, these assessments can:

• Encourage reflection. They help clients ask questions like: Do I recharge through solitude or connection? Do I prefer structure or flexibility?
• Improve communication. Couples and families often use them to better understand each other’s tendencies.
• Guide career choices. Research shows personality traits can influence job satisfaction and performance (Judge et al., 2013). For example, extroverts may thrive in team-driven roles, while introverts may prefer independent, research-oriented environments.

The Big Five model (openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, neuroticism) has the strongest scientific support, predicting outcomes such as well-being, career success, and health (Soto, 2019).

The Limitations

Despite their usefulness, personality tests have limits:

• Not destiny. Saying “I’m introverted, so I can’t lead” can box people in. Traits describe tendencies, not fixed limits.
• Questionable reliability (MBTI). Studies show up to 50% of people get a different Myers-Briggs result when retested (Pittenger, 2005).

Why does this happen? Sometimes it’s because people aren’t answering as their natural selves. Instead, they:

• Answer based on their ideal self (“I want to be seen as confident”).
• Reflect their situational self (how they act at work, under stress, or in relationships) rather than their baseline tendencies.
• Take tests when they’re in a particular mood (burnout, excitement, etc.) that skews answers.
• Use short online quizzes with oversimplified or poorly worded questions.

So while part of the inconsistency comes from MBTI’s structure, part also comes from how honestly and consistently someone answers.

• Risk of stereotyping. Over-focusing on type can excuse harmful behavior (“I’m just an ESTP, deal with it”).

Like any tool, they are most useful when they spark curiosity, not rigidity.

What I See in Clients

In my practice, I’ve used personality frameworks with clients as springboards for reflection.

• Clients often feel relieved when their results “explain” why they’ve struggled in certain environments. For example, highly conscientious people may feel drained in chaotic, unstructured workplaces.
• Exploring personality results helps clients better understand what they need to feel energized, respected, and aligned in their careers and relationships.
• We don’t treat the results as boxes — instead, we use them to spark deeper conversations about values, patterns, and growth.

Case Example: Finding Career Alignment

“Sophia” (name changed for privacy) came to therapy feeling drained and directionless in her career. She had switched jobs multiple times, but nothing seemed to fit.

Through exploring her Big Five results, Sophia discovered she scored very high in conscientiousness and introversion. This helped explain why chaotic, open-office jobs left her exhausted, while structured, detail-oriented work felt more natural.

We used this insight to explore careers where her strengths could thrive — fields that valued focus, organization, and independent work. Within months, Sophia felt more confident pursuing opportunities that matched her personality rather than fighting against it.

Instead of seeing her tendencies as flaws, she learned to see them as guides for better alignment.

Case Example: Improving Communication in Relationships

Another client, “Jared” (name changed for privacy), came to therapy with his partner because they felt constantly misunderstood. Jared tested as highly introverted on Myers-Briggs, while his partner was very extroverted.

Through therapy, we explored how these tendencies shaped their communication:

• Jared needed more processing time before responding in conflict.
• His partner needed more open verbal reassurance to feel connected.

By understanding that these differences weren’t personal flaws but natural tendencies, they learned to adjust their communication. Jared began verbalizing when he needed time to think, while his partner practiced giving him space without assuming disconnection.

The result was less frustration, fewer arguments, and more compassion for each other’s needs.

How Therapy Can Help

In therapy, I might use Myers-Briggs or Big Five results as one layer of self-reflection — but they’re never the whole picture. My solution-focused approach emphasizes:

• Identifying the actual problem (not just the label).
• Building concrete strategies that work for you, regardless of type.
• Exploring how your tendencies show up in your work, relationships, and daily life.

Almost all of my clients see results within the first few sessions because we don’t stop at “you’re an introvert” or “you’re high in agreeableness.” Instead, we ask: What does that mean for you right now, and how do you want to use it moving forward?

Closing Thought

Personality frameworks can be fun, insightful, and even healing when used as tools for reflection. But they should never define your worth or limit your growth.

Use them as guides, not prisons.

Let them spark curiosity, not comparison.

And remember: the best “test” of who you are is the life you’re actively building.
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References:

• Pittenger, D. J. (2005). Cautionary comments regarding the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research.
• Soto, C. J. (2019). How replicable are links between personality traits and consequential life outcomes? Psychological Science.
• Judge, T. A., et al. (2013). Personality and leadership: A qualitative and quantitative review. Journal of Applied Psychology.