MBTI Results Explained

I just took the MBTI and it says I'm an INFP. I've taken the MBTI before and have always been an INFJ, which feels like an accurate fit for me. I thought that personality type usually stays unchanged? Why did my results come out different this time?

Dear Reader:

The bottom line here is that your personality type is the four-letter type that you think best represents your natural preferences, regardless of your MBTI Indicator results. So, when you compare the two type descriptions, if INFJ feels like a better fit, than that most likely reflects your true personality.

That said, there are many reasons that you might take the MBTI instrument two different times and come out with different results. Sometimes circumstances in your life can lead you to answer the questions on the instrument so that your reported MBTI type does not reflect your true preferences. Here are some possible explanations for the discrepancy:

You might be working especially hard to develop one of the mental processes (e.g. Perceiving), so that you report it on the MBTI instrument with stronger than usual emphasis.

You might have taken the MBTI instrument one time as your "job self," responding as you see yourself acting on the job, and you might have taken it another time as your "home self," responding as you see yourself in your home environment.

You may have answered the MBTI questions based on someone else's expectations of you (e.g. your parents, family, friends, or work colleagues).

You may not be acting typically because of stress or a current challenge in your life right now. For instance, if you happen to be experiencing a lot of change and lack of control in your life right now, you might find yourself out of necessity leaning more toward the Perceiving side of the Judging-Perceiving preference dichotomy pair.

Think back to your frame of mind when you were answering the questions. Then, consider how it may have affected your reporting of yourself and whether it reflects your true type. Finally, if your true preference is for Judging, you'll undoubtedly find yourself identifying more naturally with the "J" statements in the paired list below:

J: I like to push to get things settled and decided
P: I strive to keep my options open so new information may be gathered

J: My preference is to have things organized into a clear plan
P: My preference is to explore things without a pre-planned structure

J: I like having due dates and staying well ahead of them
P: I want to follow my curiosity and work best under pressure as deadlines approach

J: I prefer to finish one project before beginning another.
P: I prefer to have several projects in the works at the same time.

J: I need to finish my work before I can play
P: I want work that feels like play

J: I want a clear idea of what is expected of me
P: I want the freedom and trust to work in my own way

J: I have been told that I decide things too quickly
P: I have been told that I have trouble making decisions

References:

MBTI Type Descriptions - http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/type-descriptions.htm

MBTI FAQ's: Can you change your personality type? - http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/changing-type.htm

EVT Online Learning Module 2: Exploring Your Preferences - http://www.myevt.com/content/module-2-exploring-your-preferences