Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs (mother-daughter team) expanded on Jung’s work by developing an instrument to help people identify their preferences

Perceptions:: How you perceive your surroundings
• Sensing (S)
  • Rely on actual data
  • Gather information through the five senses
  • Pay attention to details
• Intuition (N)
  • Rely on inspiration
  • Gather information through “sixth sense”
  • Look at the big picture

Judgments:: The basis for decision making
• Thinking (T)
  • Base decisions on logic and principles
  • Objectivity
  • Feeling (F)
  • Base decisions on human values and harmonious relationships
  • Subjectivity

Mental orientations

Energy orientation:: Where you get your energy
• Introversion (I)
  • Energy directed inward
  • Prefer concepts and ideas
  • Think before speaking
• Extraversion (E)
  • Energy directed outward
  • Prefer to interact with people and things
  • Speak before thinking

  Outer world orientation:: The lifestyle used to deal with your environment, i.e., most often used mental preference

• Judging (J)
  • Decisiveness, closure
  • Value task or project completion
• Perceiving (P)
  • Curiosity, flexibility
  • Value starting a task or project
  

Introvert I am quiet, reserved and a little hard to know, even though I do have a social side. I need more peace and privacy than most people. I like to think things through before speaking. I gain energy from having time alone.

Sensor I am practical and realistic. I am most comfortable dealing in the here-and-now, the real world. I like to think I keep both feet on the ground in my daily life. I prefer things over ideas or abstract concepts.

Intuitor I am conceptual, creative, and ideas-oriented. I don’t think of myself as having my head in the clouds, but I am always looking toward future possibilities, asking myself what things mean on a larger scale.

Thinker I am logical and almost always make decisions on a rational, rather than personal basis. Things have to make sense intellectually in order for me to believe in them. I respect reasonable people. People would probably call me level-headed rather than warm.

Feeler I am sensitive, and I believe it’s important to consider the personal element, as well as the logical, in everything I say and do. I am sometimes too sympathetic and understanding with others. I make decisions based on my personal beliefs and values.

Judger I like to be organized in whatever I do. I like to get to the bottom line, make decisions, know where I stand, rather than wandering around aimlessly. I get impatient with people who can’t make up their minds. I can be stubborn.

Perceiver I am flexible, and can usually see the other person’s viewpoint in a controversy. I am more comfortable observing, listening, and asking questions than I am making decisions and judgments. I am uncomfortable when asked to make a decision too quickly. I often experience buyer’s remorse.