What Is A Jung Personality Test: Should You Be Using One?

The Jung Personality Test is a popular psychological tool designed to assess an individual’s personality traits and preferences by using their responses to a series of questions. Its most popular adaptation is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator which identifies the possible 16 personalities each individual has.

This article will look at why the test is important, the different dimensions and personality types, the benefits of using the test and possible alternatives.

Defining the Jung personality test

The Jung Personality Test is a psychological assessment that categorizes individuals into 16 personality types based on their decisions made around the four dimensions. Its purpose is to highlight inherent traits, behaviors, and decision-making tendencies.

The test produces a four-letter code representing an individual’s personality type, linking to one of the 16 possible personalities. It was created in the 1940s, however, is still a popular personality test used for a variety of careers today.

Why is the Jung personality test important?

The Jung test is important because it builds on the work of Carl Jung and his theory around psychological types. This theory had a significant impact on the psychology field in areas such as counseling.

The test was also one of the first of its kind to develop language and a structure for discussing and appreciating the diversity between different people, supporting different types of communication and self-awareness. Over time this test has become influential and is currently used all around the world.

The four main dimensions of the Jung personality test

The Jung test is created around four main dimensions, each demonstrating a different aspect of an individual’s personality preferences. Each dimension is represented by a letter which appears in the final code producing a personality type.

1. Extraversion-Introversion

The first dimension is Extraversion (E) vs Introversion (I). These focus on an individual’s energy orientation.

Extraverts enjoy going outside, being sociable and are energized by external interactions.

Introverts are more reserved and enjoy being alone and build their energy by completing solo tasks where they can reflect.

2. Sensing-Intuition

The second dimension is Sensing (S) vs. Intuition (N). This links to how an individual gathers and processes different types of information.

Sensing types enjoy concrete and tangible information which they have understood and can prove due to being able to see it, feel it or hear it. This often links to understanding facts instead of opinions.

Intuition types are the opposite, they are more inclined to lean towards abstract thinking, gaining information through symbolism, patterns and their intuition.

3. Thinking-Feeling

The third dimension is Thinking (T) vs. Feeling (F). This dimension revolves around how an individual makes their decisions and the different processes they follow.

A thinking type is extremely logical and analyzes different situations, works on objectivity and balances up how fair different sides are.

A feeling type makes their decisions around their values, empathy and how in harmony they are with each option. They are more likely to act on gut feeling rather than factual information.

4. Judging-Perceiving

Finally, the fourth dimension is Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P). This focuses on an individual’s lifestyle and approach to the world.

A judging type has a structured and organized life where they are usually planning ahead and understanding what is going to happen in the near future.

A perceiving type is more flexible and spontaneous, they are more comfortable not knowing what will come next or having to create any concrete plans.

What are Jung’s 16 personality types?

From the four dimensions, the Jung test will produce a code, demonstrating one of a possible 16 personality types. Each personality type can be described in a few ways, below are a list of the 16 types and a description of each one.

1. Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ISTJ): responsible, organized individuals who value tradition and love stability.

2. Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging (ISFJ): compassionate, loyal, and detail-oriented individuals who are committed to supporting and caring for others.

3. Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging (INFJ): insightful, empathetic, and idealistic individuals who are led by their values and seek to make a positive impact on the world.

4. Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging (INTJ): strategic, logical, and independent thinkers who excel at analyzing difficult problems and creating long-term plans.

5. Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving (ISTP): resourceful, adventurous, and analytical individuals who thrive in hands-on problem solving and enjoy exploring new experiences.

6. Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving (ISFP): sensitive, artistic, and kind individuals who appreciate beauty and seek to create harmony in their surroundings.

7. Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving (INFP): imaginative, empathetic, and authentic individuals who are guided by their values and aspire to bring meaning and harmony to the world.

8. Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving (INTP): curious, logical, and innovative thinkers who enjoy exploring theories and solving difficult problems.

9. Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving (ESTP): energetic, always active, and adaptable individuals who excel at navigating the present moment and tackling challenges head-on.

10. Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving (ESFP): enthusiastic, social, and spontaneous individuals who bring joy and energy to their surroundings and enjoy engaging with others.

11. Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving (ENFP): creative, enthusiastic, and people-oriented individuals who are driven by their ideals and seek to inspire and uplift others.

12. Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving (ENTP): quick-witted, intellectually curious, and innovative individuals who thrive on debating ideas and exploring possibilities.

13. Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging (ESTJ): efficient, organized, and practical individuals who value structure and order and excel in leadership and management roles.

14. Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging (ESFJ): warm, thoughtful, and supportive individuals who prioritize the needs of others and strive to create harmony in their relationships.

15. Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging (ENFJ): charismatic, empathetic, and influential individuals who are natural leaders and strive to help others reach their potential.

16. Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging (ENTJ): assertive, strategic, and goal-oriented individuals who excel in leadership positions and enjoy organizing and directing others toward achieving objectives

What are the benefits of using a Jung personality test?

There are a wide range of benefits of using a Jung test including self-awareness, improved communication and career guidance.

The Jung test helps individuals gain insight into their own preferences and strengths, identifying their likes, dislikes, and decision-making processes. By identifying those it can increase self-awareness, supporting progression in an individual’s personal and professional life. It also helps with communication and collaboration, understanding different roles people are better suited to supporting better outcomes of team projects or any relationship.

Another main benefit of using a Jung test is the career guidance it offers. As well as outlining specific personalities and what that means, it offers different career prospects that individuals with those characteristics would be suitable for. This can help identify career paths and progression goals easily, saving time, money and hassle for lots of people.

The test is also a free resource that employers can access online, making it easy to use without needing to spend a large amount of money. Candidates could also complete the test at home individually, saving money and time for the business.

Should you be using the Jung test?

Despite the Jung test having lots of benefits, there are a range of considerations for an employer when deciding whether to use one during a hiring process.

First, the test has a low validity and reliability rate. As individuals answer questions about themselves they are likely to answer with what they believe they should put instead of the truth. They also may give different answers if they repeated the test as they are always evolving. This lowers the validity and reliability of the test, reducing the benefit of using it.

Using the Jung test may also have some ethical issues as employers are more likely to make a biased decision when hiring. Different personality types shouldn’t be discriminated against and not offered a role, however, using this test may increase the chance of an employer hiring someone with the same personality type as they believe would be the best fit.

If an employer decided to use the Jung test, they should make sure to support it with a variety of other tests to gain more insight into the candidates. Tests such as communication, problem solving and interpersonal skills would support the Jung test during the hiring process.

Alternatives to the Jung test

Even though the Jung test is one of the more popular personality tests, there are a range of others that could be used as alternatives.

One alternative is the Drives test. It focuses on a candidate’s motivation and what they need to perform the best on the job.

HEXACO is another test that determines a candidate’s characteristics and how they would approach the job. It can help you assess whether they are aligned with your company’s values and job requirements.