Relationship between Myers-Briggs personality type and the career decision-making process

Abstract

This study was designed to determine if a personality test, The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and a career decision-making process questionnaire could be used to identify specific personality types, and examine the problems and influences these types have in the career decision-making process. The sample for this study consisted of 33 undeclared/undecided students, 25 females and 8 males, enrolled in the fall 1987 freshman and sophomore classes. Two research questions and 13 hypotheses directed this study. Research question 1 asked, "Can the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator be used to assess career decision-making in undecided students?" Results indicated that two Myers-Briggs types, Feeling and Perceiving, appeared twice as often as other types. Research question 2 asked, "Can the career decision-making process questionnaire be used to assess career decision-making in undecided students?" Results found that Introverted types reported greater indecision and anxiety in career decision-making. Correlations between MBTI types and career influences revealed relationships between: Perceiving types and their interests, Thinking types and faculty members, Judging types and earning a degree, Feeling types and making money. Correlations between MBTI types and ideal job features found these relationships: Introverted and Sensing types and making money, Introverted types and security for the future, Extraverted types and being of service to others, Intuitive types and being creative, Intuitive types and leisure time, Thinking types and recognition and prestige, Judging types and ability, Perceiving types and personal fulfillment, recognition and prestige, and being creative.