Jung’s Personality Theory
The sense and nonsense of personality tests based on Jung’s Theory of personality theory
Several personality tests exist. In particular, tests based to a greater or lesser extent on the personality theory of physician Carl Jung are gaining popularity among managers and executives. Why are personality tests so popular? What does Jung’s theory of personality look like? And how can you implement personality testing within your company? In this article, we will discuss all these aspects of the personality test.
Why take a personality test?
More and more companies are conducting a personality test as part of the selection process. Personality tests should reveal a potential employee’s true character. After all, in a job interview, a person can pretend to be better than he is. A personality test can show whether someone is actually suitable for the position and whether someone is a good fit for the company. After all, a good match can reduce staff turnover and increase productivity.
The personality theory of Jung
Jung introduced his theory of personality in his book Psychological Types. Here he assumes four psychological functions: thinking and feeling (rational functions) and sensation and intuition (irrational functions). He also distinguishes two more fundamental attitudes in life: introversion and extraversion. According to Jung, every person has a dominant attitude to life and a primary function that make him a certain personality type.
By combining the different life attitudes and functions, you arrive at Jung’s 8 types of personality:
- The extroverted thinking type
- The introverted thinking type
- The extroverted feeling type
- The introverted feeling type
- The extroverted sensation type
- The introverted sensation type
- The extroverted intuitive type
- The introverted intuitive type
Definitions
To understand the personality theory, it is important to define the concepts mentioned as Jung intended them.
Introvert versus extrovert
A person who is introverted, according to Jung, puts the focus on the inner world of experience, while with an extroverted attitude to life, the focus is more on the outer world.
The thinking type versus the feeling type
The thinking type acts on the basis of the mind, while the feeling type acts with the heart.
The sensing type versus the intuitive type
The sensing type is guided by external sensory stimuli, while the intuitive type is guided by indefinable feelings from within.
Dominant attitude to life supported by primary function
As mentioned above, the different life attitudes and functions can be seen as opposites. According to Jung, one attitude to life is always dominant. There is also primary function, secondary function and lower, less developed function. Take, for example, the introverted thinking type. Thus, the introverted thinking type has introversion as the dominant attitude in life, thinking is the primary function, sensation and intuition are the secondary functions, and feeling is the lower, underdeveloped function.
What does Jung think about personality tests?
Jung introduced his personality theory as a model for categorising different individuals for the purpose of providing psychotherapy. It was never his intention to label people through his model. If he knew that his teachings were being used to interpret people using simple questionnaires, he would disagree. Although he speaks of opposites in his theory, he did not think that people are always on the far left or right of the spectrum. The aim is precisely to find a harmonious balance between the different attitudes and functions through psychotherapy.
Is a Jungs theory-based personality test something for your company, too?
Several personality tests are more or less based on Jung’s philosophy. For example, you can choose the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Management Team Roles Indicator, the Type Dynamics Indicator, the Jungian Type Indicator,
Insights Discovery and the Golden Personality Type Profiler. The disadvantage of these tests is that they are based on a theory that is not intended for selecting employees based on their character. The results are often snapshots that are nice to get some insight into the personality of (potential) employees, but they are not scientifically substantiated. You overshoot the goal of taking a personality test with one.
The Big Five Personality Test: professional and scientifically substantiated
If you would like to implement a personality test within the selection process for potential employees, it is best to choose a professional and scientific test such as the Big Five Personality Test. The Big Five Personality Test uses five dimensions by which a person’s personality can be indicated, namely:
- Extraversion/Introversion
- Agreeableness
- Conscientiousness
- Emotional Stability/Neuroticism
- Openness to Experience
Conclusion
Implementing a personality test in the selection process of potential employees, can be an effective method for recruiting people who are a good fit for a position and within the company. A good match can reduce staff turnover and increase productivity. You are better off choosing a science-based test such as the Big Five Personality Test rather than one based on Jung’s Theory of Personality theory.
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