Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers

Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers was a really short and quick introduction to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)...

Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers
Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers

Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers was a really short and quick introduction to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) originally developed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers. The book was intended as a follow-up reading for those who have taken the MBTI test, and want to understand their results so that they can begin integrating the newfound knowledge into their everyday lives.

As introductions go, the book is quite terse and explains the MBTI instrument and its history within the first 10 pages. After that, it explains each of the 16 types, allotting 1 page to each type. Finally, the book wraps up by explaining how to understand and use the insights garnered from the various type definitions as well as suggesting additional reading. Lest I forget, the book also introduces MBTI Step II Scoring in its final chapters which it says is like the frosting on the cake -  and adds additional information about one's type.

Having gained a lot of my knowledge about the MBTI from other sources, this book seemed rather weak. Considering that there are entire books dedicated to explaining single types and single areas of type application, this introduction fell pretty short. Coming from one of the creators of the MBTI, I expected more. But maybe its brevity was the point. What I got from "Introduction to Type" was exactly that. Nothing more, nothing less. If I desire to know more, the idea is that I should grab one or more of the books listed in the additional readings.

So, Introduction to Type by Isabel Briggs Myers was very basic. If you're interested in more than "an introduction," I recommend you look elsewhere.