MBTI vs Big Five: who has the last word?

The MBTI, developed in the 1940s by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katherine Cook Briggs, is based on the theories of Carl Jung. It classifies individuals according to four dichotomies: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensation/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, Judgement/Perception.

By combining these preferences, the MBTI defines 16 unique personality types, each represented by a four-letter code. For example:

• ESTJ: Extraversion, Sensation, Thinking, Judgement

• INFP: Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, Perception

This model aims to provide an overview of personal preferences and the way in which individuals perceive the world. The MBTI is often used as an indicator of personality preferences in various professional contexts. These tests help develop individual profiles to better understand their roles within a team.

In contrast, the Big Five model, or OCEAN model, emerged from an empirical approach in the 1980s. It is based on five main dimensions of personality:

1. Openness to experience,
2. Conscientiousness,
3. Extraversion,
4. Agreeableness,
5. Neuroticism.

This model is built on robust data and rigorous statistical analysis, offering a more nuanced and scientifically validated view of human personality. The Big Five have become the standard in psychology research because of their ability to describe universal personality traits and to be transposable to different cultures and contexts. Tests based on the Big Five model  are generally considered more rigorous. They enable a more complete profile of individuals to be drawn up, providing an assessment of their psychological preferences.

The MBTI uses a self-administered questionnaire to classify respondents into one of 16 personality types. Although popular for its simplicity and intuitiveness, the MBTI is often criticised for its lack of scientific validity and low test-retest reliability. Studies have shown that MBTI results can change for the same individual in a relatively short space of time, underlining its instability. Critics point out that personality traits are not binary but dimensional, and that the MBTI does not capture this complexity. The MBTI tests aim to provide an overall profile of individual preferences, but often lack precision in the details of personality. This lack of rigour can limit its effectiveness in talent and team management.

The Big Five, on the other hand, use a psychometric approach to assess personality traits on a continuum. The questions are designed to measure nuances in each dimension, allowing for more accurate and reproducible assessments. Research shows that the Big Five have higher predictive validity for work-related behaviours, including job performance, satisfaction and organisational adaptation. This model benefits from extensive scientific validation, demonstrating a strong correlation with various behavioural and occupational outcomes. Tests based on the Big Five model create detailed and accurate profiles of personality traits, which are essential for understanding the function of individuals within an organisation, and for optimising the management of human resources.

In business, the MBTI is often used for personal development, team building and conflict resolution. Its results are easy to understand and interpret, making it an attractive tool for training and team-building activities. Its simple language facilitates communication about individual preferences within teams, but its application is limited by its lack of a solid scientific basis, which reduces its value for critical decisions in recruitment or talent development.

The Big Five, on the other hand, are widely used for recruitment, career management, coaching and performance evaluation. The wealth of data provided by the Big Five enables an in-depth understanding of employees' personality traits, which are crucial for predicting future performance. Their ability to provide quantitative data on personality traits enables managers to better understand employee behaviour and predict future performance. The scientific rigour of the Big Five provides a reliable basis for strategic decisions, although interpreting the results sometimes requires specialist training. Tests based on the Big Five produce comprehensive profiles of employees, which are essential for understanding and optimising their role in the company, and for effective human resources management.

The main advantage of the MBTI is its popularity and simplicity. It offers a common language for discussing personality preferences, which can facilitate communication and collaboration within teams. However, its limitations include disputed validity, a binary approach to traits, and a tendency to stereotype behaviour. MBTI tests provide useful profiles for communication and team building, but may lack precision in the details of personality and preferences. This limitation can restrict effectiveness in more complex talent management contexts. It is essential to be aware of the limitations of the MBTI and to use it alongside other, psychometric tools more rigorous .

The Big Five, for their part, are hailed for their robust validity and reliability. Their dimensional approach better captures the complexity of human personality and enables more accurate predictions of behaviour. The Big Five can also be adapted to incorporate other innovative measures, such as the analysis of motivations, cognitive patterns and contextual predictors, thereby enriching our understanding of behaviour at work. However, the complexity of the model can be perceived as an obstacle for those looking for simple, quickly applicable solutions. Big Five tests offer detailed profiles that can be adapted to different job functions, providing accurate data for development and recruitment, as well as more effective management of employee strengths.