We highlight Personality Max as one of the top MBTI-related tests available, underscoring its thorough personality insights that draw from Carl Jung’s theories and the MBTI framework by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs. We note the contrast between MBTI’s intuitive type-based approach and the Big Five’s trait continua, pointing out MBTI’s user-friendly categorization. Furthermore, we extend our analysis to include musical intelligence, inspired by Howard Gardner’s theories, and offer career guidance tailored to individual strengths and learning styles, though we remind users it’s for entertainment purposes.
Personality Max Inspired by MBTI® and Carl Jung’s Personality Theory
The Personality Max test uses the research of Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, who developed their own inventory inspired by Carl Jung’s personality theory (2). The website’s test is based on the typological approach to personality that was originally conceptualized by Carl Jung and later operationalized by Myers and Briggs into the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).
Jung’s theory proposed that individuals could be categorized based on psychological functions such as thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition, and attitudes such as introversion and extraversion (4). Myers and Briggs expanded on Jung’s theory to develop the MBTI, which assigns individuals into 16 different personality types based on four dichotomies: Extraversion vs. Introversion, Sensing vs. Intuition, Thinking vs. Feeling, and Judging vs. Perceiving (2)(4).
How does MBTI Assessment Compare to Big Five Models?
The MBTI test assessments are considered more intuitive, instinctual, and subjective than the Big Five results for several reasons:
- Type-Based vs. Continua: MBTI categorizes individuals into distinct personality types, offering clear, type-based identities. This contrasts with the Big Five’s approach, which evaluates personality across continua, suggesting everyone possesses these traits to varying degrees. The type-based approach of MBTI facilitates a more immediate and intuitive identification with a specific personality category (1).
- Instinctual Identification: The clear, discrete categories provided by MBTI allow individuals to more easily see themselves as a specific “type,” making the identification process feel more instinctual and immediate. This is in contrast to the Big Five, which, due to its lack of specific archetypes and its dimensional approach, might make personal identification feel less intuitive (1).
- Subjective vs. Objective Identification: MBTI’s appeal also stems from its straightforward way of understanding and describing personality, which aligns with individuals’ desire for clear-cut descriptions and labels for their personality. This subjective identification is more appealing to those seeking a simple and direct way to understand their personality traits, as opposed to the Big Five’s emphasis on the complexity and nuance of human personality, which aims for a more nuanced understanding over intuitive categorization (1).
The MBTI’s instinctual appeal lies in its ability to provide clear, type-based identities that facilitate immediate and intuitive self-recognition, in contrast to the Big Five’s more nuanced and complex dimensional approach.
Personality Max and Musical Intelligence
Personality Max is the most reliable MBTI®-related test on the internet as per my investigations and it provides a comprehensive insight into musical intelligence, recognizing it as a crucial aspect of Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory. This approach offers several benefits:
- Acknowledgment of Musical Intelligence: It underscores the significance of musical intelligence by placing it on equal footing with other intelligence types, such as logical/mathematical and verbal/linguistic.
- In-depth Analysis: The platform delves into the specifics of what constitutes musical intelligence, including a keen ear for music, the capacity to learn songs and melodies quickly, sensitivity to off-key singing, and talents in composing, singing, or playing instruments.
- Career Guidance: It identifies suitable career paths for those with pronounced musical intelligence, including roles like Choir Director, Composer, and Music Teacher, among others, aiding individuals in pursuing careers aligned with their innate talents.
- Enhanced Learning Strategies: PersonalityMax.com highlights how individuals with musical intelligence can benefit from auditory learning methods and use music and rhythm to improve memorization techniques.
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences Theory
Howard Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences theory proposes that human beings possess different ways of processing information, each being independent. The theory identifies eight types of intelligence: musical-rhythmic, visual-spatial, verbal-linguistic, logical-mathematical, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic (3). In 2009, Gardner also suggested two additional types of intelligence: existential and moral.
Howard Gardner’s talk challenges the traditional emphasis on wit and grit alone for success, advocating for a broader understanding of intelligence and the critical role of ethical conduct in achieving true success.
- Initial Belief in Wit and Grit: Success was traditionally thought to depend on intelligence (“wit”) and hard work (“grit”).
- Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI): Gardner’s research led him to propose that intelligence is not singular but consists of at least eight distinct types: linguistic, logical-mathematical, musical, spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist.
- Impact on Education and Personal Development: Recognizing multiple intelligences influences how individuals should be educated, how work is approached, and how people understand their own capabilities.
- Ethical Conduct and Good Work: Beyond cognitive abilities, Gardner emphasizes the importance of ethical conduct in being a good person, worker, and citizen. Good work is defined as being excellent, engaged, and ethical.
- The Good Project: Initiatives and resources developed by Gardner and his team to promote ethical thinking and decision-making across various life aspects.
- Final Takeaway: Success is not just about being smart in the traditional sense (wit) or showing perseverance (grit), but also about applying intelligence ethically and contributing positively to society.
However, it is important to note that the PersonalityMax.com test is not the same as the official MBTI assessment and is not affiliated with it. The website’s test is offered for informal entertainment purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional psychological advice (3). The site also disclaims any warranties with respect to the accuracy or reliability of the information and materials provided, emphasizing that the content is provided on a strictly “as is” basis (3).
Musical Intelligence: The Song “Stand (Chase The Beast Away)”
Stand (Chase The Beast Away)” by ISTJ artist Ken Hensley to showcase musical intelligence. This choice is underscored by the song’s profound lyrical content, intricate melody, and sophisticated harmonics. These components collectively demonstrate a deep comprehension of music’s power to express emotions and narratives, challenge the listener’s analytical abilities, and display the musician’s skill in creating elaborate musical arrangements.
Additionally, the song’s rhythmic variation and the strategic use of instrumentation contribute to its emotional impact and demonstrate the multifaceted nature of musical intelligence, which encompasses not only performance and composition but also an analytical and emotional connection to music.
