THE TYPEFINDER ®

ASSESSMENTS
Technical Documentation

Molly Owens, MA

Truity Psychometrics LLC

Roseville, CA, USA

 OVERVIEW
The TypeFinder® personality assessments are indicators of personality type with applications in
personal exploration, career planning, coaching, employee development, and research. The
assessments include the TypeFinder® Personality Test (also referred to as the TypeFinder® for
Individuals), the TypeFinder® for the Workplace, and the TypeFinder® for Career Planning, which are
all administered online through the website at Truity.com. The TypeFinder assessments provide a
comprehensive assessment of personality type according to the system developed by Katharine
Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers. The TypeFinder Personality Test also includes a measure of 23 traits
which provide more detailed insight within the four preferences created by Briggs and Myers. This
report provides a summary of the development process and psychometric characteristics of the
TypeFinder assessments.

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
The TypeFinder assessments are based primarily on the theories created by Isabel Briggs Myers and
her mother, Katharine Briggs. Briggs and Myers theorized that people could be categorized into
types based on their preferences for ways of thinking, behaving, and relating to others. They
proposed that there were four primary dimensions of personality, each of which could be described in
terms of two opposing styles, or “preferences.” Thus, every individual could be described as either:

• Extraverted or Introverted, with Extraverts being more focused on and energized by the external
world, and Introverts drawing energy from the internal world;

• Sensing or Intuitive, with Sensors being more straightforward and hands-on, and Intuitives being
more conceptual and focused on ideas;

• Thinking or Feeling, with Thinkers prioritizing logical, rational data in their decision making, and
Feelers focusing more on personal and emotional factors; and

• Judging or Perceiving, with Judgers preferring structure and rm decisions, and Perceivers
preferring spontaneity and open-ended situations.

Briggs and Myers thus proposed that all people could be classi ed according to their preferences on
each of the above, and further that each person could then be assigned a four-letter acronym
describing their personality type, with each letter standing in for a preference. Thus, a person who
preferred Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Judging would be called an INFJ (The letter “N” is used
to signify Intuition to avoid duplicating the “I” for Introversion).

Briggs and Myers based their theories on their understanding of psychologist C.G. Jung’s work in
his book Psychological Types, their direct observations of people, and later, Isabel Briggs Myers’ pilot
studies of her MBTI® assessment with small sample populations (e.g., the students in a local high
school). They were not trained as social scientists and their methods had a decidedly grassroots

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 2 of 9

fi
fi
 quality, however later studies found that the four dimensions of personality they had outlined
overlapped signi cantly with the Five Factors of personality discovered by research psychologists. In
a 1989 study, Costa and McCrae concluded that Myers and Briggs’ four preferences described
essentially the same phenomena as the rst four dimensions of the Big Five (the fth, neuroticism,
did not have a correlate with the MBTI®).

The TypeFinder assessments were developed with an eye to the correspondence between Myers
and Briggs’ theory and the Big Five. By making the commonalities explicit, our descriptions of
personality types and traits can be informed by current research into personality dimensions that are
shared by both systems. In addition, the MBTI® assessment suffered from some structural issues; in
particular, scores on the Sensing/Intuition and Judging/Perceiving dimensions were not fully
independent. By using Big Five to underpin our understanding of these dimensions, we were able to
better distinguish two independent dimensions and eliminate this correlation between factors.

In addition to being informed by Big Five research, the TypeFinder Personality Test is unique in its
measurement of personality facets. Although many people nd their four-letter type description to be
illuminating, it can also be somewhat reductive in that it seeks to describe a wide range of behavior
within only four broad dimensions of personality. Describing more detailed facets of personality is
one way to address this constraint.

Late in her career, Isabel Briggs Myers sought to add depth to her Myers Briggs Type Indicator®
assessment by creating a new edition, eventually called the MBTI® Step II. The MBTI® Step II
outlined ve facets within each broad dimension which were intended to more speci cally describe
individual variation. For instance, facets within the Extraversion/Introversion dimension addressed
sociability, activity level, and expressiveness.

The TypeFinder Personality Test uses a similar approach to Briggs Myers’ Step II assessment, in that
it describes 5-6 facets within each of the four broad dimensions. However, where Briggs Myers
started from a theoretical understanding of personality—she developed the facets as she supposed
they should be—the facets used in the TypeFinder Personality Test were developed empirically,
using factor analysis, as well as through study of the traits that make up each Big Five dimension.

Beginning with a basic version of the TypeFinder Personality Test which measured only the four
broad dimensions, we examined the factor structure to gain insight into the traits that might make up
each dimension. We then developed several iterations of the facet scales to create a nal structure
which measured 23 clearly de ned facets, as below.

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 3 of 9

fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
fi
 FACETS OF INTROVERSION/EXTRAVERSION
Placid Energetic
Has a low energy level and prefers not to expend it Has a high energy level and likes to keep busy.
unless necessary.
Expressive
Reserved Shares thoughts and feelings readily. Does not often
Tends to keep thoughts to self. Shares ideas and keep quiet.
thoughts cautiously.
Prominent
Private Enjoys attention and social status. Likes being in the
Socializes selectively and values privacy. Dislikes public eye.
attention
Joyful
Calm Experiences strong positive emotions. Excitable and
Not prone to strong positive emotions. Not easily enthusiastic.
excited.
Friendly
Aloof Tends to approach other people. Readily initiates
Typically does not approach people. Lets others social interaction.
make the rst move.
Engaged
Solitary Likes busy, noisy environments. Stimulated by
Tends to be sensitive to stimuli and prefers quiet crowds.
solitude.

FACETS OF SENSING/INTUITION
Realistic Imaginative
Thinks about things concretely and focuses on what Thinks about things abstractly and focuses on ideas
can be directly observed. and theories.

Concrete Conceptual
Learns by doing. Wants to experience things rst- Learns by conceptualizing. Wants to understand
hand. theories and principles.

Traditional Progressive
Distrusts new ways of doing things. Prefers tried- Attracted to innovation and futuristic thinking. Likes
and-true methods. trying out new methods.

Factual Insightful
Accepts things as they are. Not prone to ask “why.” Wants to understand “why.” Explores cause and
effect.
Practical
Appreciates things for their utilitarian value. Not Aesthetic
interested in the arts. Appreciates art and other things with purely
aesthetic value.
Habitual
Enjoys familiar experiences. Dislikes trying new Adventurous
things. Enjoys novelty and seeks new experiences. Easily
bored by the familiar.

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 4 of 9

fi
fi
FACETS OF THINKING/FEELING
Objective Subjective
Makes decisions based on objective, rational Makes decisions based on values and the concerns
information of the people involved.

Rational Compassionate
Prefers to avoid displays of emotion and Comfortable with dif cult emotions and likes being a
vulnerability. shoulder to cry on.

Challenging Agreeable
Likes debate. Unafraid of con ict and may nd it Finds ways to agree and avoid argument. Is
exciting. uncomfortable with con ict.

Individualist Helpful
Prefers not to have to take care of other people. Gains satisfaction from caring for the less fortunate
Values independence. or capable.

Self-Reliant Cooperative
Likes doing things according to own agenda, without Likes to build coalition and work on projects in
having to gain consensus. cooperation with others.

Tough Tolerant
Is unforgiving when wronged by others. Hesitant to Forgives mistakes easily. Gives others the bene t of
reconcile or give second chances. the doubt when hurt by their actions.

FACETS OF PERCEIVING/JUDGING
Relaxed Orderly
Tends to have disorderly surroundings. Dislikes Has many organizational systems. Prefers to have a
structure. place for everything.

Spontaneous Scheduled
Avoids scheduling and prefers to decide on activities Plans ahead and keeps to a schedule. Dislikes last-
in the moment. minute changes.

Casual Conscientious
Has a “play before work” philosophy. Puts fun before Has a “work before play” philosophy. Avoids fun until
responsibility. duties are taken care of.

Impulsive Disciplined
Easily distracted by the environment. Abandons Resists temptations. Focuses on goals and does not
goals in favor of attractive diversions. get sidelined.

Easygoing Ambitious
Does not think much about the future; focuses on Has ambitious goals and is motivated by
enjoying the present moment. achievement.

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 5 of 9

fi
fl
fl
fi
fi
 STRUCTURE
The TypeFinder assessments are delivered online, through the website at Truity.com. The
assessments are freely available to website visitors, who can complete each assessment and view a
basic report with no registration or payment required. A premium report, which explains the test
results in more depth and detail, is available for purchase.

The TypeFinder assessments consist of 130 items, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale, with 104
items presenting one statement for agreement (e.g., “I like poetry”) and 24 items presenting a choice
of two statements (e.g., “I keep my thoughts to myself” vs. “I speak up”). The assessments take
approximately 10-15 minutes to complete. Results are presented immediately after the user submits
their responses.

RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY

The TypeFinder assessments were developed primarily through an iterative process of factor
analysis, which aimed to improve the structure and psychometric characteristics of the assessments
with each iteration. The nal item set was then subjected to tests of reliability and validity.

RELIABILITY
Cronbach’s alpha was calculated for each of the four broad dimensions as well as each of the 23
facets for the TypeFinder Personality Test, using an international sample population of N=217,076.
Below are the values found for alpha for each of the broad dimensions, which demonstrate excellent
internal consistency for each of the four scales.

Dimension Cronbach’s Alpha

E/I 0.937

S/N 0.886

T/F 0.902

J/P 0.923

Alpha values for the 23 facets are shown in the tables below. Lower alpha values are found in scales
which consist of fewer items.

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 6 of 9

fi
 Dimension Facet Alpha Dimension Facet Alpha

E/I Placid/Energetic 0.739 T/F Objective/Subjective 0.716

E/I Reserved/Expressive 0.836 T/F Rational/Compassionate 0.875

E/I Private/Prominent 0.855 T/F Challenging/Agreeable 0.720

E/I Calm/Joyful 0.840 T/F Individualist/Helpful 0.825

E/I Aloof/Friendly 0.865 T/F Self-Reliant/Cooperative 0.778

E/I Solitary/Engaged 0.819 T/F Tough/Tolerant 0.607

S/N Realistic/Imaginative 0.694 J/P Relaxed/Orderly 0.772

S/N Concrete/Conceptual 0.797 J/P Spontaneous/Scheduled 0.860

S/N Traditional/Progressive 0.712 J/P Casual/Conscientious 0.874

S/N Factual/Insightful 0.778 J/P Impulsive/Disciplined 0.710

S/N Practical/Aesthetic 0.716 J/P Easygoing/Ambitious 0.620

S/N Habitual/Adventurous 0.722

VALIDITY OF FACET STRUCTURE

To examine the validity of the facet structure, we analyzed the correlations between the 23 facets
and the four broad dimensions. The table below shows the correlation between facet scores and
overall dimension scores. The high level of correlation between facets and their related dimension,
as well as the absence of substantial correlations between facets and unrelated dimensions, is
evidence to indicate that the facet structure is sound.

Correlations

Dimension Facet E/I Total S/N Total T/F Total J/P Total

E/I Placid/Energetic 0.65 0.12 0.06 0.13

E/I Reserved/Expressive 0.73 0.10 -0.06 0.01

E/I Private/Prominent 0.83 -0.00 0.09 -0.10

E/I Calm/Joyful 0.62 0.10 0.17 0.12

E/I Aloof/Friendly 0.85 0.09 0.20 -0.01

E/I Solitary/Engaged 0.80 -0.17 0.10 -0.10

S/N Realistic/Imaginative 0.04 0.74 0.06 -0.25

S/N Concrete/Conceptual 0.03 0.84 -0.06 -0.04

S/N Traditional/Progressive -0.06 0.54 -0.23 -0.26

S/N Factual/Insightful -0.10 0.70 0.16 -0.03

S/N Practical/Aesthetic -0.06 0.65 0.24 -0.05

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 7 of 9

 Correlations

Dimension Facet E/I Total S/N Total T/F Total J/P Total

S/N Habitual/Adventurous 0.39 0.57 0.06 -0.13

T/F Objective/Subjective 0.13 -0.03 0.63 -0.25

T/F Rational/Compassionate 0.19 0.13 0.87 0.03

T/F Challenging/Agreeable -0.33 -0.06 0.57 0.01

T/F Individualist/Helpful 0.15 0.10 0.81 0.08

T/F Self-Reliant/Cooperative 0.21 -0.03 0.64 -0.06

T/F Tough/Tolerant 0.09 0.09 0.49 -0.09

J/P Relaxed/Orderly -0.00 -0.14 -0.02 0.77

J/P Spontaneous/Scheduled -0.10 -0.24 -0.01 0.85

J/P Casual/Conscientious 0.03 -0.13 -0.00 0.91

J/P Impulsive/Disciplined -0.06 -0.17 -0.14 0.69

J/P Easygoing/Ambitious 0.20 0.19 -0.13 0.43

PREDICTIVE VALIDITY
To examine the assessments' correlation with real-world outcomes, we conducted a survey of
volunteers who completed the TypeFinder Personality Test on Truity.com. The subjects were asked
to complete a series of voluntary survey questions related to their employment and various career
outcomes. We found clear relationships between certain key career outcomes and TypeFinder
results.

Average incomes for each type varied widely, with ENTJs earning an average of nearly $60k per
year, in contrast with INFPs, who earned an average salary of just under $34k.

AVERAGE INCOME BY PERSONALITY TYPE (AGE 21+)

$59,993 $57,831
$60,000
$54,103 $53,275
$49,994
$47,292 $47,902 $46,986
$45,067
$45,000 $42,228
$39,992 $41,835 $41,229
$38,411
$33,736 $34,595

$30,000

$15,000

$0
ESTJ

ISTJ

ISTP
ENFJ

ENFP

ENTJ

ENTP

ESFJ

ESFP

ESTP

INFJ

INFP

INTJ

INTP

ISFJ

ISFP

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 8 of 9

Additionally, employment status varied widely by type, with some types much more likely to report
being unemployed, students, or stay-at-home parents.

Employment Status of Respondents Age 21+

Type Self-Employed Disability Employed SAH Parent Retired Student Unemployed

ENFJ 11.9% 0.9% 68.3% 1.8% 1.7% 10.4% 5.1%

ENFP 14.4% 1.6% 62.5% 3.1% 1.5% 12.2% 4.7%

ENTJ 12.9% 0.5% 68.5% 1.4% 1.4% 11.2% 4%

ENTP 14.6% 0.7% 61.6% 1.8% 1.6% 13.7% 5.9%

ESFJ 7.7% 0.5% 72.4% 3.6% 2.1% 8.7% 5.1%

ESFP 10.9% 0.8% 67.5% 6% 1.9% 8% 4.9%

ESTJ 9.1% 0.2% 71.3% 2.7% 2.2% 9.3% 5.1%

ESTP 11.6% 0.8% 68.2% 2.6% 3.1% 9.6% 4.1%

INFJ 9.7% 1.8% 64.7% 3.2% 2.3% 13.5% 4.9%

INFP 10% 2.7% 59.4% 3.4% 1.9% 13.7% 8.9%

INTJ 10.8% 1% 66.1% 1.8% 1.2% 14.1% 4.9%

INTP 10.1% 1.4% 61.3% 1.9% 1.3% 14.9% 9.2%

ISFJ 6.4% 1.6% 70.7% 4.9% 3.1% 8.6% 4.8%

ISFP 5.6% 3.6% 66.4% 6.2% 1.9% 8.8% 7.5%

ISTJ 6.9% 0.8% 73.3% 2.5% 3.1% 9% 4.5%

ISTP 7% 1.2% 66.6% 3.2% 2.1% 11.3% 8.7%

Future studies are planned to examine how TypeFinder results relate to other measurable outcomes,
however the existing data provide evidence that results on the TypeFinder assessments do
correspond with observable differences in career outcomes.

CONCLUSION
Our analysis demonstrates that the TypeFinder® assessments are structurally sound assessments
which measure personality factors with real implications in people’s lives. Additionally, the
development of TypeFinder® Personality Test facets, unique amongst assessments based on Myers
and Briggs’ theory, adds depth and dimension to the four preferences outlined by Myers and Briggs,
without introducing new constructs that would be inconsistent with the original theory. In conclusion,
the TypeFinder assessments can be considered reliable and valid instruments to explore personality
type according to the framework developed by Myers and Briggs.

TypeFinder® Assessments Page 9 of 9