Sulynn Choong & Kathryn Britton

Objective: To explore covariation between character strengths and psychological types as per the MBTI©.
Design: Using a survey design, the study collected data on the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths and the MBTI©.
Method: 98 adult volunteers participated in this exploratory study of potential links between psychological type as determined by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator© and signature strengths as identified by the Values in Action Inventory of Strengths.
Results: The results show significant covariations between nine signature strengths and single typedimensions namely, creativity (intuition), open-mindedness (thinking), love of learning (introversion), integrity (sensing and thinking), persistence (judging), vitality (extraversion), love (extraversion and feeling), fairness (sensing), and gratitude (extraversion). Love, integrity, and gratitude also covary with multiple paired type combinations. Curiosity covaries only with a single paired type combination (introverted intuition).
Conclusion: There is meaningful covariation between psychological type and character strengths. The discussion addresses the applicability of the results to coaching psychology.

Keywords: MBTI©; character strengths; covariation.

Full article: Volume 2, Issue 1 pages 9 - 23