Myers-Briggs 16 personalities for character creation

One of the best tips regarding character creation is to use psychology base personality tests, such as the Myers-Briggs test, as the framework for your characters. Instead of digging through lists of “character flaws” or trying to figure out if the flaw you want to use will be adequate, you can use the personality types that the test provides to create the basis of a realistic character. Even if you don’t personally ascribe to it, the test is a fantastic tool for authors, and it can help you dramatically increase the quality of your story in just minutes.

What is the Myers-Briggs personality test?

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (or MBTI®), is a personality test based on the theory of psychological types by Swiss psychiatrist Carl G. Jung from 1921. He theorized that peoples’ personalities contain four dominant functions: Introversion-Extraversion, Sensation-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, Perceiving-Judging. Where one falls on the scale between the two opposites of each function created a unique combination that formed their personality. In the 1940s, Isabel Briggs-Myers used his research to create the MBTI tool, which makes Jung’s research more accessible, and defines each of the 16 possible personality types further.

The MBTI uses initials for each function, and defines them as below:

Introversion (I): Get their energy from spending time along, thought oriented

Extraversion (E): Get their energy from being around others, action oriented

Sensing (S): They prefer hard data and information to make decisions, are interested in the present and what they currently experience

Intuitive (N): They use inferred information or recognize patterns from previous situations to make decisions, very interested in exploring future possibilities

Thinking (T): Tend to think through situations with objectivity and make decisions rationally, using a set of logical and consistent rules

Feeling (F): Tend to make decisions from a more empathetic and emotional standpoint, weighing the situation instead of strictly following rules

Perceiving (P): To the outside world, they appear flexible and spontaneous, and they prefer to stay open to new information instead of making settled decisions

Judging (J): To the outside world, they appear to be orderly and more comfortable when decisions are made and things are settled

Combined, these give us the personality archetypes that the test measures.

What are the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types and how can they be used in your writing?

Below is a list of the 16 archetypes, along with a brief description and a few literary examples. These descriptions can be used as a basis for your writing, but you might also want to do further research directly on the MBTI website for further information. These archetypes have been highly analyzed, and the descriptions and breakdown of each one can range from a short paragraph to dozens of pages.

• ISTJ

Honest, dependable, honest, responsible and calm.  Love to establish rules and make sure they are followed, but can also be stubborn, blunt, by the book and judgmental to those unwilling to follow their rules.

Examples of ISTJs in literature are Hermione from The Harry Potter Series, and Ebenezer Scrooge from A Christmas Carol.

• ISFJ

Empathetic and supportive, reliable, meticulous, loyal, hard working and practical. But also, shy and sensitive to criticism, perfectionistic but reluctant to change. They can be overly altruistic and put undue pressure on themselves to meet others’ expectations.

Examples of ISFJs in literature are Bilbo Baggins from The Lord of the Rings, and Jonathan Harker from Dracula.

• INFJ

Creative, insightful, passionate and altruistic. They have high standards for themselves and love advocating for things they hold close. But they can be closed off, perfectionists and prone to burn out, as well as very sensitive to criticism.

Examples of INFJs in literature are Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird, and Remus Lupin from The Harry Potter Series.

• INTJ

Rational, analytical, curious and independent, they pride themselves on their minds and their ability to respond to challenges. They can be ambitious and intellectual, but often come off as arrogant, critical and dismissive of others, and hate blindly following rules. They struggle with romance.

Examples of INTJs in literature are Hamlet from Hamlet, Professor Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes, and Mr. Darcy from Pride and Prejudice.

• ISTP

Good-natured, practical, spontaneous, and flexible, they love working to find solutions. They prioritize well and are great in a crisis, but can be private, non-committal, easily bored, stubborn and insensitive. They can engage in risky behavior when bored.

Examples of ISTPs in literature are Sherlock Holmes from Sherlock Holmes, and Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Series.

• ISFP

Charming, sensitive, imaginative, and artistic, they love exploring new ideas and creating things that speak to others. On the other hand, they can be competitive, easily stressed and unpredictable, with low self-esteem, even as they chafe under rules and regulations.

Examples of ISFPs in literature are Harry Potter from The Harry Potter Series, and Macbeth from Macbeth.

• INFP

Open-minded, empathetic, and generous, they are quietly passionate and idealistic with a rich internal world. This can make them self-isolate and be lonely, even as they are people pleasers that are highly emotionally vulnerable and self-critical.

Examples of INFPs in literature are Holden Caulfield from The Catcher in the Rye, and Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre.

• INTP

Analytical, curious, and objective they are extremely curious and open to new ideas. They can also be perfectionistic, impatient and insensitive towards others’ emotions. They sometimes get lost in their own head, disconnecting from their surroundings.

Examples of INTPs in literature are Harry Dresdenfrom The Dresden Files, and Alice from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

• ESTP

Bold, practical, and perceptive to change, they are always looking for new knowledge and ideas. They are natural group leaders, sociable and direct. However, they can be blunt, impatient, and disorganized, as they focus too much on the details rather than the whole. They take risks to battle their boredom.

Examples of ESTPs in literature are Katie Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind, and Sirius Black from The Harry Potter Series.

• ESFP

Confident, innovative, with excellent people skills, they are natural showmen. They are highly observant but in a practical way. However, they can be highly emotional even as they avoid conflict. They are easily bored and lack focus, so they don’t plan ahead well.

Examples of ESFPs in literature are Percy Jackson from The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles, and Amy March from The Little Women.

• ENFP

Curious, enthusiastic, and perceptive, they are warmhearted, approachable and great listeners. They have a love of deep conversations but can also be spontaneous and lighthearted. On the other hand, they can be unfocused, disorganized, and restless. They can also be people pleasers without firm boundaries.

Examples of ENFPs in literature are Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, and Horatio from Hamlet.

• ENTP

Knowledgeable, quick-thinking, and non-traditional, they are excellent debaters, with high charisma, confidence, and enthusiasm. On the flip side, they are argumentative, judgmental, and intolerant, often losing focus as they jump from one idea to the next.

Examples of ENTPs in literature are Fred and George Weasley from the Harry Potter Series, and Tom Sawyer from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

• ESTJ

Dedicated, strong-willed, direct, honest, loyal and reliable, they enjoy creating and living in structured environments. This, however, can make them inflexible, judgmental, and stubborn, as well as very traditional and focused on social status. They might find it difficult to relax and express their emotions.

Examples of ESTJs in literature are Agatha Trunchbull from Matilda, and Cersei Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire Series.

• ESFJ

Practical, loyal, sensitive, and warm, with a strong sense of duty, they thrive on being well-liked, which can make them worry about their social status and unwilling to deviate from the norm. They can also be needy, inflexible, sensitive to criticism and overly selfless.

Examples of ESFJs in literature are Charles Bingley from Pride and Prejudice, and Sansa Stark from A Song of Ice and Fire Series.

• ENFJ

Reliable, passionate, open-minded, altruistic, and charismatic, they are often the leaders of a group. However, they can also be too idealistic, unrealistic about their ability to solve everyone’s problems, condescending and intense.

Examples of ENFJs in literature are Anna Karenina from Anna Karenina, and Luke Castellan from The Camp Half-Blood Chronicles.

• ENTJ

Self-confident, strong-willed, efficient, and energetic, they are strategic thinkers who inspire others. They can also be impatient, arrogant, stubborn, dominant, and intolerant, bordering on both cold and ruthless in their actions. They do not handle emotions well.

Examples of ENTJs in literature are Gale Hawthorn from The Hunger Games Series, and Sauron and Gollum from The Lord of the Rings.

Why should you use the MBTI types to create characters?

These personality archetypes are well rounded, with both strengths and weaknesses clearly defined for each. This can be a good jumping point for your own writing and characters, especially if you are unsure if your characters are realistic. They can also serve as guides for how different characters might react to different situations. This can make for richer storytelling, adding depth to storylines and sub-plots.