A comparison between systems for the classification of personality

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The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a psychological classification system developed in 1917 by Katharine Cook Briggs, an American writer, in collaboration with her daughter. The system is based on the ideas presented in the book Psychological Types by CG Jung.

According to Jung’s theory, humans utilise four psychological functions – thinking, sensation, feeling, and intuition – to experience the world. Through a set of indicators, the MBTI assesses an individual’s extroverted and introverted tendencies based on these functions. This generates eight types – E (extroversion), I (introversion), S (sensing), N (intuition), T (thinking), F (feeling), J (judgment), and P (perception). Combining these types, 16 psychological types are formed, which are then individually associated through a series of targeted questions.

This indicator, along with other characterisation methods, utilises a generalised understanding of psychological differences in human traits by developing the four Hippocratic temperaments as a basis. Similarly, zodiacal astrology symbolically represents human characteristics through the twelve months of the year or seasonal cycles, reflecting the twelve fundamental human energies or patterns in an analogy-based language.

However, when it comes to analysing individuals, astrology goes beyond generalisations. It utilises various tools such as natal horoscope, transits, progressions, and more. Along with astrological signifiers like planets, signs, houses, and aspects, these provide a great wealth of information. Using this approach, we can create an accurate and detailed description of a person’s psychosomatic condition.

Although no depiction of reality can be flawless, it can be stated that astrology is more accurate than MBTI in explaining the aspects that shape an individual’s personality. Additionally, astrology aims to combine the intricate inner workings of an individual in a way that adapts well to their relationship with the world. It seeks to create a harmonious affinity between the self and the environment.

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