Myers Briggs Alternatives: Tests That Hold Up to Scrutiny

Katharine Briggs and Isabel Myers created the MBTI in the 1940s, building on Carl Jung's theories about psychological types. The problem? Jung's original framework was speculative, and the mother-daughter team had no formal training in psychology or psychometrics.

Decades later, the test remains wildly popular despite mounting evidence that it doesn't reliably measure what it claims to measure.

If you're looking for a personality assessment that actually works, this guide covers the alternatives worth considering.

The Case Against Myers Briggs

It Wasn't Built by Scientists

This isn't elitism—methodology matters. Briggs and Myers were enthusiastic amateurs who created a system based on personal observation and Jung's untested theories. Modern psychometric standards for test development didn't exist yet, and MBTI was never updated to meet them.

The Data Doesn't Support It

Decades of research have failed to validate MBTI's core claims:

• Type distributions don't cluster: If MBTI measured real categories, you'd expect bimodal distributions (people clustering at the extremes). Instead, most people fall in the middle—exactly what you'd expect if the dimensions were continuous rather than categorical.

• Factor analysis doesn't replicate: When researchers analyze how MBTI questions correlate, they don't cleanly produce four factors. The Thinking/Feeling and Judging/Perceiving dimensions are particularly unstable.

• Predictive validity is weak: MBTI types don't predict job performance, relationship outcomes, or other meaningful life variables better than chance—or at least, not better than validated alternatives.

Retests Produce Different Results

The most damning evidence: 50% of people get a different type when retaking the test within weeks. This "test-retest reliability" problem means MBTI might be measuring your mood or the specific questions you encountered rather than stable personality traits.

Better Alternatives to Myers Briggs

Big Five (OCEAN Model)

The dominant framework in academic personality psychology, supported by decades of cross-cultural research.

The Five Dimensions:

1. Openness: Intellectual curiosity, creativity, preference for novelty vs. routine
2. Conscientiousness: Self-discipline, organization, goal-directed behavior
3. Extraversion: Energy from social interaction, assertiveness, positive emotions
4. Agreeableness: Cooperation, trust, concern for others
5. Neuroticism: Tendency toward negative emotions, stress reactivity

Why it works better: Continuous scores capture nuance that binary types miss. If you're 55% toward introversion, you're not "an introvert"—you're someone with mild introversion who probably functions well in both quiet and social settings.

Best Big Five tests: NEO-PI-R (gold standard, paid), IPIP-NEO (free, research-quality), Big Five Inventory (brief, validated)

Enneagram

Nine personality types organized around core fears, desires, and defense mechanisms.

The Types:

Type	Core Fear	Core Desire
1 - Reformer	Being corrupt/defective	Integrity, goodness
2 - Helper	Being unwanted	Being loved
3 - Achiever	Being worthless	Being valuable
4 - Individualist	Having no identity	Being unique
5 - Investigator	Being useless	Being capable
6 - Loyalist	Being without support	Having security
7 - Enthusiast	Being trapped in pain	Being satisfied
8 - Challenger	Being controlled	Protecting self
9 - Peacemaker	Loss of connection	Inner peace

Why it works better: Enneagram goes deeper than behavior to motivation. It explains why you do things, not just what you do. The system includes growth paths (integration) and stress patterns (disintegration) that MBTI ignores.

Caveat: Enneagram has less scientific validation than Big Five. Quality varies dramatically across tests—some are insightful, others are horoscope-tier.

DISC Assessment

Four behavioral styles focused on observable workplace behavior:

• D (Dominance): Direct, decisive, competitive, results-focused
• I (Influence): Enthusiastic, optimistic, collaborative, persuasive
• S (Steadiness): Patient, reliable, team-oriented, supportive
• C (Conscientiousness): Analytical, systematic, quality-focused, cautious

Why it works better: DISC makes no pretense of measuring deep psychological constructs. It's a practical tool for understanding communication styles and team dynamics. That honest scope makes it more useful than MBTI for its intended purpose.

Limitation: DISC is narrow by design. It won't give you the existential insight some people seek from personality tests.

HEXACO Model

A six-factor extension of Big Five that adds Honesty-Humility:

• H: Honesty-Humility - Sincerity, fairness, modesty vs. manipulation, entitlement
• E: Emotionality - Similar to Neuroticism but reframed
• X: Extraversion - Same as Big Five
• A: Agreeableness - Patience, tolerance, gentleness
• C: Conscientiousness - Same as Big Five
• O: Openness - Same as Big Five

Why it works better: The Honesty-Humility factor captures variance that Big Five misses. Research shows it predicts workplace deviance, ethical behavior, and relationship outcomes.

Best HEXACO test: HEXACO-PI-R (free, available at hexaco.org)

Archetype-Based Systems

Modern approaches that identify psychological patterns rather than trait dimensions.

One model maps five psychological drives—Structure (White), Understanding (Blue), Agency (Black), Intensity (Red), and Connection (Green)—that combine into 25 distinct archetypes.

Pure archetypes (one dominant drive):

• Anchor (White): Creates stability and order through clear principles
• Rationalist (Blue): Understands before acting, seeks knowledge as foundation
• Maverick (Black): Shapes life through personal agency and strategic action
• Spark (Red): Lives through passion, intensity, and authentic expression
• Weaver (Green): Builds connection, community, and nurturing relationships

Hybrid archetypes (primary + secondary):

• Strategist (Blue-Black): Analytical depth combined with goal-driven ambition
• Crusader (Red-White): Passionate conviction channeled through principled action
• Oracle (Blue-Green): Deep understanding blended with empathetic wisdom
• Vanguard (Black-Red): Ambitious drive expressed through intense action

Why it works better: Archetypes capture the "why" that trait models miss while avoiding MBTI's false precision. The probability distribution approach acknowledges that most people aren't pure types—you might be 60% one pattern and 35% another, which creates a distinct hybrid.

Shadow expressions: Unlike MBTI, archetype systems typically include how strengths become weaknesses. The Maverick's independence can become isolation. The Weaver's harmony-seeking can enable conflict avoidance. This nuance helps with growth, not just description.

VIA Character Strengths

24 character strengths organized under six virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, Transcendence.

Examples:

• Creativity, Curiosity, Love of Learning (Wisdom)
• Bravery, Perseverance, Honesty (Courage)
• Kindness, Love, Social Intelligence (Humanity)

Why it works better: VIA focuses on strengths and positive traits rather than neutral dimensions. Grounded in positive psychology research, it's designed for growth rather than just description.

Best part: The VIA-IS survey is free at viacharacter.org and backed by solid research.

Choosing the Right Alternative

For scientific rigor: Big Five or HEXACO. These are the gold standards in personality research.

For self-understanding: Enneagram or archetype systems. These offer depth and developmental frameworks.

For workplace application: DISC or CliftonStrengths. Practical, actionable, widely recognized.

For character development: VIA. Focused on cultivating strengths rather than accepting limitations.

What to Avoid

Cognitive functions tests: These attempt to measure Jungian functions (Ni, Fe, Ti, etc.) that MBTI theoretically builds on. The problem: cognitive functions have even less empirical support than MBTI types. You're measuring a measurement of a speculation.

Random BuzzFeed-style quizzes: "Which Hogwarts House Are You?" is entertainment, not assessment. Nothing wrong with fun quizzes, but don't mistake them for insight.

Tests that promise too much: Any assessment claiming to predict your ideal career, perfect romantic match, or life purpose is overselling. Personality is one input among many.

Making the Transition

If you've identified with your Myers Briggs type for years, switching frameworks can feel disorienting. Some tips:

Keep what's useful: Your MBTI type probably captured something real, even if imprecisely. An ENFP probably is high in Extraversion and Openness on Big Five. The pattern exists—the measurement was just crude.

Embrace nuance: Better tests give messier results because reality is messy. "72nd percentile on Conscientiousness" is less catchy than "INTJ" but more accurate. That precision is the point.

Focus on patterns: Labels are shortcuts for patterns. Whether you call it "Type 5" or "high Openness" or "Rationalist," you're pointing at the same underlying tendency toward analysis and understanding. Don't get attached to terminology.

Apply insights: The point isn't collecting labels—it's understanding yourself well enough to make better decisions about careers, relationships, and personal growth.

Allow grief: This sounds dramatic, but some people genuinely mourn their MBTI identity. If you've built community around being an "INFJ" or made career decisions based on type, discovering the framework is flawed can sting. Give yourself space to process that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is Myers Briggs still so popular if it's flawed?

Several reasons:

• It came first: MBTI established itself before scientific alternatives were widely available
• It's memorable: Four letters are easier to remember than five percentile scores
• It's flattering: MBTI descriptions tend to be positive, making people feel seen rather than judged
• Corporate adoption: Once HR departments invested in MBTI training, switching became expensive

Popularity doesn't equal validity. Astrology is popular too.

Can I use my MBTI type at all?

Yes, with caveats. Use it as a rough self-description, not a precise measurement. "I tend toward introversion and intuition" is fine. "I'm an INFJ so I can't work in sales" is overreach.

Which alternative should I try first?

If you want scientific rigor: Take the IPIP-NEO (free Big Five assessment). It'll give you validated trait scores you can trust.

If you want depth and motivation: Try a quality Enneagram test. The Enneagram Institute's RHETI is thorough, or Truity offers a solid free version.

If you want practical application: DISC for workplace dynamics, VIA for character development.

How do I explain to others that MBTI isn't reliable?

Lead with the retest data: "50% of people get a different type within five weeks." That statistic is hard to dismiss. Then explain that the underlying traits exist—they're just measured more accurately by other tests.

Avoid being preachy. People identify with their types, and attacking MBTI can feel like attacking them personally. Frame it as "here's something that might interest you" rather than "you've been wrong this whole time."

Try a Different Approach

Ready to move beyond Myers Briggs?

Take the SoulTrace assessment and discover:

• Your probability distribution across five psychological drives
• Which of 25 archetypes matches your unique pattern
• How your drives manifest under stress (shadow expressions)
• Growth paths tailored to your archetype

The assessment uses adaptive questioning—each question is selected based on your previous answers to maximize information gain in just 24 questions.

No binary boxes. No cognitive function speculation. Just a mathematically precise picture of your psychological pattern.

Your personality deserves better than a test from the 1940s. Find out what modern assessment can reveal.