<p>A few thoughts:</p>

<ul>
<li>MBTI has four dimensions, whereas the Big Five has five dimensions. Thus, when you set a high-low split on MBTI you get $2^4=16$ types. If you were to apply the same idea to the Big 5, you could get $2^5=32$.</li>
<li>However, the Big 5 framework tends to take the underlying continuum of personality traits more seriously. At the very least this should yield a more precise description of standing on a dimension.</li>
<li>The dimensions of the Big 5 are generally understood independently. Thus, it might be sufficient and more parsimonious to have a verbal description to describe a person's standing on each of the five traits. I think this is how most Big 5 test manuals work. They will provide descriptions of what it means to be high or low on each trait and this can be used to provide an overall description to the test taker. </li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-24T09:45:59.890Z
"The dimensions of the Big 5 are generally understood independently" - can you suggest some materials to the same for me to explore.
ngub05
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-03-24T02:03:28.633Z
2015-03-24T02:03:28.633Z
Jeromy Anglim
<p>The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) model of personality provides a list of 16 personality types with accompanying descriptions, like <a href="http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm" rel="nofollow">this</a>. <strong>Are there analogous types for the Big Five model of personality?</strong></p>

<measurement><personality><test>
Are there any reliable type descriptions for Big Five personality traits?
ngub05
# Are there any reliable type descriptions for Big Five personality traits?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-03-21)

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) model of personality provides a list of 16 personality types with accompanying descriptions, like [this](http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm). **Are there analogous types for the Big Five model of personality?**

**Tags:** measurement, personality, test


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-03-24. Score: 3

A few thoughts:

* MBTI has four dimensions, whereas the Big Five has five dimensions. Thus, when you set a high-low split on MBTI you get $2^4=16$ types. If you were to apply the same idea to the Big 5, you could get $2^5=32$.
* However, the Big 5 framework tends to take the underlying continuum of personality traits more seriously. At the very least this should yield a more precise description of standing on a dimension.
* The dimensions of the Big 5 are generally understood independently. Thus, it might be sufficient and more parsimonious to have a verbal description to describe a person's standing on each of the five traits. I think this is how most Big 5 test manuals work. They will provide descriptions of what it means to be high or low on each trait and this can be used to provide an overall description to the test taker.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: "The dimensions of the Big 5 are generally understood independently" - can you suggest some materials to the same for me to explore.  

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