Myers-Briggs Publisher Separates Myth from Fact about World's Most Popular Personality Assessment

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Dec. 2, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CPP, Inc. (CPP.com), the exclusive publisher of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI^®) assessment, announced today that it is launching a campaign to clear up misconceptions concerning the MBTI assessment's history, theoretical underpinnings, proper use and research-based foundation. The Myers-Briggs 'Folk Tales & True Stories' series, which will include articles, videos, infographics and more, will help organizations and individuals make better use of the instrument's insights. Download the first volume of the infographic series, https://www.cpp.com/pdfs/MBTI_myths_infographic.pdf.

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Through the Folk Tales & True Stories series, CPP plans to teach why Myers-Briggs assessment results:

• Should not be used for hiring or selection
• Should be viewed as an important part of the personality puzzle, but not the totality of one's unique personality
• Tell you how a certain profession's work environment will comport with your personality preferences, but not whether or not you'll be successful in that career
• Don't say that we're strictly Introverted or Extraverted, Thinking or Feeling...

"When used correctly, the MBTI assessment provides invaluable insight that helps individuals perform better and organizations operate more cohesively," said Jeff Hayes, President, CPP, Inc. "However, if you try to tighten a screw with a hammer, you'll end up frustrated. Likewise, we often find that criticism of the instrument actually stems from misconceptions about what it does, and what it should be used for."

Highlighting the Research-based Foundation of the MBTI
Additionally, CPP plans to educate the market on the tremendous amount of research that has gone into producing and continually updating the instrument, enabling it to meet all standards for psychological and educational tests, and provide statistically reliable and repeatable results.

"CPP has always been transparent about the research behind the MBTI assessment, and has published the instrument's technical manuals since 1962, along with free technical supplements," said Rich Thompson, Ph.D., Director of Research, CPP. "However, with this initiative we hope to bring more attention to the fact that the instrument has withstood more than half a century of scientific scrutiny, and is one of the more robust tools on the market."

Having Some Fun Along the Way
The Folk Tales & True Stories series, according to CPP, is intended to be both informative and entertaining. "Of course the Myers-Briggs instrument is a serious tool used for serious purposes," said Jennifer Overbo, Director of MBTI Product Strategy, CPP. "However, most people who take the assessment find the exercise of self-exploration to be engaging and fun – and many choose to go deeper and learn more about the theory behind it. So we're planning on having some fun with this as well." Fans and followers can also share their stories involving the MBTI tool on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, using the campaign hashtag #MBTItypestory.

About CPP – The people development people

At CPP, our only job is to help you be a better people development professional and, in turn, help every employee flourish. While we're best known for our products like the Myers-Briggs assessment, CPP is also a group of people who can offer you the information, guidance, and support you need. We offer solutions to help you improve organizational performance and address whatever challenges you face – from team building, leadership and coaching, and conflict management to career development, selection, and retention. Perhaps that's why millions of individuals in more than 170 countries use our products each year. They include people at Fortune 500 companies and businesses of all sizes, as well as educators, government agencies, and training and development consultants. CPP's world-renowned brands include the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®), Strong Interest Inventory®, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument (TKI), FIRO®, CPI 260®, and California Psychological Inventory™ (CPI™) instruments. Let's make a difference together. Talk to us today to see how: 800-624-1765, www.cpp.com, The Myers-Briggs® experts. Subscribe to CPP's blog: http://www.cppblogcentral.com or follow the MBTI on Twitter: http://twitter.com/thembti

SOURCE CPP, Inc.