The Myers-Briggs® Company Addresses Enduring Myths Surrounding the World's Most Popular Personality Assessment

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CPP, Inc. (www.cpp.com), the Myers-Briggs® company and industry leader in leadership development, talent management, and research tools including the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI^®) assessment, announced today "Folk Tales & True Stories II," [http://bit.ly/1rH6aCr] the second in a series of infographics designed to clarify understanding of the MBTI instrument's history, theory, proper use and research-based foundation.   

Available at [http://bit.ly/1rH6aCr], Folk Tales & True Stories II is a vivid and factually rich infographic that specifically addresses misconceptions surrounding the MBTI tool, such as the idea that it detects personality flaws, determines political leanings, or is available in free formats. The infographic represents part of CPP's ongoing effort to correct common misconceptions by presenting accurate details about the MBTI assessment. Other elements of the campaign include videos, articles and more.

Through the Folk Tales & True Stories II infographic, CPP conveys why the Myers-Briggs assessment:

• Does not identify personality flaws, and instead describes healthy personality preferences
• Should never be viewed as a "test" with right or wrong answers, but rather an assessment providing insight into one's unique preferences
• Cannot identify your political preference for conservatism or liberalism, or predict political ideas
• Is not, and has never been available for free online, but rather only through CPP and its distributors or certified practitioners
• Doesn't pigeonhole users by describing limitations or abilities, but instead empowers them with self-awareness to flex their behaviors

"There's no doubt that much of the criticism of the instrument stems from misconceptions about what it does, and what it should be used for," said Jeff Hayes, President and CEO, CPP, Inc. "It's vital that individuals and organizations understand the correct uses for the MBTI assessment, because those who do stand to gain tremendously." Hayes' recent article, "Why the Myers-Briggs Assessment is Meaningful to Millions," addresses this and several other issues such as the research basis for the instrument, and why it is more popular as a practical tool in day-to-day life than it is as a research tool in academic settings. Read the full post at: http://www.cppblogcentral.com/cpp-connect/why-the-myers-briggs-assessment-is-meaningful-to-millions/.  

Shedding light on the MBTI's history, research-based foundation and value in today's world

With this series, CPP also hopes to continue to educate the market on the decades of ongoing research that lies at the very foundation of the instrument, which meets all standards for psychological and educational assessments (information regarding the MBTI's various validations can be accessed at www.cpp.com/MBTIvalidity).

According to CPP, the company's efforts to ensure its continued reliability support the MBTI's ability to provide insight that leads to self-awareness. Rich Thompson, Ph.D., CPP's Director of Research, who leads the ongoing effort to update and validate the MBTI assessment, recently commented on this important benefit of the instrument in Harvard Business Review: "While [CPP] strongly opposes its use in selection…it is highly valuable when it comes to understanding the underlying forces that shape peoples' thoughts and behaviors…As such, it provides an excellent framework for helping individuals develop their own awareness of self, others, and their organizations."

As the Folk Tales & True Stories series is intended to be both informative and entertaining, CPP is encouraging people to share their stories involving the MBTI tool on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, using the campaign hashtag #MBTItypestory. Those who missed Part I in the Folk Tales & True Stories can see it here: https://www.cpp.com/pdfs/MBTI®_myths_infographic.pdf.

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

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Myers-Briggs, and MBTI are trademarks or registered trademarks of the of the Myers & Briggs Foundation, Inc. Strong Interest Inventory, FIRO, and CPI 260 are registered trademarks and California Psychological Inventory and CPI are trademarks of CPP, Inc.

SOURCE CPP, Inc.