The Open University ’ s repository of research publications and other research outputs The use of MBTI in software engineering

In this paper we evaluate the use of Carl Jung’s theories of Psychological Type assessed using the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator in the Software Engineering field. The current level of implementation and its quality is established and the results discussed to provide insight into what we currently know, and suggestions on what could be important to investigate for the future. Upon gathering MBTI data from a range of sources it is apparent that there is agreement on the types of personalities often discovered inside software engineering. Thinking and judging personality preferences are commonly found, while feeling and perceiving is far less common. This differs substantially from results representative of the American population, and supports the belief that software engineers are more commonly represented by specific types of people. However, there is discrepancy between four of the 16 types identified in the MBTI, suggesting that there is still some understanding to be gained about personality in software engineering, and we do not by any means know the exact breakdown of types present within the industry.