The Myers Briggs Test Online and the DiSC® Profile Test approach the challenge of understanding people from two fundamentally different perspectives.
The Myers-Briggs Profile Test describes personality often set early in life, while The DiSC® Profile by Inscape Publishing describes human behavior in specific situations. The distinction is that personality is our overall way of looking at a person – the totality of qualities, cultural values, beliefs, emotional makeup, skills, abilities, and traits unique to an individual. Behavior, on the other hand, is the way we respond to a specific situation. It is the outward expression of who we are.
Because personality is relatively stable throughout adult life, the Myers Briggs Test should not change significantly over time. On the other hand, when taking the DiSC®™ Profile Test, the individual is asked to focus on a particular environment, such as work or home life. Individuals may have a “core style” representing a set of most comfortable behaviors. Yet, an individual’s profile may change significantly because behaviors can differ in various situations and roles.
Key features of Myers Briggs Test Online vs. DiSC® Profile Online instruments
|
Myers Briggs Test |
DiSC® Profile Test |
| Must be certified to facilitate MBT | Certification is not required to facilitate DiSC® |
| A psychological instrument which is complex and needs individual explanation or classroom instruction from a qualified instructor | A self-interpreting instrument that is easy to understand. Respond Online to get immediate results – view, print, or save |
| Takes 30-45 minutes to administer. Long-form is not self-scored but requires facilitator time and fees for scoring. A self-scoring short form is available, which is less than 75% accurate and gives no measurement of intensity | A self-interpreting instrument that is easy to understand. Respond Online to get immediate results – view, print, or save |
| MBTI was designed as a psychological instrument. It has academic acceptance and endorsement | Originally created as an instrument to be easily used in business settings |
| Reliable, valid, and accurate | Reliable, valid, and accurate |
| Low cost for materials – Additional consulting fee required for interpretation | Low cost for materials – Self-interpreting – No consulting fee required for interpretion |
| Based on logical preferences | Based on needs and emotions |
| Reading level 8th to 11th grade | Reading level about 5th grade |
| Current research and supportive data available through the American Psychological Type Association (APT) | Has new research base, normed on today’s workforce, with continual validation and reliability being done. Information available in the facilitator kit |
| Uses a general focus rather than a specific environmental response focus | Uses a specific environmental response focus, i.e. work, social, or sales |
| Addresses personality and preferences which are largely unchanging | Addresses behavior that is situational, and it can then be coached for greater performance. |
| The MBT Online gives a person a read on their individual personality and the way they view the world. | The DiSC® Profile Online expands an employee’s knowledge of their work behavior and helps them to understand the behavior and motivators in self and others. |
The MBT and the DiSC® Profile Test clearly do not measure the same things, but they both contribute to a person’s self-awareness and interpersonal learning. Want to learn more about MBT and DiSC Profiles? Contact DiscProfiles 4u and set up a consultation.
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