Type theory states that psychological type doesn’t change, but my type changed when I took the MBTI again!

Psychological type theory (the basis for the MBTI assessment) states that your psychological type does not change, that it’s innate or wired into you.  Still a significant number of people can retake the assessment and come up with a different result.  There are many reasons why this happens:

1. An individual might think his job calls for a particular behavior so his responses favor that demand.

2. Cultural ideals might make an individual respond in a certain way.  An example would be “Men are thinkers.  Women are feelers.”

3. An individual might be working to develop a certain phase of his or her personality.

4. Severe stress known in psychological type parlance as “The Grip” might skew results.

5. An individual’s upbringing may not value a certain preference so it is denied.

6. An individual might falsify their responses attempting to “choose their type.”

Also note, that as individuals mature, they develop personality overlays known as facets enhance and add new dimensions to the personality.  Therefore while type can be thought of an individual’s inborn temperament, it is a dynamic model in which the personality takes on new dimensions.   Type is not a static.  It becomes richer and more individualized over time, given the right mindset and opportunity to learn and adapt.