.996) suggest that no practical differences would be expected as a function of the number-of-quadrature-points decision." />
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Bess TL, Harvey RJ. Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: fact or artifact?. J Pers Assess. 2002;78(1):176-86doi: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11.
Bess, T. L., & Harvey, R. J. (2002). Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: fact or artifact?. Journal of personality assessment, 78(1), 176-86. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11
Bess, Tammy L, and Harvey, Robert J. "Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: fact or artifact?." Journal of personality assessment vol. 78,1 (2002): 176-86. doi: https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11
Bess TL, Harvey RJ. Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: fact or artifact?. J Pers Assess. 2002 Feb;78(1):176-86. doi: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11. PMID: 11936208.
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J Pers Assess. 2002 Feb;78(1):176-86. doi: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11.

Bimodal score distributions and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: fact or artifact?.

Journal of personality assessment

Tammy L Bess, Robert J Harvey

Affiliations

  1. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg 24061, USA.

PMID: 11936208 DOI: 10.1207/S15327752JPA7801_11

Abstract

We examined Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) score distributions computed using item response theory (IRT) to assess the generalizability of earlier bimodality reports that have been cited in support of the "type" versus "trait" view of personality. Using the BILOG IRT program to score a sample of approximately 12,000 individuals who participated in leadership development programs, theta score distributions for the 4 dimensions of the MBTI computed using 10 (the BILOG default) versus 50 quadrature points were compared. Results indicated that past reports of bimodality were artifacts caused by BILOG's default use of a small number of quadrature points; when larger numbers of points were used, score distributions became strongly center-weighted. Although our findings are not supportive of the "type"-based hypothesis, the extremely high correlations between theta scores (rs > .996) suggest that no practical differences would be expected as a function of the number-of-quadrature-points decision.

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