Are there really only 16 types of people in the world?

The 16 MBTI types are dynamic energy systems—how people use their energy internally and externally; they are not static boxes.

The four-letter type cannot be understood fully by simply adding up each preference; a more complete understanding is based on learning about how the preferences interact with one another.

For these reasons, there is great variation within type among individuals.

You may be an INFP (Introversion, Intuition, Feeling, and Perceiving) and know other people who are also INFPs who have some characteristics in common with you, but also have differences from you.

The Step II form of the MBTI tool gives you your four-letter type and also looks at five characteristics underlying each preference, thus giving a thorough picture of your MBTI type preferences.