Can the MBTI change over time?

Asked by: Vita Davis  |  Last update: January 27, 2026
Score: 4.8/5 (18 votes)

No, the core MBTI personality type generally doesn't change, as it reflects inborn preferences; however, your behavior, development, and use of cognitive functions evolve significantly over time, often making you seem different or even mistype in later life due to maturity and life experiences. While the underlying type stays stable, lifelong growth involves developing less-preferred functions, leading to more balanced use and sometimes confusing initial test results with deeper self-understanding.

Is it possible for MBTI to change?

One's MBTI personality type is a combination of these four preferences, which, according to the theory, remain stable over time.

Can your MBTI change as you age?

According to the Myers Briggs Company, who provide the MBTI assessment, personality type does not change over time. The MBTI groups personality types into 16 categories, based on a person's tendency toward: introversion or extroversion. sensing or intuition.

How often can MBTI change?

One of the most common questions surrounding MBTI personality type is whether it changes over time. While the short answer is 'no', there's a bit of nuance to it. In a recent video psychologist Dr. Rachel Cubas-Wilkinson provided a bit more detail on this topic.

Which MBTI is prone to ADHD?

The MBTI functions and attitudes that most correlate with ADHD are the intuitive (N) function and perceptive (P) attitude. People who score high on these dimensions have more chances of portraying ADHD symptoms.

How do the 16 Personalities Develop Over Time?

18 related questions found

Which MBTI has autism?

MBTI types with introverted, intuitive, and thinking preferences—such as INTJ, INTP, and ISTJ—are often associated with autistic traits. These types often display analytical thinking, deep focus, and preference for structure.

Which MBTI is the biggest procrastinator?

As indicated in Table 2, the average procrastination score for the INTP type is the highest, suggesting that individuals with this type exhibit the most pronounced procrastination symptoms.

What is the top 3 rarest personality?

The top 3 rarest Myers-Briggs personality types are generally considered to be INFJ, ENTJ, and INTJ, though their exact ranking and percentages vary slightly across studies, with INFJ often cited as the absolute rarest (around 1.5-2% of the population), followed by ENTJ (around 1.8-2%), and then INTJ (around 2-3%). These types are known for their strategic, insightful, and independent thinking, often focusing on big-picture concepts and future possibilities.
 

At what age does personality change the most?

The period of the greatest change in personality traits typically occurs during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood (roughly ages 20-40), with significant mean-level shifts as people mature, gain experience in roles like work and relationships, and develop greater emotional stability, conscientiousness, and self-control. While adolescence brings rapid development, young adulthood sees substantial maturation in core traits, often leading to more stable, confident, and responsible individuals. 

What is the hardest personality to deal with?

10 Types of Difficult People

  • The Know-it-All. This is someone who feels sure that they know more than you, everyone else on the team – and likely every other team, for that matter. ...
  • The Interrupter. ...
  • The Ignorer. ...
  • The Bore. ...
  • The Prima Donna. ...
  • The Work Martyr. ...
  • The Whiner. ...
  • The Negativity Spreader.

Which MBTI is asexual?

a Fit for Asexuality. ISFJ, ISFP, INFP, INFJ, and INTP.

Why am I getting meaner as I get older?

Physical changes. Aging brings about physical changes that can affect mood and behavior. Chronic pain, illness and medication side effects can all contribute to irritability. For example, arthritis can cause constant discomfort, leading to frustration and anger.

Can your MBTI change from E to I?

To conclude, your basic personality type cannot change – however, you can (and should!) change the aspects of your personality that you are unhappy with. By doing this you will strengthen your shadow traits and become a more well-rounded individual, even though your dominant traits will still remain the same.

Why did my personality change so suddenly?

Sometimes, personality change is a normal part of development. It can also be the result of deliberate effort or therapy. Sometimes, however, personality change is unexpected, unwanted, or not controlled. In these cases, it may be related to an underlying mental illness or damage to the brain.

Do the same MBTI get along?

The answer is yes...and no. More similar types often have an easier time getting along and understanding one another, but they also have many of the same blind spots. The truth is, you can't predict whether you'll have a successful relationship with another person just based on their personality type.

Can I retake 16 personalities?

Yes. Please make sure you are logged in, retake the test, and look for the “Update your profile” button in the results screen.

Are personalities born or created?

Twin and family studies have demonstrated that personality traits are moderately heritable, and can predict various lifetime outcomes, including psychopathology. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) characterizes psychiatric diseases as extremes of normal tendencies, including specific personality traits.

What are the 10 signs of personality disorder?

While there are 10 specific personality disorders, common signs across them include intense emotions, unstable relationships, difficulty with self-image, impulsivity, lack of empathy, paranoia, extreme sensitivity, detachment, problems managing stress, and low self-awareness, often leading to significant impairment in functioning and distress, notes Mind and the Mayo Clinic. 

Can your personality type change as you age?

While many may suspect that people's personalities are fixed in childhood, new research suggests that most people's personalities evolve throughout their lives.

What is Elon Musk's MBTI type?

While there's no official Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) test result for Elon Musk, he's often typed as an INTJ (The Architect) or INTP (The Logician), leaning towards INTJ for his strategic vision, but sometimes described as an INTP due to his deep engineering focus and introversion, though he publicly describes himself as an "introverted engineer" who practiced being public. His personality is characterized by intense focus, innovation, strategic thinking, independence, and a drive for complex problem-solving, aligning with these types, especially an INTP's intellectual curiosity and an INTJ's goal-oriented nature. 

Which MBTI is most likely to have ADHD?

ADHD and its Relation to the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) Test. The MBTI functions and attitudes that most correlate with ADHD are the intuitive (N) function and perceptive (P) attitude. People who score high on these dimensions have more chances of portraying ADHD symptoms.

Are INFJs autistic?

No, INFJs are not inherently autistic, but there's significant overlap and many autistic individuals (especially women) test as INFJ because shared traits like deep sensitivity, intense interests, social awkwardness, and sensory sensitivities can mirror each other, leading to potential misdiagnosis or confusion, though they are distinct concepts. The INFJ personality type (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging) describes general preferences, while Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition, but shared traits like introversion, strong intuition, and difficulty with social norms create a common connection, notes this YouTube video. 

Which MBTI has anger issues?

ISFJs tend to take things personally—and this can lead to pent-up anger and resentment when others don't recognize their sensitive nature. Most ISFJs will stay away from conflict, preferring to keep their feelings to themselves.

Which MBTI is most likely to be autistic?

For example, individuals who are introverted, detail‑oriented, logical, and structured may share similarities with types like INTJ, INTP, ISTJ, or INFJ. These types often value routine, deep focus, and analytical thinking characteristics that can also appear in autism.

Which MBTI is prone to addiction?

ISFP. Easygoing, creative, spontaneous, and modest, ISFPs may be more likely than others to self-medicate with substances. One study compared personality traits among people struggling with addiction. The researchers found ISFP to be one of the most common MBTI types among those who also struggled with a mood disorder.