Differences in Myers-Briggs Personality Types Among High School Band, Orchestra, and Choir Members

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore personality type differences among high school band, string orchestra, and choir students according to ensemble membership. Participants ( N = 355) were high school students who had participated in their school’s band, orchestra, or choir for 1 year or more. The author administered the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) to determine the personality type for each participant. Personality types were compared among the three ensembles as well as with published MBTI high school norms. Results indicated that personality type differences existed among the ensembles and that there were significant differences in the comparisons with MBTI norms. A significant personality type difference was found between orchestra and choir students along the Extraversion-Introversion dichotomy, indicating that choir students were more likely to be Extraverted when compared to orchestra students. There were no significant differences among the ensembles on the Sensing-Intuition, Thinking-Feeling, or Judging-Perceiving scales. Compared to high school norms, the students in each ensemble were significantly more likely to be Intuitive and Feeling. The band students were significantly more likely to be Perceiving, and the choir students were significantly more likely to be Extraverted.