Preference Measures of Rectangle Ratio on MBTI Personality Types

Ching-Yi Wang

doi:10.4236/adr.2015.33009

Abstract

Whether the golden ratio is the favorite ratio for people is a controversial research issue until now. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether oriental people in Taiwan have the preference to the western culture originated golden ratio and to find out how the personality affects ratio preference by using the MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) test to classify people into different personality types. First, 120 participants classified into 16 identified personality types by the MBTI test were screened out from 195 participants recruited in this study. After that, they were asked to estimate the preference to 15 horizontal and 15 vertical rectangles with varied ratios, respectively. The results of the study were summarized as follows: 1) The most popular personality types of the participants were ISTJ and ISFJ types, while ENTJ and ESTP types were much less popular; 2) The tendency of preference to varied ratios could be divided into three classes: people tended to like the ratio of a square, the preference to golden ratio was fair, and when the ratio increased to exceed the golden ratio would be gradually disliked; 3) The personality would affect the preference to golden ratio. The V6, H7 and H8 ratios were liked by people with different types of personality, I type and T type people preferred V6, people of S type and J type preferred H7 and people of F type and J type preferred H8; 4) Women with non-designer background liked golden ratio, but men disliked it. Most designers preferred golden ratio. This result could be used as guidelines for product design and market position setting.

Highlights

In the history of humans, the concept of “ratio” has been widely applied in architecture, furniture, crafts arts, and paintings
This study computed the score of each participant according to his response to the MBTI test first, and classified him into one of the 16 personality types
The personality types which account for the majority ratio are the following in order: ISFJ protector type, ISTJ inspector type, ESFJ provider type, and INFP architect type; whereas the personality distributed with the least ratio are the following in order: INTJ mastermind type, ESTP promoter type and ENTJ field marshal type

Summary

Introduction

In the history of humans, the concept of “ratio” has been widely applied in architecture, furniture, crafts arts, and paintings. Preference Measures of Rectangle Ratio on MBTI Personality Types. Some studies proved the existence of preference to golden ratio (Benjafield, 1976, 2001; Benjafield & Adams-Webber, 2001; Fechner, 1876). The reasons for the consistent results may be due to the different experiment methods (for example, the rectangle is placed vertically or horizontally), and the different methods of assessment (assessment by ordering or assessment by comparing to standard). Some demographic or characteristic attributes of participants, such as age, gender, cultural background and personality, may affect the preference trend to golden ratio. Thompson (1946) found the different preference trends to ratio among different age groups. On the other hand, Nienstedt & Ross (1951) discovered that participants from 61 to 91 years old more preferred to the ratio of a square

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