Date of Conferral

2019

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Psychology

Advisor

Brad Bell

Abstract

There was a gap in the current literature examining degree attainment, in that there was no research found on personality type and the highest degree level someone attains. The goal of this study was to understand if there was a correlation to an individual's personality classification as determined by their Myers Briggs Personality Inventory (MBTI) and the highest education level they achieve for the 225 people in the entire sample and 95 in the subsample (participants raised in poverty). The MBTI's theoretical foundation is based upon Dr. Carl Jung's personality typology and was later expounded upon by the tool's creators. Eight Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to address each of the null hypotheses for each question. The 8 research questions asked if there were higher levels of degree attainment for those with a particular preference within the trait dichotomies as measured by the MBTI. The research questions asked if individuals classified as introverts (I), intuitive (N), judging (J) and thinking (T) within both groups would have higher levels of degree attainment than those classified as: extroverted (E), sensing (S), perceiving (P) and feeling (F). There was a statistically significant relationship between being extraverted (E) versus introverted (I) and the highest educational level achieved in the subsample. This result was opposite of the predicted relationship for this hypothesis. That is, individuals classified as extroverts (E) had higher degree attainment levels than those classified as introverts (I). None of the analysis for the other hypotheses were statistically significant. The social change implications may include strategies to develop marketing and recruitment programs that appeal to extraverts, to increase the likelihood that they will choose to attend their institutions.

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