Item description in translated tests: Cultural effects on factor structure of the Chinese Version of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator-G

• Jing Chen

  Fourth Military Medical University

• Jianquan Tian

  Fourth Military Medical University

• Danmin Miao

  Fourth Military Medical University

• Rosina C. Chia

  East Carolina University

Construct validity is a core issue in the design of a standard psychological instrument. There are many contrasting arguments about the factor structure of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI, Myers, 1962). A variety of methods and sample sizes used in prior studies has created these differences. Therefore, this study explored factor structure of the Chinese version MBTI, Form G based on two samples with roughly equal sample sizes, using the same method. Results supported construct validity of the Chinese version of the MBTI-G (Miao, Huangfu, Chia, & Ren, 2004), for there were four factors extracted based on the two samples respectively. However, factor analysis results raised questions about the nature of the Sensation-Intuition scale. This study provided evidence that, for a collectivist culture, the description of items related to the individual’s own preference and attitude or other people’s value and attitude would affect the results of the Chinese version MBTI-G in construct validity evaluation.

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