Students' Personality Type and Choice of Major (2007)

ABSTRACT This study sought to determine if there was a relationship between personality type, using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), and information technology students' choice of major (Business Information Systems, Computer Information Systems, and Management Information Systems). Results indicated there existed a significant relationship between major and personality type. The recommendations provide direction and strategies for information technology educators to increase enrollments in the respective majors using personality type. Like most people, I remember very well the year I chose my major. In fact, I made the decision three times. Dr. David Brownlee, Professor of Art History, University of Pennsylvania (2006). RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY In reading any information about employment trends one is inundated with the theme of a need for technology workers. In his February 2004 State of the Union speech, President Bush stressed that technology transforms the way almost every job is done, America becomes more productive, and workers need new skills ... We must respond by helping more Americans gain the skills to find good jobs in our new economy (Spalding, 2005). Spalding (2005) stated The technology field continues to have some of the country's fastest-growing occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects increases of 82 percent in the number of positions for network and computer systems administrators; and a 97 percent rise for computer support specialists, between 2000 and 2010. It also predicts job growth for software engineers of up to 100 percent, depending on area of expertise, for the same time period. Major companies and government officials have agreed there is a continuing need for technology workers and recruiting from universities and colleges is still one of the best ways to find competent technology workers as well as workers in many other fields (A. Schieli, personal interview, July 6, 2006). Many colleges and universities have technology majors, whether it is computer science (CIS), management information systems (MIS), or business information systems (BIS). Universities and colleges must continue to recruit for these fields to support the future demand in the workforce. Students are attracted to various majors for a number of reasons: faculty, reputation, future careers, coursework, etc., but personality type is one variable that has been overlooked by students when choosing a major. The use of personality testing is certainly not new to the field of information technology. Morrill (2005) stated one of the most important aspects of being a manager is finding and hiring people who will work best within the organization. This is an often overlooked process when hiring information technology (IT) personnel and needs to be observed during the hiring process. Given this information and review of literature, pursuing a study that examines a student's choice of major in relation to personality type is appropriate. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM An appreciation and understanding of students' personality types and preferences for majors is needed. Research has revealed that there needs to be a growing pool of candidates who are technologically savvy, educated, and skilled. Employment data illustrates the vast job opportunities in fields related to technology. Students will embrace occupational choices where employment is in demand. In order to meet future employment demands in the workplace, there needs to be an increasing number of students choosing technology as their majors. Once specific personalities are typed, the results could be used by IT faculty to successfully match and attract students by creating a profile plan to link various personality types with specific majors. According to the University of Minnesota website in an article entitled: A Major Decision ... A Workbook for Choosing and Changing your Major (Pascarella and Terezini, 1999) offers, Nationally, three out of four entering students express some uncertainty about their choice of major, while between one and two-thirds change majors. …