Roommate Retention through the Lens of Myers-Briggs Types

Much research has been done on the influence of Myers-Briggs personality types on the social environment of residence halls. While numerous other factors, such as how long they have been roommates and their preferences are known to impact roommate retention, avenues such as personality types' influence on roommate retention are less studied. In an effort to capitalize on prior research with the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), this study explores the significance of personality types in roommate retention. Three pairs of roommates who have lived together since their freshmen year were selected to be interviewed. An audio analysis searched the interviews for key words or expressions highlighting certain aspects of their relationship. The participants also released their MBTI results so that the research on the various types could be drawn from to explore how various types living together has been a positive experience.