Psykologisaatio Kiinassa : MBTI-ilmiö sekä kiinalaisen persoonuuden muodostuminen

This research analyzes how psychological concepts, particularly the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), manifest in contemporary China. The study focuses on the younger generation born after the 1980s, who have grown up during China's economic reforms and globalization. Their daily lives are shaped by an increasingly complex social environment characterized by rapid economic growth, digitalization, and evolving social and moral norms. Using qualitative methods, this research examines how Chinese young adults utilize MBTI tests and how Western psychological concepts interact within the Chinese cultural environment and personhood construction. Key research questions include: How do psychological concepts formulated in different contexts adapt to Chinese culture? How does the popularity of MBTI connect to China's social and cultural transformation, particularly the rise of psychological discourse? How do Chinese youth use MBTI as part of their self-understanding and identity construction? China is experiencing a phenomenon that researchers refer to as "psy fever" (心理热) (Zhang, 2020) or "psy-boom" (Bram, 2020), which reflects the rapid growth of psychological services in the country. China's psychological landscape is undergoing significant transformation as traditional conceptions of personhood are reshaped by market reforms, urbanization, and global psychological discourse. Psychological concepts such as psychotherapy, personal emotions, self-actualization, anxiety, depression, and stress have become integrated into Chinese culture, influencing both collective structures and individual experiences. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, based on Carl Jung's theory of psychological types, categorizes people into 16 personality types through self-assessment. With digitalization, MBTI has become prevalent in China's youth culture, media, and professional environments. This research examines how Western psychological concepts, such as MBTI, influence Chinese young adults through their own experiences and perspectives. The study was conducted in early 2025 in Xi'an and Shanghai, with research methods including interviews, digital data analysis, and participant observation. The MBTI phenomenon serves as an example of a cultural intersection where individuals reshape their self-understanding as globalized psychological concepts become localized and adapted to the Chinese social context. MBTI and Western psychological concepts emerge not only as psychological trends but as instruments through which individuals interpret and redefine their self-understanding, personhood and cultural identity.