MetaChat - D you know your Myers-Briggs type? Do you believe it describes you accurately?

Most of my life I was an INFP, but recently I switched to ENFP. Which is all pretty accurate, certainly moreso than the fact that I'm an Aries.

posted by me3dia 17 March | 15:10

I had an interesting experience yesterday. The counselor I'm seeing, who I was seeing for only the third time, asked me out of the blue "Your Myers-Briggs type, you're what, an INFP, right?"

Spot on. I took the MBTI once in high school, once in college, and once at a career counselor's, and came out INFP each time. I was kind of wowed that he could actually pick the one out of sixteen on the basis of knowing me for so little time.

In discussing it a bit on IRC, I learned that it's based on some pretty controversial theory and perhaps not thought of as highly scientific. But it does seem to have some usefulness. These descriptions fit me to a T.

I also got the delightful bit of information that one reason it's been hard for me to find a mate is that my preference is to find and be understood by other INFPs, and they make up only between 1 - 5% of the population. Explains a lot.

posted by Miko 17 March | 15:11

I was just talking about this with a friend yesterday, who, like me, is an INTP. He said that someone recently told him that INTPs have trouble staying in long term relationships. I told him that I thought despite our six years of friendship I thought it would be better if we went our separate ways.

posted by omiewise 17 March | 15:13

No and no.

posted by eamondaly 17 March | 15:13

I actually haven't the foggiest idea.

posted by jonmc 17 March | 15:14

ENFP here, although the E/I and F/T axes are pretty close to the center (I'm more T and more I at work, which makes sense, since I'm a software engineer). And yes, I think it describes me extremely well.

I'm also pretty good at guessing my friends and co-workers once I have known them for a little while.

Oh, and the vast majority of my closest long-term friendships, as well as the people I have been most emotionally attracted to, are introverts.

posted by matildaben 17 March | 15:16

I reckon jonmc as an ESFP.

posted by Wolfdog 17 March | 15:17

IRFH

posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson 17 March | 15:18

Wolfdog: For the jon that I know from here, that sounds pretty accurate.

posted by matildaben 17 March | 15:18

INTJ - fits to a "T"

posted by warbaby 17 March | 15:20

I'm almost an E as well. Very close to the center; but I still do decision-making like an I.

posted by Miko 17 March | 15:21

I don't know mine. I'm guessing I'd be ESTJ.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 15:22

although that would put me very outta synch with everyone here. hrrmmm.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 15:23

Yes (INFJ) and yes. I find that people who have the most problems with the test are those who think it's somehow "destiny" or fixed. It's really just a description of how you see and interact with the world, and it's allowed to change as you change.

But mine fits to a T. I remember first taking the test and then reading one of the descriptions and thinking, "I'm not weird! There are other people -- very few other people, but other people nonetheless -- who think like me!"

It also helped a great deal when I was having huge clashes with a roommate. Knowing that he was different, as opposed to wrong, was eye-opening :-)

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:25

Creepy: I was just talking about this with a friend this morning.

I, too, am your prototypical INFP, have been since the first time I took the test. It's actually kind of surreal to read the descriptions Miko linked to and see myself in nearly every sentence.

It's also enlightening to read the descriptions of other types and see my own attributes reflected therein. Confirmation bias plays a huge role in these things, I'm sure.

posted by Zozo 17 March | 15:26

(It's not, however, really helping with my new boss's boss, who seems in my mind completely unable to make a frickin' decision and keeps wanting more info. I keep chanting, "He's a P, he's a P, I shouldn't judge" but it's DRIVING ME BATTY.)

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:27

I learned I was an ISTJ as part of a management training course (that was cancelled) here at work. I think it does match how I view myself.

At the course they were careful to talk about how your MBTI was more of an indication of your preferences rather than an definite guide to your behavior.

posted by tommasz 17 March | 15:27

*looks up ESFP*

yeah, that makes sense

posted by jonmc 17 March | 15:28

There's a test here, if anyone's interested.

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:31

Yes, and no.

I had a friend tell me I was a classic ---- once, and that it was accurate. I asked if he could predict my behavior with these tests. He said, "Definitely."

I knocked him out with one punch.

When he came to, I helped him to his feet, brushed him off, and said, "Didn't see that coming, did you?"

posted by Hugh Janus 17 March | 15:31

I took this test in college, but I don't remember the type it showed me to be... it was one of the "I---" ones, though.

I prefer to think my personality type is NSFW.

posted by BoringPostcards 17 March | 15:33

I refuse to be categorized by four letters unless they are WOLF. So there.

posted by WolfDaddy 17 March | 15:34

Heh.

Typelogic has some nice descriptions.

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:34

It's also enlightening to read the descriptions of other types and see my own attributes reflected therein. Confirmation bias plays a huge role in these things, I'm sure.

I also find that true for many of the statements -- but that only makes sense, since each attribute falls along a continuum and we all act those ways at least some tiny percentage of the time. In addition, we'll have some really strong preferences in common with an ENFJ, say. But when I read the other descriptions and take them in sum, I think "uh-uh. Not my style."

Also, zozo, when you see yourself in all the descriptions, take into accuont that one INFP hallmark is that we tend to identify with everyone and see all sides.

posted by Miko 17 March | 15:35

The test said I'm an ENFP. Go Figure.

posted by jonmc 17 March | 15:38

The test said I was ESTP. I guessed ESTJ. Fair enough.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 15:39

I prefer to think my personality type is NSFW.

Heh.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 15:41

Miko: The INFP profile does describe me better as a gestalt than the other ones. I guess I'm just a little turned off by the pseudo-science of it. (Too much Penn & Teller's Bullshit! for me, I guess, haha.)

we tend to identify with everyone and see all sides.

Now that's me up and down. I'm a hell of a lot of fun in political debates, I can tell you that.

posted by Zozo 17 March | 15:42

I can see that, Jon. I think you like hypotheticals too much to be an S.

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:42

I know, zozo -- what's funny is that I'm a huge rationalist/skeptic as well. However, I really do appreciate systems for negotiating life, and this one is a pretty good help in understanding how things look different to different people.

Occhiblu's test is a short version, but came out INFP for me once again. I liked that it gives percentages showing where you fall on the continuum. It reported my preferences as only 11% introvertedness, but 88% intuitive.

posted by Miko 17 March | 15:43

And maybe this reflects my current job situation, but I think these are mostly used by management to justify being assholes ("He's a P;" "He's a 'Big Picture' guy.")

No, folks, he's a dick.

posted by Hugh Janus 17 March | 15:44

I prefer to think my personality type is NSFW.

And then of course, there's SFTU, GYOB, and ROFL.

Rich fodder for a snarking new personality inventory there.

posted by Miko 17 March | 15:45

According to occhiblu's test: Introverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging

Seems about right. Wish I could do better on the judging thing sometimes.

posted by danostuporstar 17 March | 15:46

I'd never even heard of the test until a couple of years ago.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 15:46

And then of course, there's SFTU, GYOB, and ROFL.

and of course, KYAG.

posted by jonmc 17 March | 15:47

I always end up in the 80 and 90 percent range for I and J (I'm judgmental! *And* anti-social!) and close to the middle for the NF.

And Jon, I just read the ENFP intro at the Typelogic site and it reads like something you'd have written: "ENFPs are both "idea"-people and "people"-people, who see everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole."

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:47

INTJ here. And yeah, it fits.

posted by mudpuppie 17 March | 15:53

Yes, and yes. (ENFJ)

posted by Specklet 17 March | 15:54

Talk about psuedo-science, I love how occhiblu's link includes "Famous INTPs" who could not have taken the test. That's not as cool as the "Fictional INTPs," who include: Tom and Fiona (Four Weddings and a Funeral). I was sure I was Hugh Grant and Andie McDowell from that movie. Shit.

(All that said, the description was pretty accurate for me. I wish I was smart enough for math.)

posted by omiewise 17 March | 15:54

Which type am I?

posted by orthogonality 17 March | 15:56

Occhiblu's test had me as an INFP, at 67% introverted, 12% intuitive, 25% feeling, and only 6% perceiving. I don't know that I've ever taken one that broke it down like that before.

You'd think GBTW would be a common personality type, no?

posted by Zozo 17 March | 15:57

Except for aura of self-confidence part, the Typelogic INTJ is kinda fitting. I don't think I lack self-confidence, but I definately don't project it.

Take the test, ortho.

posted by danostuporstar 17 March | 15:58

omiewise, heh.

I would say, however, that the INFJ label gives me some insight into why I find Henry James a rather accurate chronicler (???) of human interaction and others can label him as "melodramatic." I do always think of his writing when I'm trying to explain the INFJ thing.

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 15:58

Wait, home come you INTJs got fictional back-up? We got nothin' under INFJ.

posted by occhiblu 17 March | 16:02

I just read it, too, occiblu and I concur. Whoever wrote that has been following me around or something. Chillingly accurate.

posted by jonmc 17 March | 16:03

The test says I'm ISFP.

Man, the list of famous ISFPs is a regular freak show. I'm not sure I'll be publicizing this anywhere else.

posted by BoringPostcards 17 March | 16:05

Heh that does sound like you, jon.

posted by gaspode 17 March | 16:06

Oh yeah, the last three letters were all at about 12%, so sort of down the middle on all those.

posted by BoringPostcards 17 March | 16:06

Yeah, the "famous types" looks a little specious. Can't imagine exactly how they'd figure out that Mary, mother of Jesus, was an INFP.

But interestingly, they have got Annie Dillard listed under my type. I've liked her stuff for a long time, and when I read her, I get the eerie sensation that I'm my own head.

However, I don't feel I have much in common with Neil Diamond, Fred Savage of "The Wonder Years", or Scott Bakula.

posted by Miko 17 March | 16:07

I've always tested as INTJ, and it fits pretty well, depending on what you read. Most descriptions of the type focus heavily on the T side, and not so much the N side, which for me, leaves *so* much out of the picture. I'm less extreme on the T/F dichotomy (I have a lot of NF qualities, and probably leaned that way even more as a child), but when I first took the test years ago (the long one, not the short one that can be found online), I scored 100% N and 0% S. I'm also heavily introverted.

favorite fictional INTJ : Ro Laren!

posted by wens 17 March | 16:09

I don't feel I have much in common with Neil Diamond

But, then you saw his face..and now you're a believer....

posted by jonmc 17 March | 16:09

Neil Diamond was in the Monkees?

posted by danostuporstar 17 March | 16:11

INTJ

I am VERY thinking and moderately intuitive....I scored a 1 in judging and am slightly introverted apparently.

Apparently we Rational Masterminds are less than 1% of the population!

posted by richat 17 March | 16:14

No, dano, but he did write that song.

posted by jonmc 17 March | 16:15

I just took the linked test and came out as ENFP again. Although it is interesting that I do seem to have become less extroverted than the last time I took it.

ENFP
Extroverted 11%
Intuitive 38%
Feeling 62%
Perceiving 44%

The way my friend describes it, Extroverts by this definition need to "reload" their energy by being around other people, and do better in decision-making when they can bounce stuff off other people. Introverts can do fine with other people but need to go be alone to "reload". I definitely need other people to help me process what's going on in my feelings and to give input into my decision making, but as time goes on I find that on the purely social level, if I haven't had some good solid alone time for 2 or 3 days I really need to take time off. I guess another way of putting it is, if I'm happy, I don't have a problem being alone, but if I'm sad or anxious or confused, I need to open up to other people to help me get through it.

And one last thought (for now):

ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm, which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their unconventionality.

If this doesn't describe me perfectly, I don't know what does.

posted by matildaben 17 March | 16:17

Huh.

posted by danostuporstar 17 March | 16:19

*turns to fellow ENFP matildaben*

Let's save the world with our loopy charm!

posted by jonmc 17 March | 16:22

You know, Jung is just cool. Maybe he was no scientist, but he was onto something.

posted by Miko 17 March | 16:32

My carbon footprint is 12.

posted by Smart Dalek 17 March | 16:32

INTJ rules! Anomalously over-represented in the Zombie Bunny Army.

posted by warbaby 17 March | 16:57

INTJ yay! Sure beats the KISS Army.

posted by go dog go 17 March | 16:58

Maybe we INTJ's should get "1%" patches for our colors.

posted by warbaby 17 March | 17:06

i'm ENFP too (E17, N82, F70, P82) -- but i think it's too limiting. People make snap judgements based on those 4 letters that aren't always true, and as circumstances/situations change, people have to change to adapt to them.

posted by amberglow 17 March | 17:08

INTJ too, and it fits.

and the J is not for Judgmental, btw.

posted by rumple 17 March | 17:10

I've always tested as strongly INTJ. The description seems to perfectly mirror how I think of myself, but I don't think I'm objective enough to determine that with any accuracy. And I went three for three in guessing my families' types (dad is INTJ, lil' bro is INTP and mom is ENTP).

The test was interesting enough that I went to the counseling center at my university and paid $20 for the real-deal test with in-person follow-up. It was interesting, but not much more informative than the various online resources.

posted by mullacc 17 March | 17:24

Am I the only ISTJ here or the only one willing to admit it?

posted by tommasz 17 March | 17:56

I don't know what acronym is mine. I am sad, but not SAD.

posted by safetyfork 17 March | 18:03

Woo, other INTJs! I've always tested strongly as INTJ, and it's helped me figure out how I'm different from other people in some ways. I suspect that all the other girls on my residence one year were extroverts... I was ready to kill them all.

How to deal with an INTJ.

posted by heatherann 17 March | 18:19

Yes and sure, why not. I get different results every time I take it. INFP? INTJ? INFJ? ISFP? There's room for everyone in my skull. The Wikipedia section on "skeptical view" sums up my opinion. You know, there are two kinds of people in this world...

posted by goatdog 17 March | 19:39

Goatdog: It's probably that your preference percentages in each area are really low, so that depending on mood or what's going on in your life, you 'toggle' back and forth over the various borderlines.

posted by Miko 17 March | 19:51

i'm mostly x and it's highly mutable who you are when you take the test. priorities change, etc.

posted by ethylene 17 March | 20:16

tommasz: I'm an ISTJ. I'm ok, you're ok.

posted by everichon 17 March | 20:23

Wow did I ever miss this topic.

I've gone from an INTJ to an INTP. Sometime after college.

posted by selfnoise 17 March | 21:31

any other ENTPs in the hizzow?

p.s.- eths back!

posted by Wedge 17 March | 21:35

that's ETHX
or xnxx
or--
meh

posted by ethylene 17 March | 21:39

INFP

posted by MightyNez 17 March | 22:32

INFP. There seems to be a lot of us as well. :^)

posted by deborah 17 March | 23:56

Do not expect INTJs to actually care about how you view them. They already know that they are arrogant bastards with a morbid sense of humor. Telling them the obvious accomplishes nothing.

posted by warbaby 18 March | 09:26

INTP here. I've tested consistently over the years.

Omie, I love how your thing is the historical INTPS couldn't have taken the test.

posted by rainbaby 18 March | 12:57

Very strongly NP, very close to the middle on I/E and T/F.

Today I scored ENFP, but that's just a reflection of what I've been up to lately.

posted by tangerine 18 March | 17:09

INTJ, describes me perfectly. Pretty consistent over the last year (with the exception of one test that gave me INFJ, but it was a shorter and less-reliable test imho).

posted by Fuzzbean 18 March | 18:06

INFP for me, but that "F" is just across the center line. 20 years ago when I first took this test, I'm pretty sure that I fell moderatly on the "T" side of that axis. But not too much, and I've been moving to the "F" side for a long time. The others are all pretty strongly in their directions, so they are pretty accurate. But the t-f axis causes me trouble when I take these tests—both answers seem right and it's hard for me to choose. I found that I was inclined to choose in the direction I thought was better, not necessarily what I do. So I just stopped thinking about it and went with my first impression.

I have an intuition that it's probably rare for people to move as they age from thinking to feeling. Maybe not. My theory as to the structure of the mind doesn't differentiate that much between thinking and feeling. I do make a distinction, but I don't see them as a dichotomy most others do. It's just processes that run at different levels.

posted by kmellis 21 March | 19:57

17 March 2006