Quote:
Originally Posted by Recluse
This study found that students with computing majors are most likely to be ST--especially ISTJ--and least likely to be NT:
http://isedj.org/isecon/2006/3723/ISECON.2006.Choi.pdf
Information gleaned from the report:
Among students with computing majors, ISTJ (21.1%) and ESTJ (14.8%) are the two most common types. ST is present in both ISTJ and ESTJ; conversely, the least common type contains NT.
Among students with science majors, INTJ (18.2%) and INTP (17.5%) are the two most common types. A profound difference between this group and the computing group is the presence of N preference over S preference.
(Incidentally, ISTJs were also found to be the majority of engineers in other, unrelated studies.)
I've noticed that most programmers online (mis?)label themselves as INTJ scientific types. I wonder if this is because NTs are portrayed as self-confident intellectuals who come up with inventive solutions, while ISTJs are portrayed as angst-ridden nerds who slave away in cubicles. Either that or INTJs are far more common than the statistics suggest, based on the sheer numbers of online programmers who claim this type.
Has negative stereotyping kept people from realizing their true types? Or is this study seriously flawed? I found it interesting and would like to hear others' views. |
I think that many people express their desires in tests rather than how they really are. Wannabe influences.
Testers, coders and so forth tend to be anorak geeks. However, project managers in the same environment have to have a diverse set of skills. Very few IT people can see the big picture so I don't think they are strategists that’s for sure. (Not intuitive (N) as they'd make provision for huge issues in their planning which for some reason they seem to miss, too much looking into the detail and not looking at a macro/global level. It’s like they have the inability to zoom in and out with their thought processes which a scientist must do if they are to solve problems - procedural versus divergent).
Also, as I've stated before, it’s possible that over time people can migrate to a psych profile if they desire and work towards it. (I'd like to think that I have migrated to INTJ but both my parents are INTJ so it’s just a theory to be proven!!).
One thing that has struck me though... is that contractors (strangely in IT and not in Finance/Accountancy) are a very resourceful set of individuals and very entrepreneurial. Perhaps they've all seen the big money and flexibility to match their business development activities.