Are personality differences accentuated in an online context?

[Fidelia]

I've found in numerous Fe/Fi discussions more points of disagreement or conflict than I actually experience in real life with the same types. I've heard other express the same sentiments.

I wonder if an online environment allows people to explore their differences in a more uncensored way? They feel safer expressing their most inward thoughts or entering into conflict with people because it does not have the same kind of negative personal impact as it would in real life. Certainly I think that it affords a sped up version of real life, with more recorded conversations and known individuals to observe and interact with. Mostly you would not get into or observe conflict with or hear as much personal information from anyone in real life.

Do you think this brings out almost a caricature of people, highlighting all of their most distinctive points in a way that real life doesn't? In doing so, do you think it obscures other less prominent features, or no? I certainly find that it's difficult for me to type people in real life in the way that I find it easier to online.

 

[Llewellyn]

I think personality differences are accentuated in community, or in any type of context. Like the outlines of missing pieces in a jigsaw appearing more extreme than the actual pieces (lying scattered around). / abstract statement, the latter experienced in reality though

 

[Such Irony]

I agree with Fidelia's assessment.

 

[rav3n]

Maybe also factor in type alignment and rejection, where some become "more" of their type and others reject or don't completely fit into their type when online.

People are so complex, particularly factoring in their subconscious. Some hide more online, donning personalities of who they want to be whether in play, in denial or in some kind of role playing satisfaction, while others provide glimpses or all of their true selves online, a true self they won't reveal in real life for self-protective reasons.

Real life also provides body language and facial expressions. What's said online can be and often is misinterpreted. (Speaking of "misinterpreted" why is there only one "t"? It's not pronounced as misinterpreeeted.)

 

[Fidelia]

Yeah, I've found that the lack of context and other cues does complicate written communication, while in other ways it is laid bare because there isn't the same need to superficial interaction. They say that 90% of communication is non-verbal.

I think you're right that a lot of people hide or only expose certain aspects of themselves online, creating almost a kind of persona. Others are more likely to expose themselves much more than they do in real life. I wonder what is responsible for that.

I wonder too how much people to try to be like their type online, in a way that they wouldn't do in real life...

 

[uumlau]

I think it makes one rely on projection more than reading/understanding. When confronted with a puzzling statement, and no nonverbal context, one tends to assume that what was "really meant" is what one would have personally meant had one said what the other said.

The nonverbal context adds clues that make the "projection" result nonsense, e.g., you wouldn't have made such a rude remark with a twinkle in your eye, so, oh, it must be a joke, ok, I get it now ...

It can even be difficult for types that get along. I know that when a certain ENFP is in a mood, there is no amount of words that will comfort her, and the words will likely add fuel to the fire. But if I can reach out and hug her and let her know I care, then she can realize, "Oh, he isn't being mean or making fun of me, he's offering a solution (even though the solution indicates he doesn't really understand what I'm saying)."

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

I think people can also expect differences in an online setting when each person has a designated personality type by their username. If someone doesn't agree with a post or doesn't like a poster, they can look to see what the differences are - is it Fi vs. Fe, T vs. F, S vs. N, P vs. J ? Whatever is the different factor can then be viewed as the source of the conflict.

I'm different online in a way because there are more people reading posts and the responses can be more erratic. I edit more and try to imagine all the ways a post could be misread and edit to make it as clear as possible. I see the environment as more complex in terms of communication. There is still the occasional erratic response, but at some point is has to just be considered the other person's problem.

 

[nolla]

I like the idea of caricatures, but that probably doesn't work equally for all the types. You can notice this easily by taking a camera and shooting any real life discussion, then typing the words exactly as they are told. I had to do this to a video I was on, and you know, half of the stuff on the paper made no sense at all without the film material. It's really incredible how much of the actual message is in the body language and tones. And I don't even feel like I use body language that much. My guess is that this varies according to the types. I'm sure some people can actually form real sentences in real life.

 

[Orangey]

No, I think that if anything, personality differences are made less stark in online discussions than in real life interactions. For two reasons: (1) online communication is devoid of the multiple means of communication that are available in any real life interaction (i.e., vocal intonation, body language, facial expression, timing, etc.,), and (2) knowing this, people can more easily construct artificial personas and lie about themselves than they can in real life.

 

[Thalassa]

I agree with you Fidelia.

I also agree with something MacGuffin said once, that N shows up more clearly in writing sometimes than in person.

 

[Patches]

I know I come across very differently via text than I do in person. Simply because I am more comfortable typing. In person I'm rather silent most of the time. So naturally, those who speak to me online see a very different side of me.

 

[Lark]

Good question, I sure think that the social ettiquette is different, perhaps only emerging, and its no way agreed upon either. So you have some sort of storming, norming and forming taking place in so far as the discourse identifies certain sorts of behaviour as troll behaviour, which is variously unwelcome, prohibited, prejorative and also, conversely, considered fun or entertaining by, what I would suggest, is a more anti-social personality.

However there is ample opportunity within the medium for disagreement as to who is exhibiting troll behaviour or what it is, most recently I thought about this when moderators mentioned how well known someone was or how much time someone had spent on this forum in relation to identifying behaviour as trollish.

It can accentuate personality clashes or differences but at the same time I'm wary of just what could be going on, I've encountered frankly bizarre reactions from people on different forums which I could only account for by considering that they where reacting to something greater than the immediate discussion or myself, sometimes there's words which are sure to trigger certain responses. I find it interesting because on one forum someone could be condemning me as a right wing fascist hate monger for failing to affirm their values while simultaneously on another forum there will be someone else condemning me as a commies permissive liberal, now it clearly cant be each and I'm not playing devils advocate or engaging in some sort of shocking cognitive dissonance so its got to be about the individuals participating in those forums and who or what they imagine they are dealing with.

 

[sculpting]

I think you are seeing a couple of factors-

1. Loss of nonverbal communication-I always find it off that I get along very well with INFJs but online I frequently offend them. I say the same things but without the nonverbal aspect-the way the text comes across is much more suceptible to reading in of the incorrect tone.

2. Forgiveness of the "feeling" functions- In real life feelers tend to be very forgiving of others feelers oddly. I shared an office with an ISFJ. We encountered Fe-Fi diffs, although we didnt understand them-but we could see through the conflict to the caring underneath-thus there was a built in forgiveness factor. It might be annoying, but that's just how the other person shows they care...Also I suspect the F functions are actually meant for much more complex analysis of the people than the T functions-so by using an F function to analyze another in person, a much more complete picture can be gained of what they REALLY meant

3. Projection of our internal states onto others-when we dont understand the actions of others in real life, we assume they are motivated as we are. Again I suspect this allows to never really appreciate how very differently we function underneath our external facade of friendliness.

I also wonder if there isnt an additional apsect having to do with how we "think" in text form. It is funny as on another thread a couple of INTPs commented that people think they are nice online, but are assholes in real life. ENFPs I suspect may be the opposite-we tend to be seen as nice in real life but in text form can seem very abrupt.

 

[Orangey]

I also agree with something MacGuffin said once, that N shows up more clearly in writing sometimes than in person.

Pfft. I doubt it.

 

[Thalassa]

That's because you aren't N.

 

[Athenian200]

My personal theory is that Introverted functions tend to show up more in writing, while Extraverted functions tend to show up more in person.

All of the functions can of course appear, but I believe that being online accentuates the Introverted functions, while interacting in person accentuates the Extraverted functions.

 

[Orangey]

That's because you aren't N.

How pitifully stupid. As thought there's some sort of secret N language that only Ns can use or recognize. Get over yourself.

 

[GetOffMyBiscuits]

That's because you aren't N.

You've made my top ten dumbest comments list.

 

[Fidelia]

My personal theory is that Introverted functions tend to show up more in writing, while Extraverted functions tend to show up more in person.

All of the functions can of course appear, but I believe that being online accentuates the Introverted functions, while interacting in person accentuates the Extraverted functions.

I could buy that. I think there's a simultaneous thing happening of some people becoming more transparent on line, while others become less. Interesting. I don't think I've really reached any absolute conclusions. The beginning of the thread was just some musing out loud. Keep talking, folks...

 

[Epiphany]

I think it really depends on the individual. My thoughts are the same regardless, but I am much less willing to share them offline. For one, I am introverted and more reflective than engaging. I don't assume that people want to hear my thoughts so I usually keep them to myself. A forum is a little different. The topics that are discussed here are less likely to come up in casual conversation to the depth that they do online. A lot of times, words are overlooked by expressions and other external factors that don't come into play via text. When I'm in a social setting, my mind takes in a lot of information that may not be pertinent to the conversation and I am apt to lose focus if it doesn't interest me. Some people hide behind personas. My username would imply that I do, but I chose that more in regards to my life offline because of the difficulties I've faced having a personality that conflicts with cultural ideals. I've shared some personal details in this forum that I haven't with friends in my daily life. Perhaps, it is because there's safety in anonymity, although I find that I still trust some people too easily.