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does MBTI Types depend on a country's background?

niki

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Sep 16, 2007
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210
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INFP
for example, the difference between a developed & developing country, and then also because of advanced & increasing education, decreasing level of poverty, availability of Internet/or not, religion & traditions, and a country's past history (or background).
do they all play a major role to influence/impact the outcomes of certain MBTI Types? (especially on which Types are more 'dominant', or seen a lot, in a country)
for example, the amount of "N" are more frequent in developed & advanced country (which also have more Internet access, thus, abundant informations access) than "S" . and vice versa in a developing country?
or in terms of culture, there are more "Introverts" in Asian's culture (because it is encouraged), than "Extroverts" in Western culture (because it is encouraged)?

or, there's little to no correlation?
So each Type does exist in any country, and also in proportion, regardless of all those factors above?
what's your opinion on this one?
and has there been a legitimate research on this particular topic?
 

Jack Flak

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Jul 17, 2008
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type
Being that I think type is probably innate, I have to say no. What you seem to be referring to is adaptation to the environment. Take an INTP and make him bust rocks for 20 years, he'll get pretty good at bustin' rocks.
 

am_i_evil666

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Apr 3, 2008
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I don't think so. I highly doubt it that if you have access to Internet, you'll be more N or S. I don't also think that traditions have any influence on the types.

Plus, in each country there are different social categories. Even if it's a less developed country and there are people who don't have what to eat or acces to education and internet, there are as well people (less, it's true) who swim in money. :)
 

Kestrel

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Nov 14, 2008
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INFJ
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2w1
It is innate. However, I think it would be awfully hard to develop an N preference in a developing country where you need to be S for survival purposes. I think N types there quickly learn to adapt, and those that don't, go hungry. I highly doubt that if I had to work 14 hours a day or scrape for food, I would be using my Ni to any meaningful degree.

Also, there seems to be cultural preferences regarding what is "attractive". As a whole, western societies seem to value extroverts over introverts. East Asian cultures seem to prefer the opposite. It would be interesting to find out if these preferences extend beyond E vs. I.

All types exist in all countries, but I think some types try to suppress their "true nature" if it conflicts with the cultural norms or leaves them with some kind of disadvantage. For example, I know an Asian ENFP who would fit right in with Western culture. But amongst others in her culture, she is found to be odd and atypical.
 

Darjur

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I'd say it does.

There's a fuck ton of introverts in Lithuania as an example. Generally thought, if looking at a geographical point, the more north you go, the more is the I pronounced compared to the E. But differences between I and E mostly differs based on cultural values. But yet again, I have nearly no knowledge of any country being predominantly I that is near the equator.

As for the N versus S, I'd consider that to change depending on ones culture, not ones social status. For example, in the religious parts of America, being an S is highly preferential to being an N. N's tend to stick to a more "liberal" worldview, while S's like their traditions and classical structures.

I'd say P is more common nearer the equator and J nearer the north. There's a certain feel of rigidness imposed on the northern realms compared to the spontaneity of the of the southern countries, you can compare states like Russia and Spain to give a contrast. Same goes for T and F in my opinion, I think that T is preferred to F more so in the north, than in the south.
 

entropie

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It is innate. However, I think it would be awfully hard to develop an N preference in a developing country where you need to be S for survival purposes. I think N types there quickly learn to adapt, and those that don't, go hungry. I highly doubt that if I had to work 14 hours a day or scrape for food, I would be using my Ni to any meaningful degree.

I dont see, why N should be a hinderance in the hunt. If you see the stone and the deer and you are hungry, there is a relation to be drawn.


I'd say it does.

There's a fuck ton of introverts in Lithuania as an example. Generally thought, if looking at a geographical point, the more north you go, the more is the I pronounced compared to the E. But differences between I and E mostly differs based on cultural values. But yet again, I have nearly no knowledge of any country being predominantly I that is near the equator.

Furthermore I dont see why you cant project an Introverted mood, while being Extraverted. In that case, you have got a harder time to come to cunclusions or information and you probably look for it in other places like the internet.

If you have a black lion and a white lion, who both live in a zoo. And then you have a black lion and a white lion, who both live in the free.

Lions stay the same. But that's just my view on type and thing. I dont think type is learned.
 

mlittrell

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i think the distribution of types as defined by keirsey stands true in this example. the percent of each type remains the same, no matter what country. what i think we are seeing here is certain types are accepted by the mass of the population (according to the culture of that country) more than others are. lets take an example. country "X" accepts ISTJs more than any other type, this means that the other types will grow up being taught that this is the accepted way to act and though it wont change their type or the way they think, it will certainly alter the way they interact with society as a whole. it's related to the nature vs nurture argument.
 

FFF

Fight For Freedom
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Apr 24, 2007
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INTP
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9
for example, the difference between a developed & developing country, and then also because of advanced & increasing education, decreasing level of poverty, availability of Internet/or not, religion & traditions, and a country's past history (or background).
do they all play a major role to influence/impact the outcomes of certain MBTI Types? (especially on which Types are more 'dominant', or seen a lot, in a country)
for example, the amount of "N" are more frequent in developed & advanced country (which also have more Internet access, thus, abundant informations access) than "S" . and vice versa in a developing country?
or in terms of culture, there are more "Introverts" in Asian's culture (because it is encouraged), than "Extroverts" in Western culture (because it is encouraged)?

or, there's little to no correlation?
So each Type does exist in any country, and also in proportion, regardless of all those factors above?
what's your opinion on this one?
and has there been a legitimate research on this particular topic?

Genetics has the strongest influence on personality, but environment does get its two cents or more in the equation. Using the Big Five framework it has been found that there are personality trends in certain states, and I'm sure you can find this within cities (smaller level) and within countries (larger level).
 

sarah

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isfp
As for the N versus S, I'd consider that to change depending on ones culture, not ones social status. For example, in the religious parts of America, being an S is highly preferential to being an N. N's tend to stick to a more "liberal" worldview, while S's like their traditions and classical structures.

We do? Can you explain how SPs all value tradition and classical structures, please?

Sarah
 

entropie

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We do? Can you explain how SPs all value tradition and classical structures, please?

Sarah

Dont you get tired of fighting the cause against the mentally "in need" people ? :D
 

Ism

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I'd say that's a Nature v. Nuture question, one which is highly debatable, on both sides.

It'd probably affect the strength of a preference, maybe, since humans are very malleable, but, aside from severe mental trauma or whatever, the preferences shouldn't change totally unless one's inclinations were neither here nor there to begin with.
 

Nihilen

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It's obvious types don't have the same percentages in different areas of the world. I think both culture and genes affect one's type.

Eastern Asians are definitely the most introverted (probably also Ts), regardless of where they are living -I remember I was in Canada some years ago, looking for a 'network', to play computer games, then when I found one I was shocked everyone there was Asian, while I have practically noticed no Asians on the streets- Mediterraneans would probably be the most extroverted - Extroverted feelers mostly methinks.

I'm new to this and I'm still basing it on observation, correct my flaws if they're too obvious.
 

mlittrell

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genetics do obviously affect type... dont get me wrong, but that doesn't meant that it still cant be equally distributed. if you wanna look into how neuro-science is connected to personality type read The Edge Effect by Dr. Eric Braverman... its excellent and if your really interested its worth buying.
 

Darjur

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We do? Can you explain how SPs all value tradition and classical structures, please?

Sarah

I can't give a direct argument based on proof here, that opinion of mine is based completely of my personal experience. It's just that from all of the people that I know of the S's are far more likely to have a view of "if it works, don't fix it." While the N's are the types I usually see that try to "Fix what's not broken".
 
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