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What Difference Would It Make if You Were Mistyped?

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
I'm curious what others think.

EDIT If you mistyped yourself. If you went through life thinking you were another type.
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
It depends on
  1. by whom and
  2. for what purpose
the information is used.

The more critical the situation in which the wrong information is used,
the more dangerous the wrong information is.
 

wolfy

awsm
Joined
Jun 30, 2008
Messages
12,251
It depends on
  1. by whom and
  2. for what purpose
the information is used.

The more critical the situation in which the wrong information is used,
the more dangerous the wrong information is.

You're right. I was wondering what difference it would make if you were say ISFP but mistyped yourself as say ENTJ how much would you screw up your own life.

Every time I changed my type I could feel myself adjust my behaviour slightly to fit with the type. Not consciously but more like checking whether it fits whether it is congruent.

I don't do that now.
 

Moiety

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
5,996
MBTI Type
ISFJ
By others? I could live with it. In fact I would probably like that.If everyone knew about MBTI, I'd be roaming the streets with an ISTJ t-shirt.


If you mean bad self-assessment....well...I like what I see when i read the ENFP profile, so even if I was adjusting myself to fit the ENFP mold...I reckon it's a good standard.


This is something I've often wondered about, though. What if there's something fundamentally wrong with self-assessment and most people subconsciously choose a type which is not theirs? I often have doubts with the F vs T divide for example...
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
To further elaborate... it does concern me when I read that some people believe that they have been pigeonholed at work based solely on the MBTI rather than a more broad evaluation of their true skills and talents because those kinds of judgments can't possibly take into account every possible nuance of every job and every other person in that particular workplace. MBTI and its application is an imprecise science at best. If that person's test results were wrong, then suffering those types of consequences would be a great injustice indeed.

Another drawback I've seen on this forum is that there seems to be no shortage of mis-information on type as MBTI becomes more and more popular with the masses. Therefore you have S types being treated as though they're not as intelligent as N types, for example, when nothing could be further from the truth. Out of all the "highly intelligent" people I know irl, only one of them is an N. And so it saddens me greatly that many people have false stereotypes and what's worse - negative stereotypes - of MBTI types. I'm grateful that I learned about type from Barron and Tieger. Their profiles are much more kind and encouraging. So yes, when MBTI is used to harm other people, that's bad.

On the other hand, when one holds such MBTI information loosely, and uses it as a guideline for understanding and harmony in relationships, then I believe it serves a great good. I am convinced I could not have been as good a mother to my children if I had not understood MBTI and had not had the books by Barron and Tieger to help me with that. MBTI helped me with my own self-understanding immensely and I have benefited greatly from just understanding myself better. I have no doubt that is mostly because I'm an INTJ and INTJs really need help in the realm of self-acceptance and in understanding others.

So I personally am a great enthusiast of MBTI when used in positive and encouraging ways.
 

Moiety

New member
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
5,996
MBTI Type
ISFJ
To further elaborate... it does concern me when I read that some people believe that they have been pigeonholed at work based solely on the MBTI rather than a more broad evaluation of their true skills and talents because those kinds of judgments can't possibly take into account every possible nuance of every job and every other person in that particular workplace. MBTI and its application is an imprecise science at best. If that person's test results were wrong, then suffering those types of consequences would be a great injustice indeed.

What do you mean by this? Is MBTI used, in some way, in job interviews or something? In the US?
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
You're right. I was wondering what difference it would make if you were say ISFP but mistyped yourself as say ENTJ how much would you screw up your own life.

Every time I changed my type I could feel myself adjust my behaviour slightly to fit with the type. Not consciously but more like checking whether it fits whether it is congruent.

I don't do that now.
See, I find that hard to relate to. I didn't know that people did that until I spent some time on this forum. Some people describe how they have a tendency to act like what their profile says they're supposed to act like. I have never done that or been tempted to, so I haven't faced that personally. But I can imagine what chaos and confusion it would cause, though in the end if you're only acting out the positive traits, what harm can it really do? It just goes to show, we're capable of a lot more variety than we think we are.

On the other hand, if you think you're an ENTJ and you choose a career path and college courses based on that, and it turns out you're really an ISFP, THAT would be a problem! I mean eventually, you would hate what you're doing, and you would have wasted all that time and money.
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
What do you mean by this? Is MBTI used, in some way, in job interviews or something? In the US?
I'm sorry I can't be very specific. It was something I read in this forum last year. I would have no idea how to find it again. It could have been in Canada... I think it was used in the context of promotions though, that the person was angry about.

I wasn't given an MBTI test, but I do recall answering personality "types" of questions at a couple of job interviews.
 
G

garbage

Guest
All I know is that I'd effectively lived kind of like an unhealthy ISTJ for a long time.. I was withdrawn and misanthropic, I stifled my own feelings, I was perfectionistic, and I felt the need to structure and plan everything. I was also miserable.

In fact, when I first got on board with my research center, others used to remark that my ISTJ boss's personality and mine were quite alike. I believed it to be true, but something about that didn't sit quite right with me. Had I been "officially" typed as an ISTJ or something similar, I might have thought that I was playing to my strengths and that I was just condemned to be depressed.

There were subtle hints at my natural strengths along the way, but it took me a long, long time to recognize them because of the damning perception that I had of myself. I guess I didn't accept myself because I wasn't myself.

I've been jumping from type to type since I found this forum because of the clash between the skills I've developed and those I'm finding to come more naturally to me. In fact, I'm probably wrong about my type now! At this point, I don't think being mistyped would cause much damage.. I'll probably be on the search for personal identity forever anyway :)
 

Siegfried

New member
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
237
MBTI Type
?
Do you mean testing as a different type or generally in life coinciding with a particular type? For me the first did make a difference initially, until I realised that it doesn't matter what type I really test as, its a good indicator, but I should remain myself and not live up to any a personality trait if its not me, if don't want to.

For the second question, I've felt I've changed slowly. I think for a long time I was very INFx, then started living in my shadow, numb abit detached, sometimes due to depression, but now returning to something like INxx, back to normal again now. Initially I was very idealistic I think anyway. Now that have faced myself gone back to INFx.

As you say that the journey of personal identity, never finishes, it continues, in new circumstances, conditions, since the person who you are changes with time.
 

Tigerlily

unscannable
Joined
Jun 21, 2007
Messages
5,942
MBTI Type
TIGR
Enneagram
3w4
it really matters not since i'm not sure i'm archetypal anything. my husband who knows me better than anyone says most of the time i'm an INFJ but there are times (during the month ;P) when i'm more INTJ. There are times when I need to put on an SJ hat to fit in with most of the other moms around me. i've heard several members say that being an archetypal type isn't healthy so i take the confusion as a compliment :)
 

Mitzy

brat
Joined
Oct 2, 2008
Messages
687
MBTI Type
ENTP
who cares. i probably am but that doesnt mean im going to panic and act differently. i am who i am, if it fits my profile, then great. if it doesnt, my mistake.... :rolli:
 

Colors

The Destroyer
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,276
MBTI Type
ISTP
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
Very little. I am who I am. MBTI is just an attempted way of organizing- the pieces remain the same regardless.
 

Thursday

Earth Exalted
Joined
Mar 14, 2008
Messages
3,960
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w9
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sp/sx
i just don't like long-standing mistakes
hell yeah - it would grind me gears
argh
 

Eric B

ⒺⓉⒷ
Joined
Mar 29, 2008
Messages
3,621
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INTP
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548
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sp/sx
All I know is that I'd effectively lived kind of like an unhealthy ISTJ for a long time.. I was withdrawn and misanthropic, I stifled my own feelings, I was perfectionistic, and I felt the need to structure and plan everything. I was also miserable.

In fact, when I first got on board with my research center, others used to remark that my ISTJ boss's personality and mine were quite alike. I believed it to be true, but something about that didn't sit quite right with me. Had I been "officially" typed as an ISTJ or something similar, I might have thought that I was playing to my strengths and that I was just condemned to be depressed.

There were subtle hints at my natural strengths along the way, but it took me a long, long time to recognize them because of the damning perception that I had of myself. I guess I didn't accept myself because I wasn't myself.

I've been jumping from type to type since I found this forum because of the clash between the skills I've developed and those I'm finding to come more naturally to me. In fact, I'm probably wrong about my type now! At this point, I don't think being mistyped would cause much damage.. I'll probably be on the search for personal identity forever anyway :)
So I guess being so influenced by ISTJ, yet apparently aware of an N preference is why you thought you were ENTJ?
It is also worthy to note, since you seem to be going with ENFP now, that ENFP and ISTJ are what is known as the "inverse relationship" of each other. They use the same primary four functions, but in reverse order (in four-process theory called the "shadow"). So you would be able to relate a lot to ISTJ processes.
 

Costrin

rawr
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
2,320
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
5w4
It would make little difference to my behaviour, but it would require me to rethink some of my ideas on functions. :p
 

527468

deleted
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
1,945
i just don't like long-standing mistakes
hell yeah - it would grind me gears
argh

I took a look at your avatar, and seeing "I'll let you live" above it and completely freaking out, really questioned my maturity level.
 

Siúil a Rúin

when the colors fade
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
14,038
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
496
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Being mistyped is ultimately a matter of degree for everyone. Even when I choose a set of letters that best represents me within the MBTI system, that set of letters represents something different in my mind than in each person's mind I encounter. Ideally both sets of assumptions are drawn heavily from the actual descriptions of the type, but they can easily be extrapolations of personalized assumptions and experiences that diverge from the generally accepted definitions. When other people react to my type based on that representation in their mind, the chances of being "mis-typed" are quite high.

Mistyping oneself has the most effect if the person is inclined to internalize the descriptions and reshapes self in response. I don't see myself as being inclined to do that, so it doesn't seem like a closest match vs. a less close match in my assumed MBTI type would have a significant effect on how I think or express myself.
 

kyuuei

Emperor/Dictator
Joined
Aug 28, 2008
Messages
13,964
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
8
Instead of being an organized, clean-oriented ENFP that likes to work and spend time alone.. I'd be a procrastinating, social, day-dream oriented something else. :D

We have qualities of every type. I would have never typed as ENFP back in high school, just because of how extremely different I was then. I may yet have to change types when I age, although I think I've found a comfortable little cranny to call home.
 
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