Adaptability by preferred perceiving process

[Two Point Two]

I was thinking today about how adaptability works in Js, because they're obviously not as good at or as comfortable with it as Ps are, but they also do manage to deal with new situations fairly regularly.

Note: adaptability here refers to successfully and spontaneously dealing with unexpected real-world situations.

SP – Adaptability by excellent perception
SPs are the prototypical adaptable types. Spontaneity often seems not to stress them at all. Their exceptional ability to take in large quantities of detailed information about a situation means that their judging functions always have plenty to work with, no matter how unexpected events may be. Because SPs are usually so comfortable ‘going with the flow’, they also tend to have had ample practice adapting to situations as they arise.

NP – Adaptability by faith in creative capacity
NPs adapt creatively. Regardless of what a situation may throw at them, they are confident that they will be able to think quickly and to come up with new ideas and theories on the fly so as to deal with unexpected events. ‘Bullshitting’ is perhaps an excellent example of NP adaptability in action. NPs, often being future-oriented, may tend to plan more than do SPs, and so may not be quite as adaptable as they are, but their preferred style is nevertheless generally to let things develop as they will.

SJ – Adaptability dependent on past experience
SJs lack the SP ability to automatically compute a situation, but their focus on functional details can serve them well in its stead. Salient aspects of a new situation stand out to them, and they are able to adapt so long as they have relevant prior experience that they can modify where needed and apply to whatever they’re facing. New situations that do not relate to previous experience, however, can throw them, and anticipation of such situations can make them uncomfortable.

NJ – Adaptability dependent on contingency plans
NJs are perhaps the least adaptable types. They lack an SJ’s easy access to past experience, and are often capable of adapting to an unexpected situation only when they have conceived of it as a possibility beforehand and prepared mentally. Perhaps as a result of this, or perhaps as a cause, NJs are inclined to devote a lot of energy to their contingency plans, making them as flexible as possible. However, a situation that the NJ has not foreseen can throw them entirely and leave them with relatively few coping resources.

Thoughts?

 

[VagrantFarce]

NP – Adaptability by faith in creative capacity
NPs adapt creatively. Regardless of what a situation may throw at them, they are confident that they will be able to think quickly and to come up with new ideas and theories on the fly so as to deal with unexpected events. ‘Bullshitting’ is perhaps an excellent example of NP adaptability in action. NPs, often being future-oriented, may tend to plan more than do SPs, and so may not be quite as adaptable as they are, but their preferred style is nevertheless generally to let things develop as they will.

Yes, yes, a thousand times yes.

 

[Matthew_Z]

NP – Adaptability by faith in creative capacity
NPs adapt creatively. Regardless of what a situation may throw at them, they are confident that they will be able to think quickly and to come up with new ideas and theories on the fly so as to deal with unexpected events. ‘Bullshitting’ is perhaps an excellent example of NP adaptability in action. NPs, often being future-oriented, may tend to plan more than do SPs, and so may not be quite as adaptable as they are, but their preferred style is nevertheless generally to let things develop as they will.

Sounds like how I type up my posts.

 

[Fecal McAngry]

I was thinking today about how adaptability works in Js, because they're obviously not as good at or as comfortable with it as Ps are, but they also do manage to deal with new situations fairly regularly.

Note: adaptability here refers to successfully and spontaneously dealing with unexpected real-world situations.

SP – Adaptability by excellent perception
SPs are the prototypical adaptable types. Spontaneity often seems not to stress them at all. Their exceptional ability to take in large quantities of detailed information about a situation means that their judging functions always have plenty to work with, no matter how unexpected events may be. Because SPs are usually so comfortable ‘going with the flow’, they also tend to have had ample practice adapting to situations as they arise.

NP – Adaptability by faith in creative capacity
NPs adapt creatively. Regardless of what a situation may throw at them, they are confident that they will be able to think quickly and to come up with new ideas and theories on the fly so as to deal with unexpected events. ‘Bullshitting’ is perhaps an excellent example of NP adaptability in action. NPs, often being future-oriented, may tend to plan more than do SPs, and so may not be quite as adaptable as they are, but their preferred style is nevertheless generally to let things develop as they will.

SJ – Adaptability dependent on past experience
SJs lack the SP ability to automatically compute a situation, but their focus on functional details can serve them well in its stead. Salient aspects of a new situation stand out to them, and they are able to adapt so long as they have relevant prior experience that they can modify where needed and apply to whatever they’re facing. New situations that do not relate to previous experience, however, can throw them, and anticipation of such situations can make them uncomfortable.

NJ – Adaptability dependent on contingency plans
NJs are perhaps the least adaptable types. They lack an SJ’s easy access to past experience, and are often capable of adapting to an unexpected situation only when they have conceived of it as a possibility beforehand and prepared mentally. Perhaps as a result of this, or perhaps as a cause, NJs are inclined to devote a lot of energy to their contingency plans, making them as flexible as possible. However, a situation that the NJ has not foreseen can throw them entirely and leave them with relatively few coping resources.

Thoughts?

If adaptability here refers to successfully and spontaneously dealing with unexpected real-world situations I can think of many, many, many situations where, for example, an ENTJ would be _far_ more successful than an INFP. Most real-life situations, I'd think. Contingency plans, btw, may be a big part of an INTJs life, but they certainly are not a major player in the lives of most ENFJs I've encountered...

 

[d4mselfly]

NJ – Adaptability dependent on contingency plans
NJs are perhaps the least adaptable types. They lack an SJ’s easy access to past experience, and are often capable of adapting to an unexpected situation only when they have conceived of it as a possibility beforehand and prepared mentally. Perhaps as a result of this, or perhaps as a cause, NJs are inclined to devote a lot of energy to their contingency plans, making them as flexible as possible. However, a situation that the NJ has not foreseen can throw them entirely and leave them with relatively few coping resources.

This certainly rings true for me.

 

[Two Point Two]

If adaptability here refers to successfully and spontaneously dealing with unexpected real-world situations I can think of many, many, many situations where, for example, an ENTJ would be _far_ more successful than an INFP. Most real-life situations, I'd think.

That may be so, although I'd wonder to what extent the ENTJ was really adapting, and to what extent they'd partially processed some of the relevant occurrences previously.

It may also depend on what a given individual means by 'deal with'. An ENTJ may be a stereotypical dealer-with because they get things done and achieve goals - they are likely to 'emerge victorious', maybe. What does an INFP view as successfully dealing with an unexpected situation?

E versus I may also play a role in this, though, with Es generally being more adaptable to external situations. Not sure.

Contingency plans, btw, may be a big part of an INTJs life, but they certainly are not a major player in the lives of most ENFJs I've encountered...

Fair point - I admit that, as far as I know, I don't know any ENFJs.

Any ENFJs have input on this?

 

[Fecal McAngry]

That may be so, although I'd wonder to what extent the ENTJ was really adapting, and to what extent they'd partially processed some of the relevant occurrences previously.

It may also depend on what a given individual means by 'deal with'.

If "survival" AKA "not starving to death" is the measure, ENTJs > INFPs in most areas.

 

[Two Point Two]

If "survival" AKA "not starving to death" is the measure, ENTJs > INFPs in most areas.

My definition of adaptability may have been misleading - I didn't intend to bring anything like survival into it at all.

I meant something like...ease, comfort and coherence of spontaneous action in unexpected situations. Capacity to not freeze up, panic or feel anxious, and to respond in a way that is consistent with what the individual might upon reflection prefer.

An INFP may not take charge of a situation in the way that an ENTJ might (but again, for the ENTJ, doing so may not be entirely spontaneous), but they may nevertheless have been perfectly happy and comfortable as things developed and with the way in which they responded. It may have been more natural to them.

 

[Ginkgo]

What does an INFP view as successfully dealing with an unexpected situation?

Hmm, it is not often that Ne users experience the "unexpected" because of how Ne diverges and imagines multiple possibilities before events occur. Consequentially, we are prepared for most things with even distribution; while Ni users are prepared for 1 or 2 things with heavy investment. Just a theory.

 

[William K]

My definition of adaptability may have been misleading - I didn't intend to bring anything like survival into it at all.

I meant something like...ease, comfort and coherence of spontaneous action in unexpected situations. Capacity to not freeze up, panic or feel anxious, and to respond in a way that is consistent with what the individual might upon reflection prefer.

An INFP may not take charge of a situation in the way that an ENTJ might (but again, for the ENTJ, doing so may not be entirely spontaneous), but they may nevertheless have been perfectly happy and comfortable as things developed and with the way in which they responded. It may have been more natural to them.

Yeah, I agree if you mean adaptability as going with the flow instead of trying to take charge and change the situation. I think if global thermonuclear war broke out and everyone had to stay locked up in underground shelters for months/years, the INFPs have a better than even odds of emerging sane

 

[William K]

Hmm, it is not often that Ne users experience the "unexpected" because of how Ne diverges and imagines multiple possibilities before events occur. Consequentially, we are prepared for most things with even distribution; while Ni users are prepared for 1 or 2 things with heavy investment. Just a theory.

Heh, my sig agrees with you. It's more about being unprepared to face the possibility than not thinking about it at all. Usually this happens when I'm too absorbed in my fantasy world reading of a situation and have my head too high up in the clouds. When the reality cuts in, it's a real shock to the system.