MBTI Type, Nature or Nurture?

[ilikeitlikethat]

Is it in our DNA? How we devoloped in the womb or, did something happen to you to make you your MBTI type at some point down the line? Is it possible for a human to change their MBTI type due to change of circumstance or, are you your type your whole life?

Is it nature, or nurture?

 

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

I think it's our DNA which gives us our cognitive functions, including those preferred. I think beyond the first few preferred cognitive functions, the rest depend on our environment. I do think if our environment is traumatic, it can change the development of even our preferred functions to something else. For example, becoming Ni if we were really 'supposed' to be Ne....because we are forced into seclusion with little extraneous stimulation. Or to be Ti versus Te, etc. We might be forced to be Se versus Si if we have to live on the streets, etc.

No, our MBTI type does not change, it just gets more well-rounded as our cognitive functions become more differentiated.

So, it's nature and nurture, I believe.

 

[Cellmold]

Im starting to think type is merely what you want it to be.

Hah....'starting' im lying of course....ive always thought that.

 

[Fluffywolf]

What seems most likely to me is that as our brains are developped, we grow towards certain tendencies and preferences at a very young age and create our sense of self entirely on those fundaments. So nurture.

There is no evidence to suggest type (or what creates our type) is genetic.

 

[SilkRoad]

The received wisdom seems to be that MBTI type is more nature (innately inborn), and Enneagram type is more nurture. From looking at myself and my types, this makes a lot of sense.

However, I think virtually everything in life is a combination of nature and nurture - sometimes more heavily weighted one way or another.

 

[INTP]

pretty much the whole psyche of human is seen as happening because of nature via nurture in todays psychology. meaning that environment(from food that we eat to how we were raised an everything in between) either activates or suppresses our genes. also some genes activate other genes

 

[Lady_X]

Haven't there been studies stating certain cultures can tend to be likely to be a certain type... Like istjs in china or did I unknowingly fabricate that in my brain? Even if it were true I guess it wouldn't be obvious what causes it.

Hmm... I'm going to guess that it's both. Like maybe there's seedlings and they grow in certain directions. Maybe.

 

[SilkRoad]

Haven't there been studies stating certain cultures can tend to be likely to be a certain type... Like istjs in china or did I unknowingly fabricate that in my brain? Even if it were true I guess it wouldn't be obvious what causes it.

Hmm... I'm going to guess that it's both. Like maybe there's seedlings and they grow in certain directions. Maybe.

I suspect that a lot of people act like a type they are not, because of societal pressures and so on.

But then again, if you act like a type, maybe you just ARE that type...are you? I've wondered about this for a while. (hence my obsession with whether or not most moms are ESFJs.)

 

[Lady_X]

I suspect that a lot of people act like a type they are not, because of societal pressures and so on.

But then again, if you act like a type, maybe you just ARE that type...are you? I've wondered about this for a while. (hence my obsession with whether or not most moms are ESFJs.)

Most women are esfjs I think so you're right I think.

And maybe the esfjs are more likely to want to be parents too.. Idk

 

[Fluffywolf]

I suspect that a lot of people act like a type they are not, because of societal pressures and so on.

But then again, if you act like a type, maybe you just ARE that type...are you? I've wondered about this for a while. (hence my obsession with whether or not most moms are ESFJs.)

I don't think so, acting like and being a type is far from the same. Acting like a type causes immense loads of stress.

Most moms are more likely to be ESFJ for growing up in the sixties. >.>