The people most difficult to "type":

[Porcelain Hearts]

are often the most balanced I find. They may become apparent when it comes to their dominant function, but they're quite aware and active with their other functions.

Think of that person you know that came across ESTP one way and another instant, ESFP. What makes them exercise their other functions are likely their held values! I would even say they are the most desirable and interesting people I've come across.

In theory, I have a poor dysfunctional family and each of us became fiercely individualistic and impatient. Perhaps they were raised with a close family.. who knows? There are a few theories that would provide a facility to alternate functions within their environment.

I know it's not just me that feels this way. What examples have you noticed in those "balanced" who almost transcend the MBTI model?

 

[SpankyMcFly]

are often the most balanced I find. They may be apparent when it comes to their dominant function, but they're quite aware and active with their other functions.

Think of that person you know that came across ESTP one way and another instant, ESFP. What makes them exercise their other functions are likely their held values! I would even say they are the most desirable and interesting people I've come across.

In theory, I have a poor dysfunctional family and each of us became fiercely individualistic and impatient. Perhaps they were raised with a close family.. who knows? There are a few theories that would provide a facility to alternate patterns within their environment.

I know it's not just me that feels this way. What examples have you noticed in those "balanced" who almost transcend the MBTI model?

I find extreme introverts hard to type. There is very little to work with.

 

[Porcelain Hearts]

I find extreme introverts hard to type. There is very little to work with.

I agree. I personally find it hard to distinguish ISFP and ISTPs for that matter.

 

[Lexicon]

I find the very mentally ill hard to type, but I suppose that goes without saying, yes?

 

[Porcelain Hearts]

I find the very mentally ill hard to type, but I suppose that goes without saying, yes?

One could argue they're "imbalanced" ...

 

[21%]

I'm with the camp that thinks "balanced" means "have developed their tertiary and inferior functions to a decent level", in which case they become rather remarkable humans. They can still be quite easy to type though...

I think people who are difficult to type are those with 'conflicting' or 'less common' MBTI and Enneagram combinations, like an E7 judger, or an E5 feeler, etc.

 

[skylights]

^ Definitely the less common combos, instinct variant included. (For example, self-typed ENFP so/sp friend - couldn't decide if she was ENFP or ESFJ).

Also people with strong tertiary or aspirant functions.

 

[garbage]

are often the most balanced I find. They may become apparent when it comes to their dominant function, but they're quite aware and active with their other functions.
[...]
What examples have you noticed in those "balanced" who almost transcend the MBTI model?

I notice that they're pretty damn wise, for one. They seem to have a holistic view of, well, everything.

 

[Such Irony]

I have trouble settling on a definitive type for myself- therefore I'm balanced???

I think INTP but then I keep finding I do things suggestive of other types.

 

[highlander]

I find extreme introverts hard to type. There is very little to work with.

Until they speak yes. Following a person's pattern of speech, writing or way of interacting seems the easiest way to discern a person's type. Ni for me is the most difficult to identify of all the 8 functions. It is hard to connect observable behavior to it.

I find the very mentally ill hard to type, but I suppose that goes without saying, yes?

I'm not sure it goes without saying but I agree with this. Take an INFJ or INTJ with very poorly developed auxiliary - are they mentally ill? They sure could easily come across that way.

 

[Coriolis]

I find older people hard to type, perhaps because they have become much more balanced in function usage through their years of living and experience.

 

[Rasofy]

E3s tend to pretty difficult to mbti type, ime. They're very adaptable to different situations, so you end up not having a solid baseline to work with.

 

[Nicki]

Fe users

 

[Ginkgo]

Actors/Actresses.

 

[RaptorWizard]

[MENTION=15392]AffirmitiveAnxiety[/MENTION] - there is no consistent forum consensus on his type other than a vague FJ approximation.

 

[Lady_X]

i've known a few people who seem to use both ti and fi equally which makes me completely crazy.

 

[Such Irony]

I find older people hard to type, perhaps because they have become much more balanced in function usage through their years of living and experience.

Agree.

At the other extreme, newborn babies and very young children you can't really type with accuracy either since their function development is at a more primitive level.

 

[Cellmold]

I would also add those who are induced by their environment to act in ways that are opposite to their functional ordering.