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[MBTI General] Is it possible to be both extroverted and introverted?

myrow

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I'm in a bit of a dilemma right now:

When I'm in a pretty bad mood, I get introverted, and prefer to avoid people and focus on doing things myself. Basically I'm more of an INTP.

On the other side, when I'm in a great mood, I get very extroverted, and I am eager to meet new people and share the "energy". I guess I become an ENTP.

Is this possible? :newwink:
 

Eckhart

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The sense of MBTI is to point out your preferences. All people can use all functions, but they usually will prefer one to another. When you usually are introverted, then your type is that of an I. Just try to find out what is more natural to you usually.
 

Night

Boring old fossil
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It's all perspective, so it's more of an academic principle than anything. There's no absolute measurement for "extroversion" or "intuition", as the entire field is fairly subjective and more about defining the moment.

So, to answer your question - yes. It's possible.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
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You don't really become one or the other.

Mood can definitely impact whether someone wants to engage... and what they desire when they're in a bad mood.

In practical experience, too, introverts can be shy when they don't know people but very engaging when they know people well.

Focus more on your energy flow, especially in large gatherings. Can you buzz all night long and feel disappointed the night is over and can't sleep... or do you buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz... then suddenly CRASH GOTTA GO NOW sort of experience?


... maybe you're entroverted.
Or ixtroverted.
Yeah.
 

myrow

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Focus more on your energy flow, especially in large gatherings. Can you buzz all night long and feel disappointed the night is over and can't sleep... or do you buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz... then suddenly CRASH GOTTA GO NOW sort of experience?

This question solved it for me. I can't stand large gatherings =). Thanks for the prompt response!
 

gps

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INTP
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Is it possible to be both extroverted and introverted?

I suppose Bill Clinton might respond with, "It depends on what the meaning of the word `is' is."
C.G. Jung -- who coined the terms `introvert' and `extravert' also conceived of ambivert to apply to those who could `swing both ways', if you know what I mean.

As the MBTI deals with average preferences only, one may experience instantaneous preferences at odds with their average, typical, characteristic preferences.
 
R

ReflecTcelfeR

Guest
If I've interpreted Carl Jung correctly it is possible.
 

Wonkavision

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Jan 14, 2009
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1,154
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ENFP
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7w8
The sense of MBTI is to point out your preferences. All people can use all functions, but they usually will prefer one to another. When you usually are introverted, then your type is that of an I. Just try to find out what is more natural to you usually.

Thank you!


Jesus, it's REALLY simple, folks.

It's not about what you're good at/not good at.


THE QUESTION IS:

Which do you generally PREFER?????

Which is more comfortable or natural to you??????


It's SOOOOOOOOOO incredibly simple.


AGH!:doh:
 

sulfit

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sp/so
Also being extraverted doesn't mean you seek interaction with people. For T-type extraverts I've noticed their extraversion is often directed at environment that may not include people. I've known an ENTP who by commonly accepted definition would be a total introvert. His extraversion was directed at electronics, gadgets, his computers, he was often buying some new gadget, upgrading his computer, cracking some programs, buying various other kind of electronics, reading news on new products that came out, selling his old stuff and juggling his money in hopes to afford a new shiny electronic toy. This is what he spend 90% of his free time on. He only interacted with people from work really and had very few friends. It is usually the F-type extraverts who fits the common definition of extraversion i.e. socializing, partying, and wanting to be with people.
 

INTP

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No its not.

here is one big difference between intp and entp.

intp profile said:
Here is an aspect where INTP and ENTP types differ strongly. The latter, with dominant iNtuition, are much more driven by shaping the world according to their ideas, ie. thinking supports and subordinates doing. For the INTP, doing supports and subordinates thinking.
 

simulatedworld

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Well everyone has both introverted and extroverted perspectives, so not only is it possible, it's necessarily true in all cases.

However, one will always be stronger than the other, so if you intend to ask if it's possible to be perfectly balanced between the two, then the answer is no.
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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However, one will always be stronger than the other, so if you intend to ask if it's possible to be perfectly balanced between the two, then the answer is no.

How would you ever seriously quantify something like that? You'd think strength x frequency might work, but neither of those variable are easy to measure.
 

Thalassa

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Also being extraverted doesn't mean you seek interaction with people. For T-type extraverts I've noticed their extraversion is often directed at environment that may not include people. I've known an ENTP who by commonly accepted definition would be a total introvert. His extraversion was directed at electronics, gadgets, his computers, he was often buying some new gadget, upgrading his computer, cracking some programs, buying various other kind of electronics, reading news on new products that came out, selling his old stuff and juggling his money in hopes to afford a new shiny electronic toy. This is what he spend 90% of his free time on. He only interacted with people from work really and had very few friends. It is usually the F-type extraverts who fits the common definition of extraversion i.e. socializing, partying, and wanting to be with people.

Actually, that's not even necessarily the case. Apparently both ENxPs are less, uh, traditionally extroverted. I thought I was an introvert for a very long time, and apparently other ENFPs on this site have experienced the same issue. We've come to the conclusion that ENFPs are probably just more outspoken and inclined to show Te than their INFP cousins, rather than appearing wildly more social. I personally fall on the low end of extroversion (I always test somewhere in the 50/50 range or close) and it mainly seems to apply to the expression of my personality rather than my inclination to be with others. It's kind of like what you're talking about with your ENTP friend expressing his extroversion toward things or ideas rather than people, except expressed in an Fi way instead of a Ti way.
 

simulatedworld

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How would you ever seriously quantify something like that? You'd think strength x frequency might work, but neither of those variable are easy to measure.

It's not a question that can be handled with quantifiable measurement. That's not really the angle that Jungian typology approaches the issue from.
 

entropie

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We once pointed out that there's a difference between social introversion and the introversion of functions mbti talks about. What the latter means in that sense my colleagues above pointed out already and you can read a lot on the forums about entp and intp differences.

But to be a socially introverted or ivory-tower entp is no uncommon thing; if you think about how an entp is defined via Extroverted Intuition, it is in fact a thing that happens quite often and by some people it's even liked to be seen as insane in the membrane :whistling:.

But as an entp you'll notice that your internal drive, which is most often defined by the things you are enthusiastic about will always bring you back into contact with the real world and eventually bring you into positions of responsibility where you can work with others on the projects that intrest you. This drive in an entp can have different dimensions, ranging from joining groups that care to make the world a better place and move into countries to go against the regional criminal establishment or becoming a gangster boss and forming a local thug squad that break noses of business partners they aint happy with; or a rather more introverted seeker of the new and intresting that delves in silence in front of his computer about fantastic movies, theories, ideas or watches brilliant movies and sees a deeper meaning in it and a big picture conveyed to him, which i.e. moral approach to things would change the real world for the better aswell.

One thing's for sure tho, entps are anything but common and in 9 out of 10 places you'll visit in your life, you'll be considered as uncommon, strange or even alien always giving you the feeling that you dont belong resulting in you thinking you're introverted.

To those people, in all circumstances, always keep a good "fuck you" in the backhand, cause if they would see themselves thru your eyes and figure how much they suck, they prolly never gonna find the concinsce to say a word again :)
 

entropie

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I heard a good wow imago lately:

intps can be brilliant mages, brilliant rogues and brilliant priests but of all types the entp is always the druid :D.

( tho we all know the good old paladin with the bubble of fear kicks all butts :D )
 

slowriot

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Also being extraverted doesn't mean you seek interaction with people. For T-type extraverts I've noticed their extraversion is often directed at environment that may not include people. I've known an ENTP who by commonly accepted definition would be a total introvert. His extraversion was directed at electronics, gadgets, his computers, he was often buying some new gadget, upgrading his computer, cracking some programs, buying various other kind of electronics, reading news on new products that came out, selling his old stuff and juggling his money in hopes to afford a new shiny electronic toy. This is what he spend 90% of his free time on. He only interacted with people from work really and had very few friends. It is usually the F-type extraverts who fits the common definition of extraversion i.e. socializing, partying, and wanting to be with people.

Yes exactly it depends on your preferences. Like the extroverted sensing thinking person thats energetic and funny and so on when talking about objective factual concepts like electronics and so on. But gets depressed and lacking his natural energy when talking about himself or certain aspects of matters that have a feeling value to it.

About introversion vs extroversion its basically about where you get your energy from, is it from interaction and involvement in activities, other people, engaging debates you might be extroverted. If you get energy from alone time where you can reflect on the activities, even solitude activities, reflect on people and ideas and knowledge, it might suggest introversion. I know this is a lacking model of introversion vs extroversion. But it is generally where you get your energy from. Is it the outer world or your own inner world. We all get energy from both but what do you prefer as your main recharger of energy.

Like for me, Im introverted in the sense that I dont need very much time with people. I go on ventrilo on here and I get the interaction I need to recharge my social batteries.

Its a little like what we have to eat. Like I enjoy a good steak a lot and I have beef a lot of the time (aka introversion) but if I only had that all the time I would get bored by it and it would get tasteless. I need chicken or vegetarian food (or extroversion) to have the diversity needed for me to enjoy steak so much.
 

Thalassa

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About introversion vs extroversion its basically about where you get your energy from, is it from interaction and involvement in activities, other people, engaging debates you might be extroverted. If you get energy from alone time where you can reflect on the activities, even solitude activities, reflect on people and ideas and knowledge, it might suggest introversion. I know this is a lacking model of introversion vs extroversion. But it is generally where you get your energy from. Is it the outer world or your own inner world. We all get energy from both but what do you prefer as your main recharger of energy.

You know this is good, because asking someone if they get energy from being alone or with people is so vague and confusing...I tend to think, um, people often drain me, especially if I don't like them, so I vote alone...but using specific examples like getting energy from debating or engaging in activities ...like how entropie was talking about seeking new information on the Internet and in movies...or how I get a charge from seeing new places or going on "adventures" and feel dead if I get stuck into a rut for too long...it's not necessarily about being with a bunch of people.

EDIT: It's like when I realized that a life of just writing would actually be very difficult for me. I think if I were a true introvert the idea of being alone with my own thoughts and creations would be exhilirating, rather than making me feel like if there were no regular feedback I'd feel...unmotivated...and isolated...hmmm strange thoughts for an introvert to have, huh? It really surprised me when I had that realization, because I thought I wanted to be a novelist.
 

Salomé

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No. It's not possible. It's a spectrum. You fall somewhere on that scale, naturally.
IME, introverts don't usually have a problem knowing that they're introverts. Depressed or troubled extroverts sometimes think they are introverts, wrongly. This is where the common misunderstanding that introverts are broken comes from, IMO. Because an extrovert acting like an introvert is broken. E/I is a function of brain chemistry which is a function of genes (innate disposition) + environmental influences.
Say you're a formula 1 car (extrovert); under optimum conditions, you perform like one. But put in the wrong fuel or forget maintenance and you'll start running like a Skoda Fabia (introvert - no offense :) ). A Skoda is never gonna run like an F1 though. But it's a bit more comfortable to make out in. :D
 
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