• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

[NT] Do you answer your phone?

Arandur

New member
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
60
MBTI Type
INTJ
I never pick up my home phone unless I'm expecting a call (no caller ID, unfortunately).

As for my cell phone, which does have caller ID, that depends on whether I feel like talking to the person or not. There are only two people who I will always pick up the phone for.

My type is to the left of this post.
 

indigo2020

New member
Joined
May 16, 2007
Messages
122
MBTI Type
INFJ
I answer the phone probably about 20% of the time unless I am in a really good mood (which is not very often). I do listen to my voice mail messages and read test messages. I am more likely to respond to text messages because it does not require me talking with the person.

It's partly a control issue. I want to control if and when (and where) I talk with people. So I may call them back later if I feel like it. Often I feel like they are interrupted my precious time and I will be bored. I am often reading when the phone rings and I would much rather continue reading.

I figure that if it's important they will leave a message and if I need to call them back I will. Short of that, chatting is not one of my favorite pastimes.

I am an INFJ.
 

amber_rk

New member
Joined
Aug 18, 2007
Messages
11
MBTI Type
INTJ
People tend to call when 'they' are in good mood or bored or having free time - so if this does not go with me, I never answer the phone. I rather call back when I have more free time (and when I'm resting in between my obsessive hobbies).

Once I was so obsessed in doing something I didn't answer calls from my friend five times in a row. Basically I wasn't feeling like talking about 'unimportant' (how are you doing, my day was like this etc.), so I shut off my phone for a while.

My friend thought I had an accident.
 

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,213
MBTI Type
INTJ
My cell phone just rang. Only one person calls my cell phone, and he knows I'm home, and that phone hasn't rung. So I went to find the damned thing and look; I didn't recognize the number so I hit "ignore" and went back to what I was doing. Hmmmp.
 

developer

New member
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Messages
117
MBTI Type
INTJ
And what type are you? My burning questions this morning.

Do you answer your phone?



And what type are you?

------------------------

A) Yep. But it's a cellphone and am selective about who gets the number. When I don't want to be distrubed, I turn it off.

B) IXTJ (whatever that may mean)
 

MerkW

New member
Joined
Aug 10, 2007
Messages
534
For me, answering the telephone is actually no big deal. At the same time, though, I usually sit back hoping that somebody else in the house will pick it up. The real problem for me, on the other hand, is calling other people. I have no idea why, but for some reason even the notion of calling somebody makes me cringe.
 

Ms. M

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2007
Messages
80
MBTI Type
INTJ
I exclusively use my cell phone, and always screen calls with the caller ID before answering.
 

Ivy

Strongly Ambivalent
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
23,989
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6
I was reminded of this thread recently. One of my favorites in MBTIc history.

An update- I got a new answering machine with a VOLUME BUTTON! which means I can turn the ringer off AND not hear the message! So I don't even know people called until I check it on purpose! Unfortunately, I was missing important messages that way, so I had to turn on the "message waiting" signal so that I would get messages right away.

So I guess the long and short of it is that I'm still not answering the phone, and I'm still pretty okay with it. :)

I originally thought this was tied to introversion. Recently, I have been questioning it. Maybe some introverts like the phone because it offer a buffer between conversants, since you can't see each other? I know that my sister is very much an extrovert, and she is VERY curt on the phone because so much of her communication is through body language and facial expressions. I know when I call her that I have to keep it short and sweet or she will get bored! :) So it may not be tied to I/E after all.
 

rhinosaur

Just a statistic
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
1,464
MBTI Type
INTP
If my phone isn't dead, and I'm not in a meeting or class, I'll answer it.
Unfortunately, it's been dead for two days.
 

disregard

mrs
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
7,826
MBTI Type
INFP
I don't have a cell phone.. haven't for 6 months, when I realised the cost/benefit ratio wasn't satisfying. I have a house phone, but I haven't given the number to anyone yet.

Oops.. I didn't answer the question.

I would always answer it.
 

CzeCze

RETIRED
Joined
Sep 11, 2007
Messages
8,975
MBTI Type
GONE
That's funny because I am an ENFP and I have been accused of being the 'queen of screen'. I used to not answer the phone except for a few close friends. This was when I had a fair bit of social anxiety and not a lot of self-confidence. I don't have such resistance to answering my phone now. Also at this transitional stage in my life, I don't need a cel. phone but I'm stuck with my plan, so I have it at the cheapest rate possible which they only give out to 'loyal customers'.
 

Ivy

Strongly Ambivalent
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
23,989
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6
CzeCze, I've struggled with social anxiety as well. That might have something to do with my phone phobia.

I have to make a confession:

when I make necessary phone calls, I'm often relieved if the other party's answering machine picks up.
 

Maverick

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
880
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Do you answer your phone?

90% of the time I do. If I'm busy, I will pick up the phone and say that I'm busy and ask if I can call back the person later.

And what type are you?

ENTJ
 

Mort Belfry

Rats off to ya!
Joined
Jan 12, 2008
Messages
1,238
MBTI Type
INTP
I never answer the phone, my mother and brother know to ring twice to get a response.
 

LucrativeSid

New member
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
837
I hate talking on the phone but I probably answer it more than most of you do. If somebody is genuinely trying to get ahold of me for any reason, I offer them the respect of at least answering the phone, hearing what they want, and then telling them that I'm busy or that I don't want to talk. If it's my girlfriend, I'll happily answer. Everybody else knows that I won't sit and chat on the phone, so they only call to set up a meeting time or for something else that's very quick.

I will never get out of bed to answer the phone. And obviously I won't answer if I'm right in the middle of something important. (But I always call back when I get the chance.) I don't get many phone calls so it's easy to manage.

I'm an ENTP, or possibly a very cool INTP. ;)
 

LucrativeSid

New member
Joined
Oct 20, 2007
Messages
837
Once I was so obsessed in doing something I didn't answer calls from my friend five times in a row. Basically I wasn't feeling like talking about 'unimportant' (how are you doing, my day was like this etc.), so I shut off my phone for a while.

My friend thought I had an accident.

Anybody who would call 5 times in a row needs some kind of professional help! Call once, leave a message, and wait! I used to say that in my voicemail and everybody thought it was funny, and mean. I think everybody that calls me knows me well enough not to ever call twice in a row.
 

Ivy

Strongly Ambivalent
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
23,989
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6
That super-blows, Ender.
 
Top