[ENTP] NTs (esp ENTP) influence from physical surroundings?

[annnie]

Hey all

I have the book 'Personality Type - An Owner's Manual' by Lenore Thompson (actually have lost the book at home so thank goodness for Google Books! - Personality type: an owner's manual - Google Books) and took the test in the front of the book, already knowing I am ENTP but somehow can't resist taking one of these tests!

Anyway most of the questions on these tests are quite transparent in their wording in that you can tell whether they are leaning towards 'J' or 'P' etc (not to mention on this one you score it yourself according to the details given!) but was a bit thrown by one question meant to distinguish N from S so wondered if anyone Ns/NTs had any further thoughts on this.

The wording of the question is that "My physical surroundings are important to me and affect how I feel" (S) or "Atmosphere isn't all that important to me if I like what I'm doing" (N), we have to choose one from these options.

My reason for asking is I am strongly 'N' and this was reflected on most of the answers but this particular question was one I had quite a strong response to, on the 'S' side, I am very influenced by the physical environment, for example:
- I am extremely messy at home although frequently feel constrained by mess in that I can't do stuff while there is all this mess around
- Was at boarding school and had a room whilst there which (without going into too much long boring detail) due to features of the room itself and control I had over it, was able to do a lot of 'creative' stuff there and feel very strongly even now that it was due to the environment - to the extent that I have since tried to re-create it elsewhere.
- The beach etc as a way of 'opening up' ideas for projects etc
-- and so it goes on..

I am not sure about this question as to the validity of N/S, admittedly just based on my experience (I answered almost 100% of the other N/S questions in the way "expected" for a strong iNtuitive type, my Ne is very dominant) so does anyone else have a similar thing (influence from environment) and do you think this is a valid N/S question?

It seems to me it's more of an I/E question if anything though I could be wrong on this (I don't understand these introverts despite the fact I used to think I was one myself! )

 

[Stevo]

It certainly applies to me. Whether that says it's a I, N, T, or P thing I don't know.

I can see why they said it was an S/N thing though.

 

[freeeekyyy]

I'd think Ne and Se would be very much influenced by environment, and Si and Ni would not be.

 

[Such Irony]

I gave the N response to that question. Most of the time I'm not a big atmosphere junkie. If I'm going out to a restaurant, ambience doesn't seem as important to me as it does some other people. I just want a good tasting meal, courteous and efficient service, a clean restaurant, and enjoy the company of who I'm with. I don't care that much about the restaurant's decor and the like although if the restaurant has an exceptionally good ambience, that is a plus.

When I'm doing something I enjoy, I kind of ignore my surroundings in the process, so at that point I don't really care if the decor is aestetically pleasing or not.

But I don't totally ignore my physical surroundings and it would be wrong to say they have no importance at all. I'm sensitive to temperature in environment for example and if I'm too hot or too cold, it distracts me from the enjoyment of what I'm doing.

 

[Shimmy]

Ow yes, physical surroundings make such a big difference. I always pick up the energy of the place I'm in. Sound (I'm very auditive) is the biggest factor for me, but other things in my surroundings make such a big difference as to what I will do and feel.

 

[nozflubber]

yeah i'd agree that's a bad item on type tests - seems like it might lead to a lot of false positives of S preference as you suggested. A lot of the items suck, to be honest, but i'll be damned if i'm gonna be the one to come up with better ones

 

[Kasper]

Sounds more E/I to me too. My physical surroundings are important to me and do affect how I feel.

 

[Asterion]

ya, I like atmospheres a lot. Like nostalgic pubs or blissful holidays, or even just getting up early in the city with the sunlight and people hurrying around, looking important. I'd rather do something boring in a cool place than something interesting in a dinky little office. It's the main reason I don't like doing work at home, I'll take an hour bus ride instead just to avoid it.

 

[annnie]

Thanks for all the responses, confirms I am not the only one thinking this question is a bit odd!

Actually the whole premise of the test seems strange, as the book is very much 'Function' (Ne etc) based and groups the types on this basis, whereas the test is a standard (but more detailed than the usual online ones) E/I, F/T etc dichotomy.

Someone needs to make (if not already) a test that identifies the functions, rather than the 'letter' preferences as such... though I'm not sure what kind of questions could be asked to determine such a thing

 

[Tewt]

Ow yes, physical surroundings make such a big difference. I always pick up the energy of the place I'm in. Sound (I'm very auditive) is the biggest factor for me, but other things in my surroundings make such a big difference as to what I will do and feel.

This is true for me as well. My physical surroundings do affect me, I think the difference is that sometimes I'm not always aware of the effect on me.

It can take me awhile to figure out I'm in a pissy mood from the mess in the house. I'll avoid going into rooms that are too messy/dirty for my liking and then I can't do things I need to do and then I'm annoyed without fully realizing why.

And this happens with a lot of things, if there are noises that distract me in a certain building I'll have a slight undercurrent of irritation but it's not immediate why.

 

[entropie]

Wow Thompsons description of ENTPs is kinda evil ?! What happened there ?!

Makes me even think I am enfp after I read both descriptions

 

[annnie]

Wow Thompsons description of ENTPs is kinda evil ?! What happened there ?!

Makes me even think I am enfp after I read both descriptions

Is it? I hadn't noticed (not kidding) What bits are you referring to?

Have just looked it up again in the book (now thankfully located - was under the sofa - ISTP "other half" called me out on the mess finally and I extracted it!)

I could identify with most of the description, though not all (but in the sense of "not sure it's accurate or applicable to me" rather than "insulting"). - e.g. 'ruthlessly short attention span' (I don't have the attention span for a movie - it's torture going to the cinema [theater...for americans] - I have to go to the cinema watch dvds in installments...) - 'alert to systemic logic' - 'hypomanic' (or do all these traits come off as borderline sociopath to more 'normal' types?)

(I don't agree with "broad public influence" - like Malcolm X? or was he ESTP? - "relish socialization" - etc)

 

[entropie]

look at the first sentence alone on page 209: "ENTPs are aggressive, expansive and opportunistic ..."

w00t ? I rather can identify more with the enfp description

I am surprised never read the book.

 

[annnie]

look at the first sentence alone on page 209: "ENTPs are aggressive, expansive and opportunistic ..."

w00t ? I rather can identify more with the enfp description

I am surprised never read the book.

Perhaps I'm just evil then so it seems normal - dunno I don't see that as evil!

Maybe you are a closet ENFP!

 

[Red Herring]

Back to the original question:
As a Ti dom my default mode is to zone out and be lost daydreaming. In order to be able to zone out however the exterior must be such that I can savely neglect it: not too cold, not too much noice, not standing in the midle of the road during rushhour traffic, etc. As soon as that is taken care of, I´m off. Otherwise the environment will brievely attract my attention and affect my mood as well (especially in the case of cold) until I can safely return to my usual oblivious state. Maybe it is exactly because it pulls me out of that default mode that an uncomfortable environment can get me cranky.
A positive surrounding on the other hand (nice warm bath, a walk on a beautiful beach, etc.) is usually 90% lost on me: once in a while I zone back in to check that everything is fine, very brievely enjoy it and return to cloud 42.