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Trying to type an ISTP/ISTJ

DaRick

New member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
100
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Well, there is this...uh...friend of mine. He insists that he's an ISTJ, but I think that he's more of an ISTP. To break the deadlock, I'll ask you guys your opinions. He's not such a big fan of online tests; besides, I hardly ever get him to do what I want him to when I ask. I'll give you a few examples:

- He's a generous, giving person, but unscrupulous people will exploit this
- He has a lot of self-confidence
- He lives for the moment
- He can be insensitive, yet he seems to dislike conflict
- He will listen to your opinion and constructive criticism, but he often refuses to apply it in favour of his own (sometimes erroneous) judgements
- He's impulsive
- He's VERY poor with money
- He's a rational person, but gets emotional when upset
- He can be controlling at times
- He tends to delay things
- He can back up his actions with words, but he doesn't do this consistently
- He likes company when he goes driving or on his various voyages
- He's a competent office manager
- He rarely looks back upon the past and never thinks about the future
- He sees the good in people
- He is a person of morality - but he puts too much faith in other people's ethical standards
- He tends to show his love to his children by doing things for them, rather than through expression
- He can be judgemental of others
- He often strikes me as a laid-back person
- Does things without really expecting much in return
- He rarely asks others for help
- He's very good with his hands
- He strikes me as being a practical person, having known him for a long time
- Enjoys alcohol
 

Jae Rae

Free-Rangin' Librarian
Joined
Nov 19, 2007
Messages
979
MBTI Type
INFJ
Impulsive, laidback, tends to delay things, lives for the moment. Not a J.

Jae Rae
 

Usehername

On a mission
Joined
May 30, 2007
Messages
3,794
Impulsive, laidback, tends to delay things, lives for the moment. Not a J.

Jae Rae

Not a strong J. I am not impulsive, but appear impulsive to others b/c I reach decisions quickly (very J trait) they just don't know I've previously weighed my options and thoroughly thought them out. I'm laidback if I've had time to prep things and understand what's gonna come up. I tend to delay things in general.
 

DaRick

New member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
100
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Not a strong J. I am not impulsive, but appear impulsive to others b/c I reach decisions quickly (very J trait) they just don't know I've previously weighed my options and thoroughly thought them out. I'm laidback if I've had time to prep things and understand what's gonna come up. I tend to delay things in general.

Hmm...this guy is odd...he does reach decisions quickly, leading to his impusiveness. For instance, once, we passed a shop and he asked me quickly whether I wanted a Coke or whatever. A lot of the time, though, he'll put off making important decisions or doing things he should do until later, to his inevitable cost. This is partially because he's just laidback about most things, as he believes that he has things under control all of the time, when in fact, half the time he doesn't.
 

Mycroft

The elder Holmes
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,068
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
so/sp
The following is anecdotal, so take it or reject it as you will:

I have a lot of experience with ISTJs, and "laid back" is the last phrase I would use to describe a single one of them.
 

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,213
MBTI Type
INTJ
Impulsive, laidback, tends to delay things, lives for the moment. Not a J.

Jae Rae


Not a strong J. I am not impulsive, but appear impulsive to others b/c I reach decisions quickly (very J trait) they just don't know I've previously weighed my options and thoroughly thought them out. I'm laidback if I've had time to prep things and understand what's gonna come up. I tend to delay things in general.

What Usehername said. My DH is a confirmed ISTJ, and he can be quite impulsive about some things, though if you talk to him about it, you'll see he's spent a long time thinking about his impulsiveness. Usually he doesn't mention it because, well, he knows I'd play 'rational'.
 

Natrushka

Pareo cattus
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
1,213
MBTI Type
INTJ
The following is anecdotal, so take it or reject it as you will:

I have a lot of experience with ISTJs, and "laid back" is the last phrase I would use to describe a single one of them.

Accepted - with a big old smile.
 

Splittet

Wannabe genius
Joined
Jun 12, 2007
Messages
632
MBTI Type
INTJ
Sounds like he is an ISTP. His perceiving function must be Se, so some kind of SP at least.
 

DaRick

New member
Joined
Oct 19, 2007
Messages
100
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Accepted - with a big old smile.

The ISTJ's I know aren't 'laid back' either. My brother certainly isn't, although my school teacher pretended to be in front of the class.
 

alcea rosea

New member
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Nov 11, 2007
Messages
3,658
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ENFP
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7w6
I would say your friend is rather F than T. What about xSFP? ISFP?
 
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Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
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594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
- He's a competent office manager

Talk more about this. What, in your mind, makes you consider him a "competent" office manager? What are his strengths and weaknesses in that position?
 

Gabe

New member
Joined
Nov 17, 2007
Messages
590
MBTI Type
ENTP
feeling type. You describe him from a 'thinky' perspective, yet I'm already sure he's a feeling type.
 

arcticangel02

To the top of the world
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
892
MBTI Type
eNFP
Maybe 80% of the points sound like they could be applied to my female ISTP friend.

But of course, with the male/female, T/F thing going on, she could come across more F because she's female and he may indeed be an F or borderline but come across more like a T.
 

Jae Rae

Free-Rangin' Librarian
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Nov 19, 2007
Messages
979
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INFJ
Impulsive car buy

Not a strong J. I am not impulsive, but appear impulsive to others b/c I reach decisions quickly (very J trait) they just don't know I've previously weighed my options and thoroughly thought them out. I'm laidback if I've had time to prep things and understand what's gonna come up. I tend to delay things in general.


Speaking of impulsivity, I once bought a new car (Subaru) very quickly. Test drove it one day, did no other research and went back for it the next day. I had it 22 years. It was an impulsive move, but I knew enough to make a good, solid decision.

As a J, I like to have decisions made rather than stretched out. We bought our last car in a different way: it was a second car and we bought it secondhand. We test drove lots of them, did research, consulted with friends. Ended up with another Subaru (Forester). It wasn't the first car we tested. The roof leaks. Sigh.

Jae Rae
 

arcticangel02

To the top of the world
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Messages
892
MBTI Type
eNFP
ISTP's I know are not exactly people loving persons and do not necesarily see good in people. It's the other way around, they tend to be reserved and sarcastic and think the worst of people. (That might not be the general ISTP trait.)

I disagree with that. The ISTP I know is fairly laid-back unless she's challenged, and is generally a pleasant, helpful person. Reserved or quiet, sure, but she's not sarcastic at all. If anything she's a little naive and takes a lot of things too literally.

It sounds like you're describing an INTP. ;)
 

Randomnity

insert random title here
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
9,485
MBTI Type
ISTP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
If you want some anecdotal evidence, I do all of these except:

- He's a generous, giving person, but unscrupulous people will exploit this
- He has a lot of self-confidence
- He's VERY poor with money
- He's a competent office manager
- He sees the good in people

He does seem more P than J from what you've described here, although if he really thinks he's an ISTJ he might just be an atypical one.
 

Colors

The Destroyer
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
1,276
MBTI Type
ISTP
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5w4
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
But certainly I don't really see ISTPs as always seeing the worst in people. (Though maybe from an F perspective, this appears true.)

Back to the OP. Your friend sounds like an ISTP, but ISFP is appealing to me now too... And certainly not all xSTJs are bossy all the time. But I'm leaning towards P, especially how you talk about him delaying things.
 

alcea rosea

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But certainly I don't really see ISTPs as always seeing the worst in people. (Though maybe from an F perspective, this appears true.)

I might be wrong with my conclusion that ISTP's see the worst in people but I originally was wondering that it might not be the ISTP trait. :thinking: :)
 
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redacted

Well-known member
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Nov 28, 2007
Messages
4,223
dude strikes me as an ISFP

edit: i have a feeling you want to type him as a T because he doesn't have strong Fe. but xxFP wouldn't have strong Fe necessarily.
 
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