Regarding my MBTI type

[Katefox]

I still don't think I understand well enough the cognitive functions to comment on them, and which ones I use most. I would like to understand more about them, though, and would like to know if anyone sees any of the functions being particularly prominent in how I describe myself.

I can, however, understand the MBTI as a set of dichotomies, and that's how I've come up with my tentative type. I think I've finally got a basic understanding of what the different letters represent, and I thought I might a little about how I reasoned out what my type might be to see if you agree with my reasoning, or if there's anything in my understanding that you think is incorrect.

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I/E -- This was the easiest to get because I've always been an Introvert. I can only do so much people things before needing to go home and hang out by myself for a bit. Especially with people who are outgoing, like my boyfriend's family; I love them dearly but I find them overwhelming if I spend a weekend with them, and have to spend the next day by myself to relax. Not to say I avoid social interaction, in fact, I've discovered that I do need some kind of socialness to keep myself healthy (I tend to withdraw when I'm stressed, but then find that being alone fuels my stressedness, and I need some kind of social interaction to break the negative thought process).

N/S -- This one is more difficult, but in the end, I'd say I'm Sensing because I know I'm not iNtuitive. There's actually very little I feel like I do intuitively; the only things I can think of are fiction writing and solving the word jumble in the newspaper (when I find a newspaper with a word jumble in it, that is). For everything else, it's analysis and reasoning through things. I also like to examine things close up, turning them in my hands; I tend to hold out a hand when I ask to see something, which seems a fairly Sensing thing to do. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that's a quirk of being blind; I actually can't see whatever it is I want to look at if it's not right in front of my nose, and am as likely to get useful information from touch as from sight. Oh, and examples make things clearer for me, which might also be seen as a Sensing property?

T/F -- This one also gives me trouble, but I tend to think I'm a Thinker. It's troublesome because I have some Feeling tendencies, namely I'm super conflict-avoidant, and I understand that's a Feeling thing. I also apparently type, as in write, as a Feeler, with more non-aggressive, polite language. But in the end, I think I relate to my emotions in a more Thinkery way, that is to say, by analysing and reasoning through them, rather than going with the emotional response. I came to this conclusion when one day a few weeks ago, I was really upset with my friends, but found myself wondering about why I was so upset with them, that I seemed more upset than the situation warranted, and there must be something else bothering me about it. As it turned out, there was, and as soon as I hit upon the underlying reason for my emotions, I felt much better, and wasn't half as upset as when I started. I don't get the impression that is a very Feelery thought process. The thing I'm not sure of, though, is that Thinkers aren't supposed to be good at expressing their emotions, but I've never really had a problem with this? I just tend not to like them half the time, and feel like they only get in the way, but maybe that, too, is a Thinkery outlook.

P/J -- This one took me the longest to figure out, I think. On the surface, it seems like I should be a Perceiver, because I tend to procrastinate, usually not so much that I don't get the work done on time, but I will chronically put things off as long as I think I can get away with. In fact, I don't get much done if I don't have a deadline. I don't like deadlines, but I need them if I'm going to accomplish anything substantial. That said, I think I end up on the Judging side of things because I am really not a go-with-the-flow kind of person, and hate not having some kind of plan. I don't think well on my feet, or work well when put on the spot. I can be kind of rigid, and absolutely hate unexpected changes in plan, or changes in general. I do not like surprises. I also prefer to have a path and know where I'm going instead of having lots of options (I can be horribly indecisive, so I kind of get stuck if there's not one option that's clearly superior, more what I want).

So yes, that would make me an ISTJ. Which I guess works, but not so much? I don't fit the stoic, and dependable ISTJ image, so... I guess I'm wondering if I have enough of the S, T, and J to fit as an ISTJ, and also, if I was to look at my cognitive functions, would I come out as anything different, and how on Earth do I evaluate my functions, anyway? (There's probably a test for that, just like there are MBTI tests, but I'm sure they'll be as accurate as the MBTI tests, too, which is to say, only somewhat.)

Um yeah, so does my reasoning seem sound? Is there anything I've missed out that I should consider? How do I go about typing myself by cognitive functions?

 

[Such Irony]

I/E -- This was the easiest to get because I've always been an Introvert. I can only do so much people things before needing to go home and hang out by myself for a bit. Especially with people who are outgoing, like my boyfriend's family; I love them dearly but I find them overwhelming if I spend a weekend with them, and have to spend the next day by myself to relax. Not to say I avoid social interaction, in fact, I've discovered that I do need some kind of socialness to keep myself healthy (I tend to withdraw when I'm stressed, but then find that being alone fuels my stressedness, and I need some kind of social interaction to break the negative thought process).

Sounds consistent with I

N/S -- This one is more difficult, but in the end, I'd say I'm Sensing because I know I'm not iNtuitive. There's actually very little I feel like I do intuitively; the only things I can think of are fiction writing and solving the word jumble in the newspaper (when I find a newspaper with a word jumble in it, that is). For everything else, it's analysis and reasoning through things.

The bolded is MBTI thinking

I also like to examine things close up, turning them in my hands; I tend to hold out a hand when I ask to see something, which seems a fairly Sensing thing to do. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that's a quirk of being blind; I actually can't see whatever it is I want to look at if it's not right in front of my nose, and am as likely to get useful information from touch as from sight. Oh, and examples make things clearer for me, which might also be seen as a Sensing property?

Are the examples more concrete (S) or theoretical ones? (N) I think both types find examples helpful. It's which types of examples.

I lean slightly towards S for you but need more information to have any confidence in my guess.



T/F -- This one also gives me trouble, but I tend to think I'm a Thinker. It's troublesome because I have some Feeling tendencies, namely I'm super conflict-avoidant, and I understand that's a Feeling thing. I also apparently type, as in write, as a Feeler, with more non-aggressive, polite language. But in the end, I think I relate to my emotions in a more Thinkery way, that is to say, by analysing and reasoning through them, rather than going with the emotional response.

Some T's can be quite conflict avoidant, especially if they have a strong enneagram 9 component. (I'm a conflict avoiding T with type 9 almost as high as type 5). I think the bolded statement is rather suggestive of T.

I came to this conclusion when one day a few weeks ago, I was really upset with my friends, but found myself wondering about why I was so upset with them, that I seemed more upset than the situation warranted, and there must be something else bothering me about it. As it turned out, there was, and as soon as I hit upon the underlying reason for my emotions, I felt much better, and wasn't half as upset as when I started. I don't get the impression that is a very Feelery thought process.


The thing I'm not sure of, though, is that Thinkers aren't supposed to be good at expressing their emotions, but I've never really had a problem with this? I just tend not to like them half the time, and feel like they only get in the way, but maybe that, too, is a Thinkery outlook.

Some T's are more emotionally expressive than others. T's who are also extraverts and have tertiary Fe (ESTP and ENTP) from what I've noticed tend to be more emotionally expressive.

Feeling that emotions just get in the way and not liking them sounds like T to me.

So I do think overall, MBTI T is more likely for you.


P/J -- This one took me the longest to figure out, I think. On the surface, it seems like I should be a Perceiver, because I tend to procrastinate, usually not so much that I don't get the work done on time, but I will chronically put things off as long as I think I can get away with.

Both Js and Ps procrastinate but its more likely to be a problem that P types have.

In fact, I don't get much done if I don't have a deadline. I don't like deadlines, but I need them if I'm going to accomplish anything substantial.

I think J's are more likely to impose their own deadlines since they tend to be more self-disciplined, while P's are more likely to rely on externally set deadlines. I actually think P's are more likely to say they don't get things done without deadlines because J's tend to be more self-disciplined and will get things done even without a deadline. But that's just my observations. On the other hand, it's the J's who care more about getting things done in the first place. P's are more process oriented.

That said, I think I end up on the Judging side of things because I am really not a go-with-the-flow kind of person, and hate not having some kind of plan.

This sounds more J.

I don't think well on my feet, or work well when put on the spot.

I've also seen this attributed to introversion. I have problems with this and I'm INTP (although my P is weak).

I can be kind of rigid, and absolutely hate unexpected changes in plan, or changes in general. I do not like surprises.

Sounds J to me.

I also prefer to have a path and know where I'm going instead of having lots of options (I can be horribly indecisive, so I kind of get stuck if there's not one option that's clearly superior, more what I want).

Hmmm. P's to do like having options and keeping them open. Yet P's can be easily overwhelmed by options because they are tend to be more indecisive. If I choose A, then I can't also do B but I want to do them both!

Overall, I would say you're more J than P but I think you are fairly balanced on the J/P dimension.


So yes, that would make me an ISTJ. Which I guess works, but not so much? I don't fit the stoic, and dependable ISTJ image, so... I guess I'm wondering if I have enough of the S, T, and J to fit as an ISTJ, and also, if I was to look at my cognitive functions, would I come out as anything different, and how on Earth do I evaluate my functions, anyway? (There's probably a test for that, just like there are MBTI tests, but I'm sure they'll be as accurate as the MBTI tests, too, which is to say, only somewhat.)

Um yeah, so does my reasoning seem sound? Is there anything I've missed out that I should consider? How do I go about typing myself by cognitive functions?
There's information on function attitudes here: http://greenlightwiki.com/lenore-exegesis/Function_Attitude

Here's a function test here: http://www.keys2cognition.com/explore.htm


I'd be interested to see how it comes out.

 

[Katefox]

Here's a function test here: http://www.keys2cognition.com/explore.htm


I'd be interested to see how it comes out.

I was going to respond to all of this, but I need to head to class, so. Thanks for responding. And that cognitive functions test tells me I'm consistant with ISTJ. My full results are:

Cognitive Process Level of Development (Preference, Skill and Frequency of Use)
extraverted Sensing (Se) ********************* (21.1)
limited use
introverted Sensing (Si) ********************************************** (46.5)
excellent use
extraverted Intuiting (Ne) ************************* (25.9)
average use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) ************ (12.5)
unused
extraverted Thinking (Te) ********************************* (33)
good use
introverted Thinking (Ti) ************************************* (37)
excellent use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) ******************* (19)
limited use
introverted Feeling (Fi) ********************************************* (45)
excellent use

I'm kind of amused that all my "excellent use" functions are introverted.

 

[Katefox]

Now, to respond to the rest of your post (BTW, is there a rule against double-posting here? I hope this is alright.)

N/S -- This one is more difficult, but in the end, I'd say I'm Sensing because I know I'm not iNtuitive. There's actually very little I feel like I do intuitively; the only things I can think of are fiction writing and solving the word jumble in the newspaper (when I find a newspaper with a word jumble in it, that is). For everything else, it's analysis and reasoning through things.

The bolded is MBTI thinking

Oh, yes, it would be T, wouldn't it? Fail, self.

I also like to examine things close up, turning them in my hands; I tend to hold out a hand when I ask to see something, which seems a fairly Sensing thing to do. On the other hand, I'm pretty sure that's a quirk of being blind; I actually can't see whatever it is I want to look at if it's not right in front of my nose, and am as likely to get useful information from touch as from sight. Oh, and examples make things clearer for me, which might also be seen as a Sensing property?

Are the examples more concrete (S) or theoretical ones? (N) I think both types find examples helpful. It's which types of examples.

Concrete examples, I think... I'm actually not sure how an example can be theoretical? Because an example shows an application of whatever you're discussing, and so, by nature would be more concrete, I'd think. I've never really thought about it, evidently.

I lean slightly towards S for you but need more information to have any confidence in my guess.

What other sort of information would you need? If it isn't obvious, I'm not really sure where to look in terms of my behaviour and thought processes for distinguishing between N and S.

T/F -- This one also gives me trouble, but I tend to think I'm a Thinker. It's troublesome because I have some Feeling tendencies, namely I'm super conflict-avoidant, and I understand that's a Feeling thing. I also apparently type, as in write, as a Feeler, with more non-aggressive, polite language. But in the end, I think I relate to my emotions in a more Thinkery way, that is to say, by analysing and reasoning through them, rather than going with the emotional response.

Some T's can be quite conflict avoidant, especially if they have a strong enneagram 9 component. (I'm a conflict avoiding T with type 9 almost as high as type 5). I think the bolded statement is rather suggestive of T.

Interesting. My best guess at my Enneagram is a 5w4, but I'm pretty sure I scored fairly high on 9ness when I took various Enneagram tests a while ago. However, 5's description fit me better. (Getting a better understanding of the Enneagram is on my list of things to do, but I found it a less intuitive typing system than the MBTI.)

I think J's are more likely to impose their own deadlines since they tend to be more self-disciplined, while P's are more likely to rely on externally set deadlines. I actually think P's are more likely to say they don't get things done without deadlines because J's tend to be more self-disciplined and will get things done even without a deadline. But that's just my observations. On the other hand, it's the J's who care more about getting things done in the first place. P's are more process oriented.

Which I think sticks me back with J. Because while I need deadlines to get stuff done, and tend to procrastinate, I seldom miss a deadline. I can set my own deadlines, but it's not half as effective, unless it's something I've already been putting off and know really finally needs doing.

And yes, it's nice to finally reply like I've been meaning to. Thank you for reading and commenting, SuchIrony. It was very helpful.