Sunny Ghost
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- May 28, 2010
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I think temperament theory is a good starting point when first introduced to MBTI. A helpful way to group and understand initially. For some, this is good enough information for them, and they are done with MBTI. For those that are more serious about studying the MBTI, however, I think as you observe and read more that everyone reaches a point where they realize temperament theory isn't fully explanatory or developed. Merely, the starting point for basic understanding. I'm pretty sure for anyone who's been studying it for several months or years, that eventually they come to put more effort in understanding the individual functions.Are you an INJ? Did you have trouble initially deciding whether you're an NT or an NF, despite the fact that the two are completely different temperaments?
If you're an INJ who totally resonates with their temperament, or someone who believes that individual letter preference strength is independent of type, then this will probably seem ridiculous to you.
Have you ever wondered why everyone else swears by temperament theory, and think it adequately explains things, while to you it seems kind of like an arbitrary boundary between things that don't seem mutually exclusive?
I have two friends that I sometimes debate as to whether or not they are INFJ or INTJ. I lean more towards INFJ on both... but I could very well be wrong. With the female, she can indeed be very emotional in an Fi sort of way... crazy outbursts. But she's had a lot of really tough things happen in her life. However, I do feel a lot of Fe too.Yes, of course. That's the other thing... sometimes the tertiary function is heavily developed. So a heavily introverted INFJ can be very Ni-Ti, and a heavily introverted INTJ can be very Ni-Fi. That's when they get mistaken for other types, sometimes even by themselves. I've also had a lot of INTJs suggest I was an INTJ, and a lot of INTPs suggest I was an INTP... at various times. Although, that's probably because I'm deliberately curbing emotional response in interaction with them, which is ironically a very Fe thing to do.
Now of course, the difference between the two types is STILL obvious to anyone who knows that INTJs use Fi/Te, and INFJs use Ti/Fe. But someone using temperament theory could easily misinterpret an INFJs Ni-Ti for being an NT, or an INTJs Ni-Fi for being an NF. I've seen it happen. Basically, I'm arguing that temperament theory is generally less useful compared to looking at functions, because it often leads people to incorrect conclusions.
With the male INFJ... I wonder if he's been mistyped. But... he sort of exemplifies split personality qualities and it's really difficult to tell. Ni-dom, for sure. But as to Te/Fi or Fe/Ti... it's almost as if he jumps between the two. He's bisexual and has gender issues. If he's hanging out with me or other females, he's more Fe/Ti. But when with the males he's more Te/Fi it seems, from my understanding of it. It's hard to distinguish if and which of these qualities are true behavior or mimicked behavior. They could all very well be insecure Fe.