Snowey1210
New member
- Joined
- Jan 10, 2008
- Messages
- 141
- MBTI Type
- ENTP
I understand that the MBTI is used to measure ingrained preferences (Such as Perceiving/Judging etc.), but I can't help but escape the notion that essentially all the behaviours we make, feel, do are the result of a conscious choice.
We could argue that the things that we do are pre-programmed by our biological imperatives, however I truly believe that what we do is the result of free will/environmental pressures.
Now taking that into consideration, I argue that Introversion/Extraversion is extremely malleable, and too context specific to really be included in a personality inventory. Sure we can practice introversion by keeping to ourselves 99% of the time, but in the end we are fundamentally making a choice to do so. The door is open we can choose to talk to others anytime we like, thus building neural pathways, and experiences that may alter who we fundamentally are. It is in this manner that Extraversion/Introversion is predominantly a conscious choice.
On the other hand an aspect of our personality such as Perceiving/Judging is deeply imbedded into who we are. We don't choose to perceive, and we don't (most of the time!) choose to judge but ultimately we unconsciously do so regardless. I could labour over work assignments for days on end, but it wouldn't be something that I would be consciously wanting to do. Thinking/feeling, and intuition/sensing seem to have similar characteristics.
Now despite this argument being very presumptive at this stage, I just don't see the E/I axis of someone's personality as being vital indicator of who they are. Yes, it does show how they are reacting to the environment at a particular point of time, but it does seem to fluctuate so much as to be unreliable.
Any thoughts on the matter? Alternatives? Ideas? etc.
We could argue that the things that we do are pre-programmed by our biological imperatives, however I truly believe that what we do is the result of free will/environmental pressures.
Now taking that into consideration, I argue that Introversion/Extraversion is extremely malleable, and too context specific to really be included in a personality inventory. Sure we can practice introversion by keeping to ourselves 99% of the time, but in the end we are fundamentally making a choice to do so. The door is open we can choose to talk to others anytime we like, thus building neural pathways, and experiences that may alter who we fundamentally are. It is in this manner that Extraversion/Introversion is predominantly a conscious choice.
On the other hand an aspect of our personality such as Perceiving/Judging is deeply imbedded into who we are. We don't choose to perceive, and we don't (most of the time!) choose to judge but ultimately we unconsciously do so regardless. I could labour over work assignments for days on end, but it wouldn't be something that I would be consciously wanting to do. Thinking/feeling, and intuition/sensing seem to have similar characteristics.
Now despite this argument being very presumptive at this stage, I just don't see the E/I axis of someone's personality as being vital indicator of who they are. Yes, it does show how they are reacting to the environment at a particular point of time, but it does seem to fluctuate so much as to be unreliable.
Any thoughts on the matter? Alternatives? Ideas? etc.