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How to type people?

cheerchick23

New member
Joined
Mar 6, 2009
Messages
59
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
Ne
What are some key indicators of E vs. I, S vs. N, T vs. F, and J vs. P that are demonstrated externally? i want to know how to be able to recognize these traits. i'm pretty good at recognizing E vs. I...

anyway i want some concrete examples of how these traits can be recognized.

ex: an F would say "bla bla bla" in this situation while a T would say "bla bla bla"...

or... when handling (insert situation) an N would approach it like this, while an S would do this..... etc.

thank you! :)
 

Snow Turtle

New member
Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
1,335
F/T - This one is most easy for me to pick up on usually. Most Ts aren't really that focused on people, however there are some tricky people who it's hard to tell due to their upbringing. Most Fs are quite sensitive to how another person will react, while the Ts are less likely to sugar coat something that doesn't seem to be that much of an issue.

An easy way to spot a younger FJ is that they have a tendancy of apologising more than required to neutralise and harmonise things. I don't know whether FPs do this but it's possible. It'll become more difficult with mature Fs though as they become more confident with themselves and reality.

E/I - This ones fairly easy by their focus. Then again I've never really met anybody where it's been difficult to figure out.

S/N - This one's slightly more tricky but you'll figure out over time by hanging out with them. Should be simple for Ns to figure this one out truthfully as they are so used to hanging with sensors. Either they'll find it odd when meeting other intuitives, or they'll know by comparison of self to other sensors. I've got to say... feeling different isn't really a good indicator of N/S as it might be due to other factors. For example personally I don't identify with alot of people, but do at the same time. I'm a strong sensor.

J/P - I find the easiest way to diffrentiate this is by how comfortable they are with chaos. For IJs internal chaos is much worse, where Ps don't seem to mind it so much... At least from surface observation. Try not to use organisation as a factor since Js can be messy in reality but feel stable internally. In the same manner a J can be extremely messy outside, and actually be suffering from the chaos. It doesn't make them a P. The Ps don't seem to mind chaos, to them it just seems more like various opportunities or multiple options. Js desire closure after all.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Once you learn how people act as types you can "feel" that they are a certain way. This is how I do it, I think that I sort the dichotomies out in my head. I can't explain how I do it other than "feeling" the way they are.
 

Lauren Ashley

Revelation
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,067
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Once you learn how people act as types you can "feel" that they are a certain way. This is how I do it, I think that I sort the dichotomies out in my head. I can't explain how I do it other than "feeling" the way they are.

This is how I type people as well.
 

Azseroffs

New member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
417
MBTI Type
ENTj
Enneagram
5w4
E vs I is pretty easy
If it it isn't obvious because they aren't reserved(I) or extremely chatty(e), the biggest tip off is a need for alone time(I) or constant boredom(e). I keep in mind too that ENxx and ISxx typically come off as about the same extroversion level.

N vs S I have a hard time with
This isn't the best indicator, but the way I try to figure it out is by how easily I can talk to someone. Being an N type I find it difficult to keep up with someone who is constantly talking about what they did last weekend or what they saw or did whenever. I usually find it very uninteresting. N types talk about the same things, but when I throw in an interpretation of whatever we're talking about it usually leads to a whole tangent going deeper into an abstract discussion. S types tend to kind of blow off my interpretations probably because they think it's uninteresting or irrelevant.

T vs F usually easy but not always
Again, not the best indicator and quite biased actually, but F types come off feminine, genuinely nice, and affiliative, and T types come off masculine, independent, and pragmatic.
(There is a correlation between females being F and males being T. Don't assume anything, but it is sometimes a safe base to start off from when trying to figure it out.)

J vs P if they're 'E' than it's usually easy, if they're 'I' good luck
I always try to figure out E/I first because that usually makes this easier. EJ are very strong willed and directing leader types, prioritize on work. EP are very much in the moment, not usually long term planners, love to play. IJ are similar to EJ but toned down. They're usually rigid and have a serious demeanor in my experience. IP are easy going, usually up for anything but sometimes seem lazy.

This is how I try to interpret people, but remember that all people show signs of all other types, so you can never be completely sure.
 

Costrin

rawr
Joined
Nov 1, 2008
Messages
2,320
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
5w4
I do it in a very "right-brained" way.

Basically, I suggest learning the system, and especially the functions.
Learn how the functions work, how to identify them, and how different types use them.
And especially, interact a lot with people of different types to see all the above plays out in person.

Then when you meet a new person, you get that "feeling" of what type they are. You can then explore this feeling, and refine it, and gather more information, and refine more, etc until you are fairly confident of their type (but never 100% sure of course. Eternal refinement).
 

thisGuy

New member
Joined
Mar 14, 2009
Messages
1,187
MBTI Type
entp
N/S are easiest to pick...this is how people take in information and process it. itll be fairyl easy for you to differentiate between the two. an N will focus on what the store is selling while an S will notice the everything from the aesthetic appeal to the name of the place. S's are not known for long term thinking while N are always thinking of the future

J/P...usually ends up showing in how person dresses and how they live their life...does not doing things a particular way put a kink in their day? most likely a J...Ps are last minute people usually. Js have a certain order about their lives...could be the way the dress (snappy, always looking clean/. even if they its casual day, they come across as having thought about their clothes a fair bti), deadline-oriented,...picky....Ps keep options open till they HAVE to decide...delay deciding for as long as they can.
they both might complete a project two days before deadline. P will wait till they last second to hand it in while J will go over the list to see if it matches the criteria, if it does, the J will submit it. P will wait cuz that way they have the options of making changes if the project boundaries change. Ps are comfortable with adapting to new stuff while Js not so much

E/I can actually be confusing sometimes especially in the real world. Es are usually just themselves while Is learn to adapt. its how people gain their energy...Es will the ones to think out loud and bounce stuff off people.

F/T- how decisions are made. Ts can justify pretty much anything....they can come across as real assholes....Fs actually care
 

Azseroffs

New member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
417
MBTI Type
ENTj
Enneagram
5w4
Once you learn how people act as types you can "feel" that they are a certain way. This is how I do it, I think that I sort the dichotomies out in my head. I can't explain how I do it other than "feeling" the way they are.

It takes time to develop this, and call me a T, but I don't trust it. I feel like it's too biased. I look for strong indicators. Getting to know the functions doesn't hurt either.
 

Snow Turtle

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May 28, 2007
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1,335
It takes time to develop this, and call me a T, but I don't trust it. I feel like it's too biased. I look for strong indicators. Getting to know the functions doesn't hurt either.

Eh...
They're doing the same thing. It's only subconscious though. If you pressed for a rigid system, I'm sure they'll be able to provide.
 

Lauren Ashley

Revelation
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
3,067
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
4
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
It takes time to develop this, and call me a T, but I don't trust it. I feel like it's too biased. I look for strong indicators. Getting to know the functions doesn't hurt either.
Or call you an S?

I would describe it as more of an iNtuitive process.
 

Snow Turtle

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May 28, 2007
Messages
1,335
Or call you an S?

I would describe it as more of an iNtuitive process.

Se being his lowest function wouldn't really make much sense though.

Otherwise I agree... Gut feelings and all that is just basically the subconscious quickly doing the work. That's basically how I describe intuitives - arriving at the conclusion first before consciously figuring out how they got there.

Sensors focus on all the steps consciously. It might take a little longer to snap to the conclusion though. After it's all complete they can do the feeling out a person.

These days I usually operate on moods and groupings.

Te - TJ
Fe - FJ
Ti - TP
Si/Se - S
Ni/Ne - N

EJ or EP directive as mentioned.
IP - More hidden.
IJ - Easy to identify as it's my home ground.
 

BlackCat

Shaman
Joined
Nov 19, 2008
Messages
7,038
MBTI Type
ESFP
Enneagram
9w8
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
It takes time to develop this, and call me a T, but I don't trust it. I feel like it's too biased. I look for strong indicators. Getting to know the functions doesn't hurt either.

I already know the functions and how they play out, this is one of the first things I notice when interacting with someone among a lot of other things about their persona.
 

Azseroffs

New member
Joined
Feb 23, 2009
Messages
417
MBTI Type
ENTj
Enneagram
5w4
Se being his lowest function wouldn't really make much sense though.

Otherwise I agree... Gut feelings and all that is just basically the subconscious quickly doing the work. That's basically how I describe intuitives - arriving at the conclusion first before consciously figuring out how they got there.

Sensors focus on all the steps consciously. It might take a little longer to snap to the conclusion though. After it's all complete they can do the feeling out a person.

These days I usually operate on moods and groupings.

Te - TJ
Fe - FJ
Ti - TP
Si/Se - S
Ni/Ne - N

EJ or EP directive as mentioned.
IP - More hidden.
IJ - Easy to identify as it's my home ground.

I've taken a lot of function tests and Si comes up higher than Ne sometimes. I get that 'feeling' of someone being a certain type, but I consciously question it and don't accept it completely until I've verified it.

I already know the functions and how they play out, this is one of the first things I notice when interacting with someone among a lot of other things about their persona.

I didn't mean you specifically should learn the functions. You're probably more comfortable with them than I am.
Sorry for being unclear.
 

Snow Turtle

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Joined
May 28, 2007
Messages
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I've taken a lot of function tests and Si comes up higher than Ne sometimes. I get that 'feeling' of someone being a certain type, but I consciously question it and don't accept it completely until I've verified it.

That wouldn't be off considering that Si is teritary for an INTP. You'd need Se to be an ISTP though. I don't get the entire picture straight away based on these mood, it's a build up of moods. But since I like to think of MBTI as well, I'll consciously verify the data as well.
 
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