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Tell-Tale Signs of the Types

reason

New member
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,209
MBTI Type
ESFJ
I wonder if my writing gives away my type... erm... it's very ESFJ, I think (I mean "feel"!)
 

htb

New member
Joined
May 14, 2007
Messages
1,505
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
1w9
Other than that what I look for is strong Ni in a feeler. I think this can look like jumping to wild conclusions, or being able to read someone very effectively. INFJ's also seem to absorb emotions from people. They feel the same things that people close to them feel. Other than that I don't know what I can tell you. I've only known 2 INFJ's so I'm not really sure how strong my patterns are from just the two.
Well, the observations are descriptive and corroborated by two subjects, one of whom you know quite well. They are helpful.

I wonder if my writing gives away my type... erm... it's very ESFJ, I think (I mean "feel"!)
Yes, you need to be less bumptious and more solitarily contemplative.
 

Economica

Dhampyr
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
2,054
MBTI Type
INTJ
I wonder if my writing gives away my type... erm... it's very ESFJ, I think (I mean "feel"!)

I'm still annoyed with myself for actually asking you once if you were really ESFJ :doh: instead of just chastising you for the subterfuge. :tongue10: ;)
 

meanlittlechimp

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
338
MBTI Type
ENTP
I don't think there are any easy shortcuts. Read the literature that you can (with a grain of salt); I think some of it is wrong - especially the treatment of ISTPs, INFPs and a few others.

The best approach for me was having a model of actual people (that you know well) for each type and use them as a sort of blueprint. Obviously, there are going to be individual traits they might posses or not posses to varying degrees but keeping that in mind, I found that the most helpful.

Before I learned about MBTI, I instictually saw reoccuring patterns with people I met. I would be instantly reminded of other people I knew; when they have similar philosophies on life, sense of humor, and what standards they set for themselves in how they achieve their self esteem. Another one is how they handle stress or adversity - do they sulk, lash out immediately, or make a wisecrack and laugh it off, etc.

Body language, which isn't mentioned often (which Neidnagel did a lot of work on - who is another ISTJ, incidentally) is very helpful. Certain types have similar movements and gestures.
 

proteanmix

Plumage and Moult
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
5,514
Enneagram
1w2
I don't think there are any easy shortcuts. Read the literature that you can (with a grain of salt); I think some of it is wrong - especially the treatment of ISTPs, INFPs and a few others.

The best approach for me was having a model of actual people (that you know well) for each type and use them as a sort of blueprint. Obviously, there are going to be individual traits they might posses or not posses to varying degrees but keeping that in mind, I found that the most helpful.

Before I learned about MBTI, I instictually saw reoccuring patterns with people I met. I would be instantly reminded of other people I knew; when they have similar philosophies on life, sense of humor, and what standards they set for themselves in how they achieve their self esteem. Another one is how they handle stress or adversity - do they sulk, lash out immediately, or make a wisecrack and laugh it off, etc.

Body language, which isn't mentioned often (which Neidnagel did a lot of work on - who is another ISTJ, incidentally) is very helpful. Certain types have similar movements and gestures.

I wonder if this is an extroverted way of typing. I agree with you. My readings of what type people are are drawn from body movements and how language is used, how people describe things, and responses/reactions in pivotal situations. Typing from work or school is THE WORST way to type people. If you do type, get them out of either setting to see how they really act. I've been shocked by some of my coworker's behavior at happy hour. It's really hard to explain, and something you have to a sizable amount of people to draw consistent conclusions from.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I do not think it is exclusively extroverted to compare people to a template. Essentially I've done the same thing.

Usually when I meet someone, I analyze after the fact to confirm. (And sometimes I get frustrated trying to rebuild a case here, to justify a reading. Because I didn't analyze to figure it out the first time, I just "saw" it.)

Anyway, I get a very strong "Big Picture" impression from them in the first few seconds/minutes, and it is partially based on how they resonate with the templates in my internalized "type database."

I am not sure how well body language works; but I've seen some behaviors that I would attribute to ISFJ-style relating (the internal tug of war between letting someone in and not yet totally trusting the person), and I've also recognized what I would consider to be the ESFP smile.
 

proteanmix

Plumage and Moult
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
5,514
Enneagram
1w2
I do not think it is exclusively extroverted to compare people to a template. Essentially I've done the same thing.

Usually when I meet someone, I analyze after the fact to confirm. (And sometimes I get frustrated trying to rebuild a case here, to justify a reading. Because I didn't analyze to figure it out the first time, I just "saw" it.)

Anyway, I get a very strong "Big Picture" impression from them in the first few seconds/minutes, and it is partially based on how they resonate with the templates in my internalized "type database."

I am not sure how well body language works; but I've seen some behaviors that I would attribute to ISFJ-style relating (the internal tug of war between letting someone in and not yet totally trusting the person), and I've also recognized what I would consider to be the ESFP smile.

I guess what I'm saying is I don't try and fit people into my internal template, I just try to see how many cumulative behaviors they have add up to a specific type. When I start looking for certain type traits, it tends to happen to the exclusion of other traits that may indicate another type. If I get the impression that this person "seems" like an ESTP then I start looking for more evidence to support my general impression, which is hit or miss sometimes.
 

ptgatsby

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
4,476
MBTI Type
ISTP
Am I the only one who that divides up personalities into sub factors and measures each trait? It seems like most generalise to a particular type, or some hybird of the two, with the emphasis on finding a "type".

(ie: I measure I/E, T/F, N/S, J/P by observing actions and adding ticks next to each side, then combine them into a sub-trait scores, which when strong enough, indicates an overall trait (ie: I+/E- score))
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
Joined
Apr 19, 2007
Messages
50,187
MBTI Type
BELF
Enneagram
594
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I guess what I'm saying is I don't try and fit people into my internal template, I just try to see how many cumulative behaviors they have add up to a specific type. When I start looking for certain type traits, it tends to happen to the exclusion of other traits that may indicate another type. If I get the impression that this person "seems" like an ESTP then I start looking for more evidence to support my general impression, which is hit or miss sometimes.

I don't know. The way I process type seems to be very much like how Lenore Thomson describes Ti thinking in regards to playing baseball: It's very much attached to everything going on at once, one large system where all the pieces are interacting, and I'm not really thinking through each piece, I'm just getting the overall impression and responding to it. (Because if I had to think in detail about it, it would take too long.)

And just like in baseball, the more experienced the player is, the more scenarios they will "recognize" and know instinctively how they will turn out: It's very much experiential. And so is the way I process type. It's very much based on recognizing "past scenarios/personalities."

I remember talking to an ESFJ coworker who described herself as analytical, and she commonly took more of the approach that you are taking, where you add up singular traits and see what there is the most of. I cannot isolate the traits like that and get a good reading, for me; I have to see them as all part of something bigger.
 

runvardh

にゃん
Joined
Jun 23, 2007
Messages
8,541
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
>_o ...you mean INFPs included?

Yeah, doesn't take me that much effort to see it...

Well, yes, but most of the other types tend to try to hide it a little better. Or maybe like Usehername says, they hide it too, but if you are close to them or pretty good at reading people you can see it. I don't know. My daughter's teachers don't seem to pick up on the surrounded by idiots thing, but I've noticed it since she was old enough to roll her eyes.

Kids are fun aren't they? I guess I hide it well enough till the frustration makes me blow at which point only the excessivly stupid end up the only ones who don't know.

You're trying to earn brownie points, aren't you?

No, I'm being apathetic about it really; never mind I've watched my friend's sister's boyfriend park in the same spot after being told multiple times not to while his van is always blocking the drive way. We are surrounded by idiots; it is a fact that people can only choose to ignore.
 

The Ü™

Permabanned
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
11,910
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
I think we will find that N's are less social even when extraverted, because part of being social is conformity -- an S trait. An N's individualistic views are better described as anti-social.
 

ygolo

My termites win
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
5,986
I think we will find that N's are less social even when extraverted, because part of being social is conformity -- an S trait. An N's individualistic views are better described as anti-social.

There is a difference between anti-social, and not likeng socialization.
 

Dark Razor

New member
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
271
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
8w7
I disagree completely with this definition.

ENTJ telltale: quick walking, sexual jokes.

I never make sexual jokes, and I am in fact highly annoyed by them because they are a sign of severe unsophistication.

Sexual jokes are more a telltale sign of ESTPs and ESFPs.
 

Zergling

Permabanned
Joined
Apr 26, 2007
Messages
1,377
MBTI Type
ExTJ
Am I the only one who that divides up personalities into sub factors and measures each trait? It seems like most generalise to a particular type, or some hybird of the two, with the emphasis on finding a "type".

(ie: I measure I/E, T/F, N/S, J/P by observing actions and adding ticks next to each side, then combine them into a sub-trait scores, which when strong enough, indicates an overall trait (ie: I+/E- score))

I use the both "overall qualities" and individual ones when guessing types, or putting types onto people.

There's a lot of cases where overall descriptions contain things that don't automatically come from the letters, though, so that's why people will use overall descriptions more most likely.
 

The Ü™

Permabanned
Joined
May 26, 2007
Messages
11,910
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
There is a difference between anti-social, and not likeng socialization.

A desire to socialize is something of E, but the desire and having social skills are totally different.

Social skills are something an S, and particularly SF, tends to have more of. It's easier for them to fit in.

An N, on the other hand, may wish to socialize, but they are often less effective. And since their behavior is less mainstream, they have greater risk of becoming alienated, because an S-dominated world perceives the N's unconventional behavior as obnoxious. Individualistic behavior is often considered anti-social or non-social.
 

FDG

pathwise dependent
Joined
Aug 13, 2007
Messages
5,903
MBTI Type
ENTJ
Enneagram
7w8
I never make sexual jokes, and I am in fact highly annoyed by them because they are a sign of severe unsophistication.

Sexual jokes are more a telltale sign of ESTPs and ESFPs.

What's good about sophistication? It's useless elitism.
 
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