Typing children: is it really possible?

[sleuthiness]

Well, I was reading some stuff related to it at personalitypage.com.
But, I see people saying that children doesn't have stable personality traits which can be related for the types. The site says that firstly the 1st develop, then the 2nd etc. Is it real? I stay observing my little brothers (9 and 5 years) and they display many traits which can relate to many types.

Any opinions about this?

I think that development theory is junk. One should be able to type their child within the first few months or at the very least, years.

 

[strychnine]

By those 3 letter child type systems, I think I was more INJ as a child than ITP or IFP....I was a definite I though.

But I do think it is possible for parents familiar with MBTI/ cognitive processes to type their own children.

 

[BlueGray]

From my parent's descriptions of me as a child I was a clear INTP. It doesn't sound like any other type would fit. Even though I was much more outgoing and social, my parents say I was an obvious introvert. There's been changes in behavior but at no point, in my memory, could nay other type fit.

 

[Sinmara]

My boyfriend's little girl is ESFJ to the point of being stereotypical. His son, however, I'm having trouble figuring out. Maybe some sort of IxxP.

I think it depends on the child. Everyone develops at different rates, some kids could have their personality traits more well defined than others.

When I was a kid I was a clear ESTP. I was conning my friends into doing my work me and paying them with popcicles and pennies when I was 7.

 

[mrcockburn]

I was DEFINITELY an E...absolutely N...total P.

But I think I was actually a Feeler up to around age 6. I was obsessed with becoming famous and always getting my way, and if I didn't, I cried. It worked, so I kept doing it. I didn't really care about anyone/thing else, but I was pretty manipulative as a kid. I literally pretended to be a heartfelt animal lover in front of the adults...to get their praise. But when they weren't looking, I'd torment any animal I could find. haha

Though, after that age, I just grew out that whole crying melodrama phase. I just wasn't into that anymore, and found it a lot easier to be and deal with level-headed people.

 

[coconut]

I'm surprised the F/T is the last one that's distinguishable. I would have thought it would have been N/S.

I did that test for my daughter (she's almost 7) and they called her ENP - but what I can see is EFP.

 

[Such Irony]

Anyone seen this? The Personality Questionnaire for Kids

I went through the test, taking it with my childhood experience in mind and scored as INJ.

I read through the descriptions and I exhibited a combination of INJ, ISJ, and ITP traits. Actually I identified with ITP somewhat less than the I..J types because as a child I remember being very stubborn, inflexible, and resistant to change. As a child I was pretty high strung and had strong opinions on things and the way things *should* be.

The general consensus on this forum seems to be INTP for my type, but if I compared my childhood to the childhoods of other INTPs, there's quite a difference. Compared to them, I was more inflexible and high strung. I needed requirements spelled out on assignments more. I wasn't quite as reclusive, I was somewhat more sociable and relied on praise and external validation more.

 

[/DG/]

I most certainly believe that typing children is possible, but more accurate if the parent or close adult types the child. IMO, the personality of a child can be seen shortly after birth. However, all personalities are subject to change providing there is something to provoke it.

 

[sculpting]

Function theory is really designed for adults. When typing children, proceed with caution, especially with the younger ones.

There is a version of the MBTI designed for children called the MMTI-c. (It says it is 98% certain I am an enfp). But I hsare andy and jennifer's concern that type isnt designed to box children in. Today at lunch it turns out we are using the DISC profiles to make choices about hiring. I find limitation to be disturbing....

My 15 yo ENFP was easily seen as ENP growing up form very early childhood. He was a very clingy, needy infant, would go to anyone, and never, ever sat still. He had endless Ne from very early and was afraid of nothing. If Ne was reined it he would explode in tears and then throw a nightmarish temper tantrum. He was kicked out of five daycares before age five. In second grade we put him on ritalin which helped give him a window of processing time, before exploding...basically by slowing Ne down. Always extremely reactive. At 11, this odd thing happened. His Fi emerged and now he is very sweet and mostly calm.

I cried when I found out I was pregnant again.....

This one is three and he plots against me. When I call him on his strategy, he looks surprised yet pleased. I am a fitting adversary-for a three year old INTJ. At birth he was very clam, quiet, self sufficient, stoic. He hated other people the entire first year. He would glare hatefully at people. Hysterically he really dislikes Fe doms and auxs and says they are "mean" by default. He displays a marked reticent nature in public. He tries on social graces and learns them as Te patterns. He is OCD and quite anal retentive. At 2 he would get really upset if we altered the daily schedule, until I taught him about "special days" which is a category of days, that arent like other days. This all said IXTJ to me, but he plays very strange word games where he swaps names of things for other things. He thinks this is very funny. He says very bizarre things sometimes. My large INTJ says he is a little INTJ.

 

[neptunesnet]

I think that some children can be typed, but overall, I believe that puberty and life experiences shape the end product (adults).

Yeah, this.

I have a niece who's about a year old & I can say with certainty that she is an NTJ, possibly ENTJ. And I was very obviously an INFx child.

 

[ajblaise]

Yes you can type children, by the 1st grade.

Personality Set for Life By 1st Grade, Study Suggests - Yahoo! News

 

[ReflecTcelfeR]

I have a horrible memory about my child hood. I answered what I suppose I would've answered if I were me back then and got an IFP. I have no idea WHAT I was/am.

 

[HotpinkHeatwave]

I believe so. Not much has changed for me as an ENFP. I just matured, that's all.

 

[ThatsWhatHeSaid]

Typing children: YEP, IT'S REAL

 

[HotpinkHeatwave]

Black x8

 

[sculpting]

Amazon.com: The Developing Child: Using Jungian Type to Understand…

 

[rav3n]

Anyone seen this? The Personality Questionnaire for Kids

This test has many extreme questions where middle ground appears to be "don't know", which would be untrue.

But maybe that's the point. If your child doesn't show indications of extreme behaviour, it's not easy to type them.