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What type is most prone to shyness?

ScorpioINTP

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Jan 19, 2011
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346
MBTI Type
INTP
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6-5
Low dopamine makes people shy.

Sure about that? I would think Seratonin, if anything, would play more of a part I wouldn't say I feel less shy when I am "doped up" on an activity.

I was shy all my life. I still am in certain circumstances, but not as bad I I used to be. I was going to say INTP/J, but who knows.
 

Patches

Klingon Warrior Princess
Joined
Aug 4, 2010
Messages
5,505
I find that often silence is mistaken for shyness. Just because someone prefers to listen rather than speak doesn't make them shy. Because of that I don't think you can really associate introversion directly with shyness, as some posts in this thread seem to be doing.
 

skylights

i love
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Jul 6, 2010
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7,756
MBTI Type
INFP
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6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
I recall reading something about types and addictions. The only thing I can remember is that ENTJs were almost at the bottom of the scale for being prone to addictions and that NTs in general weren't prone to addictions as compared to other types. Can't recall the validity of the information so I'm going to try to find the study again.

Found the study skylights! It's from the Oxford Journals so I'm linking it in its entirety so everyone can view and interpret.

http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/34/3/359.full

ooh, that's interesting, thank you.

Our MBTI results show that a relationship exists between high preference scores on the Extroversion/ Introversion and Thinking/Feeling dichotomies and outcome. Significantly, there is a parallel in the MBTI literature to this finding. U-shaped preference score curves exist for the Extroversion/Introversion, Judging/Perceiving, and Thinking/Feeling dichotomies when academic ability is measured (Myers and McCaulley, 1985).

huh.
 

Stanton Moore

morose bourgeoisie
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Mar 4, 2009
Messages
3,900
MBTI Type
INFP
Sure about that? I would think Seratonin, if anything, would play more of a part I wouldn't say I feel less shy when I am "doped up" on an activity.

I was shy all my life. I still am in certain circumstances, but not as bad I I used to be. I was going to say INTP/J, but who knows.

Pretty sure. I was just reading about it in an excellent book called In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encouters with Addiction.
But, you know, like everything in human behavior, there is no one right answer.
I've always been on the more reserved side of things too. Even when I feel less so, I still don't turn into a party animal. I don't oscillate far from my temperamental center. when I exercise a lot, I seem no less reserved, but I don't feel the negative pull of shyness.
 

Viridian

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Dec 30, 2010
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IsFJ
Let me rephrase my question: if INFPs don't care about how others perceive them and/or "fitting in", why are they shy? Is it an alternate form of shyness?
 

KDude

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Let me rephrase my question: if INFPs don't care about how others perceive them and/or "fitting in", why are they shy? Is it an alternate form of shyness?

I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm not shy exactly. It's moderate, I guess. I think that they can be physically shy perhaps, but not psychologically. What I mean is that they are able to stand back and distance themselves from various expressions or ideas or even attack them from time to time. Or offer up their own new ideas. Same goes for INTP (this is partly true for ISPs as well, but I think they're able to be more involved). They're not shy of what they think is the truth or a better method on something. Not necessarily at least. As for physical shyness, I guess there might be something to do with feeling less "S", I guess. Like they may not inhabit physical space or always know how to impact in the way others do. That can be learned, but there's something to be said about this being more of a Se skill (and especially Se dom). I'll take a snippet from Lenore Thomson's book to explain:

Sensate types are not just active physically. They're active socially. They're deeply influenced by what's going on around them, and they want to take a part in it. They have a "feel" for the atmosphere, style, and image. They know what people are interested in and like being recognized as paradigmatic of the trend.

[..] Many ESPs seem to be striving for this - for the highest pitch of concrete actualization. They become the experiential standard by which other's image and attitude are measured. In fact, many attractive and engaging people are led to use Sensation as a dominant function precisely because their style and impact are their fundamental strengths.

[..] For highly extraverted types, this happens as naturally as a leaf turning it's face on the sun. You can always tell from the ESPs in the crowd exactly what society currently regards as admirable, stylish, fascinating, outrageous, or exciting. These types will have so adapted themselves to generalized assumptions that they physically embody them.
 

Viridian

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I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm not shy exactly. It's moderate, I guess. I think that they can be physically shy perhaps, but not psychologically. What I mean is that they are able to stand back and distance themselves from various expressions or ideas or even attack them from time to time. Or offer up their own new ideas. Same goes for INTP (this is partly true for ISPs as well, but I think they're able to be more involved). They're not shy of what they think is the truth or a better method on something. Not necessarily at least. As for physical shyness, I guess there might be something to do with feeling less "S", I guess. Like they may not inhabit physical space or always know how to impact in the way others do. That can be learned, but there's something to be said about this being more of a Se skill (and especially Se dom). I'll take a snippet from Lenore Thomson's book to explain:

Sensate types are not just active physically. They're active socially. They're deeply influenced by what's going on around them, and they want to take a part in it. They have a "feel" for the atmosphere, style, and image. They know what people are interested in and like being recognized as paradigmatic of the trend.

[..] Many ESPs seem to be striving for this - for the highest pitch of concrete actualization. They become the experiential standard by which other's image and attitude are measured. In fact, many attractive and engaging people are led to use Sensation as a dominant function precisely because their style and impact are their fundamental strengths.

[..] For highly extraverted types, this happens as naturally as a leaf turning it's face on the sun. You can always tell from the ESPs in the crowd exactly what society currently regards as admirable, stylish, fascinating, outrageous, or exciting. These types will have so adapted themselves to generalized assumptions that they physically embody them.

I see... what I mean is, I've heard stories of INFPs who were seen - by others or by themselves - as "shy". Mind you, I'm still learning a lot about MBTI, and I'm aware that stereotypes abound, but I'd also heard about Fi being a "I don't care what you think of me" function. So, I felt kinda confused - even more so when people told me (on my type thread, which I've refused to let die for like two months) that INFJs (aux Fe) were generally more confident than INFPs (dom Fi). Combine that with the famed INFP laid-backness and my brain was all, GACK!

The explanation posted is very useful, though. Thanks! :) I've also heard of shy INTPs, and I'd attributed that to inferior Fe (INTJs seem a lot more confident, even though INTPs are quite contentious in the intellectual realm).

Also, let me correct a lil' thing in my previous post: I didn't mean to imply all INFPs were shy, or that it was a charateristic inherent in the type. It's just, I've heard things.
 

RaptorWizard

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Since ENTJ is the most aggressive type, it makes sense the most shy type would be the opposite, ISFP.
 

freeeekyyy

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Shyness? INFP. I don't think they're necessarily the least likely to actually talk to people though. That's probably INTJ.
 

Winds of Thor

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I think everyone has times when they don't feel like talking or would prefer to be quiet.
 

Cellmold

Wake, See, Sing, Dance
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People wont believe this, but when im introduced to new groups in real life it can take me a long time to open up and actually start talking.

I once went on the Princes Trust course and I didn't speak to anyone beyond simple "yes" "no" "sure" when asked for about 2-3 weeks.

Of course once I started talking they were thinking: "aww fuck what have we opened up here?!"
 

Ribonuke

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Well...just to shed some insight from an INFJ perspective.

I'm actually NOT that shy when it comes to strangers; I'm more likely to approach someone who looks like they need help, and engage cashiers in conversation xD;

But when it comes to someone who I...think is attractive? I immediately get shy. I feel like I'm unable to approach them without them thinking I'm stalking them or something...
 

Thalassa

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I'm not sure shyness has anything to do with type. A person who may seem shy may just be introverted. And an extrovert can be shy because they have social anxiety.

I was shy as a child around strangers; however as an adult I sometimes simply actively do not want people around me.

I have mistakenly thought someone was shy because they were passive and indirect, but even those qualities don't necessarily indicate shyness, and in fact can apparently be a trait of someone who just expects you to read their mind and know psychically what they do or do not want. How annoying, too, to be confronted finally by such a person, when all they had to do was be direct to begin with, and if they aren't shy, then why be so indirect? Grr.

Yeah, anyway, I think shyness is a mild form of social anxiety, and has nothing to do with introversion or type.
 

ilikeitlikethat

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I'm kinda shy, I am shy, that's it, I am shy. - With girls.

The fact that I do the things I've done and do, like.... This, and ask girls out and all of that... Just shows I'm one brave egotisical f*cker. but... I am shy, it's KIND of like.... Jumping out of a plane to go sky diving to cure your fear of heights... plus it's fun too.

So, can I just say INTP? - rhetorical question.


And I'm not even talking about guitar, I really do just mean meeting girls; Offline. Used to go out drinking in my wild youth, that was cool, but when I'm sober, I'm a shy mofo.
 

tommyc

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I'd say INFP, followed by INTJ, then INFJ. INFPs are most likely of all the types to be in their own world. INTJs and INFJs are equally shy but INFJs are quicker to open up due to their fascination for people and need for connection.
 

Savage Idealist

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wait what you went from an enfp to an intj??

Yes; thought I was Ne dom (with Fi and Te following), recently realized that I'm Ni dom (with Fi and Te following in the same way).
 

Lady_X

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But but do you feeeeel like an enfp or an intj

They're so totally different. It can't simply be a fault of not understanding functions... Can it?
 
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