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Typing Others: Tests, Tips, Tricks, What to Look For?

disco

New member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
22
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
I can sometimes type people with astonishing accuracy, but at other times it's a total mystery to me. Anyone have any recommendations? I'm marginally well-read on MBTI as well as the enneagram. What are some online test links that you swear by? I know some of them are probably less reliable than others. The sample RHETI seems legit for enneagram testing. Not so sure about MBTI tests...

Any tricks for being able to pick out dominant functions easily?

Thanks :)
 

Within

Permabanned
Joined
Jan 22, 2010
Messages
1,369
Dash some holy water in the face of people that you meet and you'll know.
 

disco

New member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
22
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Sassy INTJ alert ;-)
 

AgentF

Unlimited Dancemoves ®
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
1,543
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
i have both an iPhone mbti app and the shamelessness to ask everyone around me to take the test. :wink:
 

disco

New member
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
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MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Which app? I do the same thing with the RHETI...hehe
 
R

Riva

Guest
It's best to note people (popular cultural types) who are typed in certain ways (that doesn't create much controversy), observe their behaviour, body language etc and then slowly relate those attributes to the characters you with to type. This is rather an experienced way to type people. but then again this method might encourage stereotyping.

You could also 1st start typing people by their E,I,N,S,F,T,J,P types rather than going to Ni, Si, Ne, etc terms. This ways one could have a hunch on N vs S and T Vs F. After that one could go for the other two functions which might be hard if you are typing IxxJ Vs IxxPs. If they are extroverted it might be easy.

:)


i have both an iPhone mbti app and the shamelessness to ask everyone around me to take the test. :wink:

:laugh:

This is the best method I would say. But then again it is rare that people get the results right the 1st time itself I assume. As I recall I got ENTJ the 1st time I did the test. It made sense though I realized that the ENTJ descriptions gives the vibe of scaring poeple off and I am a bit too laid back for that particular description. Irrespective of these doubts I didn't question it since I didn't realize the results (theory) was so complicated (or widely studied). But after doing the test again and readi.......... what on earth am I doing talking about myself?
 

AgentF

Unlimited Dancemoves ®
Joined
Dec 22, 2010
Messages
1,543
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
i use Personality Test as well as Know Yourself and play around with the Personality app.

still waiting for an app developer to create a more comprehensive test. i am usually accurate within a letter from dialogue; i mainly use the above when i'm stuck on one of their functions.
 

Fluffywolf

Nips away your dignity
Joined
Mar 31, 2009
Messages
9,581
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
9
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Intentions, what are their reasons for being here, what do they want to learn, and how do they go about introducing themselves and asserting themselves to that end.

That's one of the less 'pure' Ne ways I look for when typing people on this forum.
 

INTP

Active member
Joined
Jul 31, 2009
Messages
7,803
MBTI Type
intp
Enneagram
5w4
Instinctual Variant
sx
here is an example of typical ENFP behavior:


j/k, but her expression, especially @2min screams ENFP, that eye brow raise and overall expression. dunno why, but all ENFPs(and none of other types) i have met has similar expressions than she does, ofc those expressions arent on all the time.

online tests never work with 100% accuracy since they are not measuring how people use their brains, but ask things only vaguely related to type. not to mention that people often dont know themselves all that well and more often mix their persona with the actual personality.

i dont think there are any general rules how to type people fast and accurately, usually it depends on the person. some people i just cant figure out, some i can spot in a second(like female ENFPs most the time and an INFJ once), some i start by looking whether the person seems E or I, others TJ is very apparent etc etc
 

AgentF

Unlimited Dancemoves ®
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Dec 22, 2010
Messages
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sx/so
^ how dare you? (that reminded me of myself within the first 5') :laugh:


there is a soundtrack in our heads, people. and the set list involves a horrifying blend of ABBA, Prince and teen pop that we are powerless i tell you, powerless to mute!

*sobs into Tickle Me Elmo© doll*
 

greenfairy

philosopher wood nymph
Joined
May 25, 2012
Messages
4,024
MBTI Type
iNfj
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Intentions, what are their reasons for being here, what do they want to learn, and how do they go about introducing themselves and asserting themselves to that end.

That's one of the less 'pure' Ne ways I look for when typing people on this forum.

What intentions, reasons, etc. would correspond to which type in your opinion?
 

Oaky

Travelling mind
Joined
Jan 15, 2009
Messages
6,180
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Usually if you're unsure the best method is to ask about how their mind works and connect the thoughts to a function.
 

Barlwooh

New member
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
22
Just my subjective observations here, and I apologize for this text having no structure at all.

Knowing the function orders is a must, and knowing "how the functions think" is a must. No single clue is enough to tell someones type, look for several, the more the better.

General softness in someones voice or the way he/she looks at someone else may mean the person is more likely to be an F, lack of emotion or might mean T. Always context dependant, T's might be emotional and so on. Just generally speaking though, ESFJ's smile more than ISTJ's when they talk to people, you can't deny that. Fe expects reactions, like a thank you after being handed coffee. Fi is more contained, Fi users have a non threathening dreamy look to themselves, sometimes, but more often than other types, although Ni has it's own dreamy look, or then it's just INFJ's, or a particular INFJ, oh god I'm so lonely. Te does things, expects things done, Ti thinks "If things would be done, they would be done."

Look for how often a person suddenly "looks into emptiness" (the moment when people think about something or remember things), length is important too. Sensors I've found look less often and for longer, Intuitives more often and for a shorter periods of time, Ne and Se eyes do it in a more "bubbly" fashion and Ni and Si eyes seem to look "deeper". Never trust eyes alone, NEVER, but they sometimes give out so much about N and S. I've noticed sensors use more proverbs, (might be culture spesific, I'm from Finland) and intuitives tend to use them as a joke or something similar.

Listen to the words people use and what they say. Intuitives leave more blanks, they say alot with what is left unsaid. Sensors are more prone to wanting to know what happened where with who involved. Intuitives seem to generally speak more quickly, individual differencies everywhere though.

Look for functions other than the dominant, or functions acting through or with the help of the dominant. ISTJ's Ne isn't really different from ENFP Ne, both are whacky but the ISTJ tends to use Ne for the things and ideas he acquires through the Si Te filter, opposed to ENFP Ne applying for about everything in life it being the first function.

Watch the persons posture, how long he looks other people in the eyes, where he positions himself in a room, does the person open up straight away when approached or seem contained, does his general behaviour seem bubbly, careless, anything. Try to attach anything anyone does to a function, or think "what function would've caused that". Everything gives away something, hunches are good, wrong more often than I'd like, but hunches are good.
 
A

Anew Leaf

Guest
I tend to layer my approach.

The first is always a rudimentary cut in the marble. It's very black and white and I just see where they may fall on each spectrum separate from functions. Just I v E, N v S, etc.

Then I observe and interact with them without doing anything to influence their thoughts in a direction I wish them to go overtly. This usually involves me being Ne and playful. Most Ne-dom/auxes will pick this up quickly and start batting the Ne ping pong ball back at me. I have so much Ne, I typically outlast Ne-doms, so it's a decent gauge of their I/E scale. If they enjoy what I am saying but aren't batting a ball back and instead are asking me questions, then it is usually an indication of a Ni-er.

Another good layer is, has this person tried to hug me within the first 5 minutes of meeting me? (Fe dom/aux :sick:) Do they want to hug me only at the end of a decently long interaction series? (Fe-tert/inf). Or do they respect my space? (why hello Fi).

Want to test for J/P? Throw a dirty sock on the floor. Or make plans and see what they do in response.

si dom test: ask them what time it is. (Time= 7:07 in this example.) If they answer "7:07", you have Si on your hands. If you get "around 7' then they are probably ni. If you get "what is time? ooh, do you think time could be a fruit?" then they are an INFP.

another layer might just be what vibe I get from interacting with them.

another layer is asking prompting questions to discern their inner workings as much as one is able to.

the end.
 

Poki

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I just go about life normally. There type will reveal over time. I am really not that interested in type, nor do I put much effort in looking at all the nitty gritty details or testing people, or throwing balls at them. Nor do I really care to slam there balls out of this world just because they were chunked at my head.


edit ::D
 
G

Glycerine

Guest
I take a global approach on the patterns of behavior I see in people and try to figure out the intentions/motivations behind it all. It's like finding the common thread in a complex story.
 

Poki

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Dec 4, 2008
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sx/so
I tend to layer my approach.

The first is always a rudimentary cut in the marble. It's very black and white and I just see where they may fall on each spectrum separate from functions. Just I v E, N v S, etc.

Then I observe and interact with them without doing anything to influence their thoughts in a direction I wish them to go overtly. This usually involves me being Ne and playful. Most Ne-dom/auxes will pick this up quickly and start batting the Ne ping pong ball back at me. I have so much Ne, I typically outlast Ne-doms, so it's a decent gauge of their I/E scale. If they enjoy what I am saying but aren't batting a ball back and instead are asking me questions, then it is usually an indication of a Ni-er.

Another good layer is, has this person tried to hug me within the first 5 minutes of meeting me? (Fe dom/aux :sick:) Do they want to hug me only at the end of a decently long interaction series? (Fe-tert/inf). Or do they respect my space? (why hello Fi).

Want to test for J/P? Throw a dirty sock on the floor. Or make plans and see what they do in response.

si dom test: ask them what time it is. (Time= 7:07 in this example.) If they answer "7:07", you have Si on your hands. If you get "around 7' then they are probably ni. If you get "what is time? ooh, do you think time could be a fruit?" then they are an INFP.

another layer might just be what vibe I get from interacting with them.

another layer is asking prompting questions to discern their inner workings as much as one is able to.

the end.

Ne dom uses Ne less as a supporting function and more as a leading function. Meaning...while it is playful it is in the lead and not used as much to actually gather information. They are more likely tto follow there Ne instead of use it like a tool as you do. So what you learn through inspection they learn thrrough trial and error and screw ups. Thats one difference between EP vs IP. As an IP we gather more information.

One thing you will notice behind ENFPs facade(outter appearance) is that behind itt you will find insecurity because they screwed up from not thinking/feeling things through. This comes out in different ways. Sometimes as an attck on others and sometimes it comes out for what it is.
 

Grublet

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Sep 11, 2012
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ISTJ
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AVC
si dom test: ask them what time it is. (Time= 7:07 in this example.) If they answer "7:07", you have Si on your hands. If you get "around 7' then they are probably ni. If you get "what is time? ooh, do you think time could be a fruit?" then they are an INFP.

I do usually give the specific time. :)

Ne dom uses Ne less as a supporting function and more as a leading function. Meaning...while it is playful it is in the lead and not used as much to actually gather information. They are more likely tto follow there Ne instead of use it like a tool as you do. So what you learn through inspection they learn thrrough trial and error and screw ups.

This is so accurate, I learn by mostly by trying new things and seeing what works. :D
 
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