Who types people better, others or themselves?

[Venom]

Just had an argument with my sister. By themselves each side sounds plausible:

A. people can't possibly type themselves. No one is honest with themselves about their actions, preferences etc and that instead friends and family will better be able type someone. Using actions and behaviors as the basis of type is fine. People lie to themselves about how caring or reflective they are.

B. Even some people's family's and closest friends' don't know half of his or her actual cognitive thoughts. Others can see behavior and choices, but not actual line by line thoughts that go through their heads. Many people have very private interests, hobbies and topics that they never share even with family and friends.

So what do you think:
<> people type themselves?
<> people can't be trusted to type themselves?

 

[Eugene Watson VIII]

I think both can be valid but it's pretty situational lol. Other people will know how you've been over time so that would give a better overall account though.

 

[Such Irony]

I don't it's clearly one or the other. To be a good typer, you have to first have a good grasp of type theory, what the preferences really mean and all that stuff. If you're typing yourself, you also have to be highly self-aware of what truly motivates your behaviors. You have to be unbiased, typing as how you truly see yourself, not as what you want to be or think you should be. If you're typing someone else, you have to be perceptive of that person's behavior or motivations and again unbiased.

 

[Arkigos]

I don't it's clearly one or the other. To be a good typer, you have to first have a good grasp of type theory, what the preferences really mean and all that stuff. If you're typing yourself, you also have to be highly self-aware of what truly motivates your behaviors. You have to be unbiased, typing as how you truly see yourself, not as what you want to be or think you should be. If you're typing someone else, you have to be perceptive of that person's behavior or motivations and again unbiased.

This.

I don't think one is better than the other, intrinsically. In both cases it's a matter of avoiding subjective minutia. Though the means of accomplishing this is different in both cases. I'd argue that perhaps it is wisest to find a consensus of self-typing and having informed and unbiased others confirm.

 

[skylights]

I think it depends almost entirely on who has the best understanding of type theory.

I believe that typing is ultimately subjective, anyway, so there is no right answer, only a best fit. Probably wiser to let the individual decide for themself, though, when it's tied between two equally knowledgeable people, seeing as the individual has infinitely more information about themself to go off of.

A. people can't possibly type themselves [...] Using actions and behaviors as the basis of type is fine.

I lean away from doing this when possible because behaviors are multidetermined and it is very hard to judge cognitive process by action alone. It would be very easy to mistype a 2w3 ESFP in a helping role for an ESFJ, for example.

 

[Grublet]

I think it's best to be typed by a friend that knows a lot about typology, and it can help if you know something yourself as well.
[MENTION=5684]Elfboy[/MENTION]

 

[RaptorWizard]

Friends and Family

 

[sulfit]

So what do you think:
<> people type themselves?
<> people can't be trusted to type themselves?

majority of those who have given MBTI/enneagram some thought type themselves correctly so I think how people type themselves can be trusted

I think about 20-30% get the wrong type initially, half of them correct themselves when they do some more exploration, the other half never does for multiple reasons: type serves as a hideout for their neuroses and personality disorders, they don't have a solid self-concept, they are in habit of deluding themselves, they prefer to see themselves in better light and associate only with types they like, and so on.

in the end I think only about 1 out of 5-6 people ends up with wrong type

 

[acronach]

MBTI: others (especially family, siblings and parents know you better than anyone)

Enneagram: 80% you 20% others. I view the enneagram as the ultimate introspection tool personally

 

[Venom]

So this is probably a good place to mention that I've finally relented to my sisters typing of me. She's been unwavering in the ENTP typing for years (literally years)... I never wanted to accept it because I didn't care much for math class growing up. I started out as Babylon Candle on here years ago and have been nearly every damn type (INFP ENFP ENTP ENTJ ENFJ INFJ ENTP etc ...). I guess I have no choice, but to cast my vote for "other people are better at typing you"

Clearly I can't be trusted to decide my own type.