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Typewatching: How well do you guess other's types?

Alesia

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Apr 27, 2007
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90
MBTI Type
INFP
I've known Myers-Briggs for 17 years now and have "typewatched" for quite some time. Although individuals can differ, here is my general take.

NTs - I can spot them a mile away. They just have a very potent obvious quality that stands out like no other.

One NT type gives me problems though. ENTPs. They can appear to be so like ESTPs. And I haven't met a whole lot of ENTPs, that I know of, so I don't have a good feel for them. It took a year of reading ESTP/ENTP descriptions and analyzing my ENTP boss to death, before I decided on ENTP. Then I asked him to take the test, and indeed he was.

SPs - I can also spot these a mile away. No problemo. And can usually get all four letters right.

NFs - Most I can spot. But again, sometimes I can have problems between SF and NF. And INFP (my own type) are the worst. I have four INFP freinds (I know because they told me so) and my father is INFP, yet, I find an unknown INFP to be very difficult to spot. There were two guys at work, that I finally decided were INFP. If I meet someone who is very vague and obtuse and very hard to read, and quiet, I tend to think INFP, but leave my opinion open.

SJs - yeah, they seem pretty straight forward. I may not get the E/I or T/F, but can get the SJ pretty quick.

So, what about you? And what kind of clues do you look for when trying to decide a type? I'm talking about people irl. Or do you try to guess?
 

rivercrow

shoshaku jushaku
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Apr 19, 2007
Messages
1,555
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type
I'm far more confident in person. I won't type if I don't get direct contact, either voice or in person--the opportunity for deception is too great.

Even then, I hold my theory as hypothesis for a long time. Not quick to leap to conclusions...which probably surprises a few people here.
 

Maverick

New member
Joined
Apr 29, 2007
Messages
880
MBTI Type
ENTJ
I have good intuitive grasp of other people's types and usually go "ah-ha, must be a type xxxx". If I'm not sure I have the major criteria for each dimensions in memory and will sort out each trait one by one. I didn't always function this way but with time I can just go by feeling.
 

Alesia

New member
Joined
Apr 27, 2007
Messages
90
MBTI Type
INFP
I'm far more confident in person. I won't type if I don't get direct contact, either voice or in person--the opportunity for deception is too great.

Even then, I hold my theory as hypothesis for a long time. Not quick to leap to conclusions...which probably surprises a few people here.

Yeah. When you can ineract with a person and watch them in social settings you can frequently quite easily catch the type. I've just done this for so long, that many times I can just "feel", like a vibe, the general temperament. Not the whole type, mind you. But SP, SJ, NF, NT. And even then I never leap to a conclusion. I just think, "wow, this person screams NT". Or acts SJ. But being my P self, I'm very comfortable with holding off and having a "hypothesis" (yep, that is the exact word I use, rivercrow) for a while.
 

rivercrow

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type
Yep.

I've got an ongoing discussion with someone about whether they're I with good learned E skills or an E who's learned reflective I skills. At a certain point, these things start to blur.

Temperaments are easier to get a feeling for, tho. I like alternating Keirsey's temperaments with SF/ST/NT/NF pairs as well.
 

Alesia

New member
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Apr 27, 2007
Messages
90
MBTI Type
INFP
Yep.

I've got an ongoing discussion with someone about whether they're I with good learned E skills or an E who's learned reflective I skills. At a certain point, these things start to blur.

Temperaments are easier to get a feeling for, tho. I like alternating Keirsey's temperaments with SF/ST/NT/NF pairs as well.

Right. The E/I can be very difficult if you see a person in only one situation. In most of the circles I run in people think I am very E. It's because I'm in philosophy, Buddist, Jungian, and other kinds of groups that center around a topic. When that happens I'm quite the yacker.

Plus, the older a person gets, and the more they work at developing other skills the more things start to really blur. I've given the MBTI test to "Senior Citizen" groups, and they usually can agree upon a type, though.
 

SolitaryWalker

Tenured roisterer
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Apr 23, 2007
Messages
3,504
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
I rarely make mistakes in typing others after having observed them for over a week. (Ti comes in handy here)
 

rivercrow

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type
Right. The E/I can be very difficult if you see a person in only one situation. In most of the circles I run in people think I am very E. It's because I'm in philosophy, Buddist, Jungian, and other kinds of groups that center around a topic. When that happens I'm quite the yacker.
Yeah. I have people tell me I'm extroverted all the time, but they see me in special situations where I'm the subject matter expert.

That very observation has made me much more cautious with casual typing.
Plus, the older a person gets, and the more they work at developing other skills the more things start to really blur. I've given the MBTI test to "Senior Citizen" groups, and they usually can agree upon a type, though.
My gut feeling is that the late teens through the 20s are the best time to get typed. After someone's been in the workforce--especially if they're not in-line with the socially-biased preferences--then the difference between "BE" and "DO" gets fuzzy, even in a self-assessment.
 

SolitaryWalker

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Qualify this statement

Qualify would not be an appropriate word to use in your situation.

Clarify and expound would be more fitting because 'Qualify' implies--give meaning to the statement. It already had substance, yet the real issue was vagueness.

A well-developed Ti can help you cultivated skills in the enterprise of accurate and clear thinking when assessing systems. Ti-Ne can envision the typological system, and then use the Ti to assess how variables on the outside (people) fall into this system. And hence you can match up ideas connected with types with people pertaining to those types on the outside. Having accomplished this, your accuracy in 'typing' others should be very high.
 

rivercrow

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Qualify would not be an appropriate word to use in your situation.

Clarify and expound would be more fitting because 'Qualify' implies--give meaning to the statement. It already had substance, yet the real issue was vagueness.

A well-developed Ti can help you cultivated skills in the enterprise of accurate and clear thinking when assessing systems. Ti-Ne can envision the typological system, and then use the Ti to assess how variables on the outside (people) fall into this system. And hence you can match up ideas connected with types with people pertaining to those types on the outside. Having accomplished this, your accuracy in 'typing' others should be very high.

Hm. Perhaps, but I also suspect there's quite a good possibility for a high rate of failure due to type bias, either for or against.

TiNe doesn't exactly corner the market on "In the moment," "Noticing details," or "Appreciating personal differences." Or "Total grasp on reality." Speaking from experience.....
 

Langrenus

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Apr 23, 2007
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I chose the word qualify quite deliberately. You provided no meaning whatsoever.

I will speak more clearly. How do you know that your original assessment was correct, outside of your own further analysis? Do you send these people to be psychologically tested?
 

SolitaryWalker

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I chose the word qualify quite deliberately. You provided no meaning whatsoever.

I will speak more clearly. How do you know that your original assessment was correct, outside of your own further analysis? Do you send these people to be psychologically tested?


I analyze very carefully to avoid type-bias, and compare what I know about them to people that we can clearly perceive as that of possessing the cited type.

Like (Einstein for INTP, Nietzsche for INTJ, Schopenhauer for INFJ, Milton/Kierkegaard for INFP).. and so on..

With some I discuss typology, and those who were familiar with it and know their type well, confirm my assessment concernign the nature of their temperament.

Some, I've had take the test, and so far I've only made one mistake. Mistyped an INTJ for an INTP. I have not spoken with him in private, only heard him discuss ideas in public.

Type bias is less of an issue with INTPs than INTJs, as INTJs, with their Ni can be confined to their perceptions more (and we know Ni is strongly linked with the unconscious mind) and can easily make hasty decisions concerning ideas based solely on their perceptions which could be poisoned by their prejudices.

INTPs, tend to make decisions more based on conscious analysis of phenomena, and thus more likely to extricate themselves from their own tastes and prejudices.
 

Totenkindly

@.~*virinaĉo*~.@
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Apr 19, 2007
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sx/sp
I do not have much to add to all this, since my experiences with typing fit many of the experiences here. (RL experience is more reliable than online or other data; I usually get a quick "read" and then continually update the hypothesis as I go; 20's being the "best time" to type; and so on.)

But I guess even that much is useful, since it still supports the ideas. :)
 

Alesia

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Apr 27, 2007
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90
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INFP
My gut feeling is that the late teens through the 20s are the best time to get typed. After someone's been in the workforce--especially if they're not in-line with the socially-biased preferences--then the difference between "BE" and "DO" gets fuzzy, even in a self-assessment.

Yes, I agree with this. Actually, I typed myself at age 35 and had no problems. So, maybe 20's and 30s. I sometimes wonder if teens are not sufficiently developed or know who they are to actually type.

And, yes, after getting into the workforce and being forced into roles that are not your natural preferences can really start some confusion. So, I'm thinking around age 25 to early thirties.
 

Langrenus

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I analyze very carefully to avoid type-bias, and compare what I know about them to people that we can clearly perceive as that of possessing the cited type.

Like (Einstein for INTP, Nietzsche for INTJ, Schopenhauer for INFJ, Milton/Kierkegaard for INFP).. and so on..

With some I discuss typology, and those who were familiar with it and know their type well, confirm my assessment concernign the nature of their temperament.

Some, I've had take the test, and so far I've only made one mistake. Mistyped an INTJ for an INTP. I have not spoken with him in private, only heard him discuss ideas in public.

Type bias is less of an issue with INTPs than INTJs, as INTJs, with their Ni can be confined to their perceptions more (and we know Ni is strongly linked with the unconscious mind) and can easily make hasty decisions concerning ideas based solely on their perceptions which could be poisoned by their prejudices.

INTPs, tend to make decisions more based on conscious analysis of phenomena, and thus more likely to extricate themselves from their own tastes and prejudices.

In the first instance your ranking system seems flawed, since any analysis of the individuals you have mentioned (with, perhaps, the exception of Einstein) is based on documentary evidence analysed long after death. Furthermore, such an analysis, being based primarily on documentary evidence, does not seem ideally suited to comparison against observations made in a social setting.

In the second instance any careful analysis intended to avoid type-bias is going to be relatively tricky once you've a) already 'pre-'typed someone, and b) convinced yourself that you're correct in >x% of cases

Thirdly, how many is "some"? You've made one mistake - does this represent 100% of cases or 1%?

I don't disagree with your assertion that subconscious perceptions probably play a larger role for INTJ's - it is also possible that these are more exposed to prejudice. It is also possible that subconscious interpretations are actually more capable of stripping out superficial details and quickly revealing the heart of an individual's character. I believe that this is too subjective a point to argue over, but would be interested in your thoughts.

Having never met you I can't really refute your assertion that you can type people to such a high rate of accuracy. But my mind calls bullshit. Perhaps it's the preponderence of the N function within me.
 
Last edited:

SolitaryWalker

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If you study Nietzsche's ideas and the way he writes (I have read all of his books), you will clearly see that he is led primarily by the Ni, and his presentation style resembles Te. (And of course there is plenty of evidence in his biography concerning his type being INTJ). I've also read a great deal on Schopenhauer's life and have read all of his books as well. Same I can say for Kierkegaard.

Those, are highly likely to have the type that I believe for them to have. Obviously we cant be certain about this, but I do think that we know enough about these people to believe that we can have confidence in our ability to type them.

My ranking system is oftenly misunderstood. It does not insinuate epistemic certainty and does not expect for the world to fit into those exacting molds, and my systems deal with human nature and not human personality. So in short: I am not pigeonholing people.

I am not sure if we could talk about my ranking system cogently at this point, as it is highly likely that we are not on the same page.
 

SolitaryWalker

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Is that extreme-INTP for "does not compute"?

Sorry, I've misread many entities within your post and gave an inappropriate response. I edited it out as soon as possible to ensure that you dont see it.

I gave a more fitting treatment to your message in the statement that is now posted.
 

rivercrow

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Apr 19, 2007
Messages
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MBTI Type
type
Yes, I agree with this. Actually, I typed myself at age 35 and had no problems. So, maybe 20's and 30s. I sometimes wonder if teens are not sufficiently developed or know who they are to actually type.

And, yes, after getting into the workforce and being forced into roles that are not your natural preferences can really start some confusion. So, I'm thinking around age 25 to early thirties.

Yeah--ya wanna catch 'em before the cynicism of old middle age settles in....

Course, with Gen Xers, that happened around age 10, so we're really hard to type. ;)
 

Langrenus

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Apr 23, 2007
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Sorry, I've misread many entities within your post and gave an inappropriate response. I edited it out as soon as possible to ensure that you dont see it.

I gave a more fitting treatment to your message in the statement that is now posted.

Fair enough. Thanks for the clarification, message removed.

You're probably correct in thinking that we're not on the same page - but you've made a simple post with a clear message (please do this more frequently) which, I believe, helps us to move on.

I still take issue with your typing system for several reasons, but happy to discuss at a later date.
 
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