[ISTP] Any non-mechanical ISTP descriptions?

[INTJMom]

# 11

11. If you are in charge of a group, would you:
(a) be firm, but fair
(b) be uncomfortable
(c) be persuasive

Maybe c. I don't mind leading at all, actually I kind of like it. I love input from the people I'm leading but at the same time I think I have decent persuasive skills.

a - Are you sort of a "strict" person in a firm sort of way? But even in your firmness,you are fair. Some people have a hard time being firm with others. They would not choose this option.

b - since you "kind of like" leading, leave b blank.

If you have "decent persuasive skills", definitely click c.

 

[INTJMom]

#12 & #13

This one was difficult, I thought.

12. If you are romantically interested in someone, do you:
(a) seek some kind of resolution
(b) see what happens
(c) fantasise about what could happen, however unrealistic

All of the above. If I was single it would be a combination of a & b. Now that I'm married it definitely C

You need to answer these questions as you would have when you were in your late teens or early 20's.

a or b - would you have pursued someone, or would you have waited to see if they would pursue you?

c - Did you have a tendency to fantasize about relationships when you were young. Would you think about marrying the person, having children, deciding where you would live, etc, and they don't even know you exist?


13. At a party do you:
(a) interact with many people and enjoy it
(b) leave early if you aren't enjoying it
(c) observe what happens with interest

Eh..none really. I will immediately find familiar faces and strike up conversations and enjoy myself.

You should probably just choose a since it seems like the closest.

 

[INTJMom]

#14 #17

14. On TV do you watch primarily:
(a) soaps and dramas
(b) science fiction (e.g. 'X Files', 'Star Trek')
(c) nothing in particular - you prefer to go out
None. I only watch HGTV, A & E, reality TV shows like Survivor, Super Nanny, some movies (comedies, mysteries, thrillers) and some news

If you don't "prefer to go out" choose a.
This was poorly asked, I thought.
I don't watch any of those. I watch sit-coms, so I chose drama because it was the closest.

17. Would you prefer to have:
(a) many friends
(b) a few, close friends
(c) opportunities to help your friends
I'd like to have many friends if I had the time, but I don't so I'm happy to have a few, close friends.

How were you when you were young?
Reconsider whether c is something that is true for you.

 

[INTJMom]

#24 #25 #28 #32

24. If something needs doing (a report; the washing up) do you prefer to:
(a) have a system for dealing with it
(b) do it as soon as possible
(c) do it when it has to be done (not at all, if possible)
I have no idea. Just depends on what it is. If pressed a & c

a - if you get the "flylady" email that reminds you to go "shine your sink" you have a system.
b - if you hate a sink full of dirty dishes and a floor that needs vacuuming so you do it so it'll get done on your timetable, choose this.
c - if you avoid doing the dishes or making the bed until you absolutely have to, choose this.

25. In your spare time, do you like to:
(a) conserve your energy for when you need it
(b) read books or watch films
(c) be physically active
None. I prefer to lunch with my friends and shop.
Choose c.

27. Do you think people would accuse you of:
(a) being closed off
(b) being too ruled by your principles
(c) being swayed by your values
I don't know. Not a.

b - is said of people who are too hard headed, too driven by rules and logic
c - is said of people who are too soft hearted, too swayed by peoples' feelings and opinions

28. Would you like your friends to see you as:
(a) devoted
(b) flexible
(c) helpful at organising things
Completely depends on the situation or issue.

Which one do you think you are the best at?

32. Is your usual strategy:
(a) plan ahead
(b) analyse and implement
(c) adapt as you go
Ahh....I don't know. I do all of the above. Because I'm future oriented and break down my goals I'm obviously planning some things ahead. This tends to be for my major life goals, but more most things it might be B. Sometimes C for less critical things.

a & c seem to be intended to be opposites of each other.
Once again, you need to think of the most frequent, natural tendency, especially when you were younger. Which do you prefer?

It seems like b might be a good description for you as you have mentioned several times how you break a goal down and then work on it.

 

[INTJMom]

...
I repeated the test twice using my answers and once I got ENFP and the next time ESFP (couldn't choose all three options so I changed it around). Why am I coming out as E?

I don't know.
Maybe you're more extraverted than you thought, or perhaps you'll come up with different results once you make 2 choices for each question.

I didn't address the questions that you already had 2 answers for.

If you're still confused about any choices you have to make, feel free to ask again. I don't mind clarifying.

 

[Ender]

This one was difficult, I thought.

12. If you are romantically interested in someone, do you:
(a) seek some kind of resolution
(b) see what happens
(c) fantasise about what could happen, however unrealistic

For me, Definitely c, However when it comes to a & b, it's a conflict really. Usually cautious in the beginning, prone to mis-reading due to my preference for c so I tend to be more b, while at same time I'm fighting my desire for a, so I tend to flop back and forth between a & b quite a bit.

This is one of the ones I wanted to pick all 3 on

 

[alicia91]

Thanks INTJMOM - you are a big help. Obviously you understand what the questions are trying to get at whereas I see many of them as just being vague. I shall try this quiz again tomorrow using your translations

 

["?"]

Well, I think the ISTP description at the Murray State website is quite unbiased. However, I really hate the fact that some of the type descriptions are written in list while others are written in prose.

Now that's an interesting point of view. I actually liked the bullets and lists far more than reading prosed formats. I wonder if this is expediency for the Se, or compartmentalizes for the Ti? As for the descriptions, the middle one is from Otto Kroeger, and I have contemplated more than once on burning it. I think the first description starts to read like Meyers-Briggs description, however incorporates more material. I don't have Gifts Differing in front of me for comparison. The final description fits me just fine. No room subjectivity and stereotypes. Just the facts ma'am:

Summary - ISTP
Contributions to the Organization

 

[cdal233]

Well, I think the ISTP description at the Murray State website is quite unbiased.

Agreed. I think thats the best one out there.


My brother is an ISTP, and he is a bit less typical than the standard model. He is basically a fact machine. He can digest facts faster than anyone I've ever met, and he can call people out when they disrupt his factual collection. He doesn't portray the typical 'fearless' mentality that is seen in other ISTP's I've come across, but when you ask him certain questions pertaining to how he perceives life, it becomes evident that his view on life is far more fearless than normal. But, like I said, it doesn't show in his general behavior or come up in conversation without asking about it.

He is really laid back and wrestles at University of Chicago... studying Biology and Psychology. He has the potential to make a career out of either field pretty easily, but I wouldn't ever really see him make any significant breakthroughs. He can be really useful to me from an intellectual point of view (I'm Biopsychology and Psychology majors), because he doesn't think abstractly, so he has a good grasp on what's been proven and what is still uncertain within the scientific community.

 

[The Ü™]

Now that's an interesting point of view. I actually liked the bullets and lists far more than reading prosed formats. I wonder if this is expediency for the Se, or compartmentalizes for the Ti? As for the descriptions, the middle one is from Otto Kroeger, and I have contemplated more than once on burning it. I think the first description starts to read like Meyers-Briggs description, however incorporates more material. I don't have Gifts Differing in front of me for comparison. The final description fits me just fine. No room subjectivity and stereotypes. Just the facts ma'am

Well, I would have liked to see them all in bullet format and/or all in prose format.

I think I have to agree with you on a "Just the facts ma'am" approach. I just wish all type description methods were treated equally.

My Ni tends not to have an attention span long enough to constantly read too many things in the outer world. I often have trouble comprehending text.

 

[alicia91]

I'm going to move the discussion about myself into my original post in the What's My Type forum (which I was using as a journal). I've obviously steered this thread into a much too personal direction.

 

["?"]

Well, I would have liked to see them all in bullet format and/or all in prose format.

I think I have to agree with you on a "Just the facts ma'am" approach. I just wish all type description methods were treated equally.

My Ni tends not to have an attention span long enough to constantly read too many things in the outer world. I often have trouble comprehending text.

One thing that I usually do is a side-by-side comparison of two descriptions, putting them into a table, listing the sentences in bullet format and going along omitting those part of the descriptions that do not pertain to me. In the end what remains is what I go with.

 

[INTJMom]

One thing that I usually do is a side-by-side comparison of two descriptions, putting them into a table, listing the sentences in bullet format and going along omitting those part of the descriptions that do not pertain to me. In the end what remains is what I go with.

That works, but it is only accurate to the extent that the profile is thorough.

It might be safer to use a few different profiles from each type to compare. That way, the chances go up that you are getting a fuller description of each type, and therefore more accurate results.


It's strange, but I am so self-critical that I had to compare the "faults" of each type.
I couldn't recognize myself in the good qualities.

 

[istpunk]

Memo to self, when arguing with an INTJ keep maybe 2-3 books on the subject at hand ready.

 

["?"]

That works, but it is only accurate to the extent that the profile is thorough. It might be safer to use a few different profiles from each type to compare. That way, the chances go up that you are getting a fuller description of each type, and therefore more accurate results.

I only do my comparision with descriptions that I find thorough, accurate and has a 90% chance of being me. Otherwise, it's quite apparent that the descriptions laced with too many sterotypes and has that boxed in theme to it will get no consideration, let alone my time in making the comparison.

It's strange, but I am so self-critical that I had to compare the "faults" of each type. I couldn't recognize myself in the good qualities.

That's not strange. That's being realistic. The average person is just that "average" at best and can vacillate. To maintain the epitome of any type description on a consisten basis, is unrealistic.

 

[mcmartinez84]

back to more of the original topic - I'm not really into mechanics at all. I don't care for explosives. I love roller coasters. I think power tools are cool, but I've never used them...I can watch carpentry shows all day long. This Old House is one of the coolest! Trading Spaces isn't my cup of tea though; their styles totally clash with mine.

 

[SahlainAnteth]

I thought someone on this forum mentioning that they had read a description of ISTPs that wasn't all mechanical. Anyone know where this might be?

I'm still on the fence between ISTP/ISFP, and I relate very well to both. My thinking style might be more ISTP but the descriptions sound NOTHING like me - mechanical, explosives , dare-devil (OK, I like rollercoasters), and I relate much better to the ISFP descriptions. Or I'm just a mix and should keep the X in that spot!

I'm definitrely ISTP, but not so much mechanical--partly because I'm not very mathematically gifted. But I do love working with my hands, especially on projects that require creativity & design. I also love music and play three different instruments. I like experiencing new things, too, like going a new restaurant to try food from another culture. And speed. I do like speed: motorcycles, ice skating, roller coasters, horseback riding, etc.

 

[SahlainAnteth]

back to more of the original topic - I'm not really into mechanics at all. I don't care for explosives. I love roller coasters. I think power tools are cool, but I've never used them...I can watch carpentry shows all day long. This Old House is one of the coolest! Trading Spaces isn't my cup of tea though; their styles totally clash with mine.

AHH! I LOVE This Old House! One of my dream jobs would be to buy up old houses/buildings, have my own team that would fix them up, then sell them. I could watch that show for hours. New Yankee Workshop, too. I wish I had the knowledge, tools, and skill to do what Norm Abram does with wood. I mean, he's like--"Yes. Well, today I'm going to replicate this 18th century whatever." And he does it.

 

[KDude]

I don't think one needs to be mechanically inclined (although, I suppose I am). It's a vague description. As if everything had to be focused on machines or craft work. You could tool around with just about anything. The underlying thought process is what matters.

I think Bruce Lee was an ISTp, for example, but he focused on tweaking his physique (Not to mention his efficiency in martial arts). If you read the book The Art of Expressing the Human Body (which are just notes on fitness, not martial arts) you'll see that he takes a very mechanical approach to it. He wasn't just a general fitness nut.. It's like he's almost a scientist about it. Really detailed stuff on anatomy and things like that.

But it's interesting that while he was a "mechanic" with his own body, he wasn't mechanically inclined enough to build things himself. "He used to send me all of these designs for exercise equipment," says George Lee, "and I'd build them according to his specs. However, I wasn't altogether foolish," he says with a laugh, "I knew that if Bruce was going to use it, it must be effective, so I'd build one to send to him and another for me to use at home!"