Comparison of four different test. How am I to interprete this?

[Julia]

Hi!

This post will be long, but I'd really appreciate your help in interpreting the different test results.


I took this test that Fluffywolf kindly suggested that I'd take (in this thread. There he also had a 'wild guess' that I was an INFJ).

After finishing the test it sort of reminded me of another test I took on Sunday, and after some research I found out that they were quite similar tests (both from cocgnitiveprocess.com), but with a different angle of perspective (if I've understood this thing right).


1. The test I took today was this: Understanding the Eight Jungian Cognitive Processes / Eight Functions Attitudes
(InnerStrenght Cognitive Assessment)

Cognitive Process Level of Development (Preference, Skill and Frequency of Use)
extraverted Sensing (Se) ************* (13.1)
unused
introverted Sensing (Si) ********************************** (34)
good use
extraverted Intuiting (Ne) ******************************* (32)
good use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) ****************************** (30.7)
good use
extraverted Thinking (Te) *************************** (27.8)
average use
introverted Thinking (Ti) ********************************** (34.6)
good use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) ***************************** (29.9)
average use
introverted Feeling (Fi) ************************************* (37.5)
excellent use

Summary Analysis of Profile
By focusing on the strongest configuration of cognitive processes, your pattern of responses most closely matches individuals of this type: INFP

Lead (Dominant) Process
Introverted Feeling (Fi): Staying true to who you really are. Paying close attention to your personal identity, values and beliefs. Checking with your conscience. Choosing behavior congruent with what is important to you.

Support (Auxilliary) Process
Extraverted Intuiting (Ne): Exploring the emerging patterns. Wondering about patterns of interaction across various situations. Checking what hypotheses and meanings fit best. Trusting what emerges as you shift a situation’s dynamics.

If these cognitive processes don't fit well then consider these types: ENFP, or INTP


2. The test I took on Sunday was this:

Understanding the Eight Jungian Cognitive Processes / Eight Functions Attitudes
(InnerStrenght Dynamics Assessment)

Cognitive Dynamic Level of Development (Preference, Skill and Frequency of Use)
Se with Ni ************************** (26.5)
average use
Si with Ne ********************************** (34.5)
good use
Ne with Si ********************************** (34.5)
good use
Ni with Se ************************** (26.5)
average use
Te with Fi ********************** (22.5)
poor use
Ti with Fe ************************************ (36.5)
excellent use
Fe with Ti ************************************ (36.5)
excellent use
Fi with Te ********************** (22.5)
poor use

Summary Analysis of Profile
By focusing on the strongest configuration of cognitive dynamics, your pattern of responses most closely matches individuals of this type: ESFJ

The corresponding best-fit cognitive pattern:
If these results don't fit well then consider these types: ISFJ, or ENTP


3. I also took two other tests this weekend. This one at The Personality Page

Your Type is
INFJ
Introverted Intuitive Feeling Judging
Strength of the preferences %
22 - 38 - 25 - 11


4. And this one at Winer Foundation -- Robert Winer, M.D. Neurology, Psychiatry, Psychopharmacology, Neuropsychiatry, Psychoanalysis,and Psychotherapy in Philadelphia Pennsylvania (PA)

Your Gray-Wheelwright-Winer Type Indicator test 4 letter type is:
INFX

Use the following table to understand your raw scores on the Gray-Wheelwright-Winer Type Indicator Test
E/I score S/N score T/F score J/P score
E = 3 S = 9 T = 9 J = 10
I = 7 N = 11 F = 11 P = 10


Are any of these tests really reliable? If so, why do you think the test results vary so much? I really struggle to find out how my functions are interacting.

Thanks in advance for all information you can give.

 

[Eric B]

On that second one; the types with totally opposite letters are basically one in the same because it is measuring process tandems instead of individual processes; so if you get INTP results, it says ESFJ, because the two use the same four processes. That was what I had gotten, too.
You had high Ti/Fe and Fe/Ti as well as Ne/Si and Si/Ne, so you can count that one as INTP, which is one of the suggestions on the first test.

The last two are just measuring dichotomies and not processes, so it seems unanimous that you are IN, but the T/F and J/P vary. Now, you can use the first two, where you see that you do not have excellent Ni use, so INFJ can be ruled out. Looking at the first and second together, I would say you might be an INTP with strong Fi. (In the second one, Fi and Te together are weak, and if Fi was dominant, I don't think it would be "dragged down" by the inferior like that; while Ti and Fe together remain highest).

 

[laughingebony]

Looking at the first and second together, I woudl say you might be an INTP with strong Fi. (In the second one, Fi and Te together are weak, and if Fi was dominant, I don't think it would be "dragged down" by the inferior like that; while Ti and Fe together remain highest).

That's what I was thinking, as well. According to the results of the first test, you use Ti and Fi, and Si more than the other functions. Thus, it is likely (although definitely not certain) that one of these is your dominant function, and we can the possibilities down to six types.

The second test measures use of opposite pairs of functions (i.e. dominant-inferior or auxiliary-tertiary pairs). Your strongest, the Ti-Fe pair only occurs in two of the six types we arrived at above, ISTP and INTP.

The function order for ISTP is Ti-Se-Ni-Fe.
The function order for INTP is Ti-Ne-Si-Fe.

According to the second test, you seem to prefer the Ne-Si pair over the Se-Ni pair. Furthermore, your first test indicates that you use Ne a great deal more than you use Se. This leads me to believe you are INTP.

 

[Julia]

Thanks to Eric B and laughingebony for very good explanations. Just what I needed to understand the test-results a bit more.

But I've never considered myself as an INTP, I thought I was much too F-orientated. But I don't know much about female INTPs.

Is it possible that my F comes forward because of motherhood and the need for social interaction because of that, or is it possible that my T side is more prominent because of the exact same reason, that is that I've had to had to think a lot to be able to raise a kid through many years? Or would that be my J coming up?

 

[laughingebony]

But I've never considered myself as an INTP

And you might not be INTP. It's just that the first two tests seem to tentatively suggest it. I intentionally disregarded the last two tests because, technically, under the Myers-Briggs system, one's type is defined by her dominant and auxiliary cognitive functions. If we simplify our definition of psychological type in such a way that one's type is determined her preference on each of the four familiar dichotomies (i.e. INTP=I+N+T+P), then we can consider the results of the third and fourth test, which (obviously) bring more doubt to my diagnosis of INTP.

Forgive me if I'm wrong (I promise, I'm not trying to insult your intelligence), but I get the impression you have only a vague understanding of type dynamics. It seems you know well enough about what sensing, intuition, thinking, and feeling are, so I'll leave that alone. I think the MBTI Wikipedia entry explains type dynamics pretty well. It can be a bit confusing at first, but you get used to it quickly enough.

Wikipedia - MBTI entry - Type Dynamics section

I thought I was much too F-orientated

There was one point at which I thought I might have been INFP. (Grammarians, should I have used past-perfect tense there, instead?) It was only after a good amount of reading about the MBTI that I arrived at my type. Thinkers aren't all devoid of feeling.

But I don't know much about female INTPs.

There are plenty of them here. The ones here seem to be a bit different from the male INTPs, but I don't know how (or if) that difference translates to the real world, as I only know one female INTP in person, and not very well.

Is it possible that my F comes forward because of motherhood and the need for social interaction because of that

I guess it's possible. With respect to the thinking/feeling dichotomy, how was your personality any different before motherhood? Supposedly, the inferior function (which is Fe for INTPs) develops most at about mid-life, but according to the first test, you use Fi a fair bit more than you use Fe.

or is it possible that my T side is more prominent because of the exact same reason, that is that I've had to had to think a lot to be able to raise a kid through many years

Similarly, if you were INFP, your inferior function (Te) would (supposedly) develop a lot at about mid-life, but, again, the first test indicates that you use a substantial amount more Ti than Te.

Or would that be my J coming up?

Development of an inferior judging (thinking or feeling) function would probably make a person seem a bit more J.

Here are my results from that first test. I thought it might be helpful to show you that it is possible for an INTP to use a lot of Fi. (Granted, I'm much less balanced than you are.)

extraverted Sensing (Se) ************* (13.7)
unused
introverted Sensing (Si) ******************************* (31.8)
good use
extraverted Intuiting (Ne) ************************************************ (48.4)
excellent use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) *************** (15.1)
unused
extraverted Thinking (Te) *********************** (23.5)
limited use
introverted Thinking (Ti) ***************************************************** (53.1)
excellent use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) *********** (11.4)
unused
introverted Feeling (Fi) ******************************************* (43)
excellent use

Summary Analysis of Profile
By focusing on the strongest configuration of cognitive processes, your pattern of responses most closely matches individuals of this type: INTP

Lead (Dominant) Process
Introverted Thinking (Ti): Gaining leverage (influence) using a framework. Detaching to study a situation from different angles and fit it to a theory, framework or principle. Checking for accuracy. Using leverage to solve the problem.

Support (Auxilliary) Process
Extraverted Intuiting (Ne): Exploring the emerging patterns. Wondering about patterns of interaction across various situations. Checking what hypotheses and meanings fit best. Trusting what emerges as you shift a situation’s dynamics.

If these cognitive processes don't fit well then consider these types: ENTP, or INFP

 

[Eric B]

Society generally does push women towards F, so that could be it. Plus, just having strong Fi, or being aware of your emotions, and hearing stereotypes of T's as unemotional. A lot of people go through this in weighing T/F.

 

[Julia]

Dear laughingebony,

First; I'm not offended by your impressions. They are quite correct. I need to do a lot mor studying on this MBTI-subject. But I couldn't manage to find a way to start - or go further - all by myself. I have read lots of stuff, but many things it seems that I'm only comprehend vaguely. It's like all this information is stuffed behind some semi-transparant curtains in my brain, and the only way to throw away these curtains and more fully understand any concept, is to make use of some other cognitive processes than the one that reading only initiates. One way is to try to go from abstract to concrete by writing my questions down - and have them answered by someone who's as skilled and patient as you are.

I will certainly make use of the information and examples that you've given me in the days to come. Eventually I might be able to narrow down questions as my actual knowledge increases.

I do not define myself as anything but XXXX at the moment. But just starting at a certain point, eliminating as I investigate (and sometimes having to go back), is better for me than to take all types into consideration at once and then narrowing them down to just one thing.

With respect to the thinking/feeling dichotomy, how was your personality any different before motherhood?

Well, I have probably been a mother for longer than many members of this forum have lived - I'm and old brat, you know - so I can't really remember. (Although you shouldn't take my age into consideration when answering me. It's probably best to think of me as some kind of clever kid instead.)

And I'm confused as to what I am today is a result of my experiences in life, or a reflection of the "real" inner me. Because I think a separation of these two is almost impossible.

Well, thanks again. I will be back with more questions as I am able to formulate them.

(And for the grammar-question you had: As long as you are involving the modal verb "might" in this sentence, I think the present perfect is the only option. But I'm no native speaker. )

 

[Julia]

Society generally does push women towards F, so that could be it. Plus, just having strong Fi, or being aware of your emotions, and hearing stereotypes of T's as unemotional. A lot of people go through this in weighing T/F.

Thanks. I will add that to all the fragmentet pieces of information that whirls up in my head right now. Seems logical, though.

 

[Jeffster]

Julia, I would advise against using function usage tests to determine personality type. They can be an aid, but I have also seen them just lead to confusion for people. Function tests and personality types are related but don't fit neatly together.

Good luck on your self-discovery endeavors.

 

[redacted]

Julia, I would advise against using function usage tests to determine personality type. They can be an aid, but I have also seen them just lead to confusion for people. Function tests and personality types are related but don't fit neatly together.

Good luck on your self-discovery endeavors.

Agree.

But if have good understanding of how the functions work, they are useful.

 

[laughingebony]

But I'm no native speaker.

I couldn't tell.

It's not uncommon for non-native speakers to have better understanding of the technical aspects of the English language than native speakers do, since non-native speakers usually learn English in a more formal manner.

For example, I wasn't sure present-perfect tense was appropriate because it just didn't feel right.