Help deciphering a type?

[quietgirl]

I should add that I found out last night that he's had 10 surgeries - all related to physical activities (a handful of them reckless) - running, baseball, jumping off of roofs...

 

[quietgirl]

Umm... so we have a twist. I had him take the test in the Lenore Thompson personality book & he scored... INFJ? Then I had him take the humanmetrics test and he scored... ENFJ??!!

The differences between E/I, S/N, F/T were one question. The P/J differed by no more than 2 or 3 questions.

Hmm. So we have ISTP, INFJ, ENFJ. I'm pretty much convinced he's playing with the same top 4 cognitive functions that I am - Ni, Fe, Ti, Se (though not necessarily in that order). We relate amazingly well, moreso than I have ever related to anyone in my life, and I have to chalk that up to us both using the same functions.

I definitely see Se, which was what initially led me to a sensing decision & he tends to do reckless SP stunts with his buddies. However, when reading ISTP descriptions, he does seem way too feeling based (especially since he continues to be that way after the initial "mushy" beginning of a relationship) & does not possess that detached analytical bent (I seem to be more analytical than he is).

A couple other things...

-I can approach him with feelings and he doesn't get weirded out. Could the T/F line be simply because he's male & that's what's expected of him? Or maybe it's because he's a J & that drives the T more (like me)?

-We have actually sat for hours doing a google image search of puppies because he's planning on getting another one. We both were attracted to the same Fe kind of pictures - the ones where the puppies seemed to be talking to us through their eyes. The longer we're together, the more I'm noticing that he has the similiar sort of empathy that I possess.

-The Ni anticipation is definitely there. We're taking off on a mini vacation this weekend & we both planned it out already. It's been the easiest thing to plan because we both feel better when we know what's going to happen next.

-I mentioned before that he works as a personal trainer. I asked him why he does it, and he said that he enjoys motivating others. We also had a discussion about why he started running marathons (and now he's about to start training for a triathelon after he finishes his current marathon next month). He said that he used to HATE running and gained a bit of weight from going out with the guys all the time in college. He got fed up & started running. He set the goal of a marathon to motivate himself & then started to just enjoy the training and hasn't stopped doing them since. This also ties into him becoming a personal trainer.

 

[cascadeco]

haha...well, they do say the INFJ is least likely to recognize another one of their own type!!!

I don't have any input though; I don't think I'm terribly good at typing people.

 

[DaRick]

-We have similar interaction styles, so I'm leaning towards a "Chart the Course" one or something similar. We seem to be exactly alike with hating to be late, anticipating the next move, planning in advance, and needing to make definite plans - where we're going, what time, etc so we can plan the rest of our day accordingly (and know if we need to eat first, what to wear, etc). Both of us get anxious with uncertainty in day to day life. This seems very Ni to me.

Yeah, this sounds NJ-ish. All NJ's have Ni as either their dominant or auxiliary function.

-He does not initiate conversation - hell, I had to do it when we met & that's not my bag either. He comes across as quiet, but seems to get downright chatty once he's comfortable with you - something I do as well. I'm thinking this makes him introverted, but I'm not sure. He doesn't seem to embarass easily at all & has a goofy side to him that he readily shows others - but more in a prankster kind of way.

Yes, he sounds like an introvert.

-Very active. He runs marathons, works as a personal trainer, and wakes up early every day to run an ungodly amount of miles. Seems to be driven by accomplishment, though, and constantly sets goals for himself. Where Se seems to feed my Ni to accomplish, Ni seems to feed his Se to accomplish.

Well, if Ni is your dominant function, then Se is therefore your inferior function. The fact that he needs to achieve in order to live life suggests that he is a J, though.

-Very artistic. His drawings are detailed, rather than flowy. They don't seem to be too abstract, either. He's also into photography & is rather good at it.

I would say S, due to the mentioned lack of abstract qualities to his artwork.

- Not much of a school person, but will take a class here and there to learn a skill that he needs for his art or personal training.

'School people' tend to be N's, as schoolwork (with the exception of Shop A/B) is largely theoretical.

-Expressive with his feelings towards me, moreso than I am to him. He also enjoys taking care of me & those close to him. However, he doesn't have that humanitarian bent that NF's tend to have. He readily makes decisions, but I'm unsure about whether they are based on logic or feelings. He's very affectionate.

This could be any F, I suppose. I know ISFJ's like this, for instance.

-The main thing he provides in the relationship is stability & security. He calls when he says he will and is very consistent in general. He's a relationship person instead of a play the field person.

Hmm...SJ's draw on stability and security quite a bit. The relationship orientation suggests an F.

-His explanations and thoughts tend to be more on the concrete side of things, but it's possible I just haven't initiated more theoretical conversations yet. Still, I notice when I meet N's, we immediately start diving into the abstract.

S, probably. Maybe you should start initiating theoretical conversations and see how he acts.

I'm inclined to think he's some sort of SJ or possibly ISTP? My hesistance on the SJ is that he doesn't seem particularly rooted in tradition and doesn't really expect me to take on a traditional "girlfriend" role. Also, he seems to use Se quite a bit. What are your thoughts?

I'm thinking ISFJ, although with a wobbly S. With that in mind though, an ISFJ's Se doesn't appear until the shadow functions (which are apparent to others but not to the person; maybe this is what you're seeing). Besides, a person who registers under a specific type doesn't have to fit it to a tee.

 

[quietgirl]

haha...well, they do say the INFJ is least likely to recognize another one of their own type!!!

.

That would be rather hilarious.

If we are the same type, I wonder if the type variation is simply because we're balancing one another. I have a strong N & he has a weak N, so would he be taking more of a sensing role in the relationship? He acts more "P" than I do, I act more E than he does (surprisingly enough), and he's taking over the T side of F/T? Is this what tends to happen when the same type dates one another?

Or maybe he is just an ISFJ or ISTP, just not a typical one...