PUZZLE ME OUT!!

[KatharineML]

Okay, I know we thought this was over but NOOOO! I read the Personality Pathways info for dominant introverted thinking, and my husband read it too, and there is just no way it's me. It said "When reporting to others they need to establish credibility first: their own and that of the person they are reporting to. If the gap in knowledge and expertise is too great and their own proficiency dismissed, belittled, or ignored, they will lose interest and motivation". This is not true. I am very happy to speak with anyone and do not judge people's ability or credibility at all really. I think everyone is interesting, worthy, capable. Also, if the gap in knowledge or expertise is great, I will attempt to lessen the gap as best i can and won't lose interest or motivation. I will, however, shrink back if I myself am dismissed or belittled.

Maybe nobody is reading this any more but I am thinking maybe INFJ was closer to me. Is it possible that Ni users could think of themselves as truth seekers and be quite happy to alight on truths, even though they are always learning new things and synthesising them with what they already know? (that is what I do).

On the F side, I really am quite sensitive to people and have strong emotional reactions to real, deep hurt (on Tv, in theory, and in reality)

Please help, someone.

 

[Jaidyn]

Maybe nobody is reading this any more but I am thinking maybe INFJ was closer to me. Is it possible that Ni users could think of themselves as truth seekers and be quite happy to alight on truths, even though they are always learning new things and synthesising them with what they already know? (that is what I do).

On the F side, I really am quite sensitive to people and have strong emotional reactions to real, deep hurt (on Tv, in theory, and in reality)

Please help, someone.

Hey there KatharineML. Sorry to hear you are having more issues. It is possible you could be INFJ if we decided incorrectly on which functions apply to you. Going with the functions we selected with the prior definitions I provided, INFJ couldn't have been an option. But I have a better idea. Lets go to the source and see the definition of Dominant Ti from Carl Jung himself from his book Psychological Types. He wrote the original. See if you agree with it or not. Here is the PDF of Psychological Types: Chapter 10 which deals with this entire topic. PDF pages 37-40 for Dominant Ti and PDF pages 49-50 for Dominant Ni.

Once you decide on which functions match you from Jung, you can be pretty assured you have found the accurate type. Mind you, he only mentions the dominant and inferior functions. But even so, Ti vs Ni will help enormously. Even if Personality Pathways disagrees or agrees, If you can't trust the definitions from Jung then the whole thing is just up in the air. Many people think Jung was wrong about the ordering of the functions and such but I haven't come across many who say his definitions of the functions are wrong unless you are getting into socionics and while that system has its merits, it also is based on Jungs' work to some extent.

I hope this helps you resolve your issues. Good luck and I hope to hear from you soon.

 

[KatharineML]

Hmmmm. INTP does not seem far off.


What do you like most about your husband? In what ways are you similar, and what ways are you different?

Lets try some bullet points:
Differences:
I am warm and interested in people, he is fun and challenges people.
I get the timing of things better, he is always way out in his estimations.
I think about things, he jumps to conclusions.
I like ordering, he likes messing things up.
I think before I act and am measured in my responses, he thinks as he acts and is spontaneous in his responses.

My husband says "I am out there thinking of possibilities, you are not interested in possibilities, you are interested in what is there in front of you" "You explore with ideas, you pull things together, you research things"
"You're a girl, I'm a boy", "you find this stuff interesting" (he's stopped being helpful at this point!)

Similarities:
We like discussing & working on ideas and plans based on those ideas together
We are insightful and aware of the more complex parts of people and the world
My husband says: We are both energetic, bouyant, hopeful, creative, problem solvers

What do you think?

 

[KatharineML]

The bits in bold are from me .... I dont' know how to do that pieces in quotes thing you do??!

No problem! And I think it's easy to say you have Ti-Fe rather than the other way round.

Agreed on this one


This definitely supports you having Ne. The function is always looking for something new and exciting. It could also be Se, but that would mean you also have Ni.


I am thinking, Ni Se might be more me, actually. For me, an adventure is an inner feeling, a sense of shift or strangeness which can occur by being in a different place with different people but also just by reading a book or having a new thought that changes things. This, I think, after reading the info Jaidyn gave me, sounds more like Ni? What do you think?

That’s interesting, because ENTPs typically have more developed Fe, with it being in tertiary position, rather than inferior as it is with INTPs. Although INTPs are stereotypically more low-key and passive, because of their introversion/dominant Ti. Another option for you may be INFJ, but you say you identify with Ne, so I’m unsure of that. Interestingly, ENTP is considered the best match for INFJ. The types compliment each other very well.

Yes, I am thinking INFJ fits better as I definitely use Fe better than my husband. Also, it would be about right that I should be developing Ti strongly at this time in my life (middle!).

It seems like you were pretty much the same as before, except perhaps you developed Fe more. People develop the rest of their functions and even out anyway, as they get older and more mature. INTPs are known to rebel against authority, though, so that also fits.

Maybe enjoying marriage and children etc, was part of me developing Fe more, as the INFJ secondary function, as they say you do in your early adulthood? It would be unusual for an INTP to develop Fe all that much, wouldn't it??

It’s nice to have something to be passionate about, isn't it? Although any type can write about a subject, NTs are known to analyse something and break it down to its core elements. Is this description the sort of thing your thesis/book would be like?

Hmm, yes, I realise that I THINK I am breaking something down, but really I am painting a picture and revealing something true in a way that is not so much logical as 'whole'. It's hard to explain. I do analyse and back up information etc, but for my argument, I aim more at helping people use what I see as common human awareness (Ni?) and experience (Se?) of what is true, than I do on factual information or theoretical possibility.

It can be tough to decipher between Chart-The-Course and Behind-The-Scenes, but the main goal of the former is to make progress with a situation, and is usually focused around time. The latter is more to do with giving information out. When people with CTC speak, it is more direct than BTS. I’ll take an example I read once:

If someone has their shoes on the bed, someone with CTC may say ‘take your shoes off the bed please’ whereas BTS would be more like ‘shoes don’t belong on the bed’. The former is more to do with time, and has more of a sense of urgency, and the latter is giving the information so that the other person will take them off the bed.

Of course we all use the different styles at some points in our life, but it is which one we are naturally inclined to use, on a day-to-day basis.

I've thought more about this and think I am Chart the Course, rather than Behind the Scenes. I get very frustrated with my husbands random, won't follow a plan thing, and I tend to speak directly unless to speak directly might seriously upset someone (Fe?)


I haven’t seen those films for years, but quickly researching I found that Evie is said to be an INFP and Rick an ENTP. They certainly seem to have your husband right! I don't think INFP for you anymore, although it is still possible.

So maybe INFJ. But I am so confused about Ni, really! If it really IS my first function, then why am I so unaware of using it? I do get aha moments, and they are my greatest joy, but only after considerable mulling over of things. I rarely 'just know' things, and I am not the greatest judge of person's character - I tend to believe the best. Also, I LIKE to find the truth, rather than always have everything open. I like adding more and more into the picture as well, but not so as to blur, only to clarify!

What do you think?

 

[greenfairy]

Okay, I know we thought this was over but NOOOO! I read the Personality Pathways info for dominant introverted thinking, and my husband read it too, and there is just no way it's me. It said "When reporting to others they need to establish credibility first: their own and that of the person they are reporting to. If the gap in knowledge and expertise is too great and their own proficiency dismissed, belittled, or ignored, they will lose interest and motivation". This is not true. I am very happy to speak with anyone and do not judge people's ability or credibility at all really. I think everyone is interesting, worthy, capable. Also, if the gap in knowledge or expertise is great, I will attempt to lessen the gap as best i can and won't lose interest or motivation. I will, however, shrink back if I myself am dismissed or belittled.

Maybe nobody is reading this any more but I am thinking maybe INFJ was closer to me. Is it possible that Ni users could think of themselves as truth seekers and be quite happy to alight on truths, even though they are always learning new things and synthesising them with what they already know? (that is what I do).

On the F side, I really am quite sensitive to people and have strong emotional reactions to real, deep hurt (on Tv, in theory, and in reality)

Please help, someone.

I don't think this difference disqualifies you from being INTP. From reading the thread it's pretty clear to me you are. It means you have very well developed Fe (which should start to be adequate around 25-30), and so you understand the value of multiple perspectives in the puzzle that makes up truth. It's more like Ti evaluates people's credibility against their own internal standards of what makes sense; it doesn't mean forming a value judgment about it. A lot of INTP's do, but more enlightened ones aren't so quick to label people as ignorant/stupid etc.

I too have identified as INFJ in the past, and I have well developed Ni; the two types can look very similar because they are both holistic thinkers. Your function assessment is consistent, and you can trust it I think. I distrusted mine, but then kept going back to the same results. Good luck.

 

[KatharineML]

I don't think this difference disqualifies you from being INTP. From reading the thread it's pretty clear to me you are. It means you have very well developed Fe (which should start to be adequate around 25-30), and so you understand the value of multiple perspectives in the puzzle that makes up truth. It's more like Ti evaluates people's credibility against their own internal standards of what makes sense; it doesn't mean forming a value judgment about it. A lot of INTP's do, but more enlightened ones aren't so quick to label people as ignorant/stupid etc.

I too have identified as INFJ in the past, and I have well developed Ni; the two types can look very similar because they are both holistic thinkers. Your function assessment is consistent, and you can trust it I think. I distrusted mine, but then kept going back to the same results. Good luck.

Hi Green Fairy,

Thanks for taking the time to read through What you say is helpful. I'll let it perculate for a bit ... I guess I would have stuck with INFJ ages ago if I really felt it was me, but I never relate to the type descriptions a great deal! I DO relate to the INTP ones except for the seriously nit picky, lack of social skills part. I am a person who usually fits in quite well anywhere and with anyone on a social level, though with only a few on a deeper level (sounds like most people though eh?!)

Any other opinions appreciated, but thanks everyone who has helped in general!

 

[greenfairy]

Hi Green Fairy,

Thanks for taking the time to read through What you say is helpful. I'll let it perculate for a bit ... I guess I would have stuck with INFJ ages ago if I really felt it was me, but I never relate to the type descriptions a great deal! I DO relate to the INTP ones except for the seriously nit picky, lack of social skills part. I am a person who usually fits in quite well anywhere and with anyone on a social level, though with only a few on a deeper level (sounds like most people though eh?!)

Any other opinions appreciated, but thanks everyone who has helped in general!

Cool, np. And if your introversion is only a slight preference, you would have a well developed auxiliary function and would look like ENTP or an Fe type (as Ne and Fe are extroverted functions) a lot of the time.

 

[KatharineML]

Cool, np. And if your introversion is only a slight preference, you would have a well developed auxiliary function and would look like ENTP or an Fe type (as Ne and Fe are extroverted functions) a lot of the time.

Yes! This is why I come across mostly, to others who meet me maybe for the first time, or when I am in my 'zone' and excited, as if I am an ENFP (Ne) fun and full of ideas or ENFJ (Fe) strong, caring mother - yet when I go to those types and read them I know they are not me. The cognitive processes test had the questions right for getting to the truth I think, as they don't rely on stereotypical outward behaviour. I do feel frustrated by this so this is confirming that I am moving in the right direction with study and writing and accepting that this, too, has it's value, and that I will do well and fit here It's been a long journey ... thanks all!