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Well informed but still clueless on MBTI type

Ida

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Hello all,

I've been familiar with MBTI theory and cognitive functions for years, but I've never been able to definitively settle on my closest type (I say "closest" because it is clear that whatever type I am will have to fit very loosely). Anyway, I've been curious about it lately and thought it would be worth it to get some feedback from people who know the system well. I have no type biases and I'll be as straightforward as possible about the information I share. I don't think this will be an easy project... Takers?

Lists of traits to follow... questions welcome.
 

Ida

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Some of the points of confusion:

E vs I

E

-I'm very talkative
-Sometimes interrupt people
-Interested in the world of people
-Love to discuss ideas or theories and share my opinions
-Enjoy many extroverted activities: baseball games, amusement parks, etc (not a fan of concerts or clubs though)
-Am competitive in a fun way
-Don't mind being the center of attention and generally enjoy leadership roles

I

-Spend a lot of time in my head
-Hate approaching new people or introducing myself
-Dodge calls from friends
-Not big on parties
-Tend to be private/reserved
-Generally prefer to gather my thoughts before presenting them
-When I don't know someone well or am not totally comfortable with them, I can be passive and even timid or overly friendly. I use humor a lot in these situations. This flips completely when I'm comfortable with people. Around people I know well, I am outgoing, decisive, and usually the initiator or leader.

N

-Never notice surroundings - very stuck in my head
-*MAJOR daydreaming - See below
-Love theories and new ways of looking at things
-Unobservant
-Tendency to summarize/generalize
-Have quirky points of view
-Love to imagine my life 10 years in the future
-Not good with the "here and now"

S

-Extremely good associative memory (particularly with dates). I can easily remember the date something happened 20 years ago just by linking it to other things until I can zero in. Other kinds of memory are weak: no memory for faces or places or even plots of books I've read/movies I've seen.
-Good hand-eye coordination
-Generally grounded in life
-No interest in sci-fi, fantasy, animation... tend to like real and relatable worlds to explore
-Like nonfiction and reference books more than fiction
-Kinesthetic learner (generally an SP trait)

T

-When someone comes to me with a problem, I generally want to solve it rather than comfort the person... empathy is not my strong suit
-I love making all kinds of lists. Even when I speak, I'll often lay out my points A.B. and C...
-Good grasp of logic
-More comfortable with thoughts than feelings
-Tendency to be opinionated and critical
-No artistic ability whatsoever; pretty low artistic interest as well
-High critical thinking skills

F

-Interests include politics (especially political philosophy), history, religion, ethics/morals, demography, and sports. Most of these (except sports) are stereotypically Feeler interests. Not big on science.
-Tend to be a subjective thinker, if that makes sense. For instance, I generally have an opinion on most everything which is usually associated with T over F (particularly Te). But an opinion is by nature subjective, so why shouldn't it be classified as a Feeler trait? This is something I need to understand better.
-I do care what others think about me
-Spend time formulating values systems
-Not particularly intellectually curious unless I care about the subject. If I need tech support for example, I just want the problem fixed - don't really care how the system works.

P

-Like to have an open schedule. I feel confined having to be in certain places at certain times
-Some spaces are messy (somewhat messy car, desk, drawers and closets)
-Dress casually and prefer casual environments
-Not good with finances or responses needed (often late on bill paying, forget to send things in that need to be sent...)
-Bad with correspondences (I always "owe someone a call" and thank-you notes are a major weakness as well)
-Work in bursts of activity

J

-Like to get work done before play
-Like to have things settled and concluded
-Tend to reach conclusions about outside world
-Not really laid back; easily frustrated
-For what its worth, I think I'm an enneagram type 1
-Like to have a clean and orderly house
-Create systems for doing many things
-Possibly some OCD tendencies (undiagnosed)

*I'm going to take a minute to describe this one: For my entire life I have done this sort of daydreaming thing that is apparently pretty unusual (I didn't actually know it was unusual until I was in my mid-20s). I zone out completely and play out an entirely different world with fully created characters and storylines. I don't consciously write the stories and I have never been a character in any of them (occasionally, people I know will be in them but never as major characters). After some time (generally a number of years), the world and the characters will change. No conclusion. I don't try to make it change, it just sort of... does. I've probably gone through fewer than a dozen total storylines in my life. This process is entirely separate from my everyday life: I do not at all come across as a daydreamy person and I never share or write the stories. No lines are ever blurred between fantasy and reality, and for most of my life I really did not think this was even unusual. Last year I googled around a bit and found something called Maladaptive Daydreaming that fits almost perfectly. The only major difference is that mine was not the result of any trauma and I never saw it as a bad or disruptive thing... just a way my mind worked.
 

BadOctopus

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ENFP, perhaps? You sound a LOT like my ex-boyfriend. He's an ENTP with a strong F, and he is a total chatterbox, and often interrupts people. Not on purpose; he's just oblivious to the rules of conversation. He's also highly intelligent, and loves learning about history, but has no interest in sci-fi or fantasy, and barely reads any fiction. He's very opinionated, and tends to think less of anyone who disagrees with him. And he's elevated the whole daydreaming thing to an art form.

The thing is, we all have SOME traits from each personality type; some are just stronger than others. (Except mine; I have virtually NO E in me. lol) Have you taken any typology tests in the past? If so, what were your results?
 

Ida

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I've taken all the tests and I've gotten a bunch of different answers. There's one type that I get more than others but I'd like to leave that out for now at least so it doesn't influence this thread.

My husband is a pretty textbook entp and I can easily spot our similarities and differences. He's more mentally quick and has a broader base of knowledge. I tend to have more original and better thought out ideas. I have stronger opinions about things and am much more critical while he's more accepting. He is much more social and likes meeting people, but he doesn't have much of a sense of what others think that of him. I'm more introspective. We're both incredibly stubborn, but I'm more stubborn than he is. We usually end up following my lead but he's better at making things happen. He's also much more likely to want to find new ways of doing things while I'm more skeptical. He's more optimistic than I am. We're both pretty easily frustrated and can have tempers.
 

Ida

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Also I'm neater than he is. We have similar interests except he likes internet humor and comics - not my thing. He's more influenced by people around him than I am (I'm difficult to influence). I have systems for things and he doesn't. He was a fantastic student all through school and I was a terrible student.
 

Mal12345

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"-Tend to be a subjective thinker, if that makes sense. For instance, I generally have an opinion on most everything which is usually associated with T over F (particularly Te). But an opinion is by nature subjective, so why shouldn't it be classified as a Feeler trait? This is something I need to understand better."

Feeling is one of the objective Judging functions. Subjective doesn't mean Feeling, subjective simply means it is personal to you - like an opinion you hold. Feelers use logic too.
 

Mal12345

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I think you're the ENFJ type.
 

Ida

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I could be. I've certainly considered it. I will say that one repeating theme of my life has been to focus on a vision of what life could be and then bring others into the plan/dream - very typically enfj. That has happened many times throughout my life, with mixed results.

But I question it because on cognitive function tests, I score very very low on Fe. I draw judgments very quickly (Fe or Te) and many of those judgments have to do with other people (so, Fe), but they are generally very different conclusions than would be typical of my social group. Understand, I'm not someone who takes pride in being different: if I agree with a majority view or "socially acceptable" judgment, great. But I never conform to a majority view simply because it is the majority view. I've read that Fe is more concerned with fitting in and building harmony than with independent thought and that isn't me. Plus, I don't fit most stereotypes. I can be insensitive, competitive and openly critical. I'm not particularly expressive either - takes a lot for me to show excitement. But I do enjoy fitting in and being liked. I never went out of my way to cultivate my uniqueness or anything.
 

Mal12345

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I could be. I've certainly considered it. I will say that one repeating theme of my life has been to focus on a vision of what life could be and then bring others into the plan/dream - very typically enfj. That has happened many times throughout my life, with mixed results.

But I question it because on cognitive function tests, I score very very low on Fe. I draw judgments very quickly (Fe or Te) and many of those judgments have to do with other people (so, Fe), but they are generally very different conclusions than would be typical of my social group. Understand, I'm not someone who takes pride in being different: if I agree with a majority view or "socially acceptable" judgment, great. But I never conform to a majority view simply because it is the majority view. I've read that Fe is more concerned with fitting in and building harmony than with independent thought and that isn't me. Plus, I don't fit most stereotypes. I can be insensitive, competitive and openly critical. I'm not particularly expressive either - takes a lot for me to show excitement. But I do enjoy fitting in and being liked. I never went out of my way to cultivate my uniqueness or anything.

I'd have to see results from different tests before I could decide what to think about that.
Try this on for size:
Profile of the ENFJ Personality Type | Truity
 

Ida

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Just took this test. Entj doesn't seem to fit too well though... I'm not career obsessed, and I tend to be hesitant and friendly when I first meet someone (more stereotypically entj when I'm comfortable with people) Also Im more focused on coming to conclusions about human situations than more objective situations.

I'm about to read the enfj profile you sent.

Your results:

Te (Extroverted Thinking) (75%)
your valuation of / adherence to logic of external systems / hierarchies / methods

Ti (Introverted Thinking) (55%)
your valuation of / adherence to your own internally devised logic/rational

Ne (Extroverted Intuition) (40%)
your valuation of / tendency towards free association and creating with external stimuli

Ni (Introverted Intuition) (65%)
your valuation of / tendency towards internal/original free association and creativity

Se (Extroverted Sensing) (10%)
your valuation of / tendency to fully experience the world unfiltered, in the moment

Si (Introverted Sensing) (50%)
your valuation of / focus on internal sensations and reliving past moments

Fe (Extroverted Feeling) (35%)
your valuation of / adherence to external morals, ethics, traditions, customs, groups

Fi (Introverted Feeling) (55%)
your valuation of / adherence to the sanctity of your own feelings / ideals / sentiment

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
based on your results your type is likely - entj
 

Mal12345

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Rate these two statements on a scale from 1 - 10 (with 0 being "I don't know") based on how well you identify with them -

In school, I learn best in structured situations in which I am able to talk about the lesson and interact with my peers.
In school, I am willing to learn about the past but always with the mind-set of how that information may affect my future.
 

Ida

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Hmm... This is difficult. I don't really relate to either statement. I'm quite the Kinesthetic learner; I have to do something myself in order to learn it. I have a very difficult time learning what someone else is teaching - if I don't have an interest in a subject I won't have the patience or discipline to learn it no matter how hard I try. I was a disastrous student in school and ultimately dropped out at age 16. I zoned out during lessons, never did homework and never put forth an ounce of effort. I went to college a year after I dropped out and did well there, mostly by taking classes that interested me and controlling my own schedule. In college, I preferred group discussions to lectures. I also did well on arguments/persuasive writing and I enjoyed sort of "deep dive" research projects. I know that doesn't answer your question, but I really don't know how I would rank those statements.
 

BlackDog

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[MENTION=23434]Ida[/MENTION] : This is the most interesting typing problem I've come across. You come across as a deeply stable and clearthinking person; also kind of 'neutral' and clinical. From your intro post I got a big Te impression, along with possible SP, so I thought maybe ESFP, but the clinical feel to your writing didn't sit well with that. With your high Si on the test, ESTJ or ISTJ seem possible, but the high Ni makes that seem unlikely. Your daydream story really intrigues me; I repeat that this is the most interesting typology problem I've found because you are an established person whose typing problems don't come from fundamental insecurities or 'finding your identity' confusion.

I am going to try reading your past posts to see what your approach has been in threads, if that's okay . . . like the NSA, 'meta-data' of how a person chooses to comment online tells you as much or more as what they post.

Would it be appropriate to describe your behavior when facing problems with others as strategic and systematic?
 

BlackDog

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Just found that this is your only thread; well, that is just more indication of the purposefulness I expected.
 

BlackDog

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Some of the points of confusion:

E vs I

E

-I'm very talkative
-Sometimes interrupt people
-Interested in the world of people
-Love to discuss ideas or theories and share my opinions
-Enjoy many extroverted activities: baseball games, amusement parks, etc (not a fan of concerts or clubs though)
-Am competitive in a fun way
-Don't mind being the center of attention and generally enjoy leadership roles

I

-Spend a lot of time in my head
-Hate approaching new people or introducing myself
-Dodge calls from friends
-Not big on parties
-Tend to be private/reserved
-Generally prefer to gather my thoughts before presenting them
-When I don't know someone well or am not totally comfortable with them, I can be passive and even timid or overly friendly. I use humor a lot in these situations. This flips completely when I'm comfortable with people. Around people I know well, I am outgoing, decisive, and usually the initiator or leader.

N

-Never notice surroundings - very stuck in my head
-*MAJOR daydreaming - See below
-Love theories and new ways of looking at things
-Unobservant
-Tendency to summarize/generalize
-Have quirky points of view
-Love to imagine my life 10 years in the future
-Not good with the "here and now"

S

-Extremely good associative memory (particularly with dates). I can easily remember the date something happened 20 years ago just by linking it to other things until I can zero in. Other kinds of memory are weak: no memory for faces or places or even plots of books I've read/movies I've seen.
-Good hand-eye coordination
-Generally grounded in life
-No interest in sci-fi, fantasy, animation... tend to like real and relatable worlds to explore
-Like nonfiction and reference books more than fiction
-Kinesthetic learner (generally an SP trait)

T

-When someone comes to me with a problem, I generally want to solve it rather than comfort the person... empathy is not my strong suit
-I love making all kinds of lists. Even when I speak, I'll often lay out my points A.B. and C...
-Good grasp of logic
-More comfortable with thoughts than feelings
-Tendency to be opinionated and critical
-No artistic ability whatsoever; pretty low artistic interest as well
-High critical thinking skills

F

-Interests include politics (especially political philosophy), history, religion, ethics/morals, demography, and sports. Most of these (except sports) are stereotypically Feeler interests. Not big on science.
-Tend to be a subjective thinker, if that makes sense. For instance, I generally have an opinion on most everything which is usually associated with T over F (particularly Te). But an opinion is by nature subjective, so why shouldn't it be classified as a Feeler trait? This is something I need to understand better.
-I do care what others think about me
-Spend time formulating values systems
-Not particularly intellectually curious unless I care about the subject. If I need tech support for example, I just want the problem fixed - don't really care how the system works.

P

-Like to have an open schedule. I feel confined having to be in certain places at certain times
-Some spaces are messy (somewhat messy car, desk, drawers and closets)
-Dress casually and prefer casual environments
-Not good with finances or responses needed (often late on bill paying, forget to send things in that need to be sent...)
-Bad with correspondences (I always "owe someone a call" and thank-you notes are a major weakness as well)
-Work in bursts of activity

J

-Like to get work done before play
-Like to have things settled and concluded
-Tend to reach conclusions about outside world
-Not really laid back; easily frustrated
-For what its worth, I think I'm an enneagram type 1
-Like to have a clean and orderly house
-Create systems for doing many things
-Possibly some OCD tendencies (undiagnosed)

*I'm going to take a minute to describe this one: For my entire life I have done this sort of daydreaming thing that is apparently pretty unusual (I didn't actually know it was unusual until I was in my mid-20s). I zone out completely and play out an entirely different world with fully created characters and storylines. I don't consciously write the stories and I have never been a character in any of them (occasionally, people I know will be in them but never as major characters). After some time (generally a number of years), the world and the characters will change. No conclusion. I don't try to make it change, it just sort of... does. I've probably gone through fewer than a dozen total storylines in my life. This process is entirely separate from my everyday life: I do not at all come across as a daydreamy person and I never share or write the stories. No lines are ever blurred between fantasy and reality, and for most of my life I really did not think this was even unusual. Last year I googled around a bit and found something called Maladaptive Daydreaming that fits almost perfectly. The only major difference is that mine was not the result of any trauma and I never saw it as a bad or disruptive thing... just a way my mind worked.

The confusing parts of this puzzle are the following:

You seem like an ISTP. You should be an ISTP. Your attitude towards Ni is consistent with the attitude towards the tertiary. Your use of Te over Ti can be explained by the fact that often both of these are high. Your neutrality is consistent with ISTP. But your social behavior is quite different from any ISTP I know. Your spontaneous behavior fits with ISTP.

I think you are an ISTP who uses Te a lot because your lifestyle overall doesn't say Te dom; it says Ti dom.

However, ENTJ is also possible. It may be that no one type fits well with you.
 

Ida

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Thanks for putting so much thought into this, Lion. I've also considered istp. I definitely have some of that sarcastic, deadpan istp humor, and I hate reading instructions (seems istp-ish to me). Would also fit with the athletics/hand-eye coordination as well.

But the istps I know have a real indifference to them that I don't see in myself at all. They are the true honey badgers. I may be neutral when it comes to mbti type, but that neutrality is not characteristic of most things in my life. As for the functions, would my Se rank so low if I were an istp? I'm not sure.

ESFP is one of the few types I've never confused as my own. I/ESTJ have traits I can relate to, so I'm not ready to eliminate either possibility - but the daydream thing seems an unlikely fit here.

As for my behavior when facing problems, I don't know if I'd classify it as strategic all the time. I can be a bit "hotter" - more impulsive sometimes. I don't mind confrontation, but I don't really like ongoing conflict either. I would much prefer (in interpersonal conflict) laying all cards on the table, fighting it out, and coming to a fair agreement. I can have big fights with my husband, but I could count on one hand the number of times we've gone to bed angry. We can snap at each other and get over it very quickly. That's not to say I easily get over any interpersonal problem. I've lost more than one close friend because I was, or at least felt, betrayed or lied to about something. Things like that are very hard for me to forgive.

As for non interpersonal problems, I'm most comfortable directing a solution (I know, that adds to the entj idea...). I find it easy to figure out what "should" be done, but I'm not always the best at doing that thing. I'm a delegator, I suppose. Sometimes it is being a bit conflict-avoidant with people I don't know well; for instance, if we're overcharged on a bill or something, my husband would be the one to speak with the company and get our money back. Sometimes its just a matter of follow-through. For a few years I was a regional director at my job and had several directors working under me. I always worked best with more experienced directors because we could set goals and I could guide them, but they would be more responsible for implementation. Is that strategic or lazy? Fine line, I would guess...
 

Ida

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Like I said, I realize I'll end up settling for a "best-fit" type. There will be no aha moment with this. So if I seem to play devils advocate with some of these suggestions, its just an attempt to lay out objectively what does and doesn't fit until I have 4 letters I can (loosely) claim as my own.
 

BlackDog

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Have you thought of ESTP? But honestly ENTJ at this point sounds most reasonable. Te dom was most likely from the start, and what I took for tertiary Ni could double as auxiliary Ni.
 

Ida

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I have a hard time believing I could be a Se-dominant when that seems to be my weakest function. I have a few things in the ESTP description I relate to, but not the overall picture.

The most likely types at this point are:

ENTJ
INTJ (this is the one most dichotomy tests give me. I don't relate to the descriptions very much).
ENFJ (despite the low Fe, I'm not ready to dismiss this one yet... maybe I don't really understand Fe? Still, no matter how many ways I interpret the process, I always get a low score)
INFJ
ISTP
ISTJ
ESTJ
 
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