Why do people care so much about other people being mistyped?

[Coriolis]

Judging from the amount of irritated posts about it on various forums here and elsewhere...yeah. Absolutely. I envy you for having not noticed!

I have noticed individuals here and there getting worked up about it. Your OP, however, suggested this was a general feature, or at least a valid generalization about people on type-related forums. Other respondents have already asked about which people exactly are guilty of this.

 

[Cellmold]

Do they?

Not everyone does, especially if they recognise the limitations of what typology can and cannot tell them.

But there are definitely those who do, there were quite a few threads on Perc about people who claimed to be annoyed by others mystyping as their type. I have also seen it here but less frequently. However as Perc is the more populous place it occurs more.


And then there is stuff like this: INFJ or INFP? a closer look

Disguising an attempt to keep status from the false under a pretence to help. And to me status is part of the issue which is perpetuated by grandiose descriptions that inflate importance; a trap for most.

 

[Sunflower_Moon]

This may sound horrible, but sometimes I think that people care too much because people like to label and categorize people as much as possible. If someone can label your personality, then they can either validate or invalidate what you say, mean, mannerisms, and they may take you more seriously (or less) depending what your type is. I you're mistyped, then they can't treat you according to a particular label and point the finger at you. . .they can only point the finger at themselves for the way they disregarded, invalidated, etc., you, and many people don't like to be wrong. The problem with applying a label to someone, such as an MBTI type is that it allows some people to judge and stereotype you, and they may treat you according to the description they read about your type, and this may allow them to treat you rudely and seem to get away with it.

I'm not saying everyone is like this, because many find their type just to know more about who they are, allow it to assist in guiding them, or to understand people better (without the rudeness and stereotyping or judgment). . .not everyone has a negative motivation behind the typing, but some may. It's pretty much the same with any type of label, other common ones being zodiac signs, natal charts, and so on. Too many expect you to fit the exact description and characteristics of the label and leave little to no room for individuality. Sure, many people may share the same category (MBTI type, enneagram, zodiac sign, etc.), but they're not all the same in personality, interests, etc. 100%. People may do, act, feel, etc. differently than some of the things described in their MBTI type, and some may not.

We just need to keep an open mind and make sure we don't hold onto the labels in a negative way as a tool to pass judgment on each other. That's why I feel some people freak out if they think someone is mistyped. . .they don't like being wrong, it isn't easy to stereotype someone that doesn't clearly have a definite type, and perhaps they think that people who list themselves as a certain MBTI type but may not actually be that type, are posers. Some people take it way too seriously and make it sound like each particular MBTI type is it's own separate gang, blood in-blood out. I haven't met people on this site yet like that, but I've seen them on other sites unfortunately. I'll be the first to admit that I tested and got INFJ, but I feel I've somehow been mistyped. Maybe I haven't, but I'm just not sure.

 

[hjgbujhghg]

because it's MBTI forum and people think they always know better than others

 

[Swivelinglight]

And to me status is part of the issue which is perpetuated by grandiose descriptions that inflate importance; a trap for most.

reminds me of the quote in my signature

 

[Mane]

If you are mistyped as their own type... [MENTION=14857]fia[/MENTION] explained it well. It is kind of the sentiment (Not necessarily the fallacy) of Anthony's Flews no true scotmans original example:

Imagine Hamish McDonald, a Scotsman, sitting down with his Glasgow Morning Herald and seeing an article about how the “Brighton Sex Maniac Strikes Again”. Hamish is shocked and declares that “No Scotsman would do such a thing”. The next day he sits down to read his Glasgow Morning Herald again and this time finds an article about an Aberdeen man whose brutal actions make the Brighton sex maniac seem almost gentlemanly. This fact shows that Hamish was wrong in his opinion but is he going to admit this? Not likely. This time he says, “No true Scotsman would do such a thing”.

Sometimes, newer members might be very enthusiastic about trying to understand the system better because they aren't using the system to understand you better, they are using you to understand better the system, or just to show off what they think they learned or figured out. The problem here is that this is a tool where people can practice their skill and the only indicator of whether they applied it well and did a good job as far they are concerned is whether they agree with themselves - they are both the student and the teacher and they really like getting A's.

Beyond that, it is commonly used as a weapon in arguments to undermine each other, sometimes in an argument attacking the target's typology knowledge, "How can you type if you can't even get your own type" sort of thinking, but more often then not with very little to no actual relevance, simply as a means to undermine. At other times it is used more specifically to apply type-specific attacks or insults based on a type that they aren't actually typed as. Which is why a discussion about UFO conspiracies banana bread recipes or motorcycle repair can very quickly become an argument about Te vs. Ti. This place is special like that. Whether people who do this understand that this is nothing but a tactical argumentative tool and use it as such or whether they think it delivers an actual point, it's hard to tell.

 

[GreatBigCranberries]

In any case, everyone gets all pissy about someone claiming to be INFJ .But it's the only way I can find personal use for the MBTI at all.

I know this thread has been inactive for a few months, but I found something that might address why people are likely to accuse INFJs in particular as having mistyped themselves. Basically it's because it happens a lot:

"Here’s Which Myers-Briggs Type You’re Most Likely To Mistype As: INFP

*It’s important to note here that INFPs are the most prone of any personality type to mistyping as something else. Because INFPs live in a world of identity possibilities, they enjoy thinking of themselves in various different lights and are able to thoroughly convince themselves – more so than any other type – that they truly are thinkers, judgers, etc. Their extroverted intuition allows them to see a situation from various different angles and their introverted feeling creates an emotional attachment to the type they decide on. For this reason, INFPs are more prone to mistyping than any other type.

Most likely to mistype as: INFJ

Why the mistype happens: Of all the mistypes that happen between any two types in the MBTI, INFPs mistyping as INFJs is by far the most common one – and this is not necessarily the INFP’s fault. INFPs are the least stereotypically perceptive perceivers. They tend to be quite routine-oriented and not particularly spontaneous in nature – they are open-minded and explorative in their thoughts, not their actions. However, since most free online type tests measure perception based on how physically spontaneous one is or is not, almost all INFPs test as INFJs when they first take an online quiz.

Another factor that leads INFPs to believe they are INFJs is the fact that INFJs are the rarest type statistically. Because INFPs tend to be highly creative and individualistic, most of them have never met another person quite like themselves (including other INFPs). For this reason, they find it fitting that their type is 1% of the population – they think this explains their individuality, when in reality it is their introverted feeling that sets them apart in this regard."

From Myers & Briggs - mistype