X's in type make very little sense

[Into It]

An ENFx has both Ne and Fe? Ne affected by Fi and Fe affected by Ni? To be comfortable using Feeling and Intuition BOTH introverted and extroverted sounds like being a superhero to me. Are their functions more numerous albeit underdeveloped? What's the story?

 

[Kasper]

I read it as x stands in place of P or J when someone is unsure of their type.

 

[disregard]

Don't forget the lowercase letters! What DO they mean!

 

[murkrow]

I also think Xs are dumb, but the way people test MBTI always gives percentages.

Since about 90% of the people on this site don't even know what cognitive functions are they don't think twice about throwing an X in there.

If I went by my tests I would be an eNTx

But that makes no sense whatsoever.

Is my dominant function Te and Ne?!

No.

 

[Jack Flak]

I don't want to offend anyone, but since I lack tact: I don't think people with a Great Understanding of 16-type use x at all, because they realize what type they actually are, and that they aren't meant to follow any "rules" of that type.

 

[DigitalMethod]

I don't want to offend anyone, but since I lack tact: I don't think people with a Great Understanding of 16-type use x at all, because they realize what type they actually are, and that they aren't meant to follow any "rules" of that type.

, Great Understanding is a proper noun?

 

[Venom]

I don't want to offend anyone, but since I lack tact: I don't think people with a Great Understanding of 16-type use x at all, because they realize what type they actually are, and that they aren't meant to follow any "rules" of that type.

the one that annoys me the most is INXP...how fricking hard is it to differentiate between:

"I'm an INFP who has the disillusion of being logical in my philosophies on life"
"I'm an INTP who isnt completely meanly cynical"

INXP!? bah!

 

[Jack Flak]

, Great Understanding is a proper noun?

The selective capitalization is for accent and Style.

 

[animenagai]

x's should not mean 'both', it should mean 'undefined'. in terms of MBTI, a personality changes too much when you flip any function.

 

[INA]

An ENFx has both Ne and Fe? Ne affected by Fi and Fe affected by Ni? To be comfortable using Feeling and Intuition BOTH introverted and extroverted sounds like being a superhero to me. Are their functions more numerous albeit underdeveloped? What's the story?

Are you taking into account the possibility that the decisive functions may be really close in the function order? I've looked at the tables that rank the functions based on types and noticed that they don't necessarily fit with people's actual ordering of functions. Suppose, for example, a person has dominant Ti/Fi in a tie or near tie, followed by Ne then Ni/Se. And then suppose that she identifies with much of the description for INTP and INFP, but neither totally. Further, one day INF fits better and the next INT. What would you call her?
I also wonder if putting the X may mean that a person misunderstands herself, rather than MBTI.

 

[murkrow]

I also wonder if putting the X may mean that a person misunderstands herself, rather than MBTI.

I think this is it.

Also if someone has a strong Fi then they simply can't be INTP, Fi is their least used function.

It's possible that MBTI and cognitive functions don't really mix all that well.

It's also possible that such a girl would actually be an INTJ or INFJ who is mistaking their Te or Fe for Ti or Fi. (this is more likely IMO)

 

[INA]

I think this is it.

Also if someone has a strong Fi then they simply can't be INTP, Fi is their least used function.

Suppose everything else fits, though? Dominant Ti followed by Ne, then Si, etc. . . .

It's possible that MBTI and cognitive functions don't really mix all that well.

Exactly.

It's also possible that such a girl would actually be an INTJ or INFJ who is mistaking their Te or Fe for Ti or Fi. (this is more likely IMO)

Elaborate, please.

 

[murkrow]

First off I think INTJ is way more likely than INFJ so I'll go in that direction.

1.They know that they're intuitive.

Their lack of self understanding/awareness makes it very difficult to determine whether their intuitions are introvertedly or extrovertedly focused. Speaking as an Ni I can tell you that it can very easily be mistaken for Ne, it's an ongoing struggle for me to realize I don't actually see all the aspects of a problem.

2. They know that they feel very strongly about things. They have an instinctual feeling of what works with them and what doesn't. They resent the impositions of others on who they are. (Fi)

3. However they also know that they have the ability to deal with things rationally. They are able to step back and deal with issues. They don't really consider this to be Te because they are generally quiet and come to their decisions independent of others. They have a strong ability to see inconsistencies in the ways of others which they associate to Ti when it could just as easily be their lesser thinking function magnified by their focus on Ni.

 

[Xander]

Those people I have seen with an X in their type for a long time seem to be those who have found no more meaning in being one side or the other. Of course this does not change that they most probably are one or the other (there is always the third choice of having developed a balanced approach from an early age... I think).

See many people, IME, approach the MBTI as some kind of divining rod expecting that with the knowledge of what type they are they will suddenly see all the questions answered and so forth. That's just not going to happen in all cases.

Mind you I again voice my concern over this preference to resort to function analysis. Sure in context it can be helpful but as soon as someone drops over the edge and starts discussing if they are more Te than Ni to find out if they're INTJ or ENTJ then I'm afraid they need to slap themselves hard.

 

[INA]

First off I think INTJ is way more likely than INFJ so I'll go in that direction.

1.They know that they're intuitive.

Their lack of self understanding/awareness makes it very difficult to determine whether their intuitions are introvertedly or extrovertedly focused. Speaking as an Ni I can tell you that it can very easily be mistaken for Ne, it's an ongoing struggle for me to realize I don't actually see all the aspects of a problem.

2. They know that they feel very strongly about things. They have an instinctual feeling of what works with them and what doesn't. They resent the impositions of others on who they are. (Fi)

3. However they also know that they have the ability to deal with things rationally. They are able to step back and deal with issues. They don't really consider this to be Te because they are generally quiet and come to their decisions independent of others. They have a strong ability to see inconsistencies in the ways of others which they associate to Ti when it could just as easily be their lesser thinking function magnified by their focus on Ni.

So your view is the person with Ti/Fi > Ne > Si is confusing the direction of her functions due to a lack of self-understanding, and should really be INTJ or INFJ. But do you think it is just as easy to be confused on the self-descriptions that go along with the function order? Suppose when she reads the descriptions of INTJ and INFJ, neither resonates with her as much as INTP or INFP? What then?
Should she just choose between Jung's system of cognitive functions and the MBTI, and avoid the headache?

I'm beginning to think I should do this for my own I/ENTP seesaw.

Those people I have seen with an X in their type for a long time seem to be those who have found no more meaning in being one side or the other. Of course this does not change that they most probably are one or the other (there is always the third choice of having developed a balanced approach from an early age... I think).

See many people, IME, approach the MBTI as some kind of divining rod expecting that with the knowledge of what type they are they will suddenly see all the questions answered and so forth. That's just not going to happen in all cases..

yup.

 

[SquirrelTao]

What makes very little sense is insisting on putting everybody into a box. What also makes very little sense is making a religious belief out of MBTI. Another thing that makes very little sense is insisting that people force their data reporting to conform to a theory, rather than wondering if the theory may be flawed in some way when the data doesn't fit it.

And another thing. A little research on the reliability of MBTI will show that most people test as three or four types, not just one. It will also show that the F vs. T axis is the most unreliable of the four categories.

 

[VanillaCat]

When I took the test I got 50% E and 50% I. So, technically I could put an X, but it said I was extraverted. I kind of feel like I'm more ENFP than INFP too. But it's a very thin line at times.

 

[colmena]

My personality is far too suppressed, and environment too irrational to know whether I'm F or T.

I've always tested Ti on the longer tests, but Fi has always come second/close second. I don't really know enough about it, to be honest. I'd be lying if I said I cared that much.

I'll be sure to change it when I'm living a healthier lifestyle.

--

I've just started watching a Fred Astaire/Rita Hayworth musical called, You Were Never Lovelier.

Tonight I'll be going through TED talks now that I'm free of the end of the month bandwidth scare. I'll be discounting/skeptical of any that aren't research based, unless I'm being polemic/provocative.

 

[Little Linguist]

Okay, here's a question I'm just throwing out there for the hell of it. And please be aware that I'm a dumbass with little to no experience about typing, so yeah....


But I'm curious. Regarding cognitive functions, I have the following scores:

extraverted Sensing (Se) (22.1)
limited use
introverted Sensing (Si) (17.3)
limited use
extraverted Intuiting (Ne) (43.6)
excellent use
introverted Intuiting (Ni) (30.5)
good use
extraverted Thinking (Te) (20.2)
limited use
introverted Thinking (Ti) (23.2)
limited use
extraverted Feeling (Fe) (39.6)
excellent use
introverted Feeling (Fi) (43.5)
excellent use

Well, okay, according to this test I'm a ST MORON!!! BUT I have an excellent use of Ne, Fi AND Fe. And a good use of Ni. So one could make the argument that I was an ENFX because I have a good control over both sets of functions for ENFJ and ENFP, and I have a better control over Ti than Te, Si or Se, one COULD say that the ENFJ fits me better. However, one could say the ENFP fits me better because the Fi is stronger than Fe, and the Ne is stronger than Fi - which fits an ENFP better. Hmmmm.....

I picked ENFP, but the debate is still up for grabs. I think the ENFP and ENFJ profiles fit me to a certain extent.

Sooooo - hmmmm...shall it be ENFX? Nahh, I want a decision too badly for that. So maybe I'm ENFJ anymore, but I really can't decide. )))

 

[Jack Flak]

^You're right, it doesn't make any sense. Why have only three of us seen this?