I don't make an attempt to "mimic the mood" in social situations. I almost cannot do it: it is too inauthentic. This is part of why many social situations are uncomfortable. I can tell the mood does not match my own and I cannot express what I don't feel. The best I can do is maintain a neutral mood or expression, which is often close to the truth anyway. This way at least I am not injecting a contrary mood to the event (e.g. laughing and happy at a funeral).So far it looks like only NTPs have replied. NTJ perspectives can only help clarify.
mmm the divide is almost too clean to be real. sample size considered.
though the more i read about the temperaments i still don't fully understand why NTs are paired the way they are.
aside from superficial things, we really don't seem to have much in common.
i still don't fully understand why NTs are paired the way they are.
aside from superficial things, we really don't seem to have much in common.
digesthisickness said:The reason it seems to be NT types the most often has nothing to do with them thinking they're smarter or anything like that. It's because of their drive for truth and knowledge. It's right there in the description and it's seriously true about them. We want and hunger for truth no matter what it is.
This NT understands:The reason it seems to be NT types the most often has nothing to do with them thinking they're smarter or anything like that. It's because of their drive for truth and knowledge. It's right there in the description and it's seriously true about them. We want and hunger for truth no matter what it is.
Makes one wonder about The Secret Life of NT Relativists at the very least. Also non-NT intellectuals. Non-intellectual NTs?
I found this video in this forum but it's fairly applicable here:Alright, so I have noticed (at least for me) that many of the people who are either ExTx or maybe even xNTx have problems with expressing emotion the way it's intended externally so instead they mimic the mood and the person they are associating with. This becomes especially prominent in groups of people.
I know for me, when I come across a social environment I am not familiar with, rather than laying low and observing. I might take a few seconds to take in all of whats happening and "jump in" and mimic those around me. This includes the groups social values and norms, even though I dont agree with it, because I am so unfamiliar with the environment. Most of it is unconscious. But now that Im a bit more self aware, I'm trying to stop this habit when appropriate. Am I making sense? I hope so.
Alright, so I have noticed (at least for me) that many of the people who are either ExTx or maybe even xNTx have problems with expressing emotion the way it's intended externally so instead they mimic the mood and the person they are associating with. This becomes especially prominent in groups of people.
I know for me, when I come across a social environment I am not familiar with, rather than laying low and observing. I might take a few seconds to take in all of whats happening and "jump in" and mimic those around me. This includes the groups social values and norms, even though I dont agree with it, because I am so unfamiliar with the environment. Most of it is unconscious. But now that Im a bit more self aware, I'm trying to stop this habit when appropriate. Am I making sense? I hope so.
Is it because general "NT's" process the external world differently then others (I mean we all do, but I feel like NT's tend to look "past" the present), and rather then taking the time and effort in understanding it, they mimic it, because they feel there are more "pressing matters" to pay attention to?
I might be wrong in my observation. It's open for discussion.
I know that I have trouble externalized my deepest darkest emotions. I don't want to burden others with them and only touch upon them if I really trust someone. There are things that I just don't tell anyone period.. They only come out when they've been bottled up for a long period of time then they spill over the surface. When I'm in a group, I do want to match the mood and it doesn't come naturally to me to express something that goes against the tide of the group.
While I certainly have my own interests, I have trouble pinpointing where I stand on things and I want others to accept me into the group. I am easily influenced in situations like this but I do try to maintain my true self, even if my instincts have tendencies such as this. It doesn't come naturally to me so there are behaviors that had to be learned. Little things do slip through the cracks but when people call it to attention, I try to beat about the bush or pull the focus off of myself, I don't want to be an attentionhog or anything. When I'm unfamiliar with the people involved, I may observe quietly from a distance but once I am included in the group, I go about it by trying to match the energy, trying to understand those around me.
What is your goal in doing these things?I struggle with emotional expression, but I do intentionally learn from others to express emotion. Not exactly mimicry, but I cherry pick what I think is useful and test it out. Though more often than not, they do not work very well in real life. I think its because people can tell you are not into it. So I instead just be myself, but slowly add in some behaviors that make me seem more approachable. The internet makes this really easy, with things like reaction images and emotes.
What is your goal in doing these things?