Okay so perhaps I'm nagging about this now but as different thinking occurs I post different things.... Right, an INTP who is forced to sort something out will engage parts of their shadow. It seems to me that in such a situation an INTPs thinking will closely match that of an ENTJ (if they can handle the situation). An ENTP being definitive is very similar to an INTJ and an INTJ who is trying to be spontaneous with people is more ENTP. I'm wondering what people think about such crude pairings. My theory fits this model but I'm not sure if anyone else can see it or if there's other theories which are similar.
First, mistletoe, allow me a tangent: you do strike as rather ENTPish sometimes.
You're saying two things in your hypothesis here which I find interesting:
1) That we are attracted to our shadow sides, and 2) subconsciously/consciously revert to it under pressure.
Your hypothesis sounds logical as a start - If you follow social psychology, we tend to mimic the behaviour of those we want to be loved by. Ergo under pressure to be accepted, could it be we subconsciously mimic our shadow to be accepted?
But if the audience is not the shadow type, would you then engage the shadow still, or rather, would you/anyone as a balanced type, engage
what works?
Some part of all traits exist in everyone, so my counter-hypothesis to your theory of reversion/engagement of one type as a shadow self, is simply it would not allow some situations to be resolved. Behaviour modification to achieve our ends would mean we could adopt any traits changeably, not just our shadow traits. It is a question of how difficult the adaptation, merely. But I hesitate to say it is impossible.
Back to your topic:
An INTJ is Ni, Te, Fi, Se.
ENTP: Ne, Ti, Fe, Si.
In theory:
For me to say the shadow is engaged, it'd mean I retreat into myself under pressure to try shape things the way I want it, strategizing to create a logical framework that'll work in the current world, I won't give a damn what you feel except as important to me, and lose touch with reality, in a way.
In practice:
My E/I is borderline, and my T/F and J/P are both moderate. I score moderate on all cognitive functions, except low Si and low Se. The only area I'm clear in is the N. At work, I'm constantly under pressure. But feelings count a lot to get things done. Under stress,
- I tend retain the Ne very strongly.
- I chose Te to work with as I have to convince others of something, and follow their arguments to find the points of contention
- But feelings matter to get things done, as an argument with more emotional appeal tends to work better: Fe.
- I always try for Se to retain a sense of grounding.
I'm not sure what type that is, but it is not INTJ.
Perhaps a flaw in the MBTI as Magic pointed out somewhere was that for some reason, you cannot get e.g. Ne, Te, Fe, Se. (etc - you can work out the combis which are not possible in the MBTI).
Though theoretically, I'm not sure why that doesn't work. (Actually, I'm not sure how do you derive the 4 main processes of each type, short of memorizing it? )
Ergo I think your theory will not hold should a type be well developed, or flexible, simply. I feel there are too much variables to say that one type will work in all kinds of conflict, and I think any balanced types would choose the processes which gets them what they want.
Personally I think you'd be difficult to type. Rampant intelligence unfocused. Kinda like my sister. I'm not sure how it works but I think with ENFJs they pick up so much from delving around in other's heads and problems that they possibly pick up a little of everything
I did a mini deconstruction of this little firedragon on her blog, you can go see. It is not a lack of focus, but a need to burn/be absorbed, I feel, and a lack of grounding via Se. I agree with you on the picking up thing.
ENTPs seem to be a good match for ISFJ. They play well together from what I've seen of the ENTP-ISFJ friendship we have in our little group. One brings out the silliness in the other whilst both agree on social musts. INFJ-ENTP I'd have thought would bring problems. Hell NT-NF in general I'd think would be fraught with problems. Something about the SF and the NF getting cross wired a lot.
I generally don't work with Ses well. I get frustrated having to explain everything and lay out my thinking and explain why I see this possibility, they do not prefer to follow tangents, then the feelings are easily hurt, and I start to feel bad for being me, and feel bad for not feeling bad about it.
An INTJ reaction would've been to just tell them to stuff it up where the sun don't shine. But usually I take a deep breath and lay out point by bloody point and hold their hands and keep a smile on.
You only do ENTP when you deliberately choose to? Sounds like an INTJ to me (kidding)
As an ENTP, I basically take on whatever trait is necessary? Do you think that is more INTJ? - I think the transmutability of an ENTP is more than most types in the MBTI.
If I flip your question around then, mistletoe, which type is likely to stay most true to type under changing circumstances?