Am I as terribly impractical as people tell me? Or is this normal for an INFJ?

[The_Liquid_Laser]

The other interesting thing about my processing is that I usually accept data given to me by other people through facial expressions, intonation, verbalization, or hand gestures, all of which I can interpret. I also learn through reading. It's as though unless it is communicated through language or math, I can't comprehend it.

One of the most interesting things I learned in Geometry was that the shortest distance between two points was a straight line. It explained why so many people I saw tended to cut across the lawn rather than follow the sidewalk precisely.

I guess now I know why I like "Short Circuit" so much. I identify with "Input. Need Input!" very well.

We're all in agreement that my extraverted function is most similar to Fe, correct?

Yes I think your extraverted function is Fe. And now that I think about it my suggestion of reprogramming yourself would be using Fi. I think your aptitude for math may have made you a little different from most FJ's that I have encountered. The story you are describing makes you sound more logical than other FJ's that I have encountered. The type of internal logic you are describing is something you would expect from someone who uses Ti as one of their primary two functions (or perhaps a highly developed third function).

Aptitude is not necessarily related to type. Let's face it there are quite a few INTP's out there who are not very good at math. But INTP's who do have an aptitude for math are superb at it, because Ti is the best function for doing pure math (and Ne helps too). I know plenty of INTJ's that are also very good at math, but they use Ni and Te. INTJ's always seem to struggle with math if they don't understand how it applies to the real world because their logic uses Te, but even though Te is their secondary function they can be superb because their Ni picks up a lot of the slack. In other words in some capacity Ni can mimic what Ti does naturally. Also an INTJ who does a lot of math will naturally develop their Ti.

I think what has happened in your case is that your apptitude for math has either developed your Ti or else you are simulating it with Ni. So along with your normal Ni and Fe being your two most developed functions you also have Ti in there as well. You end up applying logic to your Fe which is not what people do very often (or to the extent that you are explaining), so you have some unusual sounding behavior.

Also based on your description I would guess that you are an extreme introvert. Is that an accurate assumption? For example there are plenty of moderate introverts who can seem extraverted in some situations, and likewise moderate extraverts who seem introverted in some situations. You sound to me like an extreme introvert. (This is not to pass judgement, I am simply trying to accurately assess the situation.) But that is what I would expect from someone with both a strongly developed Ni and Ti.

 

[Athenian200]

Yes I think your extraverted function is Fe. And now that I think about it my suggestion of reprogramming yourself would be using Fi. I think your aptitude for math may have made you a little different from most FJ's that I have encountered. The story you are describing makes you sound more logical than other FJ's that I have encountered. The type of internal logic you are describing is something you would expect from someone who uses Ti as one of their primary two functions (or perhaps a highly developed third function).

Actually, I'm not great at math, but I can comprehend it better than the physical world. My primary skill is language, however.

Aptitude is not necessarily related to type. Let's face it there are quite a few INTP's out there who are not very good at math. But INTP's who do have an aptitude for math are superb at it, because Ti is the best function for doing pure math (and Ne helps too). I know plenty of INTJ's that are also very good at math, but they use Ni and Te. INTJ's always seem to struggle with math if they don't understand how it applies to the real world because their logic uses Te, but even though Te is their secondary function they can be superb because their Ni picks up a lot of the slack. In other words in some capacity Ni can mimic what Ti does naturally. Also an INTJ who does a lot of math will naturally develop their Ti.

In fact, I've actually been mistyped as an INTP by people who didn't know me well. Eventually, they see my sentimental and judgmental sides, and consider typing me as ISFJ. Then they see my abstract side again, and type me as INTJ. Finally, they usually see more Fe, which convinces them that I'm an INFJ.

I think what has happened in your case is that your apptitude for math has either developed your Ti or else you are simulating it with Ni. So along with your normal Ni and Fe being your two most developed functions you also have Ti in there as well. You end up applying logic to your Fe which is not what people do very often (or to the extent that you are explaining), so you have some unusual sounding behavior.

Very strange... did you see my functional analysis? The first time, it was:

Ti -- 41.1 (excellent use)
Si -- 40.4 (excellent use)
Fi -- 39.2 (excellent use)
Ne -- 37.5 (excellent use)
Fe -- 36.6 (excellent use)
Ni -- 32.1 (good use)
Te -- 9.9 (unused)
Se -- 2.8 (unused)

The next time, it was:

Fi -- 42.5 (excellent use)
Fe -- 41 (excellent use)
Si -- 36.6 (excellent use)
Ti -- 34.2 (good use)
Ni -- 31.6 (good use)
Ne -- 21.5 (limited use)
Te -- 20.2 (limited use)
Se -- 12.2 (unused)

I once heard that the only reason the types had to work the way they did was for you to be psychologically healthy. If I were a little unhealthy, I might have an abnormal ordering, right?

But I don't get stable, repeatable results with the quiz that came from, so I'm tempted to think it's an invalid quiz. I usually score as an INFJ on standard quizzes.

Also based on your description I would guess that you are an extreme introvert. Is that an accurate assumption? For example there are plenty of moderate introverts who can seem extraverted in some situations, and likewise moderate extraverts who seem introverted in some situations. You sound to me like an extreme introvert. (This is not to pass judgement, I am simply trying to accurately assess the situation.) But that is what I would expect from someone with both a strongly developed Ni and Ti.

I might be, by some standards. I remember someone on this forum bragging that he had actually spent two weeks without leaving home. I thought that was strange, because I've gone two months without going outside before (but not usually, of course). I didn't want to engage in oneupmanship, however, so I didn't mention it.

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

Hmm...so my hypothesis about math is obviously incorrect. But I do still think you are an INFJ with an unusually well developed Ti. Also looking at your two test results, while they are obviously inconsistent there is a couple things we can draw from it. First it looks like that all of your introverted functions are well developed along with Fe. All of your introverted functions rank good use or better in both tests. Secondly Se and Te are consistently low in both tests. (Ne is inconsistent so we'll ignore that.) So I think my hypothesis about underdeveloped Se and Te is correct, and that is the cause of your underdeveloped spatial sense.

Also I think that my main hypothesis is correct and that is your main way of interacting with the external world is Fe, and after that you process everything in your head. Your Fe has a huge impact on shaping your highly developed internal reality.

Also I'd like to add that while I'm not a psychologist, I wouldn't necessarily use this to be a judge of whether or not you are psychologically healthy. Being different doesn't necessarily make a person unhealthy (think ugly duckling becoming a beautiful swan and all that). Often it can mean that you can fill a niche that few people can fill. You can turn being unique into an advantage if you consider what strengths this gives you compared to other people. Now if you feel something like you've had emotional problems all along and you were just seeking an explanation then you might want to consider that you are unhealthy and seek help if you think you need it (only you really know that answer), but barring that I'd consider being different more of a bonus than a liability.

 

[niffer]

Haha...you sound exactly like an INFJ friend I have, so you're not alone. His thought process is almost robotic - if he hasn't experienced the exact situation before, his mind hits a dead end and he just stands there, confused and bewildered. He's amazingly creative and intelligent, and has an extraordinary memory, but his common sense is stunted. It's like he lives entirely in his mind - the physical world which is very apparent makes him seem like a fish out of water. We all help him along, but I honestly don't know how he'll survive out on his own...

 

[Athenian200]

Haha...you sound exactly like an INFJ friend I have, so you're not alone. His thought process is almost robotic - if he hasn't experienced the exact situation before, his mind hits a dead end and he just stands there, confused and bewildered. He's amazingly creative and intelligent, and has an extraordinary memory, but his common sense is stunted. It's like he lives entirely in his mind - the physical world which is very apparent makes him seem like a fish out of water. We all help him along, but I honestly don't know how he'll survive out on his own...

You're very articulate for an ENFP. I don't mean to be rude to the type or anything, but usually EXFP's have terrible punctuation and spelling, in addition to having extremely disjointed thought and speech patterns that take great effort to untangle (albeit they are usually good-hearted). You managed to express yourself coherently, however, and that is admirable. Thank you.

Anyway, I mostly rely on other people to help me. It's almost as if people just look at me and feel immediate pity. I've had people appear from nowhere and suddenly help me with something that I thought would take a lot of thought to handle. I also seem to be good at requesting help persuasively. If I have to deal with something alone, I usually just stand back and work out a process for dealing with the situation in front of me, which sometimes takes a while. (But usually not more than three minutes.) If I find the problem is insoluble or overly complex, then I give up and ignore it.

 

[proteanmix]

Pretty soon, being intuitive is going to have all kinds of mortalities attached to it, kinda like being left-handed.

 

[heart]

Pretty soon, being intuitive is going to have all kinds of mortalities attached to it, kinda like being left-handed.

Why would you draw that conclusion from this thread? Would you please elaborate on your opinion here?

 

[Cerpin_Taxt]

Anyway, I mostly rely on other people to help me. It's almost as if people just look at me and feel immediate pity. I've had people appear from nowhere and suddenly help me with something that I thought would take a lot of thought to handle. I also seem to be good at requesting help persuasively. If I have to deal with something alone, I usually just stand back and work out a process for dealing with the situation in front of me, which sometimes takes a while. (But usually not more than three minutes.) If I find the problem is insoluble or overly complex, then I give up and ignore it.

Dont mean to takeover your thread, but I can relate to that somewhat.

My default face is one of so people -- generally SJ's -- think I'm incapable of doing things on my own, but really I just like to get an idea of what I'm getting myself into.

Whether it be cooking, gardening, vacuming etc...I like to prepare for all possible outcomes. I dont know if this is an INTP thing or not -- that could make an interesting thread.

Anyway you definately sound Ni dominant.

 

[proteanmix]

Why would you draw that conclusion from this thread? Would you please elaborate on your opinion here?

From what I've gathered based on athenian's description of herself she needs to see a mental health care professional and/or a neurologist. I know other INFJs that are very kinesthetically aware, one is even a dancer. I would be hesitant to evaluate her descriptions in terms of MBTI.

It's like an INFJ saying, I notice that when I type on the computer for a long time my wrist starts to hurt and then other INFJs chime in "me too, me too!" And then people start thinking this is a INFJ (or whatever type) thing when it's really something else. You could all have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which as far as I know is completely unrelated to type.

 

[Totenkindly]

From what I've gathered based on athenian's description of herself she needs to see a mental health care professional and/or a neurologist. I know other INFJs that are very kinesthetically aware, one is even a dancer. I would be hesitant to evaluate her descriptions in terms of MBTI. It's like an INFJ saying, I notice that when I type on the computer for a long time my wrist starts to hurt and then other INFJs chime in "me too, me too!" And then people start thinking this is a INFJ (or whatever type) thing when it's really something else. You could all have Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, which as far as I know is completely unrelated to type.

I agree. There is some personality influence here just in terms of what causes anxiety, perhaps; but the spatial problems definitely seem to be rooted elsewhere. Type is not a silver bullet.

 

[ptgatsby]

From what I've gathered based on athenian's description of herself she needs to see a mental health care professional and/or a neurologist.

I'd advise the same under two conditions;

1) This is new (see a doctor, the spatial awareness problems are probably physical) or getting worse.

2) It impairs your ability to function.

There is nothing that triggers alarm bells, but I must admit, this is something I haven't really heard or read about. The dissonance is something to worry about if it is frequent or is becoming more frequent. I expect that it has to do with excessive traits more than a full blown disorder, assuming that it isn't new or getting worse. (This test might help in finding out if a particular trait is out of whack, relatively speaking).

 

[The_Liquid_Laser]

I'd advise the same under two conditions;

1) This is new (see a doctor, the spatial awareness problems are probably physical) or getting worse.

2) It impairs your ability to function.

There is nothing that triggers alarm bells, but I must admit, this is something I haven't really heard or read about. The dissonance is something to worry about if it is frequent or is becoming more frequent. I expect that it has to do with excessive traits more than a full blown disorder, assuming that it isn't new or getting worse. (This test might help in finding out if a particular trait is out of whack, relatively speaking).

I agree. There is no need to think there is a disorder just because a person is different. If spatial sense is deteriorating though I would agree that it is a problem that should be addressed.

 

[proteanmix]

I agree. There is no need to think there is a disorder just because a person is different. If spatial sense is deteriorating though I would agree that it is a problem that should be addressed.

I agree with diiference does not equal problem, but you all seemed to be hinting that athenian's problems are due to type, specifically a function of Ni. She could be describing a physiological problem and would have thought it was something completely normal for INFJs and not sought medical attention. This is dangerous.

 

[Athenian200]

I agree with diiference does not equal problem, but you all seemed to be hinting that athenian's problems are due to type, specifically a function of Ni. She could be describing a physiological problem and would have thought it was something completely normal for INFJs and not sought medical attention. This is dangerous.

I wish you could see the irony, hilarity, and assumptions inherent in your statement...

In fact, this problem has not worsened, it's just how things have always been for me. If anything, my abstractions and ability to construct representations of reality that I can more quickly react to are improving. If it were worsening, I would have seen a doctor.

 

[heart]

I have at times gotten like where words would not come to me or I knew what I needed to do but couldn't translate it into actual actions. I don't think it is exactly like what you are decribing because it wasn't because of lack of permission just getting like a glitch between the part of my brain that runs the thoughts and intentions and the part that works the body. Always happens when I was tired or not feeling 100 percent.

Once I kept trying to say something and the word order was completely reveresed. I kept trying and finally had to just get myself home and get to bed. It was the strangest thing and I don't think I could consciously do that.

I feel out of touch with the concrete a lot and I have issues with the balance area of my brain. You might find this site interesting because it talks about how the vestibular part of the brain works to filter info and maybe describing some of what you feel, at least you would know that others have felt it too:

COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF VESTIBULAR DISORDERS - 39k

 

[dissolved girl]

Hello, you have some very interesting thought processes going on there. Some of them slightly remind me of the characteristics associated with Aspergers Syndrome. I might be completely wrong here. Obviously that kind of an assessment should only be completed by a trained professional. I don't know that much about it but I thought I'd mention it. Do you know much about Aspergers Syndrome? What do you think?

 

[wildcat]

Hello, you have some very interesting thought processes going on there. Some of them slightly remind me of the characteristics associated with Aspergers Syndrome. I might be completely wrong here. Obviously that kind of an assessment should only be completed by a trained professional. I don't know that much about it but I thought I'd mention it. Do you know much Aspergers Syndrome? What do you think?

Yes you are right there. It is the motor deficiency associated with asperger autism. A slow reaction is a hindrance (input delay)) in motor coordination.