Poll: Is knowing your best-fit type important?

[rivercrow]

Post in the multiple-option poll if you want or comment below or do both as desired. It's an equal-opportunity kind of thread.


I occasionally question my own type, even though I've self-verified as INTP to my own satisfaction. The more I learn about type and type dynamics, the more content I am, both about my best-fit type and about the different personas I present for different situations.

On some level though, I do view type as just a facet of my personality. Only when speaking to type-people do I identify my type. (I do have an "INTP" t-shirt, but it doesn't get much wear.)

So, is knowing your best-fit type important?

Is that knowledge important to YOU personally only? Or is it important that your friends/family/etc (those others who are type-people) know as well?

If you feel there's a mismatch, how concerned are you that you resolve that mismatch? Are you making an effort to find it, or are you content with ambiguity?

If you do think it's important, why?

 

[Natrushka]

It's important to me and to the people I interact with closely on a daily basis. It's helped me to better understand why I behave the way I do, and how sometimes my behaviour isn't 'normal'. I've made my husband (ha! made him!!) learn about MBTI and I believe it's helped us. We see some things very differently and others with almost the same eyes; until the past year he didn't understand that I wasn't just being contrary when I didn't agree, or (gasp) care. He's an ISTJ, btw.

I don't need anyone else to know my type, but I've been interested in typing people I deal with a lot so I can better understand where we go wrong. My SIL and BIL come to mind right away.

 

[Totenkindly]

I used to be more concerned. I'm not really anymore.

There are some uncertainties online with people regarding my type (some are suspicious I'm an INFP), but this is based on the approach of my writing style, my topical matter, and my interests. They would probably understand me much better seeing me IRL compared to other F types, because then the differences would be much more apparent. (My decisions/processing is more impersonal in nature ... although I factor in people's feeling as just one more number in the equation, since logically people are comprised both of mind and emotion. But I am the "hard-liner" in the groups I'm in, based on the impersonal concerns.)

But I realize that people only get to see certain facets of me here, so it's pointless to try and justify a particular reading. People are free to think whatever they'd like, and in the end, why should I be concerned about what a particular person who I will probably never meet thinks about my type... and why is it bad to be mistaken for another type anyway? It's not as if INFPs are evil.

Anyway... it's sort of important, but not if someone already knows you and is relating to you as a person. Type usually just gives "context" for how you might be able to interpret the intent behind someone's words and actions.

 

[Wolf]

Numbers 1 and 5.

 

[Langrenus]

I would say no. In the first instance I still have reservations about the value of the MBTI system (I've discussed some of these elsewhere). In the second, I don't see what difference an accurate self-assessment would make to my day-to-day life...I've taken the 'official' tests, done interviews with occupational psychologists and spent some time evaluating the results against my own self-perceptions. A fun series of exercises, but I'm still the same person I was before I knew I was an 'INTJ', and I still act the same way around other people.

On the other hand I feel a little justified, I suppose - instead of being some strange individual completely unlike the people around me I have discovered that I am one member of a group of strange people who don't fit in with the people around them. But I accepted long ago that I'm different, so the added justification wasn't really necessary.

 

[Geoff]

Hmm.

I don't really know how to answer this. Sometimes I am glad that I know (or at least have some idea) and that others know.

Other times, I seriously doubt its worth. I either chameleon enough types that I'm confused, or I have strengths (and weaknesses) that MBTI doesn't predict. As a result, giving someone my type could lead them to prejudge strengths and weaknesses I simply may not display!

-Geoff

 

[htb]

some are suspicious I'm an INFP

Suspicion would only be in the speculative sense -- in person, you are who you are, including any number of anomalies, whatever the Jungian type. Misidentifying oneself, from the perspective of others, colors data at the very worst. Still, typing can influence predispositions and among those who are familiar with typology, as I found several times on INTPc, motivate an amusing sort of bigotry.

I find it useful to be able to consider strengths and weaknesses that correspond closely to my own, and, too, not to be burdened or handicapped with somebody else's. Revisiting MBTI and changing my affirmed type to INTJ from INFJ was the result of correlating changes in my bearing with specific events, notably trauma; and looking beyond those to a point where I was rather different and, crucially, balanced. Ironically, MBTI may have directed me out of the muddle that it led me into.

 

[Chaselation]

I was split. For the most part I don't care if people know. Except in the few circumstances where I think knowing what an INTP is (frequently misunderstood) would help a lot. Unfortunately the people I would want to understand this have no desire to learn.

Knowing my own type has helped me gain insight into myself so is has been useful to me a least.

I'm the only one with this perspective?

 

[Ivy]

I picked the last two options-- I'm actively trying to self-verify, but I'm not terribly concerned about it. It'll either become clear or it won't. In the meantime, I'll probably just pick a type to identify with so I can stop typing X's and giving long explanations when people ask.

 

[Lookin4theBestNU]

I used to tell people about MBTI often and the type that I identified most with. I no longer waste my time on that. I keep hoping that I will meet someone who is a type nerd like myself to have discussions with every time I come up with something new. I generally like talking better then writing or I could do it here more often. I have learned about myself and that is all that is really important. I still have not identified with complete certainty whether I am an ENFJ or ENFP which bothers me a little bit though I am not sure why.

 

[Zergling]

Not too important. People seem to learn the important traits of mine pretty well anyway, so explaining with MBTI doesn't add anything. For myself, I sort of prefer not being typed, because it adds an extra expectation onto how I should act, ands I'd rather not have that particular type of behavior limit on me.

 

[Economica]

Originally Posted by Fortunato

htb, did you just replace Jennifers nick with the old one and if so, why?

 

[Zergling]

htb, did you just replace Jennifers nick with the old one and if so, why?

He probably copy-paste quoted it, than types in the name himself. If he things of jennifer as fortunato, than that name probably slipped in there by accident.

 

[Economica]

He probably copy-paste quoted it, than types in the name himself. If he things of jennifer as fortunato, than that name probably slipped in there by accident.

Perhaps. That's why I'm asking.

 

[s0532]

I used to be more concerned. I'm not really anymore.

There are some uncertainties online with people regarding my type (some are suspicious I'm an INFP), but this is based on the approach of my writing style, my topical matter, and my interests. They would probably understand me much better seeing me IRL compared to other F types, because then the differences would be much more apparent. (My decisions/processing is more impersonal in nature ... although I factor in people's feeling as just one more number in the equation, since logically people are comprised both of mind and emotion. But I am the "hard-liner" in the groups I'm in, based on the impersonal concerns.)

But I realize that people only get to see certain facets of me here, so it's pointless to try and justify a particular reading. People are free to think whatever they'd like, and in the end, why should I be concerned about what a particular person who I will probably never meet thinks about my type... and why is it bad to be mistaken for another type anyway? It's not as if INFPs are evil.

Anyway... it's sort of important, but not if someone already knows you and is relating to you as a person. Type usually just gives "context" for how you might be able to interpret the intent behind someone's words and actions.

Personally I think a lot about type can come across online. I'd imagine it could bug someone like you just because they'd be so wrong. (I dunno, your INTPness abundantly clear to me.) Others mistyping can be kind of annoying just for misunderstanding/ misapplication of theory. And the times when people seem downright delusional.

Very important to me at first because it helped to understand myself and relationships better. Less important now, though to some extent hard not to think about interpersonal dynamics within framework of cog functions.

 

[cafe]

I'm trying to figure out exactly how I do feel about the importance of knowing my type. I'm pretty certain of my type, so it doesn't seem all that important, but because I like (need?) closure, if I didn't know, it might seem more important to me and I might make an active effort to gain closure. Is it because type is important to me or because closure is important to me, or both?

I think of people in terms of temperament, if not type, in my daily life. It is helpful to me and I enjoy discussing type with other people who are interested in it. I do not expect most people to care about MBTI irl, therefore it is not important that they know my type. I don't like other people having to accommodate me, and expecting everybody I am in a relationship with to learn both my four letters and MBTI as a system for my benefit . . . yeah.

FWIW, I am as likely on online tests to test INFP as I am to test INFJ, if not more likely, but I have come to see that as a flaw in the tests, a result of it being difficult to find good questions for NJs. *shrug*

 

[RDF]

Very important to me at first because it helped to understand myself and relationships better. Less important now, though to some extent hard not to think about interpersonal dynamics within framework of cog functions.

I agree exactly with what s0532 said. I'm not quite sure how to vote that on the poll...

FL

 

[Totenkindly]

I'd imagine it could bug someone like you just because they'd be so wrong. (I dunno, your INTPness abundantly clear to me.) Others mistyping can be kind of annoying just for misunderstanding/ misapplication of theory. And the times when people seem downright delusional.

Yes, the "wrongness" is the thing that has bugged me in the past (i.e., I am not upset at being judged INFP because I don't want to be an INFP, but because I think it's a wrong conclusion, and errors and misapplications such as that bug me -- sometimes they even eat away at me and grab far too much of my attention).

And, on some level, like anyone else, it sometimes feels like others are telling me who I am supposed to be, based on their categorizations, regardless of my own observations and experiences.

I guess it sort of is like the gender thing. I just decided to accept that some people will categorize me a certain way, regardless of what I say, based on what they can observe and conjecture; and in the long run it's not worth the energy expenditure to convince them otherwise, as along as I can keep a firm grasp in my mind of who I know I am.

Nor is it worth the energy to keep arguing, if they've got an entrenched viewpoint; the most economic way to correct things is simply to let things go, be who I am, and trust the errors will become more obvious over time... Maybe that's a little idealistic, but the energy expenditure usually becomes too great to fight a pointless battle.

 

[FemMecha]

And, on some level, like anyone else, it sometimes feels like others are telling me who I am supposed to be, based on their categorizations, regardless of my own observations and experiences.

Hits nail on the head!

Yes, that feeling that others put you in a box and rather than getting to know you better, they just insist that you are whomever they first assumed. Or worse yet, they insist you are the same as their mother, or ex-girlfriend, or someone else that hurt them in a personal way. It's unpleasant to be held personally responsible for the behavior of unknown, and apparently horrible, people. I do appreciate that people feel vulnerable and are afraid of getting hurt, so they try very hard to be prepared to see the horribleness ahead of time. It is exhausting to have to spend the majority of ones interaction proving those fears wrong. Sometimes it's worth it, but it does happen a lot between all types. It consumes way more energy and creates more confusion than is reasonable or healthy.

 

[MacGuffin]

Very important to me at first because it helped to understand myself and relationships better. Less important now, though to some extent hard not to think about interpersonal dynamics within framework of cog functions.

I agree exactly with what s0532 said. I'm not quite sure how to vote that on the poll...

FL

How much of it is internalized now though? As in you type someone and react/speak accordingly without really thinking about it.