Myers-Briggs
Something that I've always found quite interesting is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. For those who are unfamiliar with what this is, here is a little bit about the MBTI (taken from the official MBTI website):
The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in peoples lives. The essence of the theory is that much seemingly random variation in the behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic difference in the way individual prefer to use their perception and judgment.
There are 16 personality types based on 4 dimensions of personality. Extroversion vs Introversion, Intuition vs Sensing, Feeling vs Thinking, and Perceiving vs Judging. For more information, you should go here
I was going through some of my old psychology books this weekend and I found the MBTI results from an official test that I took a while ago. It shows that I am an ENFP. Typelogic.com has a really good writeup on the various personality types and I thought I'd post mine with some comments. In my opinion, it is a very accurate description of me. So, for those of you who don't know me all that well, this might explain a little more about me. Beware: the following is pretty lengthy!
As an ENFP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system.
This is very true for me. Intuition refers to thinking in terms of possibilities, concepts, and theories as opposed to concrete facts, the tangible, and the here-and-now. Someone who takes things in primarily through intuition would understand an overall concept but may not be able to explain the detailed facts.
ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it.
As far as striving to make the most out of life, I'd say that's true. One of my biggest fears is to just watch my life go by without really living. The weeks that make me most unhappy are when I feel like life has become very monotonous. I love trying new things and get very excited by both the newness of the experience and the possibility of what positive things could come out of it.
ENFPs have an unusually broad range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest them. Project-oriented, they may go through several different careers during their lifetime. To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a strong sense of values which they live with throughout their lives. Everything that they do must be in line with their values.
This is somewhat true for me. I definitely have a strong sense of what I belive is wrong and what I believe is right and it would be very difficult to do things on a consistent basis that went against something that I believed in. However, I don't think I seem directionless or without purpose. I feel that I'm quite driven and being successful (success being defined by my own value system) is important to me.
An ENFP needs to feel that they are living their lives as their true Self, walking in step with what they believe is right. They see meaning in everything, and are on a continuous quest to adapt their lives and values to achieve inner peace. They're constantly aware and somewhat fearful of losing touch with themselves. Since emotional excitement is usually an important part of the ENFP's life, and because they are focused on keeping "centered", the ENFP is usually an intense individual, with highly evolved values.
This part seems to hit especially close to home. I find it very exhausting and upsetting when I feel like I'm not being the "real" me. There have been times where I've done things that don't seem very "Leah-like" and it always throws me off.
An ENFP needs to focus on following through with their projects. This can be a problem area for some of these individuals. Unlike other extroverted types, ENFPs need time alone to center themselves, and make sure they are moving in a direction which is in sync with their values. ENFPs who remain centered will usually be quite successful at their endeavors. Others may fall into the habit of dropping a project when they become excited about a new possibility, and thus they never achieve the great accomplishments which they are capable of achieving.
This is one of the biggest challenges for me. I get very excited at the prospect of starting a new project and it seems that the enthusiasm fades over time and sometimes those projects never quite get finished.
Most ENFPs have great people skills. They are genuinely warm and interested in people, and place great importance on their inter-personal relationships. ENFPs almost always have a strong need to be liked. Sometimes, especially at a younger age, an ENFP will tend to be "gushy" and insincere, and generally "overdo" in an effort to win acceptance. However, once an ENFP has learned to balance their need to be true to themselves with their need for acceptance, they excel at bringing out the best in others, and are typically well-liked. They have an exceptional ability to intuitively understand a person after a very short period of time, and use their intuition and flexibility to relate to others on their own level.
My interpersonal relationships are really important to me. I think that's one of the reasons that conflict within my group of friends, family, or partners is extremely difficult for me. I think that I do have a strong need to be liked. It's funny because sometimes I find myself getting upset when someone doesn't appear to like me even if I, myself, don't really like that person. I'm slowly starting to realize that worrying about such things is a waste of time and energy.
Because ENFPs live in the world of exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are seen as trivial drudgery. They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and will frequently remain oblivious to these types of concerns. When they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves. This is a challenging area of life for most ENFPs, and can be frustrating for ENFP's family members.
Very accurate. I can think of nothing more boring than paying bills and dealing with minor things around my place. I see doing laundry or house-cleaning as an unfortunate necessity in life that I avoid as much as possible. Given the choice between mundane tasks and pretty much anything else I always choose the anything else.
An ENFP who has "gone wrong" may be quite manipulative - and very good it. The gift of gab which they are blessed with makes it naturally easy for them to get what they want. Most ENFPs will not abuse their abilities, because that would not jive with their value systems.
I don't think that I'm manipulative but reading this passage made me feel slightly uneasy. I suppose it's something that I should be aware of. It's certainly not something I do intentionally but more and more I'm realizing that good intentions do not just absolve bad outcomes.
ENFPs sometimes make serious errors in judgment. They have an amazing ability to intuitively perceive the truth about a person or situation, but when they apply judgment to their perception, they may jump to the wrong conclusions.
Yes. This normally plays itself in my life in the following way:
ENFPs who have not learned to follow through may have a difficult time remaining happy in marital relationships. Always seeing the possibilities of what could be, they may become bored with what actually is. The strong sense of values will keep many ENFPs dedicated to their relationships. However, ENFPs like a little excitement in their lives, and are best matched with individuals who are comfortable with change and new experiences.
In my previous relationships I don't think I've always been looking for something better. Generally, when I decide to be with someone I put my heart into the relationship and try to make it work. I do like fun and excitement in my life but I have found that it's possible to achieve this within a relationship.
ENFPs are basically happy people. They may become unhappy when they are confined to strict schedules or mundane tasks. Consequently, ENFPs work best in situations where they have a lot of flexibility, and where they can work with people and ideas. Many go into business for themselves. They have the ability to be quite productive with little supervision, as long as they are excited about what they're doing.
This is very accurate. I don't like when my schedule feels inflexible and there are a lot of unchangeable demands. I love flexibility and I think that's part of what I really like about my current position. There is a lot of challenge but it is always changing and each day is a little bit different. In addition, I have very little supervision and am given pretty wide range to do my work the way I see fit.
ENFPs are charming, ingenuous, risk-taking, sensitive, people-oriented individuals with capabilities ranging across a broad spectrum. They have many gifts which they will use to fulfill themselves and those near them, if they are able to remain centered and master the ability of following through.
Interesting, isn't it? Of course, I realize that it's not the gospel but it does give some insight into the "why" of behaviour. Now, the question is, what does one do with that insight? It is fine to be able to explain behaviour but does that change how one approaches future situations? Does knowing why make a person more adept at working on his/her weak areas or does the person simply say "this is who I am - take me or leave me." Also, do you believe that people can be fit into 16 personality types or are people more complicated than that? If any of you have taken the MBTI I'd be interested to know your type. I'd also be interested to hear any comments you might have on personality typologies.
The purpose of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) personality inventory is to make the theory of psychological types described by C. G. Jung understandable and useful in peoples lives. The essence of the theory is that much seemingly random variation in the behavior is actually quite orderly and consistent, being due to basic difference in the way individual prefer to use their perception and judgment.
There are 16 personality types based on 4 dimensions of personality. Extroversion vs Introversion, Intuition vs Sensing, Feeling vs Thinking, and Perceiving vs Judging. For more information, you should go here
I was going through some of my old psychology books this weekend and I found the MBTI results from an official test that I took a while ago. It shows that I am an ENFP. Typelogic.com has a really good writeup on the various personality types and I thought I'd post mine with some comments. In my opinion, it is a very accurate description of me. So, for those of you who don't know me all that well, this might explain a little more about me. Beware: the following is pretty lengthy!
As an ENFP, your primary mode of living is focused externally, where you take things in primarily via your intuition. Your secondary mode is internal, where you deal with things according to how you feel about them, or how they fit in with your personal value system.
This is very true for me. Intuition refers to thinking in terms of possibilities, concepts, and theories as opposed to concrete facts, the tangible, and the here-and-now. Someone who takes things in primarily through intuition would understand an overall concept but may not be able to explain the detailed facts.
ENFPs are warm, enthusiastic people, typically very bright and full of potential. They live in the world of possibilities, and can become very passionate and excited about things. Their enthusiasm lends them the ability to inspire and motivate others, more so than we see in other types. They can talk their way in or out of anything. They love life, seeing it as a special gift, and strive to make the most out of it.
As far as striving to make the most out of life, I'd say that's true. One of my biggest fears is to just watch my life go by without really living. The weeks that make me most unhappy are when I feel like life has become very monotonous. I love trying new things and get very excited by both the newness of the experience and the possibility of what positive things could come out of it.
ENFPs have an unusually broad range of skills and talents. They are good at most things which interest them. Project-oriented, they may go through several different careers during their lifetime. To onlookers, the ENFP may seem directionless and without purpose, but ENFPs are actually quite consistent, in that they have a strong sense of values which they live with throughout their lives. Everything that they do must be in line with their values.
This is somewhat true for me. I definitely have a strong sense of what I belive is wrong and what I believe is right and it would be very difficult to do things on a consistent basis that went against something that I believed in. However, I don't think I seem directionless or without purpose. I feel that I'm quite driven and being successful (success being defined by my own value system) is important to me.
An ENFP needs to feel that they are living their lives as their true Self, walking in step with what they believe is right. They see meaning in everything, and are on a continuous quest to adapt their lives and values to achieve inner peace. They're constantly aware and somewhat fearful of losing touch with themselves. Since emotional excitement is usually an important part of the ENFP's life, and because they are focused on keeping "centered", the ENFP is usually an intense individual, with highly evolved values.
This part seems to hit especially close to home. I find it very exhausting and upsetting when I feel like I'm not being the "real" me. There have been times where I've done things that don't seem very "Leah-like" and it always throws me off.
An ENFP needs to focus on following through with their projects. This can be a problem area for some of these individuals. Unlike other extroverted types, ENFPs need time alone to center themselves, and make sure they are moving in a direction which is in sync with their values. ENFPs who remain centered will usually be quite successful at their endeavors. Others may fall into the habit of dropping a project when they become excited about a new possibility, and thus they never achieve the great accomplishments which they are capable of achieving.
This is one of the biggest challenges for me. I get very excited at the prospect of starting a new project and it seems that the enthusiasm fades over time and sometimes those projects never quite get finished.
Most ENFPs have great people skills. They are genuinely warm and interested in people, and place great importance on their inter-personal relationships. ENFPs almost always have a strong need to be liked. Sometimes, especially at a younger age, an ENFP will tend to be "gushy" and insincere, and generally "overdo" in an effort to win acceptance. However, once an ENFP has learned to balance their need to be true to themselves with their need for acceptance, they excel at bringing out the best in others, and are typically well-liked. They have an exceptional ability to intuitively understand a person after a very short period of time, and use their intuition and flexibility to relate to others on their own level.
My interpersonal relationships are really important to me. I think that's one of the reasons that conflict within my group of friends, family, or partners is extremely difficult for me. I think that I do have a strong need to be liked. It's funny because sometimes I find myself getting upset when someone doesn't appear to like me even if I, myself, don't really like that person. I'm slowly starting to realize that worrying about such things is a waste of time and energy.
Because ENFPs live in the world of exciting possibilities, the details of everyday life are seen as trivial drudgery. They place no importance on detailed, maintenance-type tasks, and will frequently remain oblivious to these types of concerns. When they do have to perform these tasks, they do not enjoy themselves. This is a challenging area of life for most ENFPs, and can be frustrating for ENFP's family members.
Very accurate. I can think of nothing more boring than paying bills and dealing with minor things around my place. I see doing laundry or house-cleaning as an unfortunate necessity in life that I avoid as much as possible. Given the choice between mundane tasks and pretty much anything else I always choose the anything else.
An ENFP who has "gone wrong" may be quite manipulative - and very good it. The gift of gab which they are blessed with makes it naturally easy for them to get what they want. Most ENFPs will not abuse their abilities, because that would not jive with their value systems.
I don't think that I'm manipulative but reading this passage made me feel slightly uneasy. I suppose it's something that I should be aware of. It's certainly not something I do intentionally but more and more I'm realizing that good intentions do not just absolve bad outcomes.
ENFPs sometimes make serious errors in judgment. They have an amazing ability to intuitively perceive the truth about a person or situation, but when they apply judgment to their perception, they may jump to the wrong conclusions.
Yes. This normally plays itself in my life in the following way:
- I perceive that someone is upset about something.
- I decide that they must be upset about something I've done or said.
- I get upset that they are upset with me.
ENFPs who have not learned to follow through may have a difficult time remaining happy in marital relationships. Always seeing the possibilities of what could be, they may become bored with what actually is. The strong sense of values will keep many ENFPs dedicated to their relationships. However, ENFPs like a little excitement in their lives, and are best matched with individuals who are comfortable with change and new experiences.
In my previous relationships I don't think I've always been looking for something better. Generally, when I decide to be with someone I put my heart into the relationship and try to make it work. I do like fun and excitement in my life but I have found that it's possible to achieve this within a relationship.
ENFPs are basically happy people. They may become unhappy when they are confined to strict schedules or mundane tasks. Consequently, ENFPs work best in situations where they have a lot of flexibility, and where they can work with people and ideas. Many go into business for themselves. They have the ability to be quite productive with little supervision, as long as they are excited about what they're doing.
This is very accurate. I don't like when my schedule feels inflexible and there are a lot of unchangeable demands. I love flexibility and I think that's part of what I really like about my current position. There is a lot of challenge but it is always changing and each day is a little bit different. In addition, I have very little supervision and am given pretty wide range to do my work the way I see fit.
ENFPs are charming, ingenuous, risk-taking, sensitive, people-oriented individuals with capabilities ranging across a broad spectrum. They have many gifts which they will use to fulfill themselves and those near them, if they are able to remain centered and master the ability of following through.
Interesting, isn't it? Of course, I realize that it's not the gospel but it does give some insight into the "why" of behaviour. Now, the question is, what does one do with that insight? It is fine to be able to explain behaviour but does that change how one approaches future situations? Does knowing why make a person more adept at working on his/her weak areas or does the person simply say "this is who I am - take me or leave me." Also, do you believe that people can be fit into 16 personality types or are people more complicated than that? If any of you have taken the MBTI I'd be interested to know your type. I'd also be interested to hear any comments you might have on personality typologies.
posted by Leah at
12:00 a.m.
4 Comments:
I'm just impressed that you read that all : ) I appreciate hearing your opinions so don't worry about being wordy.
I see what you are saying about the "fortune teller" effect but the MBTI is a bit different. I'm not sure if you had a chance to read some of the other personality profiles but each one is vastly different. For example, if you went and read the "ISTJ" profile you wouldn't think it sounded at all like me. They are quite specific and have been validated through a number of studies.
There is, however, some controversy in the psychological community regarding whether we are born with our personality or whether it changes over time. Myers-Briggs contends that the MBTI is reliable, that is, it will give the same result when given numberous times. I'm edging dangerously close to a nature vs. nurture argument so I'll leave it at that.
numberous?
ha. that's a funny typo.
I've taken the Myers-Briggs before, and come out as an INFJ. http://www.typelogic.com/infj.html
It's pretty accurate, I think. I've taken the test several times over the past 5-10 years, and always score as either an ENFJ or INFJ - I was the extrovert when I was younger and have been growing into more and more of an introvert. I feel like my challenge at the moment is to balance these two polarities, so that I don't implode into introversion. So, while not permanently fixed, these traits do seem to stick to a general trend.
Michelle: I especially liked this part in your profile "Accurately suspicious about others' motives, INFJs are not easily led. These are the people that you can rarely fool any of the time. Though affable and sympathetic to most, INFJs are selective about their friends. Such a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words."
I don't know you all that well but that definitely _seems_ to sound like you and I think that's a very nice way of being described. People who are close friends of yours have earned their place in your heart : )
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