[Resolution]

I feel pretty selfish posting this... but here it goes

I've always had difficulty typing myself. I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. Can someone help me sort it out? The first time I took the test I came out as an INFJ. Since, I have come out as an INFJ, INFP, INTJ, and INTP, almost at random.

Sometimes hard Justice is incredibly important to me. Other times I believe in redemption. Sometimes I believe evil men should be fought and beaten as punishment for being bad. Other times I'll be extra diplomatic and say what needs to be said to make even people I feel are "bad" happy, seeing both sides at once. (INFP)

INFJs aren't supposed to be able to handle conflict well... but I handle it very well. Sometimes I get the deep feeling that it is my duty to fight to protect someone or to stop someone else from doing something evil (INFJ). If I can't convince someone peacefully, I will fight. During the fight I can be cold and calculating, and very unfeeling (Thinking dominant), or very feeling, and full of passion, empathy, and emotion (Feeling dominant). I can switch between them, almost as if I'm using them as tools... and I can't decide between using a saw or a hammer.

If I see someone getting bullied, if I cant disarm it, I might humiliate and tease the bully, because I feel that the bully deserves it and that it will benefit everyone, or I'll stop the bullying by laughing it off and be diplomatic.

Sometimes I can act like an INTJ in regards to one situation (Making cold judgements and shutting off my empathy), and simultaneously act like an INFP in regards to another (being a way-too-open-minded idealist). I'll justify one with cold logic, and the other with "how I feel".

Even if I'm fighting... I can still switch myself to see the positive traits of the person I'm fighting. I say things that get me in trouble like "I bet the terrorists on 9/11 were very brave men and it's a shame that the world was set up in such a way that caused these good men to react this way." and I will respect their character (P?) and then go right back to thinking we should kill them all and that the world would be better with them all dead in seconds.

I feel like I am a hybrid of both feelings that drive me, and cold rationality and strategy that I use to use sometimes coldly to do what i feel is right and then I'll get afraid that I'm drifting out of touch with my emotions so I'll switch into an open minded peaceful idealist afraid to say something because I'm considering everything else, and then maybe I'll be afraid that I'm not being decisive and I'll switch my P to a J and make a snap intuitive judgement.

Am I an INFJ? Or am I just an amorphous blob floating in between 4 types, switching between them whenever it suites me?

 

[InexorableAsDeath]

I feel pretty selfish posting this... but here it goes

I've always had difficulty typing myself. I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. Can someone help me sort it out? The first time I took the test I came out as an INFJ. Since, I have come out as an INFJ, INFP, INTJ, and INTP, almost at random.

There is absolutely zero doubt that I could possibly be another type in my mind (based on the internet test and descriptions). That was even before the authentic MBTI test, which I have taken -- which has concurred.

Sometimes hard Justice is incredibly important to me. Other times I believe in redemption. Sometimes I believe evil men should be fought and beaten as punishment for being bad. Other times I'll be extra diplomatic and say what needs to be said to make even people I feel are "bad" happy.

If the punishment fits the crime, I'm pleased. I don't speak to people I believe are "bad." Bad to me would be someone whom I trusted and was betrayed by. That doesn't have to be first person either. If I see a news report of a man who betrayed his daughter's friend and raped her, it's bad. Even if this person is supposedly mentally-ill, or was molested as children themselves -- I still believe they owe society justice.

Having said that, in all honesty, I am not quick to judge. I study the subject first and always (unless, of course, I already "know" which can get me in to trouble).

INFJs aren't supposed to be able to handle conflict well... but I handle it very well. Sometimes I get the deep feeling that it is my duty to fight to protect someone or to stop someone else from doing something evil. If I can't convince someone peacefully, I will fight. During the fight I can be cold and calculating, and very unfeeling, or very feeling, and full of passion, empathy, and emotion. If I see someone getting bullied, if I cant disarm it, I will humiliate and tease the bully, because I feel that the bully deserves it and that it will benefit everyone, or I'll stop the bullying by laughing it off and being diplomatic.

Can't handle conflict well in which way? There are many ways of not handling conflict well. I handle conflict well if I have experienced (whether in person, from something I've read, or I "know") the conflict already or if I have the conflict planned out in my mind before it begins. If none of these happen, I freeze completely, which is pretty rare.

One of the very few times was when my roommate, whom I had been sleeping with, brought another guy home out of the blue -- this was after she had told me to stay where i was and wait for her return. My body felt extremely light, I could only stare at my desk -- which I was gripping onto for dear life. Think of what fear does to you, then multiple it.

Sometimes I can act like an INTJ in regards to one situation (Making cold judgements and shutting off my empathy), and simultaneously act like an INFP in regards to another (being a way-too-open-minded idealist).

I'm always cold on the outside like an INTJ, then I warm up to my surroundings and impress. I'm pretty open minded myself, however, I'm not over the top. My principles are set in stone.

Even if I'm fighting... I can still see the positive traits of the person I'm fighting. I say things that get me in trouble like "I bet the terrorists on 9/11 were very brave men." and I will respect them for it (P?) But still, I recognize that it is in the best interests of the US to kill radicals who have pledged themselves to killing and terrorizing others, even if they are brave. Even if they are good men in every other way.

I see good and bad in almost everyone just by meeting them. I would say what you quoted as well. However, my tone of voice makes it apparent to those listening what my true thoughts on the matter are. I'm a very good orator.

Throughout my life, I have a very close mix of open-minded perceptions mixed right along side overpowering feelings/judgements of people that come from my intuition. I'll make my judgement about them (good or bad)... but still I'll see the good and the bad at the same time.

Yup.

I feel like I am a hybrid of both feelings that drive me, and cold rationality and strategy that I use to use sometimes coldly to do what i feel is right... a lot of the time I'll believe or say things that I know go against everyone elses emotions and gut-feelings, because when I analyze it.... no matter how grim it looks, when I think about it super-rationally, it is the truth. Other times I turn into an idealist.

Again, yup. However, I've moved that thought along. I've realized the truth for me is deeply embedded with my principles. Having such principles in and of themselves...*gasp*....makes you an idealist.

Am I an INFJ? Or am I just an amorphous blob floating in between 4 types, switching between them whenever it suites me?

You would "know" if you were. Are you?

 

[vel]

Since feeler and thinker functions are close in INxJs I'd say yeah, we do experience switches between feeling and thinking more often, which can be quite confusing especially away from people. When I am with people my Fe is engaged and I experience more warm feelings, but away from people Ti gets activated more and I start to critically analyze the situation and then I notice the bits that Fe overlooked. For both INTPs and INFPs the feeler and thinker functions are actually quite spread apart so there is less confusion for them in this manner.

INTJs though have Te not Ti like INFJs. Te is extraverted logic and its workings are aimed to the outside world. INTJs get more distressed if something illogical and inefficient by some external standard is happening in the world outside them. For INFJs our logic is Ti, it is introverted and aimed at deciding ok what is the most logical and beneficial action for me as individual to take next. It can feel as cold and calculating because it is in direct conflict with what your Fe deems as acceptable and Fe in INFJs is a well developed function so it can raise quite a bit of internal conflict if you are acting on your Ti. I have actually never seen an INTJ stand up for somebody else. I think they feel to be quite separate from other individuals than do INFJs as their feeler function is actually Fi and it is tertiary at that.

 

[AtheistGuy]

Inexoribleasdeath, I am about the same with your reguards but I doubt I could ever send someone to prison without trying to rehabilitate and release them ASAP. I regard mercy highly.

Also, MBTI is not the best at personality psychometrics. Empirical evidence rules in favor of the big five. It does well with introversion/extroversion scales but is sub-par with T/F and S/N.

It still does measure thinking preferences however, just not as full as people think.

 

[InexorableAsDeath]

Also, MBTI is not the best at personality psychometrics. Empirical evidence rules in favor of the big five. It does well with introversion/extroversion scales but is sub-par with T/F and S/N.

Link to the empirical evidence please.

 

[itrick]

Since feeler and thinker functions are close in INxJs I'd say yeah, we do experience switches between feeling and thinking more often, which can be quite confusing especially away from people. When I am with people my Fe is engaged and I experience more warm feelings, but away from people Ti gets activated more and I start to critically analyze the situation and then I notice the bits that Fe overlooked. For both INTPs and INFPs the feeler and thinker functions are actually quite spread apart so there is less confusion for them in this manner.

INTJs though have Te not Ti like INFJs. Te is extraverted logic and its workings are aimed to the outside world. INTJs get more distressed if something illogical and inefficient by some external standard is happening in the world outside them. For INFJs our logic is Ti, it is introverted and aimed at deciding ok what is the most logical and beneficial action for me as individual to take next. It can feel as cold and calculating because it is in direct conflict with what your Fe deems as acceptable and Fe in INFJs is a well developed function so it can raise quite a bit of internal conflict if you are acting on your Ti. I have actually never seen an INTJ stand up for somebody else. I think they feel to be quite separate from other individuals than do INFJs as their feeler function is actually Fi and it is tertiary at that.

This isn't always entirely true.

I am an INFP, and I generally score pretty darn middle of the spectrum with my INF it's just my P that scores high. On average I'd suggest a 60/40 split on the INF side, but that varies from test to test. (Actually the last test I took ranked me as 55%F and 45%T). In either case, I'd be surprised if being middle of the road is more unique to any one personality type.

The other important point for everyone to remember (especially on this site), is that all of this stuff, the personality tests, the theories, etc.,-- they are all just tools. I think that a lot of people allow the labels to become more meaningful than they should, they allow themselves to be bounded by their type, and allow it to become their excuse for not pushing themselves to grow, they forget that we're all here and we all can learn in various ways.

If you think of this as an indication of your preference and not your ability, I think you'd be better off. If you answer the tests again based on preference and not ability maybe you'll start getting more consistent results too. But either way, use the tests- the results, as a way to learn about yourself and don't worry if you fall outside the cracks of a label or two.

 

[Zomboy]

What do you have against amorphous blobs?

In answer to the OP, I ran into the same dillemma

Except my solution was to just go title-less

 

[RaVenDeaLeR]

Alot of valuable insight here. btmangan, as I was reading your post I imagined the mbti scale in my head, the four categories and their opposites. (im no master of the system yet so i wont be getting technical in this post) There is no question that with enough time and energy everyone can come to know for sure what their definite type is, and I believe over a lifetime this type could legitimately change. But as I viewed this scale I could see that each quality in moderation is extremely useful on a situational basis, that it is a potential flaw to be too rigidly one or the other when dealing with conflict or generally interacting with environments..

As I see it in the end, a proper understanding of each quality and its practical application to perceptions and problem solving is crutial to get the most out of every isolated incident and challenging situation

that if at the right moment you can be resourceful with these attributes and are able to embody them or capitalize on their inherent benefits (above and beyond whatever type you believe you are) to protect, council, or understand to the highest degree of your capability....

well I see that as near perfection, considering it symbolises an individual who has temporarily overcome their very nature to maximise the potential success of their thoughts and actions, whose interchangable approaches and modes of gathering information enable he/she to interact with the most efficientcy in any situation or environment. I may be holding out for the impossible to attain but that is the fellow i would be fascinated to meet, and glad to be.

:sad::shocked::tongue::crazy::crying::wink::dry::frustrating::happy::laughing::angry::mellow:

 

[AtheistGuy]

Link to the empirical evidence please.

You'd have to look at scholarly papers about it. Also MBTI is based on Jung's hypothesis which was not based on proper standards for formulating a theory. The big five is a theory which was started by evidence, rather than the a priori Jung theory which is somewhat supported but not the most accurate. It still does well though, just not as good as other assessments. Many of the papers in favor (about 3/5) are financially supported by MBTI as well.

 

[safelocked]

I feel pretty selfish posting this... but here it goes

I've always had difficulty typing myself. I'm having a bit of an identity crisis. Can someone help me sort it out? The first time I took the test I came out as an INFJ. Since, I have come out as an INFJ, INFP, INTJ, and INTP, almost at random.

You don't have to feel selfish. We can just call this curiosity. I'll try to match cog functions in a way that seems to make sense and see if we can't find a result that you ultimately may agree with.

Sometimes hard Justice is incredibly important to me. Other times I believe in redemption. Sometimes I believe evil men should be fought and beaten as punishment for being bad. Other times I'll be extra diplomatic and say what needs to be said to make even people I feel are "bad" happy, seeing both sides at once. (INFP)

Introverted Intuition with Extraverted Feeling.

INFJs aren't supposed to be able to handle conflict well... but I handle it very well. Sometimes I get the deep feeling that it is my duty to fight to protect someone or to stop someone else from doing something evil (INFJ).

Introverted Intuition with Extraverted Feeling.

If I can't convince someone peacefully, I will fight. During the fight I can be cold and calculating, and very unfeeling (Thinking dominant), or very feeling, and full of passion, empathy, and emotion (Feeling dominant). I can switch between them, almost as if I'm using them as tools... and I can't decide between using a saw or a hammer.

Introverted Thinking, Extraverted Feeling, Introverted Intuition.

If I see someone getting bullied, if I cant disarm it, I might humiliate and tease the bully, because I feel that the bully deserves it and that it will benefit everyone, or I'll stop the bullying by laughing it off and be diplomatic.

Extraverted Feeling with Introverted Intuition.

Sometimes I can act like an INTJ in regards to one situation (Making cold judgements and shutting off my empathy), and simultaneously act like an INFP in regards to another (being a way-too-open-minded idealist). I'll justify one with cold logic, and the other with "how I feel".

Introverted Thinking with Introverted Intuition.

Even if I'm fighting... I can still switch myself to see the positive traits of the person I'm fighting. I say things that get me in trouble like "I bet the terrorists on 9/11 were very brave men and it's a shame that the world was set up in such a way that caused these good men to react this way." and I will respect their character (P?) and then go right back to thinking we should kill them all and that the world would be better with them all dead in seconds.

Introverted Intuition with Introverted Thinking.

I feel like I am a hybrid of both feelings that drive me, and cold rationality and strategy that I use to use sometimes coldly to do what i feel is right and then I'll get afraid that I'm drifting out of touch with my emotions so I'll switch into an open minded peaceful idealist afraid to say something because I'm considering everything else, and then maybe I'll be afraid that I'm not being decisive and I'll switch my P to a J and make a snap intuitive judgement.

Am I an INFJ? Or am I just an amorphous blob floating in between 4 types, switching between them whenever it suites me?

Actually, I think you're one of the most classic-case INFJs out there, even without listing cognitive functions.

Also, INFJs are known and to be sure, do take many things personally (as you've clearly shown.) That doesn't mean you or any other INFJ should necessarily be bad at dealing with conflict. For an INFJ, I think it shows that the conflict means something. That making a hard decision is something that matters.

 

[myjazz]

Are you uncertain of your MBTI type due to the ability of conflict resolution? or is there more to it than this?

Personally I feel that one of the main generalizations of INFJ's not being able to handle conflict is due to our internalizing. Due to our over drowning Ni/Ti combo and the unstoppable internalizing the majority of INFJ's don't seem to handle conflict to well. I myself am kinda like you with conflict during the time of the conflict I am very aware and keen to the situation. I handle the conflict very well while it is happening. A lot of the time after the conflict I might not handle it to well probably the way I would of had if I haven't worked on that for the most of my life. With the many years of martial arts, military, and personal development's that I have made I am not bothered or restricted by some of the down falls of being an INFJ.

Jung didn't create the Personality Types to put people in a box nor to give them an excuse for the way they are.

 

[InexorableAsDeath]

You'd have to look at scholarly papers about it. Also MBTI is based on Jung's hypothesis which was not based on proper standards for formulating a theory. The big five is a theory which was started by evidence, rather than the a priori Jung theory which is somewhat supported but not the most accurate. It still does well though, just not as good as other assessments. Many of the papers in favor (about 3/5) are financially supported by MBTI as well.

Ok, who are the authors of the papers so I can find it since you won't give me links ;-) I'm interested in trait theory so this is an honest request. (thanks for spicing it up)

Can anyone fully "theorize" the human mind, we still are unsure what it means to be "chemically balanced" including the looming chance of the subject being influenced by a "Confirmation Bias."

I'm not discrediting the Big Five (I loved it too), the reason I mentioned MBTI above is so the OP would have someone to go over the test with. It's a lot of fun, helpful, and adds the chance of removing doubt.

 

[AtheistGuy]

Ok, who are the authors of the papers so I can find it since you won't give me links ;-)

Can anyone fully "theorize" the human mind, we still are unsure what it means to be "chemically balanced" including the looming chance of the subject being influenced by a "Confirmation Bias."

I'm not discrediting the Big Five (I loved it too), the reason I mentioned MBTI above is so the OP would have someone to go over the test with. It's a lot of fun, helpful, and adds the chance of removing doubt.

mbti - Google Scholar

We can't fully cover all aspects of personality, thats virtually impossible, but look at the articles, theres plenty in favor for an against, but the evidence is in favor of big five, MBTI is helpful and shows our decision making and diversity but it does not cover personality as well as Big Five. Jung made a theory based on standards not fully acceptable by modern day science, he found evidence to support it but Big Five was a theory directly compiled by higher standards of evidence.

MBTI is not best psychometric instrument in the field, but it still can show personality to a reasonable extent and make us grow. It is relatively weak though.

 

[Resolution]

Thank you everyone for humoring me

But another question...

the whole Introverted thinking and extroverted feeling... So we have both functions and we switch between the two...? When?

Do we revert to our feeling

 

[InexorableAsDeath]

mbti - Google Scholar

We can't fully cover all aspects of personality, thats virtually impossible, but look at the articles, theres plenty in favor for an against, but the evidence is in favor of big five, MBTI is helpful and shows our decision making and diversity but it does not cover personality as well as Big Five. Jung made a theory based on standards not fully acceptable by modern day science, he found evidence to support it but Big Five was a theory directly compiled by higher standards of evidence.

MBTI is not best psychometric instrument in the field, but it still can show personality to a reasonable extent and make us grow. It is relatively weak though.

I still feel Jung is quite important no matter the trait test. Thanks for the link, guess I'll delve through them to see which articles you're speaking of exactly.

Back to the OP though, take both tests (again) you can't go wrong. I found the discussion with the MBTI practitioner pretty interesting, I'm sure you will too. :laughing: