I have been typed as INTJ (this is the most common, but I lack the scientific persuasion associated with the type, which makes me doubtful), INFJ, INFP, INTP and ISFJ. It's driving me rather batty.
0. Is there anything that may affect the way you answer the questions? For example, a stressful time, mental illness, medications, special life circumstances? Other useful information includes sex, age, and current state of mind.
None that I can think of. I am a rather anxious person, though I don't think that really influences anything. I am a 25 year old female of currently relaxed state of mind. I currently work as a teacher, but I am getting the feeling that it isn't for me (a bit too extroverted for me), and am planning to get my Masters degree as soon as I have the finances.
1. Click on this link: Flickr: Explore! Look at the random photo for about 30 seconds. Copy and paste it here, and write about your impression of it.
(no links because the site is dumb. It's called "february 2012" by andrecarbon, for those so inclined to look)
I don't really have so much of an impression as questions. What is the woman in foreground looking at? What is she thinking about? Where is she right now? Who is the woman reflected in the glass? Because she's reflected along with the woman in the foreground, that means that the two women are facing each other. How are the two of them related? What is the woman in burgundy thinking about, and why are the two of them not looking at each other? How did the woman in green make her eyebrows look so perfect? Too many unanswered questions with not enough context in the picture to go on.
2. You are with a group of people in a car, heading to a different town to see your favourite band/artist/musician. Suddenly, the car breaks down for an unknown reason in the middle of nowhere. What are your initial thoughts? What are your outward reactions?
I would be internally frustrated at the owner of the car for not having known in advance that their car was going to break down (even though I know that it could have been unforeseeable, I'd still be thinking that the owner overlooked or ignored some warning signs). I'd be racking my brain thinking of whether I'd heard or seen any signs of trouble before the breakdown. On the outside, I'd try to offer some helpful suggestions so that we can get going again, or, if I didn't have any, stay out of the way so that others could work on it. If we couldn't fix it ourselves, I'd flag down a passing car rather than call for help, as it's faster and less embarrassing to have to admit to myself that I couldn't fix the problem.
3. You somehow make it to the concert. The driver wants to go to the afterparty that was announced (and assure you they won't drink so they can drive back later). How do you feel about this party? What do you do?
I'm not sure why I'd want to go to this after party in the first place (I'd've preferred to go home), but I guess I'd go if another person that I liked and could stick close to for the night was going. The friend promising to not drink would be integral, as I'd want to be sure that I had a way to leave whenever I was done with the party (assuming that the friend driving could be convinced to go as well). I would feel like the party was kind of a waste of time, as the concert was over, and that was the main point of the trip in the first place, and that it wasn't really for me, as I'm not the type who enjoys getting really drunk and making bad decisions. I'd probably be standing on the side of the room with a rum and coke talking to someone I knew well and whose company I enjoyed. I would talk with a stranger if their personality meshed really well and they could make good conversation, not mindless chit-chat.
4. On the drive back, your friends are talking. A friend makes a claim that clashes with your current beliefs. What is your inward reaction? What do you outwardly say?
Inwardly, I'd be incredulous about how anyone could possibly think the way that they do. To me, other points of view on matters that mean a lot to me (social issues like marriage equality, right to choose, etc.) just don't make sense and bamboozle me on just how anyone could think that way, considering the day and age in which we live. I'm willing to make some considerations in regards to age (older generations might not think the same way I do) or where they're from (I'm Canadian. We're generally more liberal, but people from other places might not be), but with that said, on the outside, I would hotly debate them. I'm not one to keep my opinions to myself on matters like that (with friends most certainly, but maybe not with family just yet), no matter how sensitive they are (ie. religion), as in my mind, I'm right and they're wrong. There really is no wiggle room for me to change my opinions. I do a lot of reading on both sides of the issues, but my research tends to just confirm my already held beliefs. Logic is the most persuasive factor in appealing to my beliefs. For example, I was raised Christian, and then went through a teenage period where I believed that "God" was a general word for a higher power that was the same in all religions (Allah, Yahweh, etc.), but then dated an ex-Muslim atheist who showed me that really, I only believed that because I was scared to fully reject my upbringing and explore the other side. Since then, I've been fully agnostic-atheist in my beliefs, as I can find no logical or tangible support for the existence of a "God".
5. What would you do if you actually saw/experienced something that clashes with your previous beliefs, experiences, and habits?
As stated above, I regularly engage in debates with others when their beliefs conflict with mine. It is not my intent to convert them to my point of view, only to educate them in order to plant the seed of doubt. If others are like me before my de-conversion, that's all they need to start re-evaluating their positions. Since I'm Canadian, we don't have a whole lot of things like protests, but if we did, I'm sure I would be there. I take great interest in the human rights issues going on in other countries, and wish that I could contribute my own support and ideas to them. As for conflicting with my experiences or habits, I'm not sure what is really being asked.
6. What are some of your most important values? How did you come about determining them? How can they change?
- education -- I have the unfortunate tendency to look down on willfully uneducated people. If you had the opportunity of an education placed before you and chose not to take advantage of it, and then try to use your ignorance to affect change, I have a major problem with you. Either be informed or shut up. This value can't be changed for me, only repressed in order to maintain pleasant conversations with people where I'm not putting them down to their faces.
- equality -- I don't believe in holding oneself higher than anyone else, especially when the reasoning for it is flawed. For instance, one of the main arguments against gay marriage pertains to it being a sin in the Bible, which is simply incomprehensible to me for numerous reasons (ex. the Bible is the rule book for those who choose to follow it not everyone, the book is terribly old and many of the rules don't apply anymore, many acts that are sins are accepted in modern day society, etc.). This value can't be changed for me.
- choice -- the right to control one's own body, destiny, lifestyle, etc. This mainly pertains to reproductive rights (rapists should have absolutely no say over a pregnancy resulting from a rape, women should have the right to do with their pregnancy what they wish until the fetus is viable, contraception should be available as a human right regardless of religious affiliation, etc.)
7. a) What about your personality most distinguishes you from everyone else? b) If you could change one thing about you personality, what would it be? Why?
- I can be a bit arrogant sometimes, as I have the tendency to feel superior to others, and sometimes it shows through my body language and facial expressions. I'd like to not be that way, or at the very least, to hide it better.
- I've gone from being a very extroverted, bubbly person to a rather introverted, hard to talk to person. I used to feel very comfortable in groups and at things like parties, but as I've gotten older, I've become more private and more of a listener than a talker. I don't go to places like night clubs, and I avoid situations where I have to make conversation. I never quite know how to talk in a way that matches the other people in the conversation, and it causes me stress in social situations. I'd rather not talk than sound awkward.
8. How do you treat hunches or gut feelings? In what situations are they most often triggered?
I don't usually experience them, but when I do, they're about people's inner feelings. I can pick up when people are lying pretty easily (usually through physical signs like eye movements, shifting body weight, nervous tics, etc.). I can feel when someone is dishonest or trying too hard to appear a certain way. I can also tell through text (usually mediums like instant messaging) how people are feeling through things like punctuation or emoticon use (sounds silly, but it's true. I've gotten people to break down just by pushing them after a simple "I'm good
").
9. a) What activities energize you most? b) What activities drain you most? Why?
I get energized by music the most. I need music on when I do things like working out or cleaning, or I just can't get into it. Though, getting into music is a private thing for me. If I'm with other people listening to music, I can't get into it the same way. I've been to concerts of my favourite bands with other people, and just couldn't enjoy them, so I started going alone.
As for draining, I'd say having to be with other people for a long time. I enjoy running into people by accident (sometimes, depends on the person), but that's because I always have a way out when I can feel the conversation starting to die ("sorry, I have an appointment"), but things like family reunions or birthday parties make me feel pretty claustrophobic and tiring. I know that I'm going to get stuck talking to numerous people who I don't know what to say to, and I won't have a way out until the event is over. Once I'm finally out of the event, all I want to do is not talk for a long time.
10. What do you repress about your outward behavior or internal thought process when around others? Why?
I definitely repress a lot of my inner thoughts, because I know they'd upset most people. Telling people to shut up cause they don't know what they're talking about generally doesn't go over well in most social situations. I also try not to let my internal stream of consciousness when I start talking about something I know a lot about. I've been told more than a few times that I'm a wealth of information on certain topics, but that sometimes, I can sound like a bit of a know-it-all and that I'm judging others for not knowing what I know. I tend to think that what I know is common knowledge, even when I know it isn't, mostly because I'm not any more educated than the average person my age (bachelors degree). I guess I'm the kind of person who likes to learn about a lot of different things that the average person might not care enough to want to learn, so I get a bit confused about what's common knowledge and what's not.
Sorry, I might've gotten a bit carried away on the answers, they're a bit long. Anyways, please type me! I'm getting rather tired of being bounced around between different types, I just want to find one and be able to stick with it so I can read up on it!
