[Orbrial]

Someone in the INFP forum posed the question of how they as a INFP might have been born from an ISTJ father and a ISFJ mother. I interpreted their question to be is MBTI genetic? I've been wondering this for a long time. I've had a working theory about this. I'm not at all sure if it actually holds up or not, so I thought I would make a thread and see if it really might? My theory is (assuming MBTI could be genetic):

E=dominate
i=recessive
S=Dominate
n=recessive
T=Dominate (Y chromosome), recessive on ( X chromosome)
F=Dominate ( X chromosome), recessive on ( Y chromosome)
to present as: TT or Tf for male Y chromosomes and FF or Ft for females X chromosomes
J= Dominate
p= recessive

For me, I had an ISTJ father and an INFP mother. I am INFP. My parents would need to be the following:

Both ii to = I for me
Father S dominate and recessive n (Sn) (donating recessive n) and mother (nn) to = N for me.
Father Tf donating f to me or T (but because I'm female T would be recessive for me), and mother either FF or Ft donating F or t to = FF or Ft for me.
Father dominate J with recessive p to donate p to me and mother pp to = P for me.

More or less I'm just curious if this could actually hold true across the MBTI lines. I can only think this out to a certain point. I'm certain there is someone out there who can find where this might not hold up. You're the person I'm looking for. Help me figure out where this either does or does not work please?

 

[ENTrePenuer]

No.
Nope.
uh uh
Negative
Negatory
Not on your life
Not even a little bit.

 

[Orbrial]

No.
Nope.
uh uh
Negative
Negatory
Not on your life
Not even a little bit.

Ok.. I can accept that.. but.. can you tell me (if you know) what are/were your parents and where it does not hold up. (honest questions). In other words.. map it out and show me please?

 

[Slkmcphee]

My mother was an ISFP
Father was an ESTP

I am an ENTJ
Brother is ENTP

?

 

[Orbrial]

My mother was an ISFP
Father was an ESTP

I am an ENTJ
Brother is ENTP

?

Lets see if I can figure this out?

Both parents have to stay the same just gave different genes:

For you: ENTJ parents were
- Father is Ei gave you E mother ii gave you i to = E (because E is still dominate). You would be Ei
genetically speaking.
- Both Father & mother S dominate n recessive (Sn) to give you nn to = N for you. You can only be nn genetically speaking.
- Father is TT or Tf and gave you T and mother FF or Ft to make you either Tt or Tf but T is still dominate because you're male.
- Father is J dominate and p recessive (Jp) gave you J and mother is pp and gave you p to make you Jp but J is still dominate genetically speaking.

For your brother: parents traits are the same just gave different genes:
- Father is Ei gave brother E. Mother ii gave brother i to = E (because E is still dominate). brother would be Ei
genetically speaking.
- Both Father & Mother S dominate n recessive (Sn) to give brother nn to = N for brother. Brother can only be nn genetically speaking.
- Father is TT or Tf and gave brother T and mother FF or Ft to make brother either Tt or Tf but T is still dominate because brother is male.
- Father is J dominate and p recessive (Jp) gave brother p and mother is pp and gave brother p to make brother P. brother can only be pp genetically speaking.

I think it still works.

 

[madhatter]

I personally don't think you can predict human nature like that.

 

[Slkmcphee]

Lets see if I can figure this out?

- Father is TT or Tf and gave you T and mother FF or Ft to make you either Tt or Tf but T is still dominate because you're male.

Sorry, I'm a lady.

 

[Orbrial]

I personally don't think you can predict human nature like that.

I don't know if you can or can't either. I'm just trying to see if my theory can hold up or not. It would be (to me) very interesting if somehow MBTI actually was genetic and you could map it out like any other genetic trait. Personally I'd like to see how to make more NTs in the world. We still have a lot of things that need to be created, invented, and analyzed... In my personal opinion, we don't have nearly enough NTs. If MBTI were actually genetic... maybe we could just bake up a fresh batch.. and then make more!!!

 

[Slkmcphee]

I don't know if you can or can't either. I'm just trying to see if my theory can hold up or not. It would be (to me) very interesting if somehow MBTI actually was genetic and you could map it out like any other genetic trait. Personally I'd like to see how to make more NTs in the world. We still have a lot of things that need to be created, invented, and analyzed... In my personal opinion, we don't have nearly enough NTs. If MBTI were actually genetic... maybe we could just bake up a fresh batch.. and then make more!!!

This is a terrible idea!

Imagine, artificially inflating the ratio of NTs by genetics...science is the NT wheelhouse! If you did that the NTs would eventually eliminate all the other types through artificial breeding (with the exception of some of the more useful artisans and guardians) and the world would turn into one big geek out.

No, it's best to let nature take its course...besides, then the NTs wouldn't get to gloat about how "special" we all are. :wink:

 

[Orbrial]

Sorry, I'm a lady.

Oops.. sorry.. missed that (it's an N thing!) Let me try again. Basically the only change for you would be on the T/F trait and your father and mother stay the same and would have given (closes my eyes to figure this out):


So how do we get T females? That's the question... I think it actually maybe works like this? I think the T/F theory has to be revised. Maybe it's more like this?

Father is TT or Tf but gave you T (but t is recessive for females so it becomes t)
and mother would have to be Ft also giving you t. That would make you tt recessive because you're female but obviously still T.. I think. Seeing as you're the T and I'm not... Can you check my math?

 

[geGamedev]

If you were to create a genetic theory that might even come close to holding water, it would need to be based on functions not type-letters. Ni, Ne, Si, Se, etc... From that you could then extrapolate the most likely types a person would develop. It would leave room for variation after birth too.

 

[Orbrial]

In my personal opinion, we don't have nearly enough NTs. If MBTI were actually genetic... maybe we could just bake up a fresh batch.. and then make more!!!

This is a terrible idea!

Imagine, artificially inflating the ratio of NTs by genetics...science is the NT wheelhouse! If you did that the NTs would eventually eliminate all the other types through artificial breeding (with the exception of some of the more useful artisans and guardians) and the world would turn into one big geek out.

No, it's best to let nature take its course...besides, then the NTs wouldn't get to gloat about how "special" we all are. :wink:

Does this mean I can't call you "cupcake" anymore? :crying: (jk)

 

[madhatter]

I don't know if you can or can't either. I'm just trying to see if my theory can hold up or not. It would be (to me) very interesting if somehow MBTI actually was genetic and you could map it out like any other genetic trait. Personally I'd like to see how to make more NTs in the world. We still have a lot of things that need to be created, invented, and analyzed... In my personal opinion, we don't have nearly enough NTs. If MBTI were actually genetic... maybe we could just bake up a fresh batch.. and then make more!!!

It would indeed by interesting, I agree. I'm just skeptical of the whole "genes" debate. I've had many a discussion with my aunt, who thinks everything is from the genes. Like the fact that I like art or enjoy reading. I see this as more of a nurture thing; my mother exposed me and fostered this interest in me.

I'm not completely closed to the idea of maybe a gene that could give me a susceptibility to something (like cognitive functions), but I'm not convinced that it controls all the various surface realizations.

 

[danicx]

There might be some validity to MB genetics but I agree it would have to be based on functions.

Here's what I think is kind of interesting in my family's types:

Mother: INFJ: Ni Fe Ti Se
Father: ISFJ: Si Fe Ti Ne

Me: ENTP: Ne Ti Fe Si

My top 4 functions are all present in my parents' (in my dad's) ... and there's no Te or Fi in my family at all.

 

[Orbrial]

There might be some validity to MB genetics but I agree it would have to be based on functions.

Here's what I think is kind of interesting in my family's types:

Mother: INFJ: Ni Fe Ti Se
Father: ISFJ: Si Fe Ti Ne

Me: ENTP: Ne Ti Fe Si

My top 4 functions are all present in my parents' (in my dad's) ... and there's no Te or Fi in my family at all.

That is interesting! I think I just don't fully understand the functions well enough to figure out Dominate vs. Recessive traits, or how they would translate genetically.

 

[madhatter]

Hmm, let's see:

Mom: INFJ: Ni Fe Ti Se
Dad: ISTP: Ti Se Ni Fe

Sister: ISTJ: Si Te Fi Ne
Brother: INTJ: Ni Te Fi Se
Me: ISTP: Ti Se Ni Fe

Looks like my sister missed out on something.

 

[Orbrial]

Hmm, let's see:

Mom: INFJ: Ni Fe Ti Se
Dad: ISTP: Ti Se Ni Fe

Sister: ISTJ: Si Te Fi Ne
Brother: INTJ: Ni Te Fi Se
Me: ISTP: Ti Se Ni Fe

Looks like my sister missed out on something.

Perhaps you shouldn't mention that to her... She might feel left out.. :crying:

 

[MilkyWay132]

Dad: ESFJ Fe Si Ne Ti
Mom: ESFJ Fe Si Ne Ti
Brother: He got ISTJ on the MBTI test, but I think he's a ISFJ. Fe fits him better than Te. I used to think he might be an ISFP, but he is organized, likes being prepared, and is quick at making decisions to be a P. Si Fe Ti Ne
Me: INFP Fi Ne Si Te

It doesn't work for me...Maybe I'm just a special case or something. You know, it would make more sense if I was a ENTP. Who knows, maybe I really am a ENTP. Let's see how that would look...

Dad: Fe Si Ne Ti
Mom: Fe Si Ne Ti
Brother: Si Fe Ti Ne
Me: Ne Ti Fe Si

I'm definitely considering ENTP for me now... Who knows, maybe I'm just a ENTP with a developed Fi. When I took the functions test, my Fi and Ne uses were excellent, my Ti use was good, and my Te use was limited. Now that I think about it, it makes sense. To be honest, the only reason why I might be more considerate of someone's feelings is because I don't want to get on their bad side. And I think I might really be extroverted, because I have a bad habit of 'thinking things out loud' and I sometimes interrupt others when their thinking. I just might appear introverted because a.) I am not interested in what someone talks about. b.) I'm tired. c.) I'm a bit on the shy side. Also, I can be quick to critique others---I'm just afraid about how they'll react if I do it too often. Another thing that convinces me that I might be an ENTP is that they get a kick out of seeing others' reactions to things, and I know I do. And although conflict makes me a bit uncomfortable, I would enjoy debating if conflict didn't make me so uncomfortable. Yet another thing that convinces me that I might be an ENTP is that I get uncomfortable when people get too emotional, and have no clue how to comfort them when they get like that. I'm also not warmly interested in people, and only talk when I feel like talking about something.

 

[Orbrial]

Dad: ESFJ Fe Si Ne Ti
Mom: ESFJ Fe Si Ne Ti
Brother: He got ISTJ on the MBTI test, but I think he's a ISFJ. Fe fits him better than Te. I used to think he might be an ISFP, but he is organized, likes being prepared, and is quick at making decisions to be a P. Si Fe Ti Ne
Me: INFP Fi Ne Si Te

It doesn't work for me...Maybe I'm just a special case or something. You know, it would make more sense if I was a ENTP. Who knows, maybe I really am a ENTP. Let's see how that would look...

Dad: Fe Si Ne Ti
Mom: Fe Si Ne Ti
Brother: Si Fe Ti Ne
Me: Ne Ti Fe Si

I'm definitely considering ENTP for me now... Who knows, maybe I'm just a ENTP with a developed Fi. When I took the functions test, my Fi and Ne uses were excellent, my Ti use was good, and my Te use was limited.

Maybe you could be.. Do you feel more and more energized when interacting with more people? Personally the more people I interact with... the more I just want to go home.. I wish it weren't that way... but it is.

Also, I've just realized one way my theory falls apart.. Two introverted (ii) parents could not have extroverted children.. Oh well.. it was an interesting thought for me to contemplate. :wink:

 

[MilkyWay132]

Hmmm...it depends. I can talk to people for a minute or two, but I don't think I could talk to them for hours. I'd probably be drained then. So, I guess I'm still Introverted. After all, Introverts sometimes talk to themselves too, right? As for Thinking, I'm not sure about that one. Although I'm not good at comforting people, I don't really like making decisions purely on logic. I think the idea that I might be a Thinker springed from the part of Feelers coddling peoples' feelings, and being good at comforting others. Although I can sometimes coddle peoples' feelings, I don't do it all the time. And I'm not really good at comforting others, either. Now that I think about it, that Feeler description sounds more like Fe. You see, although my Fi was excellent in the cognitive test, my Fe wasn't that used. No wonder why I thought I was a Thinker. xD