[apprehended]

So I've been browsing this forum as well as other sites related to the MBTI and the cognitive functions for a few weeks, and I'm pretty sure as to what type I am but I figured I would run it by you all here and see what input you all had on the matter.

When I have taken the MBTI in the past I have always tested as ISTJ or INTJ, but I think that those are wrong and that I am actually an INFP. Either I answered the questions wrong because I am a moron (possible), or I when I answered I wasn't being honest (also possible), or the test was not designed well (possible), or the test was actually correct and I'm being stupid in thinking that it is wrong.

Anyway, the main reason why I think INFP is that I'm quite certain that Fi developed before any other function, and I'm also quite certain that Se is not my secondary function. When I was young I remember loving stories and reading them, for some reason they were interesting. I also remember that I had a collection of stuffed animals, and I named them, I don't think I played with them though, perhaps. Even though I was always bigger (taller) than everyone and gave the appearance of having a tough exterior I was actually quite nice and would never hurt anyone physically. Even today I still don't have a desire to hurt anyone physically.

Middle school and high school were negative times for me. I dealt with so much negative emotion, mostly from having to change schools where I had to make a whole new group of friends; I don't make friends real easy. It wasn't that I didn't want friends, I very much desired to have them, I guess I was just too engrossed in my world to put effort into making them. Loneliness was something I dealt with a lot through those years.

My career is IT, which requires me to make impersonal decisions and systematize everything to figure out how best to implement something, so I think that this is what caused me to test as ISTJ and INTJ since I thought about those decisions when I took the test instead of my normal interactions with people, as well as my past.

So anyway, I found this and figured I would answer it to give more data if you want it:

1. When working on a project where do you place your emphasis? the process of putting it together? or the final product? (Do you experiment with your perspectives to create ideas? )
A: Putting it together. I'm good at forming the idea, not so much at carrying it out or getting people to carry it out.

2. Are you a realist? Are you more of a no nonsense type of person? (I find these people like to call bullshit on everything)
A: I know people lie, but I usually give them benefit of the doubt until I see a reason to suspect otherwise.

3. Would you say you make decisions quickly? or do you take a while coming to a conclusion, because you hope you're not missing some vital information that will change your mind?
A: I take a while. I like to gather everything and make sure that I am correct before I make decision, I hate being wrong

4. Do you ever experience nostalgia? For instance being able to completely remember a mood of a past experience/time?
A: Yeah, it's awesome for good times, not so good for bad times

5. Are you of the rebellious sort? The sort who rebels for no reason other than to rebel against authority?
A: I won't rebel unless I believe that someone is doing something morally wrong, I don't see the point otherwise.

6. When watching a film and critiquing it? Do you critique it based on details in the film, for instance on how you thought a certain portion of it was un-realistic (or something along those lines) or based on the idea or point they were trying to get across/how well they got it across? (It can be a combination of both sometimes too) (an example would be for example, critiquing Passion of the Christ, do you think the movies retarded because no one can live as long as he did with that much blood loss, or because of the fundamental errors the movie makes when trying to make its point, and the way it tries to connect the audience to that point?)
A: I critique based on the point they were trying to make. Although I don't watch movies much to be honest

7. When debating with others, do you ever get the feeling or state for that matter, that you can see where your opponent is coming from? For instance I have gotten into arguments over things I honestly don't believe (or could care less if it were true), but it all started when someone would tell me about a certain topic and how this certain stance is stupid.Then I would say well, I can see why they'd think that or how it could be possible, then they'd start arguing with me as if I had a stake in it.... Do you feel you do anything like that?
A: Not usually. I think I'm right and don't see how anyone could think differently, but I usually don't have anything other than my opinion to back me up. If they present evidence contrary to my stance I am likely to accept their view though

8. Do you notice symbols in the world, do you ever try and wrap the symbol back to an idea that you believe?]
A: Yes. Like when went I running this morning it was still dark out and I looked up and saw that I could not see that many stars. Then I thought of Nietzsche's story where a character said that "God is dead and we have killed him." Then I thought about how Nietzsche wrong, that we didn't kill God, we instead did something much worse and drowned him out (built cities full of light that drowns out creation) and will be quite surprised when he decides to punish us. If it wasn't obvious after that I am a Christian yes.

9. Are you hurt by criticisms? Do you get personally offended when people try and criticize you? or are you thick skinned?
A: Depends. If they are nice about it and truly want to help me I can take it, but it still hurts a little because it means I didn't do it right. If they are just criticizing to belittle or make themselves feel better it will hurt.

10. Say for example your learning about cameras in school, would you be more inclined to go home right away and read a whole shit load on cameras so you feel confident in your knowledge of cameras? or would you feel perfectly comfortable when the teacher calls on people to come try it out, to just hop up there and start using it?
A: I'd feel comfortable to just hop up there and start using it, but I wouldn't volunteer for it.

11. When you are out do you worry about how people will interpret any action you take? (sort of in a seinfeld sort of way, where they over analyze actions people make, trying to find their true motivation) Do you feel a sort of pressure from this?
A: Yes, I don't want to feel like people are making fun of me secretly or being offended by my actions in some way.

12. In a classroom setting do you ever find yourself helping other people out with projects or homework when you see their struggling? Do you do this to make yourself feel more comfortable?
A: No. If they ask me for help I will help though and make sure that they understand it well.

13. Do you find yourself ranting to your friends about how a certain something could have been done way easier? Or how someone went about doing something (anything like a project,work,etc.) was really stupid and you could have done it way better and in a more simple fashion?
A: Not usually, only if it was really important to me for some reason.

14. how does your average day go in general,
A: I do my work for school online, which gives me lots of free time. I usually end up just thinking about things, or watching the squirrels outside play and be jealous that they don't have all the worries about life that I do, or think about some philosophical question, or just daydream. I do work sometimes too.

15. what things do you value the most,
A: I'd say my faith above anything, I don't know how I could live without my beliefs. Everything else I can lose, though I might not be very happy (depending on what I lost) I could deal with it.

16. what things regularly bug you,
A: Not much. People interrupting my thoughts and daydreams, especially when I'm in the middle of an interesting one.

17. what do you value most in other people and what qualities do you find most repulsive in others,
A: I value: honesty of character (not being someone you're not), genuinely caring about someone, selflessness.
I find repulsive: dishonesty of character (acting like you're someone else, manipulating/using people, selfishness

18. how do you evaluate people in general,
A: By how they treat me and others. Your priorities and beliefs produce your behavior.

19. how do you arrive at your decisions,
A: By evaluating all the data and factors that I can in the amount of time that I have to make the decision.

20. what factors are you most likely to pay attention to when deciding on things.
A: I don't know, I think I pay attention to all of them equally.

21. Any peculiarities that you have noticed about your personality?
A: Yeah. I like daydreaming a lot and imagining and playing out certain situations in my head. I like my head a lot.

22. Anything that makes you stand out from other people that you know?
A: The way I think about things.

23. What do you yourself think are your strengths and weaknesses?
A: Strengths: loyal, considerate, thoughtful, competent, philosophical, dependable.
Weaknesses: absent-minded at times, I can seem uninterested at times, I'm sure there are others but I can't think of them right now.

If you need anymore information let me know. Thanks.

 

[vel]

You definitely sound like an N and being more involved with you internal world rather than external pegs you as an introvert. So INxx. I am not sure about you being TeFi though because from what I read you give me some Fe vibes and what you have written does not definitely point towards you having Si. In fact you may be an INFJ.

Anyway, the main reason why I think INFP is that I'm quite certain that Fi developed before any other function,

What makes you say this?

and I'm also quite certain that Se is not my secondary function. When I was young I remember loving stories and reading them, for some reason they were interesting. I also remember that I had a collection of stuffed animals, and I named them, I don't think I played with them though, perhaps. Even though I was always bigger (taller) than everyone and gave the appearance of having a tough exterior I was actually quite nice and would never hurt anyone physically. Even today I still don't have a desire to hurt anyone physically.

I get nostalgic for childhood also. I remember stories my mother read me, especially ones that were very imaginative, and the pictures in those books, and the puzzles and building blocks I liked to play with. But this is not function of Si, this is my Ni that yearns for me to introspect the past and think about things that have I have observed in past. Contrary to Ni the Ne of INFPs and ENFPs makes them more frequently look towards the future more - same time I spend thinking about how things have happened they spend on thinking how things could be made to be. It gives both INFJs and INFPs somewhat dreamy removed from the present moment quality but our thought orientation is different. Also Ni gets engaged when INFJs are alone while their Ne gets engaged when they are interacting with environment because it is extraverted function.

For INFJs Se is inferior and not easily felt especially if you are very introverted and fall more on Ni-Ti instead of Fe and Se. I have identified it in myself as desire for new sensory experiences, but nothing too extravagant or risky. For example if I go to a restaurant I will feel prompted to try a new dish every time instead of ordering what has worked for me in past over and over again. I like going to ethnic/specialty food stores and trying out food there that I don't even know what to do with. I like taking new routes somewhere once in a while instead of following same path. Moving places seems to energize me while living in same place for long time can feel like a heavy weight. This is contrary to what I see in people with Si - seems to me that moving can be a rather negative and stressful experience for them.

 

[apprehended]

What makes you say this?

I had a hard time finding a definition of Fi that really gave me a good sense as to what the function did, which made it hard for me to decide between Fi and Fe since I had no idea what they were. So I read the descriptions of the child INFJ and INFP and I figured that which ever one sounded most like me as a child is probably the one I am, but they both sounded like me when I was a child, so it didn't really help much! :tongue: I think what tipped me over to INFP though was the reading part of the description since I loved reading (probably not a good basis). So I figured since dominant functions develop first that I must INFP instead of INFJ, and somehow I came to the conclusion that this love of reading and stories was a product of Fi, I have no idea how though.

I think what made me rule out Fe was that I got the sense from the definitions I was reading that people with Fe tended to be real social people even if they were introverts and I know that I am not like that. Now that I think about that though I think maybe those definitions described how someone with Fe would function if they were healthy whereas I just might not be healthy (this is quite possible since I have experienced a lot of emotional trauma in my life). I feel drawn to make connections with people though, I just have issues actually making them for some reason.

However I didn't really find a definition of Ni that was real helpful either.

Thinking about what you said though...if Ni leads you to introspect the past and how things happened and Ne leads you to think about the future and how things could happen I would say that I am probably more Ni than Ne. I spend a lot more time thinking about the past than trying to see how things could develop in the future. Also I usually do this when I am alone, which would mean Ni if I follow your definition correctly. In groups I usually don't contribute much unless asked and I don't usually have many ideas unless it is in an area that I have expertise in.

 

[vel]

Functions are described in more detail on these websites:
ENFP Wiki
Function Attitude

There is discussion of intuition in this thread:
personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/23896-intuition-cannot-defined-future-based-big-picture.html

I talked a bit about Ni here and many INFJs seem to have agreed:
personalitycafe.com/infj-forum-protectors/31313-explaining-intuition-infj-2.html#post674104

It is usually Fe extraverts that are very social, not Fe introverts.
Love of reading does not correspond to Fi. However Fi and Ti dominant type are able to express themselves with greater clarity, their thoughts or emotions, while Ni and Ne dominants may struggle with this as their thoughts/feelings may be jumbled together. It may feel like one quickly follows the next, creating 'vibes' for the person that the person cannot easily explain to others in words.

 

[apprehended]

The ENFP Wiki had the best descriptions of the functions that I have seen thus far in my search for understanding the functions.

I definitely relate to the part about dominant Ni's feeling like aliens because they percieve a different reality from everyone else. I also like what you said about Ni's forming connections and then sort of storing them in a database and then referencing that database when thinking/talking about something that has an entry in the database.

Based on those descriptions I think I am definitely more Fe than Fi. I definitely realeted to the personal considertation section of the Fe description. Also to social awarness and team building, but to a lesser extent. Probably because it's not my dominant function.

I think I was thinking about Fe as a dominant function, which probably caused my confusion since for me it's definitely not my dominant function. Also it seems that women are much more prevalent among INFJ's than men, which probably also confused me since I think I ended up comparing myself to women of that type and I saw myself as very different from them. I think this was wrong to do though since women and men act differently even if they are the same type. Actually I think there seems to be difference among people of the same gender within a type.

At this point I would agree with your assessment of INFJ, I think it definitely fits me more.

I ordered Lenore Thomson's book, Personality Type: An Owner's Manual a few days ago, so once I get that I will read through that and see what fits also, but I think INFJ is accurate.

Thanks for helping vel, you rock \m/

 

[vel]

Yes a smaller percentage of men score as F, about 20-30%, but it is still a decent percent. The perceiving functions don't follow gender, neither does functional orientation, but the judgement function does correlate to it though not strictly. About 20-30% of women score T.

In some MBTI types like INFJs the feeling and thinking functions are close together, thus these types may reference their T and F almost equally. INFJ thinking function is introverted thus when you are alone thinking or working this is probably what you will feel working in your head, your Ti. INFJ feeling function is extraverted and thus may need presence of something outside in your environment to become active - other people, pets, nature, etc. some outside stimulus to emotionally react to.