MBTI personality types

[Clues_Of_Blue]

I have had an ongoing fascination with analysing personality, and what makes myself and others tick, and have found the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to be a surprisingly accurate measure of such things. I have catalogued the types of many of the people in my life, and probably driven them nuts with my project. It's an interesting study, though, observing consistent traits among the types, how they relate to life skills, coping strategies, how they function in different settings and why.

If you know your type, feel free to share, and things you may have discovered about yourself or that have helped you relate to others using resources about it. If you don't know your type, and want to, I found the site 16 Personalities pretty good for testing and dissecting the types.

If it's of any interest, I am an INTP, and the information about my type on that site is pretty spot-on. I've only used that as a starting point for my research. There is so much information out there on the types, and the differences between them that actually goes a long way to breaking down the core of otherwise confusing conflicts, or getting the most out of a person at work or in a friendship, etc.

Anyway, it's a bit of a project of mine, and I wanted to open it up to anyone who wants to contribute.

[Emmy.]

It's fascinating isn't it!! What did hubby think of the results??

[Will.i.am]

So I am an ENFP-A/-T and my wife ISTJ

Our personalities get along so well. It was interesting going the the strengths and weaknesses to see if they fit our situation. My goodness they do. So scary how a big chunk of your life can almost me summed up in a few pages.

They also make for an extremely good laugh and to help you see the potential pitfalls your our weaknesses can do to us.

Please keep sharing. Have loved reading.

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Will, it was pretty spot on about my strengths and weaknesses, and I got a chuckle out of it, too.

Pet, your evil glee has amused me. Have fun making hubby take the test.

Emmy, the deeper I delve into this stuff, the more insight I get. It is indeed fascinating.

Carol, my other half is an INTJ, too (and fits the description pretty well). I find it interesting that for such a rare type there are a handful here on this thread, as well. I seem to gravitate toward INTJs, and them to me a bit, apparently. They're very intelligent, thoughtful, loyal people, in my experience. Can I ask how you and your hubby relate to each other, with you being a feeling type, and him a thinker? My other half and I first clicked on an intellectual level, and our emotional attachment grew through I guess a respect for each other's restraint in that area, if that makes sense.

Blue.

[Lost_Girl]

Hi Blue,

I have been with hubby for 20 years come November this year. For the first 5 years we argued a lot haha. Less so now.

We came together through a mutual nerdism. A love of fantasy, role playing, reading, music and mutual intelligence. We both favour country and culture over beach and relaxation. We like exploring. I dream and he builds the foundation for it. He grounds me. I take him out of his comfort zone.

I fell into work that I never considered doing. I ended up a payroll manager for a large IT company but never felt comfortable in the role even though I excelled at it. I am now working as a Business Analyst/Consultant for the same company in process improvement. I enjoy it where I make a difference or add value to the company. Hubby works in a similar role in a defence company as a systems engineer. I can think like he does but we perceive things differently. I balance the work I do by being creative outside of work. He is the same all the time haha.

He has gotten used to conceeding at times on decisions I make that in his opinion "makes no logical sense at all". He has learned to laugh about it. I have learned to try and find rationale for things I feel. I can be creative with that logic lol. I win most arguements to his frustration, using his logic against him. He still picks on me for choosing our house because "it felt right".

He often brings problems to me especially work ones relating to people issues. I help him sort through the social complexities. My biggest issue would be how long it takes him to make a decision and how he picks holes in tv shows.

With my illness he accepts it now he has read all the facts and he just gets on with things. He sometimes forgets that I need my feelings catered to regularly. I accept I have to spell out my needs, in huge neon flashing signs when required.

I have needed the loyalty. He has stuck by me where many wouldn't. The injury and now subsequent illness being the biggest tests but also through both parents dying from cancer, me living away from him for 18 mths caring for my Mum. Through difficult pregnancies, studying fulltime while working full time and other health issues. He really has been a stable force in my world.

We compliment each other. I couldn't imagine a world without him and I know he feels the same even though I frustrate him at times. He really is my best friend.

[Petra]

Carol..... lovely. Thanks for sharing that sweet. 😍 xx

[Wednesday]

Carol, this is such a lovely story, xx

Blue, to reply to your earlier question the INFP does seem to be good fit for me. I was just wondering if as you get older your profile would change. e.g. seem people get more patient others get more impatient?

xx

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Wednesday, personality is hard-wired into a person, so changing types is pretty unlikely. I was, however, reading about neuroplasticity, which indicates that through necessity or mindfulness (deliberate, conscious changing of thought processes), one can change behaviours or even tendencies. If change from one's natural preference is no longer required or desired, the original preference is likely to re-establish itself. I.e. if you are in a dark room, you may find your way by touch. When the light is turned back on, you will likely revert to using the preferred option of sight to navigate. It's similar with more long term things, such as having to keep to a schedule when one would naturally play things by ear. Of course there are variations within types, and one can still be a type with an atypical tendency relating to environment and functioning within it. As a general rule, each type will flourish or do poorly with certain circumstances or awareness, and will show moderately predictable characteristics as they mature and adapt to life, or fail to do so.

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Thanks for sharing, Carol. I recognise similarities between our partners, but it's interesting how the relationships are quite different. For starters, though my other half is quite logical and practical... I am even more logical. There are times when his data is inconsistent or details are off about things and it drives me crazy. You see, for him the logic is based on practical results. For me, I do a lot of pondering about things I can't necessarily prove or don't feel the need to, so my internal logic, data and consistency need to be impeccable. Such is the nature of our personalities.

We do share a lot of traits though, and connected on nerdy and intellectual things, on our general dislike of people and emotional displays, our distaste for social norms and pleasantries (small talk, gender roles, popular media, that sort of thing), and our alternately dark and absurd humour. We're both oddballs and we know it (and wouldn't have it any other way).

The interesting thing about us both being logical types is that neither one of us deeply empathises with others as a general rule. We care, but we're separate, if that makes sense. But with each other, that natural restraint with emotion has paradoxically resulted in an extraordinarily deep connection.

There's a quote on the INTJ page: Not every partner has the sort of fun INTJs do in addressing conflicts and emotional needs as puzzles to be analyzed and solved. Fortunately, I do. Our communication about emotional things still runs along logical lines, we step outside the emotion and resolve problems, and we come away feeling all the more positive stuff for each other. It's quite remarkable.

I laughed a bit about your comment on spelling out your needs in big neon flashing signs. It's very true of my other half sometimes, too (but when he knows my needs, he is true to type and does all he can to meet them). And you know what? As an INTP, I ask him to do the same for me. Sure I'm intuitive, but I don't like relying fully on that, because sometimes it's a bit off. I want the right data!

I think the thing for us is that we reinforce the best things in each other, aren't afraid of the short-term conflict of pointing out flaws or problems, and achieve long-term gain helping each other overcome those as well, which makes us complementary to each other in different ways to you and your hubby. Basically same result, though. 🙂

Blue.

[Lost_Girl]

Hey Blue,

Thanks for sharing that. I like how you describe your fit with him.

I really resonate with your last paragraph too. My hubby and I are not afraid of conflict either and are very open in sharing our thoughts regardless of the outcome. There hasn't been anything we have been unable to solve though there are many times we agree to disagree but we are ok with that. I do fond it annoying that whenever I tell him something and he is sceptical he will never believe me blindly and instead consults the internet as a matter of course 🙂

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Yup, we have to agree to disagree on a few things. Like fart jokes. Can you believe he doesn't agree they're funny?

My other half doesn't usually double check me on stuff I tell him. He knows I've already Googled the hell out of it. 🙂