Basic understanding to people and self with MBTI

[Ansedar]

I would like to know if you ever have heard about MBTI (Myers Briggs Type Indicator), and whether you did or not know about it, what is your opinion about it, and if you did the test, I would also appreciate to know what's your MBTI personality type, if you would like to share it.
Btw I'm an INTP.

 

If you don't know how to do the test just search MBTI test on google, there should be a variety of sites where you can do the test, some of them are free, some others are not, but probably are more accurate.
If you don't want to waste money, just do the free one and search on google the description for your personality and check if it does actually describe yourself, AND BE CAREFUL, some of the description may not be 100% accurate, that's why after you did the test, you may search for other similar personalities as the one from the test, and read carefully the description of each, some personalities are very similar so read carefully and pick the one that most relate to your behavior... 

 

No personality type is the best, each of it has pro and cons, so don't pick the personality you think is the best, or more intelligent, since the indicator is about preferences not on IQ, all types have the chance to be smart any any other.

 

In my opinion MBTI is a great way to get along with people: it happened to me that sometimes I can't relate to others behavior, In fact I'm an introvert person, therefore I do not like parties (this is an example) or social activities that involves stuff like being social... I'd rather talk to people about something very complex and most people just nod at me and changes topic, and start talking about sport, how he/she hates someone or simple problems between colleagues or her/his partner, things that for me are completely not interesting so far, since I usually do not have such problems or concerns about who is the best at throwing a ball, in contrast I would talk longer about science, philosophy, history, economics and politics.

 

By further reading now I understand why people do believe in God, and why they can't just digest very well philosophy and UPB, and there is not much to do about it.

Ps: if you don't understand me, just google INTP.

[Kevin Beal]

I also test as an INTP or INTJ, but the other 3 are usually the same. I think it's kind of fun and like to hear what other people's results are, but I've never found any way that it helps me understand the world or myself any better, probably just because I don't know enough about it. Also, I imagine that if I'm in a different mood, my test results will be different, like if I'm craving social interactions, I might testing as ENTP or ENFP. It's obviously going to be limited, but is the limitation enough to render it a bad basis for study or analysis?

 

Are you aware of any studies which take MBTI into account to offer predictive power, like in incidences of violent crime or success in life? I'd love to see some hard science because now it just seems more of a fun thing, to me.

[Ansedar]

I also test as an INTP or INTJ, but the other 3 are usually the same. I think it's kind of fun and like to hear what other people's results are, but I've never found any way that it helps me understand the world or myself any better, probably just because I don't know enough about it. Also, I imagine that if I'm in a different mood, my test results will be different, like if I'm craving social interactions, I might testing as ENTP or ENFP. It's obviously going to be limited, but is the limitation enough to render it a bad basis for study or analysis?

 

Are you aware of any studies which take MBTI into account to offer predictive power, like in incidences of violent crime or success in life? I'd love to see some hard science because now it just seems more of a fun thing, to me.

 

Well in some tests my result was INTJ, and at first it was difficult to distinguish the main differences between INTP and INTJ, by carefully reading each type I understood that the test asked questions like (for example): "do you enjoy to finish things?"

Instead of: "When you start a project or task you don't do anything else until you finished it?"

Basically what I didn't understood when I was doing the test is that, what does matter is not "what I would like to be", but actually "what actions do I do", in  fact I do "enjoy finish things", but usually I do not finish them... get the point?

 

I realized that actually I'm way more abstract and messy when I'm thinking and this reflect to my daily life, usually I'm late INTJ are very careful not to be late, I jump almost randomly task by task, INTJ don't.

 

For you the problem might be something else, but the main idea is basically to find the description that best describes the way you are most of the time.

To know your type is not something fun you do to experience something, but actually should be useful to grasp the main difference between you and someone else... 

 

If your results vary and are not stable, you should try to see your self from a "third person" prospective, the point is not to get what you want or what kind of person would you like to be, that does not work, because you will end up telling lies to yourself, being a person that actually you are not.  INTP can't be also an INTJ, but of course an INTP can have like 40% of characteristics typical from an INTJ but is considered an INTP... 

 

The type indicator does not state if someone is bad or good, or if the favorite color is blue or red... you should read about it ... here this site should explain some: http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/

 

My advice is to actually get a basic understanding of all 16 different personalities (if it's too much just try to compare an INTP and a ESFJ), just google and you'll find description of each everywhere, some sites might explain better than others so don't check just a site if you don't get a full understanding of the differences between all types, I know is difficult, but for me and some friend it was worth it.

 

Ps: sorry if I write a lot the same concepts over again, but I'm usually not well understood by most of the people I met... I wold like to prove if actually there is an MBTI type that actually can understand me, or if It's just because I don't know how to explain a concept... usually the only INTJ, INFJ  that I know are more likely to understand what do I say... but I can't tell for sure if for all of them is the same...

[welcometothedarksyde]

I love MBTI and find it hugely useful for understanding people and my life. I personally advocate visual typing where our facial and body language is indicative of the underlying cognitive processes. Self testing is pretty tough and inaccurate IMO. I don't care to share my type because it's one people type thenselves as alot, but I was visual typed that way. I was pretty surprised I was that type though, I thought I was something more like your type before I was visual typed.

[shirgall]

Unfortunately there's no scientific basis for MBTI conclusions, but is just as accurate as any Cosmopolitan personality or boyfriend test for predicting you'll get into a fight with your significant other before the night is over.

 

http://www.indiana.edu/~jobtalk/Articles/develop/mbti.pdf

[Spaceballs]

INTJ.

 

I think it's really popular in universities now.   They are doing it in one of the accounting firm (top 3 in the world) office here and at my university (engineering).  It helped me a lot for understanding myself and others, which then improved my communication with others.  There are 16 types and the company (Insight Discovery?) that was hired to do the test simplified it into 4 colors.

 

Like shirgall said, there is not scientific basis, just like Economy, Management, Psychology, etc. but it works!

[Thus_Spake_the_Nightspirit]

My understanding is that the MBTI is something of a joke. The results often cannot be replicated. The same person can take the same test twice in 30 minutes and get wildly different results. And strangely enough, 90% of people I've met who have taken the test claim to be INTJ... even though that is supposed to be the rarest type. Hmm. 

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/give-and-take/201309/goodbye-mbti-the-fad-won-t-die

 

[Spaceballs]

My understanding is that the MBTI is something of a joke. The results often cannot be replicated. The same person can take the same test twice in 30 minutes and get wildly different results. And strangely enough, 90% of people I've met who have taken the test claim to be INTJ... even though that is supposed to be the rarest type. Hmm. 

 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/give-and-take/201309/goodbye-mbti-the-fad-won-t-die

 

At my engineering University it was around 25% each color.  Most people aren't honest.   In engineering, the success rate was about 90% (85 to 95% perfect description).

[brucethecollie]

As a teenager I got interested in learning about all the different types.  I have understood that most people have trouble testing themselves because they struggle answering to their truth versus their ideal.  I have tested INFP since age 14.  I have studied all the other types and found it useful in relationships.  In particular, it has helped me in my relationship with my husband and parents.  As for if it is scientific or not, I don't know, but my observation of it after years of attention has made it a fun tool for me.  Maybe that's just it-I find it really entertaining and interesting.  It's like a hobby.  I used to guess people's type.  I'd write it down and not divulge until they took the test and then we'd compare.  I was usually right on which seemed pretty good considering how many types there are.  But maybe they don't mean anything except for tendencies and how tendencies in certain combination produce other tendencies?  If anything it helped me appreciate the differences in people (not good/bad differences) but just differences in approaches to taking in information, processing it, assessing emotions, and expressing ideas and emotions, and so on.