Myers-Briggs personality types -- and quiz

[T.o.b.y]

I asked some of my friends on why people fall in love and they say it's because of the instinct to breed. However I'm not sure how that works with homosexuals.

 

:lol: I doubt it's that simple.

 

Not even the biology of love is simple. I am sure you could do a number of fascinating studies on all the hormones and neurotransmitters involved and the many evolutionary advantages that close emotional bonds between creatures have.

 

Sherlock claimed sentiment was "a chemical defect found on the losing side", but if that were true, it wouldn't have developed in nearly every human being on the planet without the species going extinct (and by the end of the series, I doubt even he would still believe that statement to be entirely true).

 

As for solid scientific information on how to make a relationship successful, there being so many variables and people being so different from one another, I doubt there is much of that around. Plenty of books and articles, of course, but none of those can be 100% accurate.

 

I disagree that if a relationship ends, then "it's all been for nothing". That's a matter of opinion, of course, but you might as well say life is for nothing because it always ends eventually (and usually not in a very pleasant manner). Nothing is for ever, why not enjoy it while it lasts?

 

Of course you could have meant that the joys of a relationship aren't worth the hurt of a breakup. That would make more sense to me. Don't know if I agree... I've suffered some horrible heartbreak yet if I could rewind time and make it so I never met that person, I wouldn't. I guess these things are for every person to decide for themselves.

 

I wonder how I would test for "emotional intelligence" (what is that supposed to mean, anyway). Maybe I should go check.

 

... Two minutes later...

 

Oh, you meant that odd "empathy" quiz? That one was weird.

 

What kind of a love life have I had? Simple. One youthful infatuation that ended in tears, hurt, drama and angst and finally developed into a friendship I wouldn't miss for the world and one more rational attachment to a person I am still happily married to. And I hope that will be all.

 

[J.P.]

So you're asexual? Your teenage years must have been easy for you.

Let's call it hardly sexual, as sex drive has no meaning for me, as it seems to be the case with "normal people", and I wouldn't call it a drive in my life. My sugar cravings are much stronger drive to be honest. ;)

But I'm not aromantic. And this still can make your life a terrible mess, because you are able to fall in love. Believe me, I envied aromantic people so many times in my life, even before I knew they existed.

 

As for teenage years being easy - they were in a way, because as an extreme introvert, I also could do very well without any other people. So I didn't really cared about being popular or attractive, or about other things teenagers usually care. And the world I lived in was much less supportive of trends and stuff like that.

 

Anyway, I also never knew how to make friends, I just seem to lack the ability to naturally make connections, something that others make naturally. Treating it as a problem to solve, or something you can do by a method, didn't work for me. People don't make sense. Feelings don't make sense.

 

I don't know you, but from my own experience, I wished I knew what I know now in my twenties, it would save me all the energy I used trying to figure out what's wrong with me, instead of just living my own life.

 

The downside of it is, that I am literally alone. When my mother dies, there will be no one, who would care about me being alive or not. That's a price the most people would never want to pay AFAIK, but again, I don't think it was ever a choice. It's what I am. It is what it is.

[Van Buren Supernova]

@J.P.. err... whaf is AFAIK?

 

I hear people say this at the start of a relationship. However they seem to forget all about it if their relationship ends. Have either of you experienced a breakup?

 

This is one reason I avoid relationships. It's a risky investment. So much time, money etc. If it all goes to hell in the end then it's all been for nothing. That's why I prefer logical scientific information on how to succeed with a relationship but people, therapists etc never provide that. It's always a bucnh of cheesey B movie quotes that can mean anything.

I am with you on that, if love is measurable and can be reasoned, I'd go for that! Too bad it's not, it is kind of disadvantage when you are in it, that's way they normally say it's constant battle with heart and brain.

 

Heartbreak, I suppose yes. I was an idiot for not understanding an approach, ran, distanced myself instead and ended up making both miserable. It didn't get better because I only found out what could have been if not for my idiocy long after that, means my understanding in that area doesn't really improve. But regret? No.

 

And there was one where I felt a bit insecure. I hate feeling that and being in the mercy of that vulnerability so I did what I think is logical; ended it heartlessly before it did more damage. Because I saw it going nowhere better.

[Arcadia]

AFAIK = as far as I know.

 

Without getting into it, I will say I think that's one area where I've been very lucky ... I'm not bothered much by regret. A lot of that has been a conscious decision; it's one of the things that stuck with me from counseling; learning to let go of the past. Retain the good parts, and shed the bad. If there's anything in the world I could have passed on to someone I know, it would have been that ... she has so much regret in her, she can barely enjoy what she does have. But as I say, I've been lucky ... it was something that was relatively easy for me to learn. I'm sure that's not true of everyone. But I recommend it, if you can. Some people think that makes me a bit of a cold fish, but I'm a helluva lot happier.

[Artemis]

So you're asexual? Your teenage years must have been easy for you.

I wouldn't say it was easy. I wouldn't necessarily say it was hard, either. What it was was alienating. Have you ever been in a group of people who are all talking/thinking/obsessing about the same thing constantly, and you have no interest whatsoever in that thing? You might even think that thing is boring, stupid, gross, or just plain annoying. Imagine being surrounded by that group all day, every day, and that's a teensy bit what it's like to be an asexual teenager. At least that was part of my experience.

 

For "Star Trek: TNG" fans, it's a little like being Wesley in the episode "The Game". Everyone's playing it. Everyone's talking about it when they're not playing it, and thinking about the next time they get to play it. Everyone's trying to make you play it. Everyone thinks there's something suspicious or wrong with you if you're not playing it. Some people even try to force it on you, because "you'd like it if you tried it". Everyone's asking you, "Where's your game?" "Have you played the game yet?" "What level are you on?" "Are you gay?" (Okay, they never asked him that one, but I've certainly been asked that question an irritating number of times, lol.)

 

Let's call it hardly sexual, as sex drive has no meaning for me, as it seems to be the case with "normal people", and I wouldn't call it a drive in my life. My sugar cravings are much stronger drive to be honest. ;)

But I'm not aromantic. And this still can make your life a terrible mess, because you are able to fall in love. Believe me, I envied aromantic people so many times in my life, even before I knew they existed.

 

As for teenage years being easy - they were in a way, because as an extreme introvert, I also could do very well without any other people. So I didn't really cared about being popular or attractive, or about other things teenagers usually care. And the world I lived in was much less supportive of trends and stuff like that.

 

Anyway, I also never knew how to make friends, I just seem to lack the ability to naturally make connections, something that others make naturally. Treating it as a problem to solve, or something you can do by a method, didn't work for me. People don't make sense. Feelings don't make sense.

 

I don't know you, but from my own experience, I wished I knew what I know now in my twenties, it would save me all the energy I used trying to figure out what's wrong with me, instead of just living my own life.

 

The downside of it is, that I am literally alone. When my mother dies, there will be no one, who would care about me being alive or not. That's a price the most people would never want to pay AFAIK, but again, I don't think it was ever a choice. It's what I am. It is what it is.

 

^ Ditto to all of that. It is tough being an asexual who's not aromantic as well.

[Inge l-w]

I took that test mentioned above, and I ended up like Anderson: 159 ! When I took the Mensa test some twenty years ago, I got 163! Perhaps the test has got smarter, or I have become dumber, watching S3 and S4 like an addict. The quality of the series has gone down with each succeeding one, but that's just me.

My path in life was a bit like TOBY's: teenager crush (unfulfilled) on my dashing maths teacher, then a university relationship that ended when he had to go back to Freiburg for his continuing studies, finally finding my better half on a research programme, and two children later, looking back fondly but regretting nothing!

[Shadow Dweller]

Your Empathy Quotient score was 21 out of a possible 80.

Scores of 30 or less indicate a lack of empathy common in people with Autism or Asperger’s Syndrome.

Higher scores indicate greater levels of empathy.

 

 

Not surprised, I do get low Fi scores all the time.

[Arcadia]

 

So you're asexual? Your teenage years must have been easy for you.

I wouldn't say it was easy. I wouldn't necessarily say it was hard, either. What it was was alienating. Have you ever been in a group of people who are all talking/thinking/obsessing about the same thing constantly, and you have no interest whatsoever in that thing? You might even think that thing is boring, stupid, gross, or just plain annoying. Imagine being surrounded by that group all day, every day, and that's a teensy bit what it's like to be an asexual teenager. At least that was part of my experience.

 

Oh god, do I ever identify with this. As far as I know I'm not asexual, but I was always baffled by what I considered the obsession with sex radiating off of other people. Thankfully for me, I was usually able to find a few people who shared my attitude, so I didn't feel isolated all the time -- just every minute I spent with the "regular" crowd. And I had a fabulous dad who encouraged his kids to risk being different, and a fabulous mom who never insisted we blend in. Well, almost never. It's okay, Mom, I forgive you that one time. :d

[Carol the Dabbler]

As you all got fairly low on that emotional intelligence test, I have to ask: what kind of love life have you had?

 

Personally I'm terrible with women. I always end up saying or doing something that offends them. I also don't know how exactly you 'start' a relationship. In fact I don't even understand how many relationships 'end'.

 

I always try to find a logical approach to conducting activities but love is one of the few exceptions. It's like love doesn't have any logic. It's all random and nothing ever makes any sense. I always thought love was like an emotional drug. It's all fun and games until you snap out of it and find out what kind of unfortunate circumstances love can lead you to.

 

So yeah I've never been in a relationship and I'm like 23. My friends tell me I should 'start' but I don't even know how you start.

 

First off, I believe the quiz was supposed to measure empathy (rather than overall emotional health), but seeing how low most of us scored (including some very thoughtful people), I'm wondering if perhaps it actually measures extroversion (which is admittedly in short supply around here).

 

Despite scoring low (24) in whatever it was, I've been in a number of relationships, some more successful than others. But I figure that the real tragedy is not making a mistake, but rather wasting a perfectly good mistake by failing to learn from it.

 

As for interacting with women, I'd recommend just treating them like fellow human beings. In my experience, the best relationships start out as friendships.

 

And don't worry that the world is already passing you by. I was single at your age, and concerned that I was destined to be an old maid. But then I had some interesting (but not sustainable) relationships, and finally met Alex. Now we've been together longer than you've been alive.

[Shadow Dweller]

New toy - MMDI

 

 

My result:

 

Summary

Your unique personality MMDI personality code is jiyw (Juliett-India-Yankee-Whiskey). Your closest personality (stereo)types are INTP and ENTJ. Your most preferred leadership style is as a leadership theorist.

 

Why are there two personality types listed - INTP and ENTJ?

Your personality is complex and unique. The psychologist who first created type theory (C.G. Jung) likened the types to stereotypes. He said they were points of reference, like landmarks on a map, that you can use to discover where your individual personality lies. Some people are close to one type but - according to Jung - most people are between types. Research suggests Jung is correct, and your personality may be between two types. Your closest type is INTP and the second closest is ENTJ. There is some of both these in you, what matters is the degree of balance you prefer between them.

 

If your personality type is INTP then you have a strong sense of the hidden principles that govern how the world works. You are interested in theoretical models and explanations, and when other people put forward their own theories you put them to the test to find out how true or robust they are. You enjoy solving difficult intellectual problems and seek to understand the real truth behind any situation, even when it involves several complex factors.

 

If your personality type is ENTJ then you are looking to develop a better structure and organisation in the way things are done. You tend to control life by organising systems and people to meet task oriented goals, but you also have one eye on the future and are looking for a process of continuous improvement. You like to work with competent people who, being in the right roles, have the appropriate skills both to do their job and implement the improvements you envisage.

 

[T.o.b.y]

:lol: Whichever of those I take, the final two letters are always F and J. This one had my S a little stronger than than the N, but only just barely.

 

Based on the descriptions I have read, I still the the INFJ stereotype fits me the best. I'll stick to that. :D

[Arcadia]

Apparently I'm morphing from INTP to INFP ... I used to always test out as the former, but lately I'm increasingly testing out as the latter. Does that mean I'm becoming more rigid in my values? :p

 

My second one is ENFP, but barely. I can see the teacher side of me in that description. So, sounds like I found the vocation that's right for me ... artist first and foremost, art teacher a close second. Woo hoo!

[SherlockedCAMPer]

It had me as an INFP/INFJ  and said my ideal job was waitress.  My response: No thank you.  That is not the right industry for my as it requires too much extroversion for my tastes and that's ignoring my food allergies.

[Shadow Dweller]

Probably they forgot to mention that it is actually an attendant at the Diogenes Club

[SherlockedCAMPer]

Probably they forgot to mention that it is actually an attendant at the Diogenes Club

 

That would be a whole other issue. But could I have fun trying to wrangle Sherlock as he makes his way back to the Stranger's Room unannounced?

[Shadow Dweller]

 

Probably they forgot to mention that it is actually an attendant at the Diogenes Club

That would be a whole other issue. But could I have fun trying to wrangle Sherlock as he makes his way back to the Stranger's Room unannounced?

Of course, I'll even help you with the baiting and keeping big brother from finding out too quickly. ^^

[Carol the Dabbler]

Apparently I'm morphing from INTP to INFP ... I used to always test out as the former, but lately I'm increasingly testing out as the latter. Does that mean I'm becoming more rigid in my values? :P

Or else their evaluations are skewed in that direction?  They've got me as ISFP and INFP, even though I've always tested as INTP before.  Not saying I can't have changed, but some of those INTP results were within the past few years.  Of course, that doesn't mean they're wrong, either.  I doubt that anyone is one pure type.

 

They say I should be a translator, and I've always been intrigued by that sort of job.  Of course it could NOT be a simultaneous-translation job like they have at the UN, because the time pressure and accuracy pressure would drive me nuts immediately.  But any other sort of translation job -- assuming I brushed up my Spanish really well -- should be fun and interesting.

[Arcadia]

Oh, I forgot to check what job they recommend for me. Hmmm, musician. Eh, close enough.

[Carol the Dabbler]

They say I should be a translator....

 

... and it just occurred to me that I spent twenty years of my life doing just that -- specifically, translating English-language specifications into the equivalent in a computer language. :D

[Arcadia]

It's sometimes rather spooky how accurate these things are, isn't it? Of course, the same could be said of a horoscope... :p

[Shadow Dweller]

Maybe their test is really skewed to certain direction. I got INTP, imagine that, lol. Got marked an ENTJ several times already but this is the first INTP. Is that means I now can get the membership card of the INTP Ladies' Club? :3

[Carol the Dabbler]

Maybe their test is really skewed to certain direction. I got INTP, imagine that, lol. Got marked an ENTJ several times already but this is the first INTP. Is that means I now can get the membership card of the INTP Ladies' Club? :3

 

You may be the only member now -- Arcadia and I have been transferred to INFP!

[Shadow Dweller]

Drat. Oh well, there are JP and VBS, bet they won't abandon me for the Feeler's side.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

We now have an INFP club since that's what I am.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I still think I'm more of an INTP, but I'm pretty close to 50% on just about everything.