# 16 Personality Types & Credibility



## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

I'm sure most are familiar with the 16 personality types; e.g. ISFP or ESFJ etc...

How credible do you find it? I noticed recently post-divorce after finding myself again I have become a INTJ... "architect" apparently. Found it fit alot of my perks, but misses the mark on others.


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## Married but Happy (Aug 13, 2013)

It's fairly credible. It's not as rigorous as new five factor personality models, but it was created for a different purpose. Myers-Briggs focused on positive human interactions (how normal people of different types can work with each other), and does not deal with pathology and neurosis. So, it is a useful model for dating interactions. I found it extremely useful when dating. Of the 50 or so women I met, almost all had taken the test (or did when I asked). ALL of my best matches were xNFx or xNTx types. The xSxx types were bad matches for me - that may partly explain why my ex and I did not have a good relationship - I'm an INTJ.

I was able to tailor my OLD to attract the xNxx types almost exclusively, once I learned how to use this as a tool. And it is a tool - just one of many needed to help develop good friendships and relationships (both work and romantic).


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## EllisRedding (Apr 10, 2015)

I find pretty reliable as well. It will never be 100% but I believe it captures pretty accurately many of your traits. I am in INTJ, although on one or two of those letters I think I am pretty borderline


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## UnicornCupcake (Dec 8, 2016)

I find human behaviour reliable in general. (Actual studied human behaviour by credible universities and what not - not women's magazines.) Everyone wants to believe they're all so unique, but I swear I've met the same handful of people a million times, lol. I always have to bite my tongue when people think they're going to be the exception to the rule. No. You are 99% the rule. 

Personalities are pretty predictable as well.


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## KJ_Simmons (Jan 12, 2016)

I'm also an INTJ! Introverts unite lol!

I also did the DISC assessment, forget what I was exactly, but it mirrored the INTJ traits of the Meyers-Briggs.

And I'm with you Unicorn, I find human behavior fascinating yet predictable....and part of the fascination is because of how predictable it is.

All the sorry behaviors I'm seeing out of liberals after this election, I witnessed from many conservatives over the last 8 years, just wrapped up in a different package.


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## Bananapeel (May 4, 2015)

Hey RD, I'm also INTJ. I find it to be fairly accurate except there areas where I'm borderline (I and E). I don't use the info for anything other than understanding better how I view and interact with the world.


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## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

Lol when I did the test it says I am apparently 3%! Then I come on here and everyone is an INTJ :rofl:

I had found I have borderline traits in E, S, F AND P actually, which seem to be environmental influences and adaptations rather than my natural personality; as in my most neutral state I did the test twice, and INTJ came out twice! So I have to be INTJ 

My girlfriend is ISFP :\ Opposites!


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## FeministInPink (Sep 13, 2012)

Wow, so many INTJs here! I like INTJs.

I read somewhere that MBTI test results can change over the course of a person's lifetime, and such a change will most likely be triggered by a traumatic event--like a divorce. Also, it's not worth testing anyone younger than their mid-twenties, because personalities are still very malleable up to that point.

I'm an INFJ, and I've tested consistently the few times I've taken it. I don't know if I would have tested differently before my divorce, since I took the test for the first time after my divorce. But I think it's possible. I've become more of myself since my divorce--I feel like I've been shedding outer layers of metaphorical skin and shell as I've gotten to better understand myself and shed dysfunctional behaviors learned from my FOO, and embrace healthy behaviors. Like I'm growing into a more distilled and refined version of myself and who I really am.

Learning my MBTI type really helped me to know myself better and understand why I am the way I am and why I do what I do. I think it's helped me to be more self-aware and live a more-examined life. 

It may not work that way for everyone, but it works that way for me.


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

Do we have a link to this? I'm not familiar with it


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## Emerging Buddhist (Apr 7, 2016)

So, do only INTJ respond to this thread? :smile2:

Campaigner Personality (ENFP, -A/-T) (Extraverted Intuition with Introverted Feeling), which is kind of weird considering my 37 years of government-based service and technology.

What does the "-" mean in the -A/-T?

ETA: Maybe not so weird... I just asked another tech supervisor to take a look and his only comment was "figures... your team is always too damn flexible". 

I'm not sure that was intended as a compliment. :|


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## Emerging Buddhist (Apr 7, 2016)

Wolf1974 said:


> Do we have a link to this? I'm not familiar with it


https://www.16personalities.com/


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

Emerging Buddhist said:


> https://www.16personalities.com/


Thank you


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## Hopeful Cynic (Apr 27, 2014)

I'm another INTJ. I'm not sure there's much to the system, but every time I take it, I come out the same, so perhaps. As for there being so many of us here, maybe it says something about us being the kind of person who posts on an internet forum.


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## Personal (Jan 16, 2014)

Emerging Buddhist said:


> So, do only INTJ respond to this thread? :smile2:


ENTJ responding here, that said my wife is an INTJ.


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## Fozzy (Jul 20, 2013)

I'll buck the trend.

INFP.


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## heartsbeating (May 2, 2011)

It seems of late I'm an ENFJ 'The Protagonist' ......(and formerly ENFP). 

_'Ultimately, Protagonist personality types believe that the only true happiness is mutual happiness, and that’s the stuff successful relationships are made of.'_

Wouldn't many personality types believe this?


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## tech-novelist (May 15, 2014)

RandomDude said:


> I'm sure most are familiar with the 16 personality types; e.g. ISFP or ESFJ etc...
> 
> How credible do you find it? I noticed recently post-divorce after finding myself again I have become a INTJ... "architect" apparently. Found it fit alot of my perks, but misses the mark on others.


I find it very credible even though it sounded like astrology when I first heard about it. It works, which is good enough for me.

As for repeatability, I'm always an ENTP no matter how often I take it. Fun fact: I scored 100% on the "N" scale, whereas I'm less extreme on the others.

My wife is a solid INTJ, probably the rarest type among females.

Oh, and as for the reason for the highly-unrepresentative INTJ proportion here: they make up a very high proportion of online participants.


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## Wolf1974 (Feb 19, 2014)

I got ESTJ

Don't agree with all the personality traits but this would be a pretty close description. I mean it did get my profession right


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## NextTimeAround (Dec 15, 2011)

UnicornCupcake said:


> I find human behaviour reliable in general. (Actual studied human behaviour by credible universities and what not - not women's magazines.) Everyone wants to believe they're all so unique, but I swear I've met the same handful of people a million times, lol. I always have to bite my tongue when people think they're going to be the exception to the rule. No. You are 99% the rule.
> 
> Personalities are pretty predictable as well.


I tried to like your post but it won't let me at the moment.

Anyway, I want to add that i find that the range of behaviors and emotions of humans is so narrow, quite often after a bit of information, I'm able to predict a person's next move.

BTW, I'm INTJ as well. Maybe introverted people like examining human behavior which is what most message boards help you to do.


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## Married but Happy (Aug 13, 2013)

RandomDude said:


> Lol when I did the test it says I am apparently 3%! Then I come on here and everyone is an INTJ :rofl:
> 
> I had found I have borderline traits in E, S, F AND P actually, which seem to be environmental influences and adaptations rather than my natural personality; as in my most neutral state I did the test twice, and INTJ came out twice! So I have to be INTJ
> 
> My girlfriend is ISFP :\ Opposites!


I've also noticed that INTJs are fairly common in online forums vs. "real" life. It may make sense, given the traits of that type! Anonymous introverts analyzing everything! lol No face to face, awkward interpersonal interactions needed!


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## Emerging Buddhist (Apr 7, 2016)

heartsbeating said:


> It seems of late I'm an ENFJ 'The Protagonist' ......(and formerly ENFP).
> 
> _'Ultimately, Protagonist personality types believe that the only true happiness is mutual happiness, and that’s the stuff successful relationships are made of.'_
> 
> Wouldn't many personality types believe this?


I would hope so! :grin2:


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## Satya (Jun 22, 2012)

*Re: 16 Personality Types &amp; Credibility*

ENFJ here, Odo is likely INTJ, and it should be noted that there is a veritable scale for each quality. So you could lean more or less toward one quality. Shades of gray. M-B is not about putting someone in a neat box, which is a common misconception. 

FIP made a good point about type changing after a life event or trauma. It can also shift depending upon current environment. How you act at home vs. work, etc.

I've had a rather extensive analysis done at a previous employer. It was more educational to learn how other types perceive my own.


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## Emerging Buddhist (Apr 7, 2016)

*Re: 16 Personality Types &amp; Credibility*



Satya said:


> ENFJ here, Odo is likely INTJ, and it should be noted that there is a veritable scale for each quality. So you could lean more or less toward one quality. Shades of gray. M-B is not about putting someone in a neat box, which is a common misconception.
> 
> FIP made a good point about type changing after a life event or trauma. It can also shift depending upon current environment. How you act at home vs. work, etc.
> 
> I've had a rather extensive analysis done at a previous employer.* It was more educational to learn how other types perceive my own.*


The bolded is so true... I pretty much knew what most others thought as I am one of the most senior staff so asked one I didn't have a lot of close projects with, now I have a path for understanding much better when discussion and planning comes. :smile2:


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## naiveonedave (Jan 9, 2014)

in my experience, using MBTI is very helpful understanding yourself and, if you are good at it and can figure out friends, spouse, coworkers types, it can really improve communication. I am an INTP, though I am about 50/50 on I/E and P/J. I can rig the results to get any of the four combinations that include NT.


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## Fozzy (Jul 20, 2013)

*Re: 16 Personality Types &amp; Credibility*



Satya said:


> ENFJ here, *Odo is likely INTJ*, and it should be noted that there is a veritable scale for each quality. So you could lean more or less toward one quality. Shades of gray. M-B is not about putting someone in a neat box, which is a common misconception.
> 
> FIP made a good point about type changing after a life event or trauma. It can also shift depending upon current environment. How you act at home vs. work, etc.
> 
> I've had a rather extensive analysis done at a previous employer. It was more educational to learn how other types perceive my own.


I don't know a great deal about MB, but I think it's kind of funny that when I look up those "which character are you?" MB charts, the INTJ is always some Machiavellian lunatic.

Star Wars INTJ = Palpatine
Harry Potter INTJ = Draco Malfoy
Game of Thrones INTJ = Tywin Lannister


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## john117 (May 20, 2013)

I'm ENTP as well...

Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk


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## Cosmos (May 4, 2012)

ENTJ-T here. Eerily accurate and explains a lot of things I don't always acknowledge about myself.


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## Thomas0311 (Dec 19, 2016)

I'm an INTJ as well... actually I'm an INTj, with a very low J. so I share some traits with INTP. I've found that this personality test does a lot to figure out people's mechanisms for how they interpret and see the world, also in how they respond to it by default. However, people's character is much more about their environment, and upbringing... it has little to do with MBTI types. I'll use myself as an example:

Although I'm an INTJ, analytical and strategic to a fault... I have a very empathetic side that I'm convinced is because of the nurturing side of my mother (INFJ). She views the world similarly to how I do (leading introverted intuitive) so we communicate effortlessly about really complex ideas. However, she leads with understanding others at an emotional level. A bit psychic in how she is able to discern peoples intents and motives. She's also very uplifting and always out to help others. 

So my default, hard wiring, says that I'm extremely bad at other people and emotions. I'm even a bit socially awkward... although I'd contend I'm perfect happy and normal in how I operate (rationally) within the world, others would non-the-less point out my aloofness and absent minded nature at times. My focus is on how people think. Because I was raised to consider others and put myself in their shoes. My father is an ISTJ... so I don't connect with him at all intellectually. He's smart, but he's more mechanical in his world. He is all about doing right and being fair. Systems and processes. I learned from him that sometimes it's better to keep things simple... so with people I don't know, I tend to do just that. (for what it's worth, I tend to not apply that to my postings, where I feel free to speak my mind haha).

Anyway... I've found that understanding personality types has allowed me to hone in on what traits people have, and what drives them. Certain types drive me nuts (ES mostly) but I can recognize now what motivates them and see the good intentions in the ones with positive characters. That is, an ESFJ that approaches me just to ask if I'm ok... isn't really being passive aggressive. Although I'd rather not get into small talk with them, to feed their desire for everyone to be social... I understand they are approaching me out of their own concern for me. So I have learned to just engage for a small time being, and start smiling at those types, whenever I make eye contact... because the INTJ stare (deep in thoughts) tends to freak them out


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## RandomDude (Dec 18, 2010)

Noticed that, when I was an alcoholic I would say I was probably ESFP, was always a happy drunk, now since quitting alcohol become a solid INTJ.

They also say people are their true selves with alcohol, but now I question that...


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