Our personalities- are they determined more from nature than nurture? Or are we mostly a product of our experiences and environment – a tabula rasa so to speak? Are our personalities a gift from God given for us to fulfill His plan for us on earth? Or do we get used to and comfortable with a certain way of being in the world and stay there stagnantly? Or is it a mix of both if that is possible?
I enjoyed Bec’s entry about Myers-Briggs. I was first introduced to it by Paul Stunkel about 15 years ago. I have found it to be incredibly helpful when interacting with people.
If you’ve never heard of Myers-Briggs, here are the sixteen types:
http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/type-descriptions.htm
I use Myers-Briggs to remember that some people need to plan an activity before doing it and temper my desire to just up and go. (Jay is an ESFJ, I am an INFP.) Jay makes a big “N” with his hands sometimes when dealing with me. He is a sensor and I an intuitive. I’ll say, “You know that thing with the thing around the thing?” He smiles and gently prods for detail which I just don’t have. I laugh, since he normally can produce the names of all the actors in an obscure film we saw 10 years ago. In fact, some people come to Jay to help remember their own life details. He is like a walking encyclopedia. If we ever play Trivial Pursuit in couples- I have dibs on Jay. I am of course oversimplifying the complexities of each sub-group. Oh it is so easy to judge others with this tool. They are an evil “T” so different than the perfect “F” that I am.
Can we really be pigeonholed into a group anyway? I know it is a spectrum even for Myers-Briggs, but there is usually a group to which you belong. Some like being in a group, while others find that an insult to their individuality and resist it like the plague. Is the ultimate Myers-Briggs goal to strive to be in the middle between an “I” and “E”, “N” and “S”, “T” and “F”, “P” and “J”? Or would that make everyone the same thus thwarting the diversity of people in which God seems to delight?
Interesting stuff. If your personality allows, take this small test. Keep in mind that the abridged test might skew the results. But it’s a start. I am curious what you come out to be. Let me know. I have an idea about the people I know to read this blog. I wonder if it’s right. I also want to know you better.
Click here to take the test (it won't take that long):
http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp
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9 comments:
Hi:
Way back at college orientation I found out I was an ISTJ. I just took your short test and found out I am still the same. (I am borderline on the I,S, & T)
Am
Ah, what fun to revisit M-B. I scored ISFJ again (very strong on the I, more moderate in the SF and J departments), surprise surprise...
Oh, and Am(y) is all stressed about leaving the 'y' off her name in her previous post :)
Very cool Amy and Tom. You guys are very close to each other, only differing on the "T". What a good match you guys are! That's cool too that you didn't change your result with the short test Amy. So surprising that you are an "I" Tom. Who'd a thunk? :)
hmmmm, ISFJ. I am surprised. I for sure used to be an NFP. Always an I though, always an I.
Missy, maybe it was the shortened test. It's interesting that we're all I's so far. Do you feel more like an INFP?
infp since the 6th grade! crazy!
David and I recently took this test and then compared our results. It seems to cover a lot more layers than the myers briggs.
http://www.personal.psu.edu/~j5j/IPIP/ipipneo120.htm
Very consistent Bec. I will check out the link.
I scored INFJ on the humanmetrics.com test. Most other tests sort me as an INFP, but it's always really close between the P and J, so I guess I'm borderline there. I always score 100% introversion, but I was pretty certain of that even before I took any tests :)
Tara, I have tested really close to a J, too. We have similar personality types. It's so interesting that we bloggers are all I's so far. (Except Jay, and Jay doesn't like blogging as much as I do.)
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