A call to all NF's and NT's (Myers Briggs)

becca1

OK, some of you may be sick of these personality type issues but here goes.

I've noticed that whenever these topics come up, NF's and NT's come out of the woodwork. In case you didn't know, these are the minority of the geneal population. In a random setting you will have only 2 to 5% of N's (INFP, INFJ,ENFP,ENFJ,INTP,INTJ,ENTP,ENTJ). So, does that fact that we seem to have many of us on JWD mean anything? Is it just that "N's" respomd to these topics more than other types, or are there really alot of us here?

Are "N's" more jaded, less apt to follow the norm, more apt to resist what feels "wrong", less concerned with being singled out (since we are already "weird"), not afraid to "go out on a limb"???.... Does our intuition help us to "smell a rat"?

What do you guys think?

If anyone wants to take a test there are many good ones online. One of my favs is: Humanmetrics.com.

Disclaimer: I am in no way saying "N's" are better than other types. But we are the minority, and on the "quirky" side, so we tend to stick out.

jgnat

I don't think the board represents the majority of ex-JW's. Many quietly fade away, without the driving need to spill their guts to the WWW audience. Perhaps the non-N's are the vast majority of silent JWD members who join every day to read.

Maybe N's like me are closet exhibitionists, or perhaps, suckers for punishment?

Confession

Becca, you sound so much like me. I've been "typewatching" for about 8 years now, and one thing I've come to realize: That when I begin to discuss the study of temperament or personality, it is the abstract types (Ns) that are drawn to it. Concrete types (Ss) occasionally have some interest in it, but they only have so much patience for it.

I've seen different percentages expressed, but if you read Keirsey's "Please Understand Me II," you'll find his position that Idealists (NFs) are about 7 percent and Rationals (NTs) about 6 percent of the population. If accurate this means that only about 13 percent are abstract thinkers and communicators, while a whopping 87 percent are concrete thinkers and communicators.

Concrete people prefer to think and talk about what can be seen by the literal eye, while abstract folks prefer what can only be perceived by the mind's eye. Most want to talk about things they can actually see: cars, sports, television programs, furniture, clothes, etc. They talk about who, what, when and where. Abstract people usually talk about the why and the how.

After delving into temperament, it hit me why I felt so misunderstood for most of my life. It's because most people would just stare at me with furrowed brows when I'd talk about the stuff I liked to discuss. It dawned on me that there had been just a few friends in my life who I really connected with, and that these people were either Idealists like me--or Rationals, our abstract "cousins."

Justitia Themis

It's because most people would just stare at me with furrowed brows when I'd talk about the stuff I liked to discuss.

As an INTJ brain housed in a female body, I can relate.

Justitia

Confession

Pleased to meet you, Justitia. I'll bet you and I would get along well. I always came in as an ENFP, although recently I took the test again, and it showed me just barely sliding over into the Rational side--ENTP. Upon reading the descriptions though I'm convinced I'm still an NF--just barely one though. As you know it's a sort of sliding scale. The following shows how many questions have traditionally put me in each of the letter designations.

E--9 vs. I--1

N--14 vs. S--6

F--12 vs. T--8

P--18 vs. J--2

I've always thought it might be difficult to be a Rational woman in our society. Yes/No?

NanaR

ENFP here :-) As I have taken the tests at various times over the years, I always come up overwhelmingly ENF. The "P" at the end sometimes morfs to "X" (evenly divided), and one time came up as just barely "J".

I love working in higher education. The percentage of "N" (particularly NT) personalities in the higher ed community is much higher than that in the regular population.

When I got my job here in Jan. 2003, I remarked that it was nice for once to not be the "weirdest" person in the building (my building mates are mathematicians and computer scientists).

Ruth

Justitia Themis

I've always thought it might be difficult to be a Rational woman in our society. Yes/No?

Yes. Not many people think of the idealized woman as "detached," "objectively critical," "trusting their own judgements and perception more than those of others," and "hard to know." And, it is even harder at the KH!!!!!!

Men either love me or hate me; generally, women do not like me. I do mix better with professionals than non-professionals with the exception of female mental health providers. They think I am mean.

I do take issue with the concept that we do not form any relationships in life. We just form few relationships in life, but those relationships are usually deep and lasting.

http://www.acefitness.org/careercenter/career-meyers-briggs.aspx

insightful, conceptual, and creative
rational, detached and objectively critical
likely to have a clear vision of future possibilities
apt to enjoy complex challenges
likely to value knowledge and competence
apt to apply high standards to themselves and others
independent, trusting their own judgments and perceptions more than those of others
seen by others as reserved and hard to know

jschwehm

ENTJ here (I am a college prof too.)

Jeff S.

www.catholicxjw.com

Confession

Exactly what I meant. That said, I've always admired Rational women.

In fact Keirsey says the potentially perfect mate for an ENFP (like me) is an INTJ (like you.) We're both abstract, so we are likely to "speak the same language," but my Extroversion may be well balanced by your Introversion, and my unscheduled Perceiving nature is complemented by your more scheduled Judging nature.

So...whatcha doin' tonight?

GermanXJW

INTJ/P here. Yes, I can confirm that most people do not have a clue what I am talking about. :-)

A call to all NF's and NT's (Myers Briggs)

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