a little insight

Dav was a psychology major before he got into computer stuff and knows a bit about the Briggs Myers personality test. He did a test and scored as an INTP. And from what I read, it's right on (and he agrees). He thought I would be an ESFJ, but when I took a short version of the test, I scored as EFNJ. There are some definite truisms about me:

"deal with things according to how you feel about them." Very true.

"They live in the world of people possibilities." Yep. I love people in all their flying colors.

"...tend to be more reserved about exposing themselves." I thought that came from growing up in Japan, but hey.

"When faced with a conflict between a strongly-held value and serving another person's need, they are highly likely to value the other person's needs." Not a shining quality, but I've done that.

"Their genuine interest in Humankind." Once again, yup.

But it wasn't a perfect fit as Dav feels about his:

"use their power over people to manipulate them." I hope not! But maybe I'm not facing the truth? Eeeeck..

"turn to dark thoughts when alone..." I actually like being alone and had a blast living on my own. Don't remember too many "dark thoughts" other than missing Dav.

I dunno. How can you type humans into 16 categories perfectly? Anyway, with these two types between us, I of course wanted to find some sorta compatibility analysis. I mean, the tests show we view and react to the world quite differently. I didn't find much between INTPs and EFNJs, but with INTPs and ESFJs, there's "mutual attraction." The ESFJ likes serving "as an anchorage for the INTP's flights to the higher levels of abstraction," according to a different summary. Admittedly each summary says something a little different so in the end, I can't really tell what all this means.

Besides, I noticed an opposite dynamic between us too. For example, when he goaded me to buy the meanest phone in Tokyo, set me up with my first blog, and gave me moblogging capabilities, it was he who anchored me while I ran around snapping pics every which way. Anytime I had a wishlist or a problem, I'd email him and had the best tech support anyone could hope for.

Another example was when I visited him in SF from Tokyo for NYE. He had bought me these beautiful green butterfly wings to wear with a matching fuzzy green top. I truly felt like a magical butterfly. But being a debutante in wing-wearing, I promptly danced around gleefully hitting people in the face unbeknownst to me while Dav, ever so watchful, ran after me keeping people out of the danger I was causing. When I figured this out, I was embarrassed, but also charmed. I got to fly around while he took care of damage-control.

So these tests are cool as food for thought; a nudge towards insight, a reason to say, "hmm, I suppose I can be a pain in the butt that way," or "ah yeah, that's how to describe what s/he does." Yet ultimately, you just gotta live together - day in, day out - to figure out how our quirky characters mesh together. That's pretty much what we're doing.

Along with 2 very quirky cats, if I may add.

Comments

[Gen Kanai]

Mie, one thing I remember about the Myers-Brigss (I'm an INTP too) is that where you are on the scale between I and E, S and N, T and F, and finally P and J makes a difference. I remember that I was skewed way far over to each of the I, N, T, and P, whereas folks who might be right between E and I - they're harder to categorize.

Overall it's about as useful as astrology, imho ;)

[mademoiselle a.]

I found this quite a useful test. It's not that it would have told me new aspects of my personality, I rather perceived it as a helpful mirror. Also, I have learned that it is important not to swich off one's head when doing these sort of things and tests - ability for "internal and external perceivance" [I am sure there's a pro term for it] is something many are lacking a great deal.
Oh, and I scored intj...

[kitten]

ENFP here, and CC's an INFP although he has some of the aforementioned middle ground between the some of the letter, although he's definitely "I" all the way. I think they're useful mostly for discussion, and sometimes validation-Only 10% of the people test my way, no wonder sometimes I feel misunderstood, etc...

[Ele]

Mie,

I am an ENFJ also! Although I recall being borderline J vs. P.

Ele

[Tracey]

ENFP here!!

Read some of the analyses and they were spot on..

Check out this!! It is me down to to a T..

Work Environment: ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work with. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in brainstorming sessions. Followthrough tends to be a problem, however; they tend to get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about meeting hard deadlines and about performing any small, uninteresting tasks that they've been assigned. ENFPs are at their most useful when working in a group w ith a J or two to take up the slack.

[Liese]

ENFJ here...although we are suppose to be more plentiful than the INFJ, ENFPs and INFPs it seems that either we are fairly self sufficiant or not as plentiful because I don't find us very well represented on message boards and such. What you said about enjoying being alone...I was 6/4 intro/extro so I suppose I'm border line with E/I....anyway I enjoy being by myself also. Quiet time helps me rest from always "helping" all the time.

[Liese]

ENFJ here...although we are suppose to be more plentiful than the INFJ, ENFPs and INFPs it seems that either we are fairly self sufficiant or not as plentiful because I don't find us very well represented on message boards and such. What you said about enjoying being alone...I was 6/4 intro/extro so I suppose I'm border line with E/I....anyway I enjoy being by myself also. Quiet time helps me rest from always "helping" all the time.