Questioning my rationality
07.30.04 (4:03 pm) [edit]Today has been a turmoltuous day. Not only and I on the end of a bad bout with the flu which is the reason i haven't posted for a few days on anything, but i am questioning whether i am indeed an INTJ or an INTP or possibly some weird person who has the ability to switch between the two or even simultaneously act as bQuestioning my rationality.. am I INTP, INTJ... or both
This may not relate to many people but I am trying to work it out here anyway... lets go!! It would probably be a good idea to be familiar with the following sources before reading. I make many assumptions throughout that are based on the sources.
Sources:
INTP profile
INTJ profile
Review of a Neuropsychology 18(2), article on gifted maths students
Description of Physiological Significance of MBTI types
Today has been a turmoltuous day. Not only and I on the end of a bad bout with the flu which is the reason i haven't posted for a few days on anything, but i am questioning whether i am indeed an INTJ or an INTP or possibly some weird person who has the ability to switch between the two or even simultaneously act as both throughout a conversation. Is it just because I sue one side too much sometimes that the opposite half of the brain takes over sometimes.
It is a somewhat foolish statement, just to take the words that everyone is going to be one type, but this is what people have done. Everyone has their pet theory which describes more exactly than the others what is happening. True, their is a great deal of agreement but as far as I can see people haven't questioned this major (at least to me) issue.
I am confident that my type is INT but the rest I am not so sure about after today. I have already sent this off to an INTJ mailing list as well as an email to a Socionics expert asking his opinion. I would really love to go on further but I am so damn tired from thinking this much. I need to rest to regain my strength.
Later!!!
Attachments
INTJ-Open mailing list email
Left or Right Brain Use - INTP or INTJ
From what I have read it seems that that the distinction between P and J physiologically comes down to whether the Right or Left Brain is more Dominant (Please corrent me if I am wrong... quotes at the end for this). Is it possible that people could use both sides simultaneously and have a personality that does not strictly fit into the current classification scheme.
I read a few months ago about two researchers who were using brain analysis to determine what side of the brain someone was using when performing a certain task. They came up with a conclusion that may or may not be validated since that 'gifted' children seemed to be able to sue both hemispheres cooperatively when solving difficult tasks. Is it possible that during everyday life these children could 'learn' to switch usage between their left and right hemispheres to be able to relate to more people on their level?
I expect that because this is attacking an assumption that all pioneers have taken for granted, at least in the short term, that it will be new for some. If this discussion has been here before could someone direct me to it in an archive somewhere!! I would love to get to know it more.
Oh... and on the INTP or INTJ thing... I think that if the discussion on the left right brain thing comes good it will answer my query indirectly.
Socionics.com email
I am quite intrigued as to what type my personality is. I am tending to believe that we can get more ideas into the JP debate by exploring the brain physiology which seems to relate the two. In past Q&A you gave a quite valid description of the difference between INTJ and INTP. The type of which pertains to me I am not sure of. Could you comment on the recent studies relating so called "gifted" people who seem to use both their left (judging) and right(perceiving) simultaneously when solving problems and possibly even in everyday life.
Do you believe that it is impossible for this hypothesised simultaneous use to affect the way that i deal with people. Could I have learnt to focus more on one side of my brain when dealing with certain people compared to others. oth throughout a conversation.
posted by: newbie (reply)
post date: 07.31.04 (5:11 am)
Don't doubt yourself, trust me, its the flu talking. Doesn't matter if you're an INTJ or INTP, we still love you lots no matter what! REMEMBER THAT!
posted by: Dottie (reply)
post date: 07.31.04 (5:13 am)
Whoops... that was me! Just so you know
posted by: Emperor ServingSpoon (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (3:31 am)
Ok... Here I go... The main reason I don't worry about these things is because I suck at answering surveys in a way that my result will accurately desribe me. We took one of those personality testy things in one of the classes in year 11-2, and I got that I was just about equal in three groups. I'm pretty sure that's because of the fact that I wasn't particularly happy about the situation at that time, so I answered some questions differently to how I would usually have answered them. That on top of sucking at answering them right basically leads to inaccurate results. Then there's also that they ask a question about what you'd do in a situation, but it's so broad that you could do the exact opposite to what you answered in a different situation that would still fit the description. Then there's the fact that you're likely going to act fairly differently in different situations and around different people and stuff, so answers to questions like that aren't entirely conclusive either. Then there's the fact that it's quite likely for at least a few people to not completely fit into these categorisations properly. The only one that was over 60% was the P for me, and that could have been influenced by the fact that I took it while on the internet.
And while I'm sure that you answered the thingy much more accurately than I, there's still many little things that could make the findings either incorrect, or just plain irrelevant. Besides, your personality will likely change depending upon your experiences and your situation, which is the main thing I didn't like while you were going on about being an INTJ in some of the earlier posts... Going on about you'll never be like this or whatever... People change, and you're a people, so if you want to change something you can. But yeah...
If a bottle of jam is 30% apricot and 70% raspberry, do you just call it raspberry jam? No. It's perfectly possible for someone to have the capacity for both things, and to use each depending on the situation. You have to remember one little thing about science is that it's always changing. So if this thingy is a scientific thing, come ten years from now it could be proven to be completely wrong and stupid. It's really not that important. Yu don't need to categorise your personality to fit into something that some guys thought up. If it doesn't fit, it doesn't fit. I wouldn't worry so much about this stuff... But it seems to interest you, so whatever...
Well, I'm done...
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (6:01 pm)
Reply to: Emperor
hehehe... just to be infuriating i will say that i will probably just leave it there with you ben because you aren't really interested in the thing as a whole... i could say more but i have told you what i think already and if you are comfortable with yourself then thats your choice.
i do this stuff for self-improvement as well as trying to understand how i can better relate to people... if people do these things and they try to improve too then i think there are a lot of things that we can get over just through this.
posted by: SheSpecies (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (6:27 pm)
It is soooooooo beautiful in here.
posted by: rinna (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (6:30 pm)
i have absolutely no idea what you're on about, but for aussie comraderie, i will lick your wallpaper. :)
x r x
posted by: ScarlettGKPi (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (6:51 pm)
Well even if you are an INTP, I still like ya! Hey no worries. You are about my age and people at our place in life are constantly growing and developing ourselves into who we are, what values and beliefs we hold....no worries and I hope you are feeling better!
posted by: Antipodean (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (6:52 pm)
"lies damned lies & statistics!!!" Man how can u reduce ur whole presonality down to four letters? U r a complete and emotional human being who is the product of years of unique experiences and memories, a dna code that holds megabye upon megabyte of encoded information... You are so much greater and miraculous than anything a stastical model could reduce you to... :)
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (7:05 pm)
Reply to: Antipodean
amazing as it is to me as a skeptical person as well.. i think i get along with people better know than 6 months ago when i didn't know that stuff... true... its all statistics... i am trying to put biology onto it.
but i do plan to do neuropsychology as a job so i like to understand the makeup relating to diseases and basic human social issues
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (7:33 pm)
Reply to: rinna
thanks rin... much appreciated.. us aussies have to stick together!! even if that means licking my wallpaper.. i think im over whatever it was that i was blogging about.
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (7:45 pm)
Reply to: ScarlettGKPi
thanks scarlett... we all need something.. i guess that was just something that i got onto thinking it was what i needed.. turns out it doesn't work for me... ill leave it..
its too obsessive
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (7:47 pm)
Reply to: SheSpecies
thanks... and i wont be so critical of myself, i did need a few people like emperor dot antipodean, rin and scarlett among others to let me know that i am fine just the way i am
luv ya all
posted by: SheSpecies (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (7:58 pm)
Reply to: ansell
Good on you, ansell. You seem like you're a really good guy. ;-)
posted by: billlyryan (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (8:21 pm)
I really like your blog! And the fact that you're from Australia makes me smile so big!
posted by: Gertrude (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (9:48 pm)
nothing to do with this topic...but you may be slightly interested to know that Ben Carson also has experienced memory repression from when he was a child!! Also, I think that you have a very similar personality type to you....I don't know his exact traits, eg, INTJ, but just the way he expresses himself seems remarkably like you! AND you're both interested in Neuroscience!!!
posted by: Gertrude (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (9:49 pm)
whoops.....that sentence was supposed to say" he has a personality like yours"
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (10:00 pm)
Reply to: billlyryan
its always good to find another aussie. we all have to stick together yes
posted by: ansell (reply)
post date: 08.01.04 (10:02 pm)
Reply to: Gertrude
thanks, i always did like his Think Big video... i cant remember when i first saw it... must be 10 or so years ago now.
im done with analysing myself.. i got as far as i could and noone wants to help anymore so thats it... kaput... hehe... i wont go back to what i was before though.
