I love
questionnaires and quizzes.
Not school
quizzes which always made me feel grossly inadequate and incapable of
remembering important stuff (never mind the fact that I could sing along to
Salt N Pepa's "Shoop" all the way through if needed and don't even
get me started on Disney soundtracks) but entertainment quizzes.
You know, "Which character of Friends
would you be?" (once I was Phoebe, the other time Joey... not sure what
this means) or "What should you be when you grow up?" (Astronaut....
ha!).
So when my boss said he had to
take a version of the famous Myers-Briggs personality test for a class he is taking to
finish his degree, the geek in me perked right up and requested the link to the
test, just for fun. Bemused by my
enthusiasm for something he was being forced to do for a grade, he passed it
along.
I
figured it would be fairly accurate, cause well, it's famous and pretty well
respected. I had no idea exactly how accurate it would be. Scarily so.
Turns
out I am an INFJ. So what does this
mean?
The
test is based upon Carl Jung's theory of psychological typology - his belief
that the human consciousness is characterized by it preference of three general
attitudes. These include being
Extroverted or Introverted and which mental functions are preferred in two
pairs (Sensing vs. Intuition) and (Thinking vs. Feeling).
Jung proposed that in each person, one of
each characteristic is more dominant than the other and that by understanding
these we can better appreciate how others worldviews mold their personalities
and who they are. Another researcher,
years later, named Isabel Briggs-Myers proposed that in addition to Jung's
three dichotomies (opposites of the same spectrum - i.e. thinking versus
feeling) there is a fourth which is (Judging vs. Perceiving). The combinations of all four dichotomies
result in 16 different personality types.
I am INFJ (Introvert, Intuition, Feeling and
Judging)
While
the version of the test that is available online here goes into great detail, I
will only include some key points below that really struck a chord with
me. If you've ever wanted to understand why I do things and act the way I do, this is a great place to start.
I highly recommend you go and check
it out yourself - even if you feel you are super self-aware and understand how
and why you approach things in the manner you do, the validation that it can
offer is highly rewarding. For me, it
was a "look, I'm not crazy - other people think the way I do!" kind
of moment. I hope you have one as well.
INFJ -
Introvert(56%) iNtuitive(12%) Feeling(38%) Judging(33%)
You have moderate preference of
Introversion over Extraversion (56%)
You have slight preference of Intuition
over Sensing (12%)
You have moderate preference of Feeling
over Thinking (38%)
You have moderate preference of Judging
over Perceiving (33%)
INFJs
are distinguished by both their complexity of character and the unusual range
and depth of their talents. Strongly humanitarian in outlook, INFJs tend to be
idealists, and because of their J preference for closure and completion, they
are generally "doers" as well as dreamers.
INFJs
are deeply concerned about their relations with individuals as well as the
state of humanity at large. They are, in fact, sometimes mistaken for
extroverts because they appear so outgoing and are so genuinely interested in
people.
On the
contrary, INFJs are true introverts, who can only be emotionally intimate and
fulfilled with a chosen few from among their long-term friends, family, or
obvious "soul mates." While instinctively courting the personal and
organizational demands continually made upon them by others, at intervals INFJs
will suddenly withdraw into themselves, sometimes shutting out even their
intimates. This apparent paradox is a necessary escape valve for them,
providing both time to rebuild their depleted resources and a filter to prevent
the emotional overload to which they are so susceptible as inherent
"givers." As a pattern of behavior, it is perhaps the most confusing
aspect of the enigmatic INFJ character to outsiders, and hence the most often
misunderstood -- particularly by those who have little experience with this
rare type.
INFJ's are highly empathetic.
This
empathy can serve as a classic example of the two-edged nature of certain INFJ
talents, as it can be strong enough to cause discomfort or pain in negative or
stressful situations.
There
can sometimes be a "tug-of-war" between NF vision and idealism and
the J practicality that urges compromise for the sake of achieving the highest
priority goals. And the I and J combination, while perhaps enhancing
self-awareness, may make it difficult for INFJs to articulate their deepest and
most convoluted feelings. Usually
self-expression comes more easily to INFJs on paper, as they tend to have
strong writing skills.
Many
INFJs perceive themselves at a disadvantage when dealing with the mystique and
formality of "hard logic", and in academic terms this may cause a
tendency to gravitate towards the liberal arts rather than the sciences.
In their
own way, INFJs are just as much "systems builders" as are INTJs; the
difference lies in that most INFJ "systems" are founded on human
beings and human values, rather than information and technology.
Beneath
the quiet exterior, INFJs hold deep convictions about the weightier matters of
life.
Though
affable and sympathetic to most, INFJs are selective about their friends. Such
a friendship is a symbiotic bond that transcends mere words.
INFJs
have a knack for fluency in language and facility in communication. In
addition, nonverbal sensitivity enables the INFJ to know and be known by others
intimately.
Writing,
counseling, public service and even politics are areas where INFJs frequently
find their niche.
Famous INFJs
Mother Teresa - founder of the Order of the
Missionaries of Charity
Nelson Mandela - President of South Africa
from 1994 to 1999
Martin Luther King, Jr. - activist, preacher
John Calvin - protestant reformer, the
father of "Calvinism"
Nicole Kidman - actress, singer, film
producer
Billy
Crystal – actor, comedian
*INFJ description by Marina Margaret Heiss and Joe Butt via http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp
