MBTI: SP Temperament

                Before we can continue on to the sixteen personality combinations that can be created from these eight options, it would be beneficial to the reader to have a rudimentary understanding of how I am organizing the sixteen. Certainly, they could be in a random order but they are not. Rather, I have chosen to group them according to the categories given by David Keirsey in his book titled Please Understand Me: Character & Temperament Types. For anyone interested in pursuing further studies on the MBTI, I highly recommend this book and its sequel. Much of my information stems from it. But for now, let me introduce you to the four categories, known as temperaments, into which Keirsey groups the personality types. They are SP, SJ, NT, and NF and they organize the types in the following way: SP (ISTP, ESTP, ISFP, ESFP); SJ (ISFJ, ESFJ, ISTJ, ESTJ); NT (INTP, ENTP, INTJ, ENTJ); and NF (INFJ, ENFJ, INFP, ENFP).

The SP Temperament

                The aim of the SP is to be free. Indeed, he must be free. The SP holds a hunger for action that seems strange to others. If the action accomplishes some goal or does some good, so be it – the important thing is to simply have that action. They are process-oriented, while most types are motivated by the end that will be completed. Their love for action leads them to a great mastery of tools. They “cannot not put it to use”[1] when a tool is present, be that a hammer or a bulldozer or a gun or a scalpel. For them, the joy is in the action, in the labor. They have an endurance which can often stretch far beyond the endurance of the other types.

                Yet even beyond the longing to be in action, the SP longs to be seen as active by others. They want to appear to have the freedom to act how they will, to be impulsive when they choose. They have joy in almost everything, bringing a sense of “something exciting is about to happen”[2] to all that they do. Randomness and spontaneity are an important part of life to an SP. Out of all the types, they are most likely to wander and can cut social ties quite easily, although they may be aware of the distress which they may cause. Sometimes they miss the little romantic things such as a phone call, while remembering the grand gesture of a dozen roses or a ring.

                The SP has an egalitarian point of view, living in a state of opulence unless money is short, and then he will believe that it is only for a time. In general, SPs are willing to share, open and welcoming, ready to give what they have and accept what you give. They are not prone to thinking ahead or planning, but living in the moment and to the fullest.

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[1] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me: Character & Temperament Types, (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, 1984), page 32.

[2] David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates, Please Understand Me: Character & Temperament Types, (Del Mar: Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, 1984), page 33.

MBTI: Perceivers

                (This is the eighth post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

Judging and Perceiving reference how a life is organized, as has already been said. For a Perceiver, there is joy in processing (while for a Judger, it is in closure). A Perceiver loves to have their options open and available.

Perceivers come across as casual and open-ended, flexible and ready for anything. They are not the people who work ahead on assignments or deadlines, but rather, they are prompted by pressure. Goals are guidelines, to be reached eventually. A Perceiver loves to maintain their flexibility so they can take advantage of any unexpected opportunity that may present itself. They maintain curiosity more than decisiveness. This all means that they keep their decisions open as long as possible.

Their very personality is spontaneous and often more bubbly than Judgers. They live by the moment, adjusting easily to the changes in their circumstances. They do well with handling unexpected changes and unplanned events.

A Perceiver likes to test the water and will feel boxed in and confined by conclusions or closure. They like having open options and room for their spontaneity. They are more adaptable than a Judger will generally be. This flexibility and spontaneity means that they love to begin something new – until the newness is gone and they are brought to boredom.

Compared to the Judgers, who often understand and follow the rules of society, Perceivers feel harried by those same rules and often question the need for what they find useless. They do occasionally make lists, but checking off everything on their list is practically unheard of. Structure and systems are almost painful to them, and far more confining than they prefer.

Perceivers can be summed up in three words: flexible; adaptable; tolerant. They are like rubber ducks who go with the flow. This means that occasionally, they act too much based on outside pressure rather than other important things. It is important too for Perceivers to learn when to “stop information-gathering in order to make a decision and act upon it.”[1] Making decisions can be a struggle for them.

All of these qualities combine to make a Perceiver seem much more playful than a Judger. Indeed, their mentality of “play-first, work-later” can occasionally be detrimental to their productivity. Their adaption skills are unparalleled. Expression of an opinion is rare, as they are usually quite tentative.

Physically, Perceivers rarely hurry and their pace is easy-going and slow. This is partly due to the fact that they are less aware of time than Judgers are, and therefore are more likely to run late. They dress to be comfortable, not cute (though if that happens, it is not a bad thing). They tend to be less well-groomed than Judgers are, and sometimes appear unfinished as if they left home before they were entirely ready for the day. Their car interiors are often messy.

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[1] Calise Sellers, “A Little Bit of Personality,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.alittlebitofpersonality.com.

MBTI: Judgers

                (This is the seventh post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

                The final set of different characteristics is Judging and Perceiving. These two can be difficult to discern between. They refer mostly to lifestyle. However, put simply, Judgers tend to be decisive and scheduled while Perceivers are more easy-going and laid back. Keep in mind that everyone should have some of both – indeed, tending too far in either direction is detrimental on any of these pairs.

                Judgers typically prefer to have things around them settled and in order. Plans that are left “up in the air” can drive a Judger crazy. They enjoy making plans and have no problem with sticking to what they have planned. Indeed, they find comfort in schedules. In correlation with that, Judgers often like to set and accomplish goals. This means they are methodical list-makers, and systematic.

They yearn for the closure of decisions that are made. This means that they can generally understand why rules are in place and see the need for them. Some Judgers even can be said to actually “enjoy” making decisions. This means that they are often drawn to positions of leadership and sometimes have a need to take control. However, a love of closure can mean that they focus too strongly on making and concluding a decision, rather than taking time to explore options. Simply put, they are “good at finishing.”[1]

It is regular for Judgers to pay attention closely to time. They arrive promptly to appointments. Sometimes it seems like they are always in a hurry. They do actually tend to walk faster and in a deliberate way. Deadlines are almost sacred to them.

Judgers usually take their responsibilities very seriously. They find the completion of a project to be immensely satisfying, and their mentality is usually a “work-first, play-later” sort. This means that compared to the Perceivers, they tend to seem more serious. This also makes them more formal, conventional, and responsible. They prefer to have clear instructions and rules.

Judgers and Perceivers sometimes even differ in their looks. For example, a Judger tends to dress for their appearance (rather than comfort) and will often look neat and finished. Even their car interior is usually neater. Their posture too tends to be more erect.

People who are Judgers tend to be in control of their lives. They make their decisions and choices based on what they find “right” or what they want, rather than an outside pressure.

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[1] “Personality: Judging or Perceiving Preference,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.mypersonality.info/personality-types/judging-perceiving/.

MBTI: Feelers

                (This is the sixth post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

                Feelers are the gentle people, the ones who are easily hurt but wonderful at comforting and consoling. They display more emotion, and they feel deeply.

                Feelers are far more centered on their hearts than their minds. Their decisions are based off of values and their evaluations of how people will react or feel, based on the decision. They are very caring. And additionally, they are accepting of others. This is because they are oriented around people and communication. They love harmony.

                The focus of a Feeler is on the meaning and the significance of information – understood through their feelings. This can result in their tending to be overemotional or illogical. One person put it this way: “F’s focus on understanding and experiencing what makes things matter by understanding the emotional value of things.” Emotion is key for Feelers.

                Some Feelers, though not all, may lack assertiveness because they don’t want to hurt anyone under any circumstances. They communicate as being warmer and friendlier than Thinkers do. Feelers are often very sensitive to the emotions and feelings of others. They are also more gentle and diplomatic. However, this can also mean that their feelings are hurt more easily. They are naturally more tender.

                Often Feelers will strive to avoid arguments, conflict, and confrontation, or tension of any sort. They are generous with their praise and reluctant to find fault. They worry about being an imposition more than Thinkers tend to, asking if it’s a good time. Feelers are accommodating people.

                Feelers have strong empathy, personally taking on the emotions of others. They are naturally compassionate. They value sentiment more than logic, and are more interested in people and values than rules. This means that a Feeler believes that “being tactful is more important than telling the ‘cold’ truth.”[1]

                Feelers see the world as it “should” be, rather than as it is. They see it like it would be if everything was agreeable. They tend to be more idealistic, though this is also based in J/P and S/N. They focus on the meaning, rather than the use, of things.

                Thinkers can see Feelers as being “too idealistic, mushy, or indirect.”[2] It is easier to see why people can clash so strongly when the differences between Thinkers and Feelers are understood. Neither type is wrong, but they do not always see eye to eye.

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[1] “The Myers & Briggs Foundation: Thinking or Feeling,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/thinking-or-feeling.htm?bhcp=1.

[2] “The Myers & Briggs Foundation: Thinking or Feeling,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/thinking-or-feeling.htm?bhcp=1.

MBTI: Thinkers

                (This is the fifth post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

The next pair of aspects on the MBTI test are Thinking and Feeling. Simply put, Thinking and Feeling refer to how decisions are made. Even simpler, Thinking is the brain and Feeling is the heart. Do you follow your brain or your heart? Whichever wins is probably the answer to whether you are T or F. In general, figuring out whether you are T or F is fairly easy – and if not, your friends will probably know. A Thinker, as stated, follows their brain. They function by logic.

A Thinker is someone who would “tend to make decisions based primarily on logic and on objective analysis of cause and effect.”[1] A Thinker is characterized by thought, as is already obvious. They think through everything in a reasonable manner, questioning things that Feelers accept as fact. They are critical and tough, hard to wound and not very gentle with the feelings of others.

A Thinker considers the logical implications of a choice, rather than the feelings of others based on the same choice. They value logic over sentiment. Touchy-feely things do not make much, if any, difference to a Thinker. They have a deeply ingrained interest in rules. Thinkers tend more towards cynicism. At times, they may argue or debate a point merely for the joy of debating.

Thinkers focus on the “use and utility of information, understood in the form of thoughts.”[2] They use the information that they have and add it into their big picture to make sense of it. Thinkers often have a passion for knowing what is true, and a strong respect for everything honest and fair. This means that they are sometimes blunt and even tactless. Their problems are solved and decisions made by logic and reason, not by emotion and how they “feel.”

They have far less reliance on emotion, which is difficult for any Feeler to understand, since it makes Thinkers seem mean and uncaring, unemotional. While this can be true, it is not always. They come across as tough (as indeed they are) and thick-skinned. They are honest and direct, but they also do not take things personally – and they do not expect you to either.

Thinkers have a tendency to suppress their feelings, sometimes more than they should. Their focus is on rationality and objectivity. They are persuaded by logical arguments. Again, this makes them communicate as cool and distant at times.

Thinkers tend to be assertive. They are low-key and matter-of-fact, rather than bouncing off the walls, which is more common for a Feeler. They like to get the point, ignoring what may be social niceties. This is, in part, because they are motivated by achievement.

Thinkers are sparing with their praise, saving it for when they feel it is truly deserved. They are rather good at seeing flaws. It is rare that they ask if their timing is convenient. One of the main differences between a T and an F is that Thinkers, when considering people, find ways to use them – while a Feeler considers the impact on the person and their feelings.

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[1] “Pinterest,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.pinterest.com/pin/322851867013332320/.

[2] Calise Sellers, “A Little Bit of Personality,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.alittlebitofpersonality.com.

MBTI: Intuitives

                (This is the fourth post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

                Intuitives are represented by the letter N, and live up fully to their name – they live by intuition. Facts and reality are only one facet of the vivid world in their heads, the world where ideas and improvements and innovation are constantly appearing. They tend to live in the hypothetical rather than the factual.

                The brain of an Intuitive is constantly dealing with the abstract and imaginative part of the world. They constantly come up with concepts for making things better. Theoretical situations automatically come to their minds, and original ideas happen constantly. They are the ones on a team who suggest option after option, sometimes with no notice of practicality (that is, after all, what sensors are for).

                One word that sums up those who carry the N in their four-letter combination is “abstract.” Mental representations keep them going, rather than hard facts. They dwell on what could be, rather than what is. This means that at times, they are susceptible to over-complicating things. Their thoughts are not linear or sequential, but roundabout and jump rapidly from one thing to another – therefore, it makes sense that they are known as out-of-the-box thinkers. Their thoughts seem random to many.

                An Intuitive considers the “concept of information” and then finds ways that it connects to other information, making patterns. One source put it this way: “Intuition is an information compilation function which means it focuses on drawing information from many sources in order to understand the big picture.”[1]

                Intuitives have strong brains, and are more likely to earn a Master’s Degree than Sensors are. They often have a love of learning and acquiring knowledge, viewing mental challenges as a positive thing. They are resourceful.

                The speech of an Intuitive tends to be full of analogies and metaphors, rather than facts. They use the words that let them express themselves, often ending up with complex speech patterns and compound sentences. In order to communicate clearly, they tend to repeat themselves. Because of their thoughts, their speech tends to be about the big picture and to use a wide brush.

                Intuitives are attracted to new and unusual ideas or concepts. Routine and practicalities do not speak to them like they speak to Sensors. They prefer to ponder the theoretical over the practical.

                Intuitives have a great ability to jump to conclusions. This means that they complete the sentences of others for them. They also skip over the details that the Sensors catch, and fly ahead to the hypothetical conclusion.

                They desperately want their ideas to become real, but are not always the best equipped to make it actually happen. An Intuitive who is also a Feeler (F) will produce things like “romantic poetry, social justice, and a utopia of a society we should always work towards.”[2] However, Intuitives who are also Thinkers (T) will turn more to things such as scientific exploration and theories towards a better society. They think in the future.

                One article put it this way: “Intuitives cherish having time for analysis and thinking and their reactions are typically not immediate…but instead manifest themselves after a period of reflection.”[3] Intuitives think before they act, plotting the possible consequences of their actions before they do anything.

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[1] Calise Sellers, “A Little Bit of Personality,” accessed July 9, 2015, www.alittlebitofpersonality.com.

[2] “Personality Café,” accessed July 9, 2015, http://personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/42390-i-cant-tell-difference-between-s-n-myself-others-help.html.

[3] “The Qualities of Sensing & Intuition,” accessed July 9, 2015, http://www.celebritytypes.com/blog/2011/03/sensingintuition/.

MBTI: Sensors

                (This is the third post in an eight part series on the eight characteristics of the MBTI. Find an introduction HERE, and use the tags at the end to find other related posts.)

                The characteristic of sensing, more clearly defined as “realistic,” is the opposite of intuitive. These refer to how you absorb information and how you process it afterwards. Simply put, sensors take in information by focusing on the specifics while those who are intuitive process in a big picture way. One source I encountered stated that about 73% of people are sensing, while only 27% are intuitors.[1] However, please note that distinguishing between Intuitive and Sensing is very difficult, and they are close to being the most difficult to contrast.

                Sensors like facts to be concrete and they look at everything in a very realistic way. They are the people bringing the voice of reason to any situation, the people who come up with a practical solution for any problem. They are experimental rather than theoretical but still tend to stick to the rules and prefer a traditional approach to an original one. They admire practical solutions, and desire jobs that demand practicality.

                Sensors thrive on hard facts, details, and real experience – things that can be cited as definite. Known as realists who survive by the mantra “things are what they are,” they live by the actualities in life, the real challenges and problems that arise. Common sense is their forte, and this sometimes compels them to oversimplify things.

                They take in information by their five senses and their common sense naturally makes them focus on the here and now over the hypothetical; what has happened rather than what may happen. This reliance on their senses makes the name very natural. Sensors are automatically observant and pick up on patterns in behavior and in the people around them. Besides observing, they remember what they see. When someone else has the idea, a sensor is great at figuring out the steps to make it happen, and then carrying it out or arranging to have it done. They bring the ideas to reality.

                Their thought process is straight-forward and linear, following the facts and making sense of them. This naturally makes them like step-by-step instructions. Sensors usually end up working at a steady pace in an orderly manner. Thoughts come to them sequentially. They have accurate memories. “Sensible” – that is a sensor. They live life by a schedule, but are quick to adapt if need be.

Their speech often tends to follow these patterns, using facts and examples in a literal way. They use language as a tool, and speak directly, and to the point. They often listen until the other person is done speaking. When they are interested in something, they often have the ability to remember a lot of facts about it.

One source said it all this way: “Roughly speaking, the memory of a Sensing type serves as a photo album containing snapshots from various events. Sensors relate directly to their surroundings and make decisions quickly and instinctively, and when a Sensing type plans for the future, these plans involve specific events and activities.”[2]

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[1] “Why Your Type is Awesome: S vs. N,” accessed July 9, 2015, http://u-journey.com/2013/07/why-your-type-is-awesome-s-vs-n/.

[2] “The Qualities of Sensing & Intuition,” accessed July 9, 2015, http://www.celebritytypes.com/blog/2011/03/sensingintuition/.