Myers Briggs ForumA forum for the most popular personality theory and test.
To Willingly Change Your Personality
Myers Briggs Forum Thread, To Willingly Change Your Personality in Personality Type Forums; I think this is interesting and might answer some of your questions Wingman, but do take a look at the ...
I think this is interesting and might answer some of your questions Wingman, but do take a look at the thread here posted by Functionanalyst named "Jung's Unconscious Attitude"
I was reading through it and something I picked up was that a person's dominant way of gathering clear evidence has to go through only one method, being the dominant. And to act as compensatory, you have the auxiliary.
Here is a passage
"For the sake of clarity let us again recapitulate: The products of all the functions can be conscious, but we speak of the dominance of a function only when not merely its application is at the disposal of the will but when at the same time its principle is decisive for the orientation of consciousness. The latter event is true when for instance, thinking is not a mere esprit de l'escalier, or rumination, but when its decisions possess an absolute validity, so that the logical conclusion in a given case holds good, whether as motive or as guarantee of practical action, without the backing of any further evidence. This absolute sovereignty always belongs, empirically, to one function alone, and can belong only to one function, since the equally independent intervention of another function would necessarily yield a different orientation, which would at least partially contradict the first.
But since it is a vital condition for the conscious adaptation-process that constantly clear and unambiguous aims should be in evidence, the presence of a second function of equivalent power is naturally forbidden. This other function therefore, can have only a secondary importance, a fact that is also established empirically. Its secondary importance consists in the fact that in a given case, it is not valid in its own right, as is the primary function as an absolutely reliable and decisive factor. But comes into play more as an auxiliary or complementary function. Naturally only those functions can appear as auxiliary whose nature is not opposed to the leading function. For instance, feeling can never act as the second function by the side of thinking, because its nature stands in too strong a contrast to thinking. Thinking, if it is to be real thinking and true to its own principle, must scrupulously exclude feeling.
This of course, does not exclude the fact that individuals certainly exist in whom thinking and feeling stand upon the same level, whereby both have equal motive power. But in such a case, there is also no question of a different type, but merely of a relatively undeveloped thinking and feeling. Uniform consciousness and unconsciousness of functions is therefore, a distinguishing mark of a primitive mentality."
What I understand from this is that naturally you will have only one single preferred method of making conclusions and decisions. So if you say that you have managed to effectively change your personality then you would have a lot of conflicting information. In the case of going from ENTP to INTP I think that is fairly easier than any other jump because the same functions are still in use.
If however you attempted to change yourself to become, for instance ISTJ, or something farther from an ENTP's functions you wouldn't ever manage to totally change your behavior and thought process to that of an ISTJ's.. Surely if you will to act a certain way to become a certain way you'd think you are that way if you do it enough. But essentially when you are not under the stress of consciously acting a certain way you will find yourself to be very much still ENTP-like. Basically, you cannot change that natural way of being, because that is you 24/7, 365.
Hmmm...I think anything's possible if you try hard enough. I know for me my personality TYPE changed quite frequently throughout the years. I tested INTP, INTJ, INFP, ENFP,ENFJ, and INFJ. I've even tested as an ISFP and ISFJ. And ALL of the descriptions suited me quite well at the time. As a result, I don't really place a whole lot of value on the personality tests especially since...human perception can be quite flawed. In a nutshell,we can change aspects of our personaity we don't like to suit but if it's not something you want to do for your own sake and benefit, it will be very painful and full of suffering. That's what I think.
Hmmm...I think anything's possible if you try hard enough. I know for me my personality TYPE changed quite frequently throughout the years. I tested INTP, INTJ, INFP, ENFP,ENFJ, and INFJ. I've even tested as an ISFP and ISFJ. And ALL of the descriptions suited me quite well at the time. As a result, I don't really place a whole lot of value on the personality tests especially since...human perception can be quite flawed. In a nutshell,we can change aspects of our personaity we don't like to suit but if it's not something you want to do for your own sake and benefit, it will be very painful and full of suffering. That's what I think.
There is a difference is actually changing a type entirely and making a conscious effort to develop a particular function. The former may be possible under MBTI since when taking test, you are merely stating your preferences. If your preferences change then you type changes. However under Jung, Berens and other theories, type is ingrained therefore it does not change. What changes is the development of other functions.
However for those who make this claim, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. If you assert that one can change their type, then you are saying type is not genetic or by nature, instead is the product of nurture or environment. If you claim that you were born with a predisposition to a certain type, then any attempts to change it is unnatural and one only becomes a shell of the type you are aspiring to be.
I think this is interesting and might answer some of your questions Wingman, but do take a look at the thread here posted by Functionanalyst named "Jung's Unconscious Attitude"
Quote:
Originally Posted by TenMac
I was reading through it and something I picked up was that a person's dominant way of gathering clear evidence has to go through only one method, being the dominant. And to act as compensatory, you have the auxiliary.
What I understand from this is that naturally you will have only one single preferred method of making conclusions and decisions. So if you say that you have managed to effectively change your personality then you would have a lot of conflicting information. In the case of going from ENTP to INTP I think that is fairly easier than any other jump because the same functions are still in use.
If however you attempted to change yourself to become, for instance ISTJ, or something farther from an ENTP's functions you wouldn't ever manage to totally change your behavior and thought process to that of an ISTJ's.. Surely if you will to act a certain way to become a certain way you'd think you are that way if you do it enough. But essentially when you are not under the stress of consciously acting a certain way you will find yourself to be very much still ENTP-like. Basically, you cannot change that natural way of being, because that is you 24/7, 365.
10Mac, first and foremost I put that information there to decipher Jung’s work and for critical discussions. So by all means, post your thoughts on any particular parts.
As for your understanding, mine is similar that as a dominant Ti type with Se, if the Se is strong then I could be Se-Ti. However as Jung says this should be quite apparent that one or the other dominates. As I have said in the past, my Ti is so pronounced and developed that I don’t think I am conscious of it. It’s as natural as breathing. The fact that I am conscious of my Se usage indicates that although it is developed, it is something that I think about using still. I also agree that although I share the same hierarchy of functions as ESTJ (T-S-N-F), the attitude of my usage is completely opposite, so I will never be ESTJ. In fact in attempt at using it would be futile since Te-Si-Ne-Fi are my shadow functions.
My first reaction to this suggestion was a bitter laugh. Change my personality type? There are days I'd give anything to be someone different...but I am not just looking for another personality. I want the whole package. Could I please become an outgoing blonde with big tits?
I think the best anyone can hope for is to develop one's auxiliary functions...actually, I believe doing so is the mark of a healthy, developing person.
My first reaction to this suggestion was a bitter laugh. Change my personality type? There are days I'd give anything to be someone different...but I am not just looking for another personality. I want the whole package. Could I please become an outgoing blonde with big tits?
I think the best anyone can hope for is to develop one's auxiliary functions...actually, I believe doing so is the mark of a healthy, developing person.
Yes, auxiliary functions. This actually a really old thread for me, I honestly don't remember posting it.
P.S. All you need is the outgoing and big tits parts.
Homo Sapiens is a genuinely designed creature that isn't set in stone. Your brain can and does rewire all the time, but you cannot completely re-design yourself. That is, you can change yourself over time, but within certain (not very wide) limits. Having said that, you could develop those of your functions that are of little use and start using them more effectively, but hardly to the extend of completely changing your normal cognitive style. See them as cognitive switches in your command room. You can explore them and learn to switch yourself into alternative or auxiliary modes, which might enhance your versatility in various situations, but the normal, neutral mode of yourself would remain the same, so if you try to deviate from it for too long, you are likely to overburden yourself and start feeling that something isn't right.
I did this. I didn't have many friends and was kind of bullied when I was younger. I figured that this wasn't working out, and that it really was something wrong with me, not the bullies. The grownups were lying!
So I kind of just became cool. It wasn't really that of a big thing. Maybe it was just that i matured some, but I do think that I, at least partly, conciously changed my behavior.
Today those bullies are real loosers.
I laugh.
Being someone who literally changed the way he acted, believed, felt, and reacted in order to survive, I think its possible change one's own natural perferences. Why not? Sounds no different than going on a diet, or going to rehab to fight off some addiction. Women's bodies, and even mindsets, change in order to create and nurture life. Boys become men to provide for their families. Cowards become heroes in desparate life and death situations. Surly, changing personality is a matter of willpower. Am I wrong?
Agreed.It's will power.We rule ourselves more then we want to know...
I still can't decide between ENTP, ENFJ and INFJ... I somehow feel I have to combine all of them not to get bored.
Maybe I should "create" a mutant type.Still thinking at the name of it...
Off topic going towards astrology: It might be because you are gemini (I am also Gemini in my midheaven... long headache-ing stories...means the sign in which I act again by "willpower" + now it became unconcious )