[Organized Chaos]

I was reading in this thread that it is believed that people are born with their types set, but I'm curious if any of you believe that how you are raised has anything to do with it.

I ask because an MBTI test I recently took typed me as an ISTP instead of ISTJ. (When I have taken the tests elsewhere, I usually score about 52% Judging, 48% Perceiving, so this isn't exactly impossible) According to my mother and my best guesses, it seems likely that my brother is an ENTJ, my dad is an ExTJ (Mom thinks S, I think N), and my mom is an INFJ.

Therefore, if I really am a P, is it possible that I exhibit several J functions due to my upbringing, which is strongly J dominated? Am I perhaps missing out on my natural preference because I didn't have any Ps to guide me growing up?

So I guess what it comes down to is: are we born with one type, and then it is modified based on how one is raised, or will the prevailing type shine through regardless?

[Happy]

Professional psychologist/scientist suggest that you are already born with a personality trait and that you develop it as you progress. Basically personality development is a combination of both nature and nurture but your personality will always remain the same as you were a little youngling.

[Jessy Lashway]

It makes little sense to me how one could be born with a type that remains dominant throughout a lifetime, unless one believes in destiny or something of the like. A child is far too influenced throughout his life and upbringing (beyond the parental factors you mentioned for yourself) to remain a certain mbti for the entirety of his existence.

I don't know if you have read in great detail about the Myers Briggs personality test just yet, but one can have developed secondary traits. For example, my enneagram is 3. This means I exhibit emotional traits that could be seen as "uncommon" with INTJs. Therefore, I suspect I have a developed F. This is likely true for yourself as well.

[hoom]

MBTI only covers so much of your 'personality', and how the theory defines it differs from the vernacular definition of personality, and that really comes down to the scope of what attributes MBTI sets out to focus on as a theory in the first place. So, as far as the cognitive functions and therefore MBTI letters are concerned... they *are* set in stone at birth. Nurture plays no role in the MBTI definition of personality.

If you want to go outside of the scope of MBTI, then yes, personality is definitely impacted by nurture, and this helps explain why people of the same MBTI type can disagree on something.

People can have their natural MBTI attributes and cognitive functions repressed by society, but that just means they're raised unhealthily, their type remains static and they tend to revert back when free from oppression. It's a stereotype, granted, but one that I've seen in action and is useful for the purpose of example, that many oriental families attempt to impose SJ qualities on their children, and I've seen them be successful in doing so for appearance's sake, but if you get them away from their parents, you can see more of their true selves shining through.

Final note, I did speak with a psychologist mentor on this as part of a project, and you may be able to change types as a result of extreme stress, like post-military PTSD, as such things can actually alter brain chemistry, but he also said that this could be recoverable with a mix of medication and psycho-therapy. (No, this information does not apply to myself). He also mentioned that when people enter 'survival-mode' as a result of extreme continued stress, this can happen as well. I'll note that he isn't an expert on MBTI, he only knew a bit about it and applied his outside knowledge of the human psyche to it.


I could go into more depth on almost all of that... but I'm feeling lazy.

[Naama]

Professional psychologist/scientist suggest that you are already born with a personality trait and that you develop it as you progress. Basically personality development is a combination of both nature and nurture but your personality will always remain the same as you were a little youngling.

lies, there are professionals with different opinions about this. there is no one real pro answer..

its next to impossible to say for sure to what extend genes effect your personality, but it seems that they do have some effect. thats pretty much the only thing everyone agrees.

[Dwyn The Bioluminescent]

Nature vs nurture is always something rather exciting to read up on! But I'm having mixed feelings about this one for now.. I'd like to read more before I comment on anything lest it comes out stupid. Lol.

-Sits crossed legged, awaiting the influx of information and fireworks of debate-

Please continue. (@-@)

[Naama]

even babies under 3 months old show extraversion/introversion and many other personality traits that stick over the lifetime. naturally people can try to repress some natural tendencies, but thats just you acting out like other type, not being other type.

also people develop their personality, if you only look at MBTI and leave other personality traits away, its the lower functions that you develop and learn to use better, but dominant function will still remain its role as being supported by aux(opposed to dom supporting aux) etc etc. Ti dom can learn not to over analyze stuff and can learn to develop great amount of Fe, but that doesent change him to non dom Ti type, because there is always the role of dominant when it comes to this fellows Ti.

[Dwyn The Bioluminescent]

Does it have anything at all to do with genetics I wonder... How does this Extraversion/Introversion trait just manifest itself in the individual? Hmmmm....

[Naama]

Does it have anything at all to do with genetics I wonder... How does this Extraversion/Introversion trait just manifest itself in the individual? Hmmmm....

The Vega Science Trust - Predicting Personality

[Dwyn The Bioluminescent]

Thank you very much bud ^^ And now, I do believe I will not sleep until I'm done watching lol.