ISTJ or INTJ?

Hi! I've been assigned to do a presentation over my personality type in a Masters level education class, and I am having trouble defining myself. Any help would be appreciated.

Before I start, I have taken multiple free online assessments and always come out as IxTJ. It can go either way for N/S.

Some basics about myself:

• I was a history major/business management minor as an undergraduate
• I have been in a long distance relationship for the better part of 6 years. We saw each other a few times a year only, and we're getting married next May. Despite what people might think, we're both quite happy, and we accept it as what we have to do to be together. She is an xSFJ.
• I was planning on going to graduate school to be a history professor or lawyer, but I decided to become a teacher and build a family with my girlfriend instead. Family is very important to me. My family is already pretty well off, so that helped to influence my decision monetarily, as well. I currently go to graduate school for secondary education. I still hope to get a PhD one day in this field.
• I worked at a public library through most of high school, all of college, and up to present day as a graduate student. I fix computer hardware problems and generally work with the public for whatever they need.
• I have a healthy obsession with music and fashion. I put a great deal of time into learning guitar, and I'm quite good, but never in my wildest dreams would I risk a career on it.
• I drive a brand new 2010 Camaro (yellow and black). I like standing out. I'm not comfortable blending in with the crowd.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by vsound

Hi! I've been assigned to do a presentation over my personality type in a Masters level education class, and I am having trouble defining myself. Any help would be appreciated.

Before I start, I have taken multiple free online assessments and always come out as IxTJ. It can go either way for N/S.

Some basics about myself:

• I was a history major/business management minor as an undergraduate
• I have been in a long distance relationship for the better part of 6 years. We saw each other a few times a year only, and we're getting married next May. Despite what people might think, we're both quite happy, and we accept it as what we have to do to be together. She is an xSFJ.
• I was planning on going to graduate school to be a history professor or lawyer, but I decided to become a teacher and build a family with my girlfriend instead. Family is very important to me. My family is already pretty well off, so that helped to influence my decision monetarily, as well. I currently to go graduate school for secondary education. I still hope to get a PhD one day in this field.
• I worked at a public library through most of high school, all of college, and up to present day as a graduate student. I fix computer hardware problems and generally work with the public for whatever they need.
• I have a healthy obsession with music and fashion. I put a great deal of time into learning guitar, and I'm quite good, but never in my wildest dreams would I risk a career on it.
• I drive a brand new 2010 Camaro (yellow and black). I like standing out. I'm not comfortable blending in with the crowd.

Thanks!

I'm in the same boat you are. I scored 57% N and 43 % S. So I have both tendancies, as I think you do. However, from what you wrote, I think you are more N than S. You like puzzles and solving problems. Nowhere did you mention traditions or expressing a need for security. Maybe you are thinking your interest in history = s. But I think it is the abstract quest for information about things past that you are interested in, definitely a N trait. I too was going to study history, but changed it later to something more practical. The fact that you like standing out could signal a need for recognition, an F trait. Remember that most people are clearly one temperment. We all have sides that are more or less developed. The older you get the more you develop other traits i.e. sensitivity, creativity, etc. Don't try to pigeonhole yourself into a rigid stereotype. I'm an INTJ who needs peace and security (protector) and likes helping others. And I'm a cop to boot. Kinda strange, huh?

I have a 50/50 N/S split as well. I agree with socalmtb858, you sound like you're more N than S from your list. Choosing is a matter of what your preference is, no matter how slight.

Originally Posted by vsound

[*]I drive a brand new 2010 Camaro (yellow and black). I like standing out. I'm not comfortable blending in with the crowd. [/LIST]

This does not sound like an ISTJ as they do not like to draw attention to themselves.

Originally Posted by socalmtb858

I'm in the same boat you are. I scored 57% N and 43 % S. So I have both tendancies, as I think you do. However, from what you wrote, I think you are more N than S. You like puzzles and solving problems. Nowhere did you mention traditions or expressing a need for security. Maybe you are thinking your interest in history = s. But I think it is the abstract quest for information about things past that you are interested in, definitely a N trait. I too was going to study history, but changed it later to something more practical. The fact that you like standing out could signal a need for recognition, an F trait. Remember that most people are clearly one temperment. We all have sides that are more or less developed. The older you get the more you develop other traits i.e. sensitivity, creativity, etc. Don't try to pigeonhole yourself into a rigid stereotype. I'm an INTJ who needs peace and security (protector) and likes helping others. And I'm a cop to boot. Kinda strange, huh?

Thanks for your response!

On practicality:
When I decided against becoming a lawyer or professor, I felt that was very practical. For one, the idea of accumulating that much debt to go to a good law school scared me. I also felt that spending four more years to become a professor was illogical in that it is so hard to get hired with a PhD now. I wanted to stay close to my family and bank on a safer career path, which is why I decided to settle down and take up 7-12 Education.

Also, I guess staying in a long-distance relationship isn't the most practical thing to do, but it made perfect sense in my head, and I still feel secure with my choice of partner.

On standing out:
I have always sort of stood out anyway due to my build (I'm 6'2" and 135 lbs), so I grew up being very self conscious of how I look. Since I couldn't easily fit into the typical masculine role, I decided to take lemons and make lemonade. I got interested in fashion not because I wanted to stand out, but that I really wanted clothes that would fit () and that usually meant going to more high end stores. So, I'm not interested in fashion in a Paris runway type of sense, but I do like wearing nice things that fit and make me look professional. Perhaps a better way to say it is that I'm very critical of how I look.

As for the car, the yellow and black is nice, but almost too much. I may switch to black next time.

Again, thanks for your input. It's always nice to have an opinion from the outside.

Best way to determine your own type is to read about the cognitive functions that support your 4 letters in more detail. Then see which functions you can best relate to. My perception is that you're more S than N.

The main difference between ISTJs and INTJs is that ISTJs are dominant in introverted sensing and INTJs are dominant in introverted intuition. So if you go to this website and read about these two cognitive functions you will find yourself relating more to one description over another: Function Attitude

Test is rather inaccurate so sometimes people horribly mis-type themselves. Usually it points you somewhere in the right direction. But there are always a few cases where it completely misses. For example there was a poster here not long ago trying to type his mother. She answered questions as if she is ENTP but in reality was ISTJ - so she only got one letter determined right by the test.

Some other good websites to reference:
ENFP Beginners Guide
MBTI Personality Type Dynamics
http://player2000gi.host-ed.net/jungian_functions.htm

Originally Posted by vel

Best way to determine your own type is to read about the cognitive functions that support your 4 letters in more detail. Then see which functions you can best relate to. My perception is that you're more S than N.

The main difference between ISTJs and INTJs is that ISTJs are dominant in introverted sensing and INTJs are dominant in introverted intuition. So if you go to this website and read about these two cognitive functions you will find yourself relating more to one description over another.

Test is rather inaccurate so sometimes people horribly mis-type themselves. Usually it points you somewhere in the right direction. But there are always a few cases where it completely misses. For example there was a poster here not long ago trying to type his mother. She answered questions as if she is ENTP but in reality was ISTJ - so she only got one letter determined right by the test.

Thanks!

Having read through your references, I can see both in my personality still. I really don't think the tests are very far off when they put me on the border between the two. For example, I feel that I am more ISTJ with family and very important decisions, but in day-to-day life I feel that I tend to sway towards INTJ.

I'm going to go with InTJ. Thanks again for the readings and taking the time to respond.