# Question for dominant N types (aka INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, ENFP)...



## thegirlcandance (Jul 29, 2009)

I have a question for all types that are dominant Ni or Ne (INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, or ENFP)....

I asked this on the INFJ forum already to check if I was the only one and I just wanted to see if this is prevalent among other dominant N types as well because we seem to always be taking in so much from others.

Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


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## dalsgaard (Aug 14, 2010)

Yes, but it happens only on rare occasions. I learned to avoid this as a young child when the big guys would beat me up because "What the fuck are you looking at?". Now I just stare at the ground. :sad:


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## Tuttle (Oct 30, 2009)

Yes. People-watching is one of my favorite hobbies.  I try not to be creepy about it but there are times I don't even realize I'm doing it.


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## Vaka (Feb 26, 2010)

I tend to observe people a lot because I find humans endlessly fascinating. I've always had a habit of trying to imagine what people are thinking or how they're looking at things...either physically or mentally.
But actually, I don't really do it excessively lol


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## ENTrePenuer (Jun 12, 2010)

thegirlcandance said:


> I have a question for all types that are dominant Ni or Ne (INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, or ENFP)....
> 
> I asked this on the INFJ forum already to check if I was the only one and I just wanted to see if this is prevalent among other dominant N types as well because we seem to always be taking in so much from others.
> 
> Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


sometimes.


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## chronusx (Aug 17, 2010)

I do that a lot. Often times it'll be because I'll be studying the people in the room and other times, I'll be thinking about how boring the people are and what I'd love to do to everyone in the room and will catch myself staring.


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## Danse Macabre (Oct 30, 2009)

*I people watch a lot. My ENTP friend and I go out specifically to do it xD I love watching people in the cars when they come through the drive thru at work before they have their orders taken. 

I'm a creepy creep =O*


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## Abstract Essence (Apr 22, 2010)

Yes, this is why sun glasses are one of the greatest inventions of all time!


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## Essay (Oct 13, 2009)

I don't stare; that would be rude! I listen. :tongue:


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## yesiknowbut (Oct 25, 2009)

Yes. Not to a point of rudeness, but I like people-watching, and my oldest friend, who is ENFJ (not sure if that's relevant) has always described me as a watcher.

{NT mode} of course this observation will be useless unless you can ask all of the other types and establish that they don't do this so much. (/NT mode}


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## alanv (Aug 29, 2009)

I do stare a lot, especially when someone has sparked my interest. When they interest me, I become fascinated, regardless of whether they are annoying or cool. I just have to know what makes them tick. It is rude, but I get too caught up in the moment to realize that.

Example: You know that person who talks loudly and believes that they have an imaginary audience? They always get my stare, I try to tie their other traits with the stereotype of the imaginary audience guy.


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## zephryi (Aug 17, 2010)

My friend who is Ne dominant constantly says that she is always aware of people around her, and she can't help but pay attention to them, even when she doesn't want to. I find myself staring at people at work when they are talking (boredom is not fun...), but otherwise I ignore people very easily, just to give an outsider's thoughts...


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## Monte (Feb 17, 2010)

Indeed~

I make up life stories and conversations and thoughts for those who catch my interests. They basically become characters in my mental movies.


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## ThinkerNinja (Mar 21, 2010)

Yes, but only sometimes. But if I'm going to watch someone, I pretend I'm not looking in their direction to ensure I don't look creepy.


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## jbking (Jun 4, 2010)

*Hhhmmm.....*

I observe my surroundings which can include keeping an eye on people. I may stare in some rare circumstances like if someone wears something that makes me go, "Whoa, they wore that?!?!?!" as generally it is just a stream of data that I take in on a regular basis of what my eyes see and pass that along to parts of my mind to process what is going on around me.


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## no strings attached (May 19, 2010)

I would just stare at someone for no specific reason and then BAM! EYES MEET. I used to just try and pretend that I was looking at something else around them lol. Nowadays if they catch my eye, I would give them an eyebrow lift or a smile and proceed on with whatever I was upto. 
I only feel like a dick when my eyebrow life/smile gets bounced. I burst out laughing in public when it happens occasionally, making myself look extra retarded haha


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## dagnytaggart (Jun 6, 2010)

no strings attached said:


> I would just stare at someone for no specific reason and then BAM! EYES MEET. I used to just try and pretend that I was looking at something else around them lol. Nowadays if they catch my eye, I would give them an eyebrow lift or a smile and proceed on with whatever I was upto.
> I only feel like a dick when my eyebrow life/smile gets bounced. I burst out laughing in public when it happens occasionally, making myself look extra retarded haha


lol! I'd definitely do it back to you sarcastically, just to make a point, but if you laughed I probably would too. :crazy:

But...

{SJ NAG} You should do that avoidant thing you used to do. If you do that eyebrow raise, you probably come off as a pompous dick or to the opposite sex, a sex offender stalking prey. {/SJ}


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## dagnytaggart (Jun 6, 2010)

I'm always rather aware of what I'm doing, so I don't "catch" myself staring ... I do it on purpose. Without being obvious about it. Noisy or oddly dressed people obviously want an audience, which I'm only too happy to be.

I also observe very attractive or intriguing humans. But it's hard to resist staring at fat people, midgets, or the crazies. I do resist though, so I don't blatantly reveal my lack of common decency. Shit, I really DO sound like an SJ. (I'm on vacation with an ESTJ, who insists on doing *everyfuckingthing* together. I'm being unfairly influenced.)

When I stare, I try to look a bit from the side while wearing sunglasses. IT NEVER WORKS. They catch me, I can tell bc they look at ME.


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## Immemorial (May 16, 2010)

No I don't. If I did then they might come up and try and talk to me.


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## no strings attached (May 19, 2010)

God said:


> lol! I'd definitely do it back to you sarcastically, just to make a point, but if you laughed I probably would too. :crazy:
> 
> But...
> 
> {SJ NAG} You should do that avoidant thing you used to do. If you do that eyebrow raise, you probably come off as a pompous dick or to the opposite sex, a sex offender stalking prey. {/SJ}


LOL if you did it back to me sarcastically, it'll probably induce my "giggle uncontrollably with my head pushed backwards" mode. The thought of a stranger bold enough to give a sarcastic one back would just seem cute really. In New Zealand the eyebrow lift is accepted as a simple greetings gesture. I don't think I would do it to anyone outside of NZ, unless I feel like expressing my sex offender side. roud:


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## Lullaby (Jul 21, 2010)

I agree with Lara that humans in general are fascinating to me. The little things they do, their mannerisms, voices, gestures, interactions - I can watch them for hours and never get bored. I get pretty detached once I enter the observation mode, though, and I feel like something different from the people I'm watching. Like I'm not a sentient being anymore, but rather a collection of people's reflections. Hard to explain...

I often wonder who these people are, where they're going and why, what sort of life they live... It also depends on what's interesting to me at the moment, though. If my mind is occupied with a book, I wonder if the people I'm looking at have read it, whether they would like it or not, etc.. I've been trying to type people recently, and having tons of fun while I'm at it.


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## Tridentus (Dec 14, 2009)

i do do this, but not often as my life is much more fun than watching someone else's. it's like watching your friend play a video game and actually playing it yourself- i do it occasionally but mostly it's a waste of time.


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## spook (Dec 16, 2009)

Why do you think it's an N dom thing? Maybe we are intuitively drawn to the process of looking out for little clues which make up a theoretical picture of people and their relation to society... I enjoy entertaining what if scenarios about their life and personality based on subtle signals and meanings I pick up... This is also done more extensively if I get to observe the same acquaintances over a long period of time. Seems like it might naturally feed us more perceptive stimulation, although ofc there are times when people bore me out of my brains. For mundane small talk, I feel better when observing strangers whom I'm never going to see again. I naturally fall into this snooping role, being detached from engaging in most social situations. It adds to my cynical mental database of "what most people are like" ahah. I'm sneaky and rarely make it obvious that I'm staring though. I strategically sit near people who seem the most interesting without them knowing I exist let alone have an agenda  It makes me feel worse though when I catch myself feeling like a wallflower wanting to engage in convo, but it would be too awkward to. It would be fun to have another N dom friend who I can go human hunting with !


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## Narrator (Oct 11, 2009)

I don't think people watching in itself is solely an N thing, Zoning out while people watching possibly is.


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## Judas (Aug 11, 2010)

Lara Croft said:


> I tend to observe people a lot because I find humans endlessly fascinating. I've always had a habit of trying to imagine what people are thinking or how they're looking at things...either physically or mentally.
> But actually, I don't really do it excessively lol


This. When i was younger i zoned out a lot more looking at peoples faces, to the point i noticed them becoming uncomfortable with it.


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## Filo (Aug 11, 2010)

No. Why not look at something interesting, like the pavement?


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## Miss Scarlet (Jul 26, 2010)

Nope, I am normally fully aware that I do it, and don't daze off.


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## zerogravity (Aug 21, 2010)

Yeah, not that often though. I stare at random people I don't even know when I feel really bored. hmm..


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## INXX (Jul 14, 2010)

no strings attached said:


> I would just stare at someone for no specific reason and then BAM! EYES MEET. I used to just try and pretend that I was looking at something else around them lol. Nowadays if they catch my eye, I would give them an eyebrow lift or a smile and proceed on with whatever I was upto.
> I only feel like a dick when my eyebrow life/smile gets bounced. I burst out laughing in public when it happens occasionally, making myself look extra retarded haha


Wow, I can relate to this. :happy:


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

thegirlcandance said:


> I have a question for all types that are dominant Ni or Ne (INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, or ENFP)....
> 
> I asked this on the INFJ forum already to check if I was the only one and I just wanted to see if this is prevalent among other dominant N types as well because we seem to always be taking in so much from others.
> 
> Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


I sometimes, I'll be staring at a person trying to analyze them, or sometimes I won't even be trying to stare at a person at all; I'll just be daydreaming and zoned out and will just coincidently happen to be staring at them. Anyway, the side effects of this aren't good, people have told me, "That I'm rude for staring". In addition, I've heard, "Hey man, I was unaware that I was putting on a show". Oh, I've even gotten in fist fights with these wanna-be gangsta guys for this. The dude said, "You were disrespectin' me dogg! You was mean-muggin!" Mean muggin if you didn't already know is slang for giving someone a dirty look that conveys a message that you want to fight them. Staring is a huge problem for me.


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## thegirlcandance (Jul 29, 2009)

spook said:


> Why do you think it's an N dom thing? Maybe we are intuitively drawn to the process of looking out for little clues which make up a theoretical picture of people and their relation to society... I enjoy entertaining what if scenarios about their life and personality based on subtle signals and meanings I pick up... This is also done more extensively if I get to observe the same acquaintances over a long period of time. Seems like it might naturally feed us more perceptive stimulation, although ofc there are times when people bore me out of my brains. For mundane small talk, I feel better when observing strangers whom I'm never going to see again. I naturally fall into this snooping role, being detached from engaging in most social situations. It adds to my cynical mental database of "what most people are like" ahah. I'm sneaky and rarely make it obvious that I'm staring though. I strategically sit near people who seem the most interesting without them knowing I exist let alone have an agenda  It makes me feel worse though when I catch myself feeling like a wallflower wanting to engage in convo, but it would be too awkward to. It would be fun to have another N dom friend who I can go human hunting with !


I have just noticed this true with myself and have seen it common with other dominant N types that I've known... or friends of that dominant N type would comment that that person does that.

I know its not as likely with dominant Fe types because I've heard people of this type comment on how they don't want to be "rude" by staring at someone... but yet, thats the nature of Fe to not want to go against what is "right" according to society.

The dominant Se types will certainly watch, but I don't catch them "staring". They're just taking in all of the mannerisms of people and interpreting them. Its like I can "feel" them reading me during the conversation at times.

I don't know about those with the other dominant functions. Those are just two other than the N's that I've noticed so far.


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## killerB (Jan 14, 2010)

Yes, I used to do it all the time. Now, I focus on other things and zone out on that instead. I finally learned this trick after I offended several people. They thought I was bored and such. Sometimes, my wife even asks me "did you hear what I just said?" because I have this zoned out look on my face. Thank God she's an INTJ, because she finds no offense in it and just repeats herself and does not get upset. 

My boss who is also INTJ, told me that whenever he askes me a question he builds in a pause at the end of it, because I just look so confused and not there before I actually answer him! LOL


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## MilkyWay132 (Jul 15, 2010)

I'm not a dominant N type, but I catch my self doing it all time. People frequently tell me that I stare at them, but I can't help it! :blushed:


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

Vilen said:


> i zoned out a lot more looking at peoples faces, to the point i noticed them becoming uncomfortable with it.


I still do this, good to know by this thread I'm not the only one who this happens to. It's not that I'm doing it on purpose but something must draw my eyes in their direction then I space out and sometimes they're looking at me like "what's your problem?" and I just look away really fast and don't know where to look after that because I'm afraid to accidentally or purposely stare at someone.


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## lirulin (Apr 16, 2010)

No. At least I don't think so. That would require being aware of reality. But my eyes may end up on someones face without my noticing or caring. But not that often, I would think. And usually I have a book with me anyway. Even when I'm walking places there is a book in front of my face. I just don't....care about the outside world, I guess.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

killerB said:


> Yes, I used to do it all the time. Now, I focus on other things and zone out on that instead. I finally learned this trick after I offended several people. They thought I was bored and such. Sometimes, my wife even asks me "did you hear what I just said?" because I have this zoned out look on my face. Thank God she's an INTJ, because she finds no offense in it and just repeats herself and does not get upset.
> 
> My boss who is also INTJ, told me that whenever he askes me a question he builds in a pause at the end of it, because I just look so confused and not there before I actually answer him! LOL


I can completely relate to this. I am the same way


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## Sara Torailles (Dec 14, 2010)

thegirlcandance said:


> I have a question for all types that are dominant Ni or Ne (INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, or ENFP)....
> 
> I asked this on the INFJ forum already to check if I was the only one and I just wanted to see if this is prevalent among other dominant N types as well because we seem to always be taking in so much from others.
> 
> Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


Yeah, I remember... I used to remember having some habit of staring at people in elementary school. This girl told me off about it... If I remember her correctly, she was kind of a jerk, anyway. Good riddance.


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## talvikki (Mar 27, 2011)

Abstract Essence said:


> Yes, this is why sun glasses are one of the greatest inventions of all time!


I second this.


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## The Great One (Apr 19, 2010)

thegirlcandance said:


> I have a question for all types that are dominant Ni or Ne (INFJ, INTJ, ENTP, or ENFP)....
> 
> I asked this on the INFJ forum already to check if I was the only one and I just wanted to see if this is prevalent among other dominant N types as well because we seem to always be taking in so much from others.
> 
> Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


lol, I constantly catch myself staring at people and trying to analyze them. People tell me that i am constantly zoning out into outerspace. LOL the people at my last job thought that I was "fucked up".


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## ytisibrsk (May 24, 2011)

I give people friendly looks, and a surprising number look friendly back. Some of them look snooty and sour back, and I feel sorry for them, like who urinated in your cornflakes, hun? If I'm in a really good mood, smiling as I walk down the street, lots of people smile at me. I think the friendliness it's done with has a lot to do with how it's taken, the bounce in your step, etc. In big crowds there isn't enough time. Usually the eyes click away at about 12 or 15 feet away. I bet whether you're in the West or the East of N. America has a lot more to do with it than mbti type. Zoning out and finding myself staring at someone? Naw... not since I was a kid in school, where I was bored out of my tree and there wasn't much else to look at but other students, and where they were stuck in the same desk, same as me. I like making eye contact. The friendly looks you get, little conversations you sometimes strike up, it's nice, like little pats on the head. I generally like people. I don't do it to skinhead types, or hung-over looking crusty guys, but old ladies really appreciate a smile.


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## sitodocambia (Nov 14, 2011)

MoonRabbit said:


> The staring is not the problem. The problem is when others notice that I stare.
> The usual 'what are you looking at?' and 'stop looking! I can't stand your eyes on me' following are not nice.
> But I have to look at them, don't I? I sometimes wondered if there is something wrong with my eyes, that people are so bothered.


That happens to me all the time. I try not to stare as much, and I've gotten much better at it, but sometimes I wonder "what do they want me to stare at, the wall" because I always end up having to stare at something when my mind wanders.


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## Aelthwyn (Oct 27, 2010)

Auxiliary Ne here..... I'm definately not much of a people watcher, but somtimes I will stare at someone's face or clothes if they happen to catch my interest. In those cases I can somtimes feel like my eyes are rivited to them even though I realise it probably seems rude, and I always hope they understand that I'm not criticizing them in my head, I'm just taking it all in.


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## traceur (Jan 19, 2012)

sometimes. but except when its combined with listening to them, i often don't think about the people i am staring at.

for example noticing a woman with a leather wallet, i might think that if tissue cloning got good enough and became commercially availble to non medical uses, the entire cultural stereotype against leather and furr and maybe even ivory could disolve, and poachers in africa might have a much easier time selling what they get on the free market, and whether that would accelerate mass extinctions or encourage african villages to cultivate such species in order to create a sustainable lasting economy...

and the whole time i will be staring at her purse.


i guess one thing about being 6'4 is that some habits never get beaten out of you


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## kelar (Nov 30, 2011)

I don't _stare _at people, but like others here, I like to listen and watch people when I have free time haha. 
Maybe it is an intuition thing, but I would so much rather like to talk to someone in person than say, over the phone or something, because the expression through the physical body speaks so much haha. Even if you don't know the person you are watching...


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## alcaatwork (Jun 12, 2011)

I think that this "zoning out" thing is correlated with scoring high in:
1) (not strictly) Right-brained functioning, and at the same time:
2) Scoring high in Myers-Briggs iNtuition


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## alcaatwork (Jun 12, 2011)

Also, you may want to research "Alpha mind" or "Alpha brain waves"


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## alcaatwork (Jun 12, 2011)

Is there is a cognitive function/process called "intuition"?


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## Vermillion (Jan 22, 2012)

It's happened a few times. I love finding out more about people, but I'm generally too much in my own head to actually bother staring at someone for too long.


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## alcaatwork (Jun 12, 2011)

In the theory of Multiple Intelligences:
1) People who score high in Int*RA*personal intelligence may "zone out" when they are thinking inwardly about themselves.
2) People who score high on Visual/Spatial intelligence are associated with daydreaming.


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## D23623d (Feb 10, 2012)

I stare often, but only when I'm totally sure that nobody will notice me staring.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the OP asking about zoning out while accidentally staring at people? Not people-watching. I don't see why observing people would be an N thing at all (maybe Fe?), but zoning out might be.

I often put up a bubble around myself which one needs to approach with a needle to break.


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## EMoJination (Jan 24, 2012)

Not really. I usually see others staring at me. IDKY. Im not even doing anything special


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## zekzar (Jul 9, 2017)

I have had problems with this in the past.
I'll be completely zoned out and almost fully unaware of what's going on around me, and I'll realize that I had been staring at some girls ass for about twelve minutes straight. Sometimes I wouldn't get very good responses from it.
So usually if I find myself zoning out, I'll make sure I'm looking at something neutral. Like an empty chair or wall.
But I catch myself staring at a lot of things. I only stare when I'm zoned out though. Very rarely will you see me staring at something just to look at it. If you see me just blankly staring at something, I'm probably thinking about something completely irrelevant to any and all conversation going on around me.
Then comes people watching. When I people watch, I take short glances. I don't stare. That's weird. I can't do that. My eyes are constantly moving from one thing to another, sometimes coming back to the subject for new information about it. I'll usually stick to listening to the person rather than looking at them. I'll memorize their voice and speech patterns and think about things from there. If I need to, I'll look at them, but not for long. The only time I stare at someone is when I'm trying to learn their body language. Which I can usually catch onto pretty quickly, so even then I'm not staring too long.


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## Kaioken (Mar 4, 2017)

Yes, I think it happens when I'm "curious", or maybe I'm simply physically attracted to the person. I don't think I zone out while looking at them tho.


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

thegirlcandance said:


> Do you ever catch yourself just staring at people? I know I myself try to hide it as much as possible, but there are times when I'm just watching them so much and/or just end up "zoning out" that I catch myself staring. :blushed: It's a little embarrassing, and I'm just wondering if its a dominant N thing to do.


I wish to stare at people alway(s) - I am curious in their movements / strange behavior(s). Too bad it can only be done discreetly. Not sure where my eyes _fixate _when I am "zoned," out - as I am zoned out -- although, I prefer to 'rest my eyes' on moving objects; or movements. Typically, this is another humanoid or something repetitive.


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## PiT (May 6, 2017)

It definitely happens to me, and it is always uncomfortable when the other person notices. I have learned to avoid looking at people when not necessary, so I can better avoid accidental staring.


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## ricericebaby (Aug 18, 2017)

I'm a people-watcher. I do sometimes zone out while gazing at a person, though. It doesn't happen all the time. Sometimes when it does happen and they notice and I realize it, I'll keep staring in their direction until they move, and keep my eyes where they had been so that it's readily apparent that I'm not simply staring at them - they just happened to be in the way of my stare. Sometimes I will shift it off to the side marginally though, if I think it's making them uncomfortable.


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## martinkunev (Mar 23, 2017)

It happens to me a lot. Sometimes accidentially, sometimes intentionally.

Sometimes I am just interested by what somebody is doing and want to watch. I like observing a lot.
Sometimes I see a beautiful girl and just enjoy watching her.

It could very well be an Ni thing.


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