# Pros and Cons of knowing your MBTI Type



## sportsentertainmentfan (Jan 7, 2013)

It has been said that "knowledge is power" but it has also been said that "ignorance is bliss".

With that in mind, what are the pros and cons of knowing your MBTI Type versus not knowing your type at all?


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## Wartime Consigliere (Feb 8, 2011)

Here's one con to get it started:
The weaknesses of MBTI types can very easily be self-fulfilling prophecies that weren't initially true about you as an individual before you had knowledge of the common traits of your type.


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## Elaine (Sep 1, 2012)

Pros - It's easier to improve yourself when you know your weaknesses. You can also focus on your strengths and make them a bigger part of your life/career.

Cons - Being complacent with your weaknesses because that's what your MBTI type is like, or letting them become self-fulfilling prophecies (as the previous post mentioned). Assuming you have strengths that you really haven't developed yet.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

Pro: Perceivers can use their type to justify never cleaning their room.

Con: When Judgers find out their type, they have to go clean their room. And keep it clean.


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## Ellis Bell (Mar 16, 2012)

Pro: it can help you figure out your strengths, as well as what you need to work on. It can help you be more aware of other people and why they are the way they are, too.

Cons: people use typology as an excuse for behaving badly. Can make people try to fit inside a predetermined box. 

It's better to not know your type than to insist you must be a certain type, just because you want to be that way.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

Pro: it helps you see that nobody's better or worse than anyone else, we're all just different

Con: you can google what type your soul mate should be, and then when the internet says you should marry an ISFJ, and you realize your fiancee is an INFJ, you'll dump them and miss out on true love :'(


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## Tula13 (Dec 2, 2012)

Raichu said:


> Pro: it helps you see that nobody's better or worse than anyone else, we're all just different
> 
> Con: you can google what type your soul mate should be, and then when the internet says you should marry an ISFJ, and you realize your fiancee is an INFJ, you'll dump them and miss out on true love :'(


If you kept googling you'd find socionics which says INFJ is your dual.


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## Tula13 (Dec 2, 2012)

Pros: Makes it easier to communicate with others once you realize how they think is not how you think.

Cons: Can lead to giving yourself or others a pass because "that's just they way they are/I am." Can also lead to putting people in boxes and over-analyzing behavior and trying to explain everything in terms of Meyers Briggs.


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## Raichu (Aug 24, 2012)

Tula13 said:


> If you kept googling you'd find socionics which says INFJ is your dual.


Oh man, I wasn't even thinking about that. I just picked a random type, and then another that was close.

Pro: conversation starter

Con: it'll only start conversations with MBTI nerds


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## Poetic_Anarchy (Aug 13, 2012)

Raichu said:


> Pro: conversation starter
> 
> Con: it'll only start conversations with MBTI nerds


I relate to this.


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## Almighty Malachi (Jan 4, 2013)

Pro: If you're an open-minded person, it can you help you learn a thing or two about yourself, and maybe other people too.

Con: If you're not an open-minded person, it can lead to you twisting the theory to fit your own prejudices, stereotypes, and existing worldview. Plus the "acting like the type because you think you're supposed to" that other people already mentioned.


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## Le9acyMuse (Mar 12, 2010)

*Knowing*:

Pros - being able to predict yourself (certain behaviors) is a powerful source of self-realization, and reflecting.

Cons - becoming aware of, overwhelmed, and/or sucked in by certain realities, such as the very real animosity held by people against other people for processing in certain ways. Example:

S: you dawdle, and over-think! it's much simpler than you're making it right now.
N: you're too caught up in comfort zones! your overconfidence is what's simplistic.
:dry:

* Not Knowing*:

Pros - You'd be free of MBTI's cognitive bias. Supposedly, the less people stereotype others, the better. Until one learns something the right way, shortcuts may be taken, causing one to stereotype based on a perceived pattern (and I doubt most people thoughtfully study theories of personality).

Cons - Doing pretty much what the "Knowing" Cons' input states, but with deeper misunderstandings about human perception and judgment. "Why can't everyone think more like I do? I'm only trying to help them..."


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## einsteinlyk (Jan 22, 2013)

pros : u become more forgiving of peoples faults ,, and you understand people and how they work better.cons:itz a little too boxed to catergorize people into sixteen little boxes.Thera are definitely outliers who wish to be balanced throughout and possess the good qualities of each temperament.


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## DaRick (Jan 24, 2013)

Pros:
- If you're a J, it is probably best that you have your MBTI type nailed down so that you're not constantly searching for a personality type that fits you best.
- You may gain a greater understanding of why you gelled with some people better than others.
- It can theoretically help you optimise your relationships by helping you to get together with types you _know_ you like 

Cons:
- You can buy into the persona of whatever type you happen to be, so you don't grow and develop as an individual by overcoming weaknesses caused by your inferior function
- You may even take pride in some of your type's weaknesses, because they distinguish you as a person from others - provided that you're an individualist
- The MBTI is a rather broad tool for analysing personalities - it is possible to lose sight of the fact that in the end, the MBTI is just an indicator as to your real personality


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## nematome (Jan 31, 2013)

Pro: I always turn to the MBTI whenever I'm working with someone with whom I'm struggling in some way, and it almost always helps me to be more understanding and/or accepting.

Con: Not everyone knows what it is, and it's not a quick thing to explain without someone thinking, "Oh it's another one of those 'tests' to 'pigeon hole' you."


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## Inveniet (Aug 21, 2009)

Pros:
I don't look ignorant on this forum by having unknown under my nick.

I get to feel superior to everyone else I don't understand.

I can blame all my hangups on some really good theories.

Cons:
People understand me.

I'm not a special snowflake anymore.

I understand myself.


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## Sporadic Aura (Sep 13, 2009)

Pro: Gaining a better understand of yourself and others.

Con: Having to fight against your _type_ becoming your_ indentity_.


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## Acerbusvenator (Apr 12, 2011)

Pros: Self-development, relationship development etc. even better when a group of people know their MBTI type. 
Might decrease fear of someone knowing you better than you know yourself, more understanding of other people.

Cons (mostly due to lack of knowledge): Stereotyping, typism, self-fulfilling prophesies, imaginative "box" (act like expected of the personality type), insecurity around people who knows your type and typology better than you, us vs them, "either you agree with me or you are miss-typed", fear of being wrong, fear of someone knowing you better than you know yourself.



Mixed in a little of different aspects in there. Really can't think of many good things for it other than knowing yourself and others better, but I guess our willingness to know our type is based on our will to understand ourselves and others. If that doesn't interest you then it's best not even knowing about typology to begin with.


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## Sixty Nein (Feb 13, 2011)

Pros: It's fun to type people that I know, because it amuses me. I understand why I'm such an awkward spaz. Generally helped me introspect instead of being into fantasy land all the damn time

Cons: I spin my mind to the point where my brain just explodes. Occasionally getting utterly livid at people who do things that I don't perceive to be the "right" way, and getting overly emotional about it. Taking this shit way too seriously, and trying to come off as not caring to protect my ego. Hating my own type, because everyone seems to think that Si-Fe = conservatism, and generally feeling that your own dominant function is misrepresented. Despite the fact that I am certainly willing to try new things.

Though most of that is related to Jungian type. I'd never score as an ISFJ in an MBTI test. lol. Even then. I'm not 100% on ISFJ being my type anyways. I certainly prefer to use sensation and thinking though! Even if I am 100% on me being Ti-Fe.


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## Dauntless (Nov 3, 2010)

I felt overwhelming, overpowering relief. No down side here.


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