# Am I an Introvert or Extrovert?



## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

Yeah, this is a good one for me---> :bored: and it should be called "confused" rather than "bored." I took the second link as being a test of my need for right- or left-brained thinking.

I asked someone on another thread, who seems pretty knowledgeable, to guess at my type, so I'd be interested in the answer if they're willing to do so. I might also fill out a questionnaire and start a thread. If I can't get an ah ha moment after those steps, I'll just say I'm exxP, a generalist whose MBTI type was lost early on.

Anyone can have an idea about any particular type, then see those types in real life. But are they correct? Maybe what they call Ne is sometimes an Se with strong Ni. When people try to type celebrities, even if there are videos with hours of that particular celebrity being interviewed, posters come up with a large variety of guesses. Even so, I hope at some point there might be a direction that people seem to be headed with my type, or some kind of clarity on others' or my part that's hard to ignore.


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

Edit: Lots of links, no need to read them all. As in the song "Life's Been Good," by Joe Walsh: "I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime." 

@idoh, I was reading the thread "ESFP or ENFP?" and I'd been grabbed by and made up a story about the same picture you chose:

Lofoten Sunset | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I read through the following thread:

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/172154-cognitive-functions-art-how-relates.html

I don't know how true it is that Ni's and Ne's tastes in art are different, but I clearly preferred "Ne" art. Also, I did a couple posts on the following thread, wondering about the descriptions of Se and Ne:

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/174136-help-me-understand-ne-vs-se-4.html#post4506475

So here's what immediately came to mind when I saw the rock picture I linked above: The large rock caught my attention. At first I thought it had fallen off a cliff or mountain and was on a long journey to the water. Then I thought, from the way it seemed to be leaning to the right, maybe it started in the water but that didn't feel like home so it was leaving the other rocks behind to find its own destiny. Then I thought that if it had fallen from a cliff, it might appear to take a very long time to finally make it to the water, but if time were speeded up it might look as if it hopped right off the cliff, bounced a little then jumped into the water. Then I wondered if there was any chance what I read was true, that everything is alive in a certain sense. What is alive? What is consciousness? If a microscope traces down to the smallest particle/energy, no life/consciousness can be seen, there's just a jump from an alive body to molecules and atoms, so could a rock have a slower consciousness than a human? My train of thought reminded me of @Pelopra's post about pillowcases:

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/174136-help-me-understand-ne-vs-se-4.html#post4506188

I don't always think that way, which confuses things. I'm more likely to look at a picture and be caught up in the beauty or atmosphere. This sounds like me:



> Many ISTPs and INTPs have a passion for challenging but primarily solitary physical activities.They may be avid mountain or rock climbers and serious hikers or backpackers.*They describe having a deep emotional and spiritual reaction to wilderness experiences and their oneness with the universe. The mountain, trail, or rock can become the “other” in their experience of intense feeling.
> *
> One INTP mountain climber writes emotionally evocative poetry describing his reactions to his climbing experiences.An ISTP police lieutenant loves listening to music of the Romantic era, especially Wagner. Another ISTP enjoys reading romance novels and an INTP reads spiritual literature. Another INTP covers both auxiliary Sensing and inferior Feeling in her relaxation activities. She described her pleasure in a “sensory trip” to a nearby small town, where she quickly checks out the bookstore, listens to music, sits in the park, eats ice cream, and reflects on the week. She also engages in deep conversation with an ESFJ friend and makes special cards to express her appreciation or love to special people.


http://personalitycafe.com/intp-articles/76783-recognizing-inferior-function-intp.html

I might be E, but other than preferring to be in nature with another/others, that could describe me, especially the bolded. Maybe what I'm seeing is S and F when I engage in my tert and inf for relaxation. Either that or I'm engaging in N and T for relaxation.


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## idoh (Oct 24, 2013)

Suzanne said:


> Edit: Lots of links, no need to read them all. As in the song "Life's Been Good," by Joe Walsh: "I'm just looking for clues at the scene of the crime."
> 
> @_idoh_, I was reading the thread "ESFP or ENFP?" and I'd been grabbed by and made up a story about the same picture you chose:
> 
> ...


wow at that trail of thought o-o 

well i think we like the picture for different reasons. but i just noticed what you said about that rock, and now you've got me curious too. i am kind of lost though... do you have any idea what your dominant function could be? 
read this
Really Me
skip to the end where they talk about how the dominant functions play out in personality types. i remember the only one i could relate to/understand was Fi dominant


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

idoh said:


> wow at that trail of thought o-o
> 
> well i think we like the picture for different reasons. but i just noticed what you said about that rock, and now you've got me curious too. i am kind of lost though... do you have any idea what your dominant function could be?
> read this
> ...


I didn't know the book was on the internet lol. I just ordered it a month ago and haven't had time to read it. I'll report back if I find out anything.

I make up quick stories that are there then gone, which I put in the "silly" category, but they do typically bring up questions I'd like to have answered. Like this one:

Something Warmer | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

A cottonwood, and maybe some pine trees, like in California? Or firs, with the silver bark, maybe Canada since I don't recognize them? And what type of animal might walk out of the woods if I watch the picture long enough?

If anyone can spot their own pattern of thinking in what I've written, please tell me what type you are.


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## FakeLefty (Aug 19, 2013)

Does the interaction with the outer world, whether it be people, nature, etc. give you energy, or at least can you withstand it for a long time without feeling drained?

Or do you feel refreshed after spending time by yourself and delving into your mind?


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

FakeLefty said:


> Does the interaction with the outer world, whether it be people, nature, etc. give you energy, or at least can you withstand it for a long time without feeling drained?
> 
> Or do you feel refreshed after spending time by yourself and delving into your mind?


I always get more energy from the outer world but for some reason I seem to fit between E and I in the way my E manifests, since I don't fit E descriptions well but need more stimulation and significantly less alone time than I's do.


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## FakeLefty (Aug 19, 2013)

Some extroverted types are more introverted than the others. For example, ENTPs and ENFPs are considered to be the most introverted extroverted types whereas ESTPs and ESFPs are considered to be the most extroverted extroverted types. 

Same thing with introverted types.


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

ESFP and ESTP descriptions don't fit me at all, one reason being that I'm nowhere near as "out there" as either type, since I'm more low key.

My purpose for being here, which I didn't sit down to figure out but realized after engaging in it for years, seems to be the study of new ideas, which I sum up and pass on, sometimes starting discussions to hammer out interesting points. The ideas can be either N oriented (have you tried this meditation/this personality typing method/this anything?) or S oriented (check out these new telemark skis/a new boat motor), or a combination, such as alternative nutrition (and many alternative topics become mainstream after a time). I don't feel drawn to "invent"/ENTP or "inspire"/ENFP, am rather somewhere in between or off to the side. My sense of myself is T, yet many people on forums say I'm clearly F.

I posted on the 3D Psyche thread, which pretty much sums up why I have MBTI typing issues and what I do with my life:

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/142053-sensing-vs-intuition-10.html#post4461944

And when I went to grab the link, I saw you'd posted after me. 

I might just go with ENFP on forums and be done with it lol.


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

One last post on this thread, then I'll let the official search for my MBTI type go, though I'll likely ask questions on other threads to try and figure out types and functions.

As part of my attempt to find my MBTI type, I read many descriptions and tried to apply best-fit type, and while I could see myself in bits of a few, nothing was close enough to satisfy the requirement of "best fit."

Then I tried functions, and Se/Ne and Ti/Fi seemed to be used equally, though I might not understand them well enough to know what my mind is doing, but then it seems functions confuse many people.

Next step, I asked people in real life and on the Internet what description/functions fit me best, and received a variety of answers, with real-life people more often choosing Ti, Internet people here and other places choosing Fi, in real life half being convinced I'm an Introvert, half that I'm an Extrovert.

I then decided to watch how people respond to me in real life, and it was an interesting experience that cleared up some confusion. F's respond to me as if I'm T, strong T's respond to me as if I'm F. I don't quite fit with N's, preferring "N" to "S" talk but still remaining on the fringes, an outsider visiting. I don't quite fit with Se's, again having the feeling of being outside looking in, choosing the "Se" life as a little more enjoyable overall but preferring discussions about meanings, patterns and possibilities to discussions about what is.

This might explain why I've gone through most of my life having fun in various areas, with many friends, but part of me not belonging where they are, observing but not being as caught up in whatever they're chasing after, a generalist in the midst of specialists. I equally enjoy discussing ideas as having the wind blow through my hair with the thrill of waterskiing or horseback riding or finding the exactly right tool for a particular purpose. I equally connect and analyze.

I saw in someone's signature, can't remember where, something along the lines of the more they study MBTI, the more confused about their type they become, and it seems I'm in that situation also.

Edit: I understand that a behavior can come from a variety of functions, but since I haven't been able to understand if I see the world through Ne or Se, Ti or Fi, the only other clue to functions has been to have both myself and others observe or be told about my behaviors and thought patterns and try to trace back where they're coming from.


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## Raawx (Oct 9, 2013)

Have you tried typing yourself in terms of functions?

CF Tests:
Jungian Cognitive Functions Test
Keys 2 Cognition - Cognitive Processes
Jungian Cognitive Function Quiz

Socionics Tests:
Socionics Type Assistant TURBO XL
Socionics Tests

(in socionics P's and J's are reveresed, ex: Socionics INTP = MBTI INTJ, Socionics ESTP = MBTI ESTJ etc.)


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## Suzanne (Dec 9, 2013)

*First test: ENTP*

Ne: 90%
Ti: 60%
Se: 55%
Fi: 50%
Ni: 45%
Fe: 30%
Te: 25%
Si: 20%

"40) I love indie rock." A different question. LOL

*Second test: ISTP, followed by ESTP then INTP*

Ti: 41.6
Se: 39.8
Fi: 37.7
Ne: 36.5
Ni: 30.1
Fe: 23
Si: 10.7
Te: 19.8

*Third test: ENTP, followed by INTP then ESTP*

Ne: 12.15
Ti: 9.15
Se: 7.94
Te: 6.16
Ni: 5.235
Fi: 5.17
Si: 2.77
Fe: 2.22

*Fourth test: ESFp*

*Fifth test: ILE-1Ne (ENTp)*

Other possible types with the fifth test:

IEE (ENFp): 75% as likely as ILE
SEE (ESFp): 57% as likely as ILE
ILI (INTp): 55% as likely as ILE


Interesting! I've taken the Keys2Cognition test more than once and Ne/Se/Ti/Fi are always some version of the top 4, as they are here (the ISTP score). As I may have said before, my inner sense of self is Ti, which is how I come across to people in real life maybe 60 percent of the time, maybe more. I also make decisions about people using Ti. But my typically more carefree personality seems more ExFP to me, so it's never been clear. If I am ENTP, it's a mild one and I've learned to harmonize, and though it's strong, it's probably at a more superficial level than F's would typically do. Also, if I am T, I don't always make decisions, just live in the fun of Ne (or Se), which likely comes across as more F than T, and I'm enthusiastic and animated which can also seem F, especially in a female.

Out of the 5 tests, 2 were Se, so I can't say for sure what my type is, but from taking the 5 tests right in a row and having to think about all the questions, my sense was that I feel more comfortable with N than S, loving to live in S but not being quite as proficient in that area, not quite aligning in some important ways, plus it's not easy to see if I'm expressing Se or Si while engaging in present-oriented sports. It's difficult though, because I live with a sense of anticipation and learning with regard to both N and S arenas -- I've never confined my interests to one or the other. I'm equally at home researching sports equipment to find the best system as I am researching theories, am thrilled more by S activities, but when I discuss, it pretty much has to be N or I'll quickly turn off or just not know what to say, how to join in. And when I "do" Se, such as backcountry skiing, I'm more into gear than helping people, which is against my spiritual beliefs, but there you go -- gear over people, lol.

Part of the reason I'm hesitant to say I'm T is that on forums, people are pretty sure I'm F. If how I make decisions with regard to people (personal relationships, psychology, philosophy, sociology, politics, etc.) is the only thing taken into account, I'm T, if my overall personality is taken into account, I might be F. I've found it somewhat strange that there's a "T" personality and an "F" personality in that if a person is somewhat blunt, rude and abrasive, they're likely to be T, if someone is "nice," thanks people and talks personally, they're likely F. There doesn't seem to be room for someone who makes T decisions but harmonizes afterwards, because the harmonizing seems to be a strong pointer to F and the type of decision making is given less priority, as if being personal and harmonizing takes priority over the type of decisions made and by themselves put someone in an F category. That almost seems to be the case with the official MBTI test, where I scored higher T than any other preference, yet I didn't necessarily fit in their description of ENTP, maybe slightly more ENFP judging by the way I live my life. If that's the case, that I should throw out test scores and how I make people-related decisions and only go by general personality characteristics, someone please set me straight and I'll call myself F.

I came across the following today, an ISTP who says he uses Fe more than a Ti typically would, which might be the situation I'm in:

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitiv...als-vs-ethics-ti-fe-vs-fi-te.html#post4501783

I've also seen INTJ's discuss their ethics and express upset over some aspect of the world, so discussing values, even emotionally, doesn't automatically put someone in the F category, though I don't often discuss values unless I'm dissecting them and foreseeing where they'll likely lead, and especially not in an emotional manner since I'm more comfortable with discussions that don't have a lot of emotion other than enthusiasm, since I'm never sure how to deal with emotions in others.

Okay, end of my upsets with typing.


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