# How subtype affects typing



## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

I came up with this after looking deeper into subtype theory, and I realized that there is a correlation between how people seem to perceive themselves or are perceived by others and how that relates to subtype. Let's for instance use myself as an example. I'm an ILI-Te or creative/contact subtype, and according to Meged and Ocharov, this means that much of my energy flows towards the external with focus on S and T as information elements as a whole. This is why people probably often seem to put me as an LSI.

Now compare to an ILI-Ni, whose metabolism flows inward towards more introversion, with a preference towards N and F as information elements. Quite often you also see that these ILIs might be mistaken for IEIs because their creative does not seem to be as clear, and there is a "softer" demeanor about them. 

Contrast this to myself, and how I'm very forceful in perhaps a bit of an as-is manner. 

So not people does this seem to affect our perception of type, but it also seems to affect our perception of self. Consider for instance SEE-Fi, who is going to have most of the metabolism flowing towards F and N. Clearly then, we indeed see that these SEEs can mistake themselves for an NF type because this is what they see in themselves. 

Subtype thus adds another layer to typing that I think should be seriously considered.

As a whole, is this something you have noted in your typings as well, in that what people appear to be is simply a confusion caused by say, subtype, or that people see themselves in a way not consistent with their actual type because of subtype?

I was for instance extremely certain that I was of the IJ temperament, or at least a dominant judger. Look at how I write in text and how I reason -- it seems to come from the place of judging. It was only after I read Gulenko on cognitive styles (the basic differentations for each style really helped me understand I'm irrational because otherwise it doesn't make any sense) and in general realizing I'm an Ni type that helped me understand the possibility of IP rather than IJ. I'm still not used to see myself that because the idea of being a judger has colored my perception for so long. 

That my perception is so fast I don't notice doesn't help -- it's the perfect example of what happens with the base function being so natural to us we don't notice it anymore. 

In retrospect this confusion was naturally explained being a contact subtype so I will express myself much more through Te.


----------



## Slimblue (Jan 22, 2013)

Wanna make a video? We can post it in the socionics video interaction thread!


----------



## Cantarella (Sep 3, 2010)

I definitely agree that it does make a difference. I consider myself quite a bit less obnoxious than EIE-Fes and even IEI-Fes for that matter! I think I can give off more of an IEI vibe sometimes which means I'm CONSTANTLY basking in the love of IEIs.  But I am most certainly EIE, just a more reserved, cautious one. As a result of my Ni subtype, I tend to get along pretty well with almost all Ni-doms, so some of my best friends are my supervisees (technically my BEST friend is an ILI-Te 4w3), though technically they shouldn't be. I think my subtype even alters the way I experience intertype relations, and sometimes I wish that wasn't so. Even though I love my ESE mom very much, I'm always telling her how bad her time management is and saying we need to buy her a leash so I can physically drag her to where she needs to be. That's just one example.


----------

