How Do You Know?? [Typing Others]

[cielo market]

A lot of us have mentioned a friend's, relative's or acquaintance's MB type. Out of curiosity, did they also take the test, or was this of your own deductions?

Most of the people whose types I know took the test.

[Paul V]

I made my best friend take the test (he scored as an ESFJ). Same for my mother (she is an ENFJ).

I don't care much about anyone else, so I try to deduce their types for fun.

Also, my father is unbelievably hard to read. So far, all I know from him is that he is a J and most likely a S. I'm determined to make him take the test some time.

[cielo market]

I made my best friend take the test (he scored as an ESFJ). Same for my mother (she is an ENFJ).

I don't care much about anyone else, so I try to deduce their types for fun.

Also, my father is unbelievably hard to read. So far, all I know from him is that he is a J and most likely a S. I'm determined to make him take the test some time.

I think that may be an INTJ thing: as soon as I took the test, I made everyone in my family take it... that was me trying to "make sense" of why they act the way the do :P

[NeonTetra]

I try to figure out what MBTI type my friends and family are without using any MBTI tests. I feel confident enough in my MBTI knowledge to do it.

The only person I can't figure out is my mother. She's had such a huge influence over my life that I can't separate any functions. She seems to use them all.

[The Many]

I used to make people take the test, these days I mostly type them for myself. It makes social interaction a lot easier when you grasp someone's strengths and weaknesses, desires and fears - sometimes without them even being aware of their abilities themselves.

[OneBadMother]

For a lot of people I've had them take the test. For a few people, I've had enough information and research that I can be fairly certain what type they are. ENFPs are extremely easy to spot, for instance, and after having hung out on this forum for long enough, if my INTJ friend isn't INTJ I will eat my hat. He could just as easily be borderline J/P, but I'm pretty sure he leans towards J.

[bucolic_]

for me, it's almost entirely from them taking the test. I can sometimes roughly type them if I know them well enough, without having them take the test.

[The Rose]

I usually test people myself since I don't trust them to know themselves well enough, or to understand the questions well enough to get the right answers. I ask them questions about each dimension until I get the answers that tell me what I need to know. I use the questions and comparisons in Do What You Are as a guide.

[logan235711]

I try to figure out what MBTI type my friends and family are without using any MBTI tests. I feel confident enough in my MBTI knowledge to do it.
Ditto, I have around 5 years experience with two books under my belt, so I'm pretty confident of my understanding of MBTI and its related material.

The only person I can't figure out is my mother. She's had such a huge influence over my life that I can't separate any functions. She seems to use them all.
There are always some people who are a bit more difficult--esp. as life experience grows in the one's we are typing. I make my conclusions but I leave them open for revision ; )

[vulcan]

I don't trust the test answers at all. I've gotten everything for INFJ to INFP to INTP and INTJ over a period of a few months.

I'm honestly probably an INTP though. But if I can't even figure it out, then how can anyone else?

[Solaris]

I think that may be an INTJ thing: as soon as I took the test, I made everyone in my family take it... that was me trying to "make sense" of why they act the way the do :P


Ditto, except the INTJ thing. Mainly, I made everyone I know take the test. Only one person have I not made take the test, and that's because she's a psychologist and we know she'll skew it, but she's an ESTJ without a doubt.

I've tried to guess my mom, but I can't. She must be a T though, and that's about as far as I get.

[Firelie]

I've had a few of my friends take the test, but for the most part I just guess.

I've been using this page for quick guesses: To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 2 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Well, the descriptions of the characteristics, at least. I haven't really read the rest of it. The information is organized nicely, though, so I haven't needed to read the rest yet. Heh.

[cielo market]

Ditto, except the INTJ thing. Mainly, I made everyone I know take the test. Only one person have I not made take the test, and that's because she's a psychologist and we know she'll skew it, but she's an ESTJ without a doubt.

I've tried to guess my mom, but I can't. She must be a T though, and that's about as far as I get.

XNTJ thing? :)

[Tarrick]

Some people are easy to type and other are harder. It really depends on how extreme they are in their temperament.

E/I is fairly easy to spot if you spend enough time with them.
N/S is harder, but if you talk enough with them, you can put it up by how they talk about things and the subjects they bring up.
T/F is about their responses to situations and moral questions. And how fast they react to things that are "outrageous".
J/P is the hardest, but it's in their mannerisms as well as how they plan their day/week.

[BlackMita]

I have only asked my sister to take the test once (ESFP) and typed my mom the same since they are both very similar.

Typing people by me is really fun. Sometimes I can determine someone's type at a glance, other times I have to think about it for weeks, and only after mistyping a couple times; mostly with distant acquaintances or those I see often but don't know. Works of art, writings, and even music I analyze: for determining the creator's type and/or intended audience's type.

The way I guess is shifting around the eight Jungian functions, pretending to act with a function order in the given context, then picking the closest match to whomever or whatever I'm typing... I judge my estimate low (subject to revison) if the conclusion was strained, or I leaned on too many cheap premises like "He watches anime! Therefore xNxx!"

[NephilimAzrael]

Don't mention their types unless they have done the test or that I have taken data from them (covertly) and applied the test to them.

[True Rune]

I've had most of my family and a few close friends take it to find out, otherwise I try and type them myself. I still need to get my dad to take it.
Sister - ISTJ
Twin Brother - INFP (I guessed this one)
Little brother (teenager- ExTJ)
Girlfriend (ESFP)
Close friend that is a girl (ISFJ)
Close friend that is a guy (ESFJ)

[OneHertz]

I find the test to be absolutley worthless. It is natural to sub consciously lie on the test to protect our weakness. I can tell very well without the test after talking to someone for about 5 minutes. It is becomes much more difficult the older the person is.

[bricklayer]

Sometimes certain characteristics stand out it becomes clear what they are. Other times I take the test while answering as I think they would. I believe I am very accurate when I do this.





bricklayer added to this post, 1 minutes and 10 seconds later...

Girlfriend (ESFP)


I thought you were asexual?

[NephilimAzrael]

I find the test to be absolutley worthless. It is natural to sub consciously lie on the test to protect our weakness. I can tell very well without the test after talking to someone for about 5 minutes. It is becomes much more difficult the older the person is.

You're probably in accurate most of the time, though your intuition probably forwards a sense of correctness.. The online test are rather entertaining, but real testing is more adaptive to potential deception.

[True Rune]

I am asexual. It's very complicated and I don't want to explain it. ( I wouldn't do that before I was married anyway.)

[Jughead]

I guess. I vs. E is pretty easy, as is J vs. P. T/F and N/S are a bit more difficult, but achievable.

[OneHertz]

You're probably in accurate most of the time, though your intuition probably forwards a sense of correctness.. The online test are rather entertaining, but real testing is more adaptive to potential deception.

I am much more accurate than any test will ever be... I should probably mention that I have taken multiple professional classes on the subject and read a lot of books...

[NephilimAzrael]

I am much more accurate than any test will ever be... I should probably mention that I have taken multiple professional classes on the subject and read a lot of books...

Professional as your profession or professional as a work based research task?
What books are you referring to? Are they psychometrics relative?

[OneHertz]

Professional as your profession or professional as a work based research task?
What books are you referring to? Are they psychometrics relative?

I did not use the correct word. I meant formal training. Mostly back in Russia for socionics. The communities there are much, much larger for this sort of thing.

[NephilimAzrael]

I did not use the correct word. I meant formal training. Mostly back in Russia for socionics. The communities there are much, much larger for this sort of thing.

So you compensate duly for cultural context?

[Caramel]

Out of curiosity, did they also take the test, or was this of your own deductions?

I got some people to take the test, but most of the people I typed are just my own ideas about them. (Trying to get a sensor to do the test --> good luck.) So I primarily look at what cognitive functions they frequently use and in what order they use them.

The only thing thats very hard to see this way is if a person is E or I. Take for example INTPs and ENTPs, both use Ne/Fe to extravert and Ti/Si to introvert. Since you can only see the extraverted side (can't look into someones head), xNTP is all that you can conclude.

It's also harder to see if someone is older, cause that person has all his functions very well developed.

[OneHertz]

So you compensate duly for cultural context?

There isn't as large of a cultural context as you would think. Moscow is extremely similar to a lot of the western cities in many ways. I was first introduced into socionics when I was a preteen by my parents... They had my labeled as LII all the way back then.

[bricklayer]

I am asexual. It's very complicated and I don't want to explain it. ( I wouldn't do that before I was married anyway.)

Forgive me but now I'm interested. You feel no attraction to the opposite sex yet you still have the desire to date?

[NephilimAzrael]

There isn't as large of a cultural context as you would think. Moscow is extremely similar to a lot of the western cities in many ways. I was first introduced into socionics when I was a preteen by my parents... They had my labeled as LII all the way back then.

Im very interested in your methods, I rather enjoy socionics and its extensive theories.. As for cultural cotext, It may not be an over-whelming factor, but cultural context can be influential nonetheless, regardless of the individual's location, but more importantly, their origin and early formative experiences. Would it not be fair to say that being born of a collectivist culture would increase the pre-disposition of a personality developing with extrovertive properties whilst formative experience can influence their personality?

[True Rune]

Forgive me but now I'm interested. You feel no attraction to the opposite sex yet you still have the desire to date?
I'm "Trying my hand" at this, I'm not ..really interested.

[Calico]

As to how I type people, I have never gotten anyone to take the test. I think observation's generally sufficient. For E or I, I look at things such as how much they tend to talk when they're in a group, how many friends they have, etc. For T or F, I note how much emotion they express in public and what their decision-making rationales are. For P and J, I look at their organization and time-management skills.

To Bricklayer- There is a difference between being asexual (having no desire for sex) and aromantic (having no desire for romantic involvement). One does not imply the other. To get how it works, make a mental list of all the things romantic couples do and want (swearing true love, living together, all of that stuff) but just cross out making out and having sex.

[bricklayer]

I'm "Trying my hand" at this, I'm not ..really interested.

Hmmm... I'm guessing they came to you. I'm intrigued by this, let me know how it goes.

To Bricklayer- There is a difference between being asexual (having no desire for sex) and aromantic (having no desire for romantic involvement). One does not imply the other. To get how it works, make a mental list of all the things romantic couples do and want (swearing true love, living together, all of that stuff) but just cross out making out and having sex.


I would have assumed that they were related since I am both. I can't imagine one existing without the other. And the odds of two people like that pairing up is very slim unless it's via internet.

[OneHertz]

Im very interested in your methods, I rather enjoy socionics and its extensive theories.. As for cultural cotext, It may not be an over-whelming factor, but cultural context can be influential nonetheless, regardless of the individual's location, but more importantly, their origin and early formative experiences. Would it not be fair to say that being born of a collectivist culture would increase the pre-disposition of a personality developing with extrovertive properties whilst formative experience can influence their personality?

Once again, the culture in Moscow is not as collectivistic as you would think... Everywhere else in Russia it is very collectivistic (it is necessary for higher rates of survival), but not in Moscow. I would even go as far as saying it is closer to being individualistic in that area...

As for my methods, it all comes from experience more or less. After practicing the theory for 10-15 years you learn the subtle speech patterns and body language of some types, which help formulate an initial theory after seeing a person, which must then be tested by some concrete evidence. From what I noticed, it is very easy to type people under 25 years old, moderately difficult for ages 25-35 and very difficult for ages 35+(takes much too long for me to use it on a day to day basis on this age group). I flat out can not type people over 50. I just can never figure it out because I can not separate the learned behaviors from instinctive ones. My parents are insanely good at this though and can type basically anyone. I would go as far as calling them socionics professionals.

Generally, I am very good at identifying about half of the types almost right off the bat, as I have had a lot of experience with them in the past. Just take some of your friends that you talk to on a regular basis. You should know a lot about them already; enough to make a conclusive call on their types. Then just sort of compare every person you speak to with your friends. It is scary how similar the speech patterns, habits, and body language are of some younger INFPs for example.

[Trym]

A lot of us have mentioned a friend's, relative's or acquaintance's MB type. Out of curiosity, did they also take the test, or was this of your own deductions?

Most of the people whose types I know took the test.


I'm really interested in knowing that too. I mean, I guess I can read if a person is E or I, but exept that... I wouldn't know:/

[NephilimAzrael]

Once again, the culture in Moscow is not as collectivistic as you would think... Everywhere else in Russia it is very collectivistic (it is necessary for higher rates of survival), but not in Moscow. I would even go as far as saying it is closer to being individualistic in that area...

I wasn't talking about you or Moscow, I was proposing a hypothesis.

As for my methods, it all comes from experience more or less. After practicing the theory for 10-15 years you learn the subtle speech patterns and body language of some types, which help formulate an initial theory after seeing a person, which must then be tested by some concrete evidence. From what I noticed, it is very easy to type people under 25 years old, moderately difficult for ages 25-35 and very difficult for ages 35+(takes much too long for me to use it on a day to day basis on this age group). I flat out can not type people over 50. I just can never figure it out because I can not separate the learned behaviors from instinctive ones. My parents are insanely good at this though and can type basically anyone. I would go as far as calling them socionics professionals.

I must say I am envious, nice history. And your folks sound fantastic.

Generally, I am very good at identifying about half of the types almost right off the bat, as I have had a lot of experience with them in the past. Just take some of your friends that you talk to on a regular basis. You should know a lot about them already; enough to make a conclusive call on their types. Then just sort of compare every person you speak to with your friends. It is scary how similar the speech patterns, habits, and body language are of some younger INFPs for example.

No. The typing I do is not based on partial perceptions such as comparing my friends with people in order to type them. Each individual is given the same assessment. INFPs, ESTJs, INFPs and ESTPs, are very consistent.

[Linwenilid]

E/I is fairly easy to spot if you spend enough time with them.
N/S is harder, but if you talk enough with them, you can put it up by how they talk about things and the subjects they bring up.
T/F is about their responses to situations and moral questions. And how fast they react to things that are "outrageous".
J/P is the hardest, but it's in their mannerisms as well as how they plan their day/week.

The only thing thats very hard to see this way is if a person is E or I.

I guess. I vs. E is pretty easy, as is J vs. P. T/F and N/S are a bit more difficult, but achievable.

Funny how we can't agree which functions are the hard ones to spot. Wasn't there some considerations against typing others based on observation?

Anyway, it's kind of addictive to label other people. I do the observation thing a lot, even with fictitiuos characters. I made my siblings take the test, then extrapolated to my parents - I agreed with my brother that my father was a lot like my other brother, and for my mother, I looked closely for a while.

[OneHertz]

I must say I am envious, nice history. And your folks sound fantastic.

Obsessed more like it. I think they spent a good 25 grand on various training on the subject.