J or P ??
I just got another message from someone who can't figure out whether they prefer INTP or INTJ.
Sigh!
The confusion they describe is soooo typical. It arises from common misunderstandings about type.
Most people suppose type is the same as the construction of the MBTI. Let me explain.
The MBTI rests on a foundation of "dichotomies":
E/I
S/N
T/F
J/P
Pretty simple on the surface. And that's the problem. Because when you start leaning into this "model" and try to grasp all the complexity of your personality, it starts getting confusing.
After all, dichotomies are based on a model of *preferences*. So where it falls apart is when we begin to realize, "Hey! I do BOTH" for every one of the options.
And it's true! We all *do* E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P.
And then we get dizzy trying to "measure" and "weigh" which ones fit us -- a particularly challenging assignment since it's nearly impossible to eliminate the conflating factors of culture, environment, relationships, background. Too many variables to handle!
So dichotomies are NOT the best way to figure out your type. :-/
Don't get me wrong -- the MBTI works great as an entry point! After all, it's accurate about 70% of the time, AND it introduces people to the notion of diversity. Before taking the MBTI, people usually suppose there are TWO kinds of people in the world: like-me / not-like-me. :-(
So the assessment is an entry point, but it is not a very sound type model over time. (And most people never question it, nor ever move past this first step. ~sigh~)
Fortunately, there are much more complex models available than these simple dichotomies which offer increasing support and complexity to match one's growing psychological comprehension.
In these other models, you start letting go of J/P altogether, and you ease up on the E/I part. Those two axes become much less significant in these other models, and are replaced by dimensions of greater richness.
Four models that all coincide at the 16 types level and support self-discovery more effectively include:
Temperament
Interaction Styles
Cognitive Processes
Archetypes
Many will testify to the worth of the effort to learn and understand each of these models, both in terms of applying it to oneself AND in applying it to your relationships with others. (My coaching clients wonder how they got along before they learned the models, and we're talking about a 2-hr investment in learning each one -- a pretty small commitment considering all the benefits they gained.)
So.... the point is -- there's lots to learn! And when you start to lean into the notion that you do BOTH "J" and "P," you become less satisfied with the dichotomies as a model of type. (And the average type enthusiast will keep sending you back to the dichotomies because they think that's the beginning and end of type models. If all you have is a hammer, everything must be a nail.)
When you re-visit the dichotomies, it's useful to remember what we as professional practitioners keep in mind: the dichotomies represent a set of *preferences*, and J/P merely indicates which of these processes we prefer to use In The Outer World. That's it!!! It does NOT identify which one you prefer overall -- in fact, if you are introverted, the one you prefer is the OPPOSITE of the letter in your code (no kidding).
Furthermore, dichotomies don't describe "who you are" -- they describe what you do *naturally*. So these other models are where you want to look for the "who you are" parts.
Discovering your best-fit psychological type pattern is not a one-step process ("take a test and be done"). As far as I'm concerned, that's great news, since I experience human beings as infinitely more complex than that.
-Vicky Jo :-D
Sigh!
The confusion they describe is soooo typical. It arises from common misunderstandings about type.
Most people suppose type is the same as the construction of the MBTI. Let me explain.
The MBTI rests on a foundation of "dichotomies":
E/I
S/N
T/F
J/P
Pretty simple on the surface. And that's the problem. Because when you start leaning into this "model" and try to grasp all the complexity of your personality, it starts getting confusing.
After all, dichotomies are based on a model of *preferences*. So where it falls apart is when we begin to realize, "Hey! I do BOTH" for every one of the options.
And it's true! We all *do* E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P.
And then we get dizzy trying to "measure" and "weigh" which ones fit us -- a particularly challenging assignment since it's nearly impossible to eliminate the conflating factors of culture, environment, relationships, background. Too many variables to handle!
So dichotomies are NOT the best way to figure out your type. :-/
Don't get me wrong -- the MBTI works great as an entry point! After all, it's accurate about 70% of the time, AND it introduces people to the notion of diversity. Before taking the MBTI, people usually suppose there are TWO kinds of people in the world: like-me / not-like-me. :-(
So the assessment is an entry point, but it is not a very sound type model over time. (And most people never question it, nor ever move past this first step. ~sigh~)
Fortunately, there are much more complex models available than these simple dichotomies which offer increasing support and complexity to match one's growing psychological comprehension.
In these other models, you start letting go of J/P altogether, and you ease up on the E/I part. Those two axes become much less significant in these other models, and are replaced by dimensions of greater richness.
Four models that all coincide at the 16 types level and support self-discovery more effectively include:
Temperament
Interaction Styles
Cognitive Processes
Archetypes
Many will testify to the worth of the effort to learn and understand each of these models, both in terms of applying it to oneself AND in applying it to your relationships with others. (My coaching clients wonder how they got along before they learned the models, and we're talking about a 2-hr investment in learning each one -- a pretty small commitment considering all the benefits they gained.)
So.... the point is -- there's lots to learn! And when you start to lean into the notion that you do BOTH "J" and "P," you become less satisfied with the dichotomies as a model of type. (And the average type enthusiast will keep sending you back to the dichotomies because they think that's the beginning and end of type models. If all you have is a hammer, everything must be a nail.)
When you re-visit the dichotomies, it's useful to remember what we as professional practitioners keep in mind: the dichotomies represent a set of *preferences*, and J/P merely indicates which of these processes we prefer to use In The Outer World. That's it!!! It does NOT identify which one you prefer overall -- in fact, if you are introverted, the one you prefer is the OPPOSITE of the letter in your code (no kidding).
Furthermore, dichotomies don't describe "who you are" -- they describe what you do *naturally*. So these other models are where you want to look for the "who you are" parts.
Discovering your best-fit psychological type pattern is not a one-step process ("take a test and be done"). As far as I'm concerned, that's great news, since I experience human beings as infinitely more complex than that.
-Vicky Jo :-D
posted by Vicky Jo at 11:24 AM
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