Jun 01 2009
MBTIWTFBBQ!?!
So a little team builder at work recently ran me through the Myers-Briggs assessment. I’ve taken it before, and I’m sure I’ll be subjected to it again, and I often get the same results each time. For those of you wishing to get to know me better, maybe these results of my assessment will help. Maybe not.
It feels an awful lot like reading your horoscope in the newspaper and going, “that is so MEEEEEE!”
There are four categories in the MBTI, so I’ll run down each one with my scores here. The first is “Where I focuse my attention” and is the one most people pounce on first: extrovert or introvert?
Probably at little surprise to most, I’m an Introvert with a score of 25 out of a possible 30. Yes, if I was anymore introverted, I probably wouldn’t leave the house. And it’s true…I tend to live in my own head, rather than the world around me. I find myself drained by social situations, and can only handle large crowds in small doses. I do attend some big events, like the North Texas Irish Festial, or the Texas Renaissance Faire. I also go to concerts, like the Police reunion tour or, most recently, Jeff Dunham. But at the end, I go home and soak up the silence for awhile.
Next up, the “way I take in information.” For this, I ranked Intuition with a score of 11. They describe the alternatice, Sensing, as focused on facts and details. They describe Intuition as looking for patterns between those facts, and taking in the bigger picture. I don’t know about the “bigger picture” stuff, but I do enjoy looking for patterns and extrapolating.
The “way I make decisions” is evaluated as Thinking at a score of just 6. This category is, to me, kind of the weakest. It divides “thinking” (being logical and objective”) from “feeling” (being subjective and based on values), as if they’re naturally opposed. Now, I can agree there’s a difference between logical, reasoned thought, and spontaneous, intuitive leaps. I can also agree that the logical side might tend to be more objective, wereas the intuitie might be more subjective…but I don’t agree that’s necessarily a causal link.
Yes, I tend towards logical, rational thought…often taking entirely too long to make decisions. However, that doesn’t mean I reject my emotions or values. Even the Vulcans, if I can be excused a sci-fi reference, held to values and discipline. They recognized the existiance and affect of emotions, even within themselves – although they tried to minimize them as much as possible. To me, I don’t consider emotions to be illogical, or irrational. They’re a part of us, our selves, and to ignore them in the decision making process – whether you’re trying to be objective, or go with your gut – is folly.
Ah well, moving on, then. The last is “how I deal with the outer world.” With the lowest score yet, I ranked as Perceiving at just a 4. Perceiving is described as spontaneous and flexible, and the opposite, Judging, as planned and organized. I can see myself as in the middle. I’m a procrastinator, who struggles with organization to keep myself going and not lose momentum. In some aspects, I’m meticulous with planning – like on vacations, I like to have room and transportation down far in advance. But dining and activities, I like to leave open and vague. It’s a balance, I suppose, but I can’t lie: I definitly lean towards the chaotic.
So, my overall evaluation:
INTPs are rational, curious, theoretical, and abstract, preferring to organize ideas rather than situations or people. They enjoy working alone with ample autonomy for their own ideas and methods.
I’ll let you decide how accurate you think this is…
