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Something interesting I wonder if you’ve talked about: Masterminding personalities that don’t exist.
Me (INTJ) and a friend (ENFP) have learned to rely on each other’s second drivers when we’re about to get into the negative feedback loop (1st & 3rd driver). So when I’m about to flip out authenticity (pity party, outrage over moral issues, rage about fairness) I now simply ask ENFP what I should take away from the situation. Similarly when ENFP starts breaking themself down with work because they’re stressed, they now ask me for help and I find it a simple problem to solve and allocate time slots to specific work. It’s like, even if we’re stressed, we can solve problems with the strength of 1st+2nd driver and bypass the 3rd.
HOWEVER, the interesting bit, I notice that there’s no such personality as Driver1:Perspectives Driver2:Authenticity, nor is there Driver1: Exploration Driver2:Effectiveness. Yet I think by relying on each other we end up with fantastic teamwork results that would come from people who have those personality types. So if INTJ works by ENFP authenticity, or if ENFP implements an INTJ plan, we’ve gotten ideas and results that astounded the both of us.
The same thing applies across the board. ESTJ + INTP can lean on each other instead of their third driver and it also gets unique driver1+driver2 combos that don’t exist in individuals. Have you ever had a podcast or article about seeing this yourself? As an INTJ I am pretty smugly self satisfied by my own ideas, but the outcomes of this sort of teamwork (INTJ/ENFP in our case) truly humbled me and made me realize that my ideas are actually quite primitive when they lack the 2nd driver strength authenticity element.
If we score very close between J and P (my ratio was near the 50/50 mark), how do we interpret this model? INTJ and INTP are difficult to understand, compared to ENTJ/INTJ (I’m also near 50/50 for E/I). In a practical sense I understand that if I am close to the border for these, I need to take into mind that multiple functions can describe me, and what I should work on, but its a little frustrating nonetheless to work with so many variables.
The theory is that, regardless of what assessments have reflected back, we only have one dominant function and one auxiliary function. The combination of those two define our personality type. We get a chemical ‘hit’ when we use our dominant function. That is, our brains reward us for being in this function (it’s why it is our dominant). And, if we’re unable to use it, we get depressed and dysthymic. I’d say the leverage point for you is to spend less time on the dichotomies and their percentages (E/I and J/P), and more time understanding the cognitive functions, their nuances and which impact you in predictable ways. (We have a lot podcasts talking about how each of the functions impact us in their relative positions.)
-A-
Why does a Perceiver have all the Judging functions and vice-versa?
Oops, I got confused. What I mean to ask is: Why is the driver opposite of your dominant Perceiving/Judging trait?
you know have taken your test many times and most of the time I will get infp and when the results describe it including the how it is for some personally It kind of seems like about 70% seems like it could be me but I not comply sure because even though i am interested in knowing my self better and how I work and others who type as infps seam know themself better. You can ask them what there take on somthing is and it will come pretty quickly, but me not so much easy. Maybe this is just confidence and depending on others so much growing up. Anyone got suggestions?
I’m torn between INTP and ISTP (always did testing as INTP, but very kinesthetic so leaning to ISTP now). However I feel like I relate to the Se function so much after reading about it, so would that make me ESTP if it’s in the driver’s seat?? I don’t feel extroverted at all, I find people exhausting and like to be alone. I can hang out in groups but need to recoup afterwards. thoughts?
For what it’s worth, I am very, very NF (INFP) and a dancer. Kinesthetic does not mean S at all!
How do you differentiate infp from isfp. I’m confused between the two! Plz help…
I think I’ve got this. The driver is the type’s E/I, Plus:
-if they’re an EJ or an IP then the judging function
-if they’re an EP or an IJ then the perceiving function
The copilot is the opposite of the type’s E/I Plus the judging/perceiving function that isn’t their driver.
10 year old is the polar opposite of the copilot.
3 year old is the polar opposite of the driver.
I’m not sure if it makes sense because of this or just because it’s going to help me make sense of it, but Extraversion determines whether the person will drive with their judging or perceiving function. So an EJ will drive with Judging, EP will drive with perceiving. IJ and IP will drive with the opposite.
And then the rest of the passengers just fit into place after that.
Right?
You got it!
-A-
Thank you for that
I have been racking my brain over this concept after listening to the Car Model podcast episode.
I believed j had it figured out but then was very confused that my Driver is Introverted Thinking as an INTP because with my understanding of the car model I thought as a P I was supposed to be Introverted Intuition as my Driver.
But this comment made it make sense!
At least as far as how to interpret Driver Cognitive Function based on 4 letter code.
But I’m not sure yet I understand why it’s opposite for introverts. If I had to guess I’d say that because we lean toward internalization, we prefer not show what’s going on underneath by default. So even though as an INTP my preferred cognitive function is Introverted INtuition, my driver is Introverted Thinking because I’m more comfortable displaying that to the world.
Total off the wall theory but Antonia & Joel have probably already brought true clarity to this somewhere else.
The more I look into this the more confused I become! I think I’m either an INFJ or an INTJ. However reading this I’m confused again as I feel like Extraverted sensing is very strong in me but that comes up as the 3 yr old option in both.
Are you more concerned with the harmony around you or things being right regardless of emotional impact?
How is extroverted sensing strong in you? INTJs for example can be into weight training which is an Se activity.
Hey, I’m not sure if you mentioned this elsewhere on the site, but why do some types lead with Feeling/Thinking while it seems that most other types lead with the Intuition/Sensing?
Just remembered to check back for your reply. Thank you for taking the time to provide so much food for thought.
It is an interesting thought to look at our personalities in the context of our families/close social groups. I can definitely see strengths (and weaknesses) in how I “use” my personality that are direct reflections of my immediate family’s culture and values.
I’ll look into Beebe’s work — if nothing else it will be something interesting to think about.
Frances
I have a question. How do the four functions that are not in our “car” affect us? I am an INFP and am generally not aware of my surroundings — run into the edges of things a lot, don’t notice when someone wears the same shirt every day, no particular draw toward background noise/music… I thought I read somewhere that this is common in INFP’s because Extroverted Sensing is so very far off of our radars. Curious if you have developed any materials about how the remaining functions affect our lives.
There are theories that indicate the four ‘shadow functions’ impact us in predictable ways. For example, John Beebe’s 8 function model. While I love the elegance of his model (I’m a sucker for an elegant model), my observations haven’t yet fully aligned with it. That’s one of the reasons we don’t teach it, actually.
My observations have been that the four shadow functions impact people in different ways, and in particular based on the heaviest influences in their lives.
For example, I grew up in a heavily Accuracy/Harmony (Introverted Thinking/Extraverted Harmony) influenced household. Only my brother used something other than Accuracy or Harmony. As an ENTJ he used Effectiveness (Extraverted Thinking). There was almost no Authenticity (Introverted Feeling) represented, since it only really showed up as my brother’s 3 Yr Old process. (Obviously we were all using it as it’s a basic function of the mind, but it wasn’t ‘in our car’ so to speak). I’ve struggled my entire life to be in touch with my own emotional processes. They were never really honored in my family for any of us and so it just wasn’t on anyone’s radar. I have a friend who is an ENTP and it’s very different for her. She grew up in an environment that was always ‘checking in’ with emotions. Her Achilles Heel is Effectiveness – it’s difficult for her to see in terms of running systems or managing other people.
One anecdote doesn’t a theory make, but I’m using it an example of how our influences in life may impact our relationship with our shadow processes.
Typing family members and/or the biggest influences in your life as well circumstances and situations you may have been thrown into (and thus forced to develop certain functions for self-preservation) may help you understand your relationship with your shadow processes.
Definitely check out Beebe’s work, though. Cause I could be totally wrong and he could be totally right. 😛
-A-
What if we feel we relate most to functions not in any of the mentioned groupings? Ie extraverted intuition, introverted intuition, introverted feeling, extraverted thinking than extraverted sensing? Maybe I’m misunderstanding their meanings since there aren’t examples given like when you walk into a bakery you experience this, notice this first etc. and it leaves my mind to wander. Description wise I feel like ENFP but function wise it’s E/INTJ, some very different types!
Any insights you have would be so appreciated :)!
I think the 3 yr old, as blind spot, is hard to identify with so that is why it can be confusing at times you are right. When I look at my 3 yr old the difficulty is the INTJ and INFJ have the same 3 yr old and I did come up in one test that shows functions as having 0 ES, a few years ago. I think I’d test a bit different now as have been doing a lot of mindfulness and acceptance work, which would develop SE. And when I look at Introverted sensing it is so much more what I can relate to than extroverted sensing. Yet when I think about IN and IT/IF as part of INFJ/INTJ it could operate in the same ways as IS so that might be why, both I miss the SE as am compensating by using the IN and IT/IF instead of S … yet it does not help identify which is which as much as the EF and ET descriptions do.
Melissa – You mentioned you resonate more strongly with Si (introverted sensing).
Do you find yourself having to fight landing in a ‘comfort zone’ in your life and not pushing yourself?
If Marissa doesn’t answer, what would be your thought if she said yes? INFP?
I am a bit of a “noob” to the MBTI system, but am quickly learning what it is all about. When I took a personality assessment just for fun, I found this system to be the most accurate and enlightening personality test I had ever taken. It pegged me so well, I instantly wanted to learn all I could about how this test works inside and out. I am now a fan of this site, because it allows me to engage in helpful self introspection and also investigate and learn about all the other types as well to make my life more effective, not only for myself, but others around me. BTW, I am an INTJ, and can finally realize and understand why I think and behave in the way I do and be at peace with it:) I am insatiably curious when it comes to knowledge and have found a new topic to investigate exhaustively. This should keep me busy for a while anyway;)
Thanks for the feedback Sarah! Congratulations on starting the journey toward understanding yourself and others. I’m glad we can be a part of that journey.
Have you had a chance to read this article? https://www.personalityhacker.com/intj-personality-type/
This is awesome, by the way!
I love how you simply laid out dominant/tertiary, etc. also seeing your terms for “Intoverted Intuition” etc. is so helpful!
Could you delineate how/when the 3 year old and 10 year old come into play? I know you spoke about it on the video…
OOPS!! I found your graphic! Never mind 🙂
Thanks!!!
Great guides!!! In the Cognitive Function “Stack” of Each Type it seems two types are missing- ISFP and ESTJ. Would it be possible to add them to the table too. Thanks!
You’re right! I’m not sure how they got cut off. I’ll add them. 🙂
-A-
edit: Fixed!