04/11/2006 Archived Entry: "More about me!"

Among many of the fun, and funny, conversations I’ve had about yesterday’s post, one of them led back to the Myers-Briggs personality matrix. I’m sure everyone’s heard of it: you’re evaluated on 4 binary variables and 1 of 16 personality types is determined to be your primary behavioural predictor.

Obviously there aren’t only 16 types of personalities out there, but I do think this works really well if we think of it more as scales than absolutes and as falling into 1 primary type with a gradient mixing a few of the others. The combinations are endless! One of the problems with online personality tests is that they rely on self-evaluation which demands a measure of honesty and objectivity, and it’s long been known that surveys are a very flawed means of obtaining data. There is also the problem of a test’s transparency. If a question is asked in such a way that you know where it’s going, then you are more likely to answer less objectively. For example “do you like the colour red, spicy foods, and sports cars?” “yes” “then you are brave and adventurous” “shut up”. The better tests will have questions where you will not necessarily know how the answer affects your results. Also, if, like me, you already know about all these personality types, you may possibly be answering in a way to re-attain (or avoid!) that result.

That said, my results have always been pretty consistent. I usually rate INTJ, although there was a 2 year period where I was an INTP but my J rating is never as high as the other 3 variables. So what does this all mean? That I am a Mastermind. (Here’s a bonus mastermind description.)

I was going to quote certain parts that I agreed with but found that I agreed with pretty much all of it. However, I will quote here the best part from the INTP personality:

They regard all discussions as a search for understanding, and believe their function is to eliminate inconsistencies, no matter who is guilty of them. It is difficult for an Architect to listen to nonsense, even in a casual conversation, without pointing out the speaker's error, and this makes communication with them an uncomfortable experience for many.

(this is probably where the “look of disgust” comes from)

Here is one of the tests you can take, although I don’t think it’s too great. Because I’m an ego-maniac, you should try to answer the test as if you were me and see what you get! Or not. And not that I’ve tested him or anything, but I am 100% certain that Batman is also an INTJ although he does manage to keep Bruce Wayne as a second personality and I’m not sure where Bruce would fit.

Replies: 22 comments

When I first took the test (way back in high school, I am getting old.. I've already been referred to as "my mom's friend"), I was an ISTJ.

I took it a few years back and I was an INFJ. If I recall correctly, there's only one of my variables that's strongly attached to what it is, the rest kinda float around (probably dependent on my mood and the last time I was in school).

If I had a fictional hero that I could rate on the test, I would, but I don't. You're so cute Thai ;)

Posted by Arshwana @ 04/12/2006 07:18 AM EST

I'm pretty sure Montgomery Burns is a Mastermind too.

I remember doing such a test some 3-4 years ago (on TheSparks) and one of the final questions had a picture of a monkey and a cosmonaut face to face touching each other's index fingertip. We had to choose if the man was touching the monkey (1) or if the monkey was touching the man (2). The frustrating part is that it made strictly no difference to me, but when I chose (1) I was diagnosed the Experimenter personality and when I chose (2), I had the Mastermind one... It is still very much a mystery to me.

Posted by Étienne @ 04/12/2006 10:12 AM EST

ISTJ and INFJ seem like they're quite different from each other but they do suit you.

This is how I interpret it:
A Mastermind is trying to see how the monkey will react to certain things (like holding out his hand) while an Experimenter is touching the monkey out of curiosity.

Posted by Rayne @ 04/12/2006 11:34 AM EST

In TheSparks, the Experimenter was DIAT (dominant introvert abstract thinker) and the Mastermind SIAT (submissive introvert abstract thinker), very close actually. I walk the line between Sub and Dom, or so it seems.

Posted by Étienne @ 04/12/2006 01:22 PM EST

The test scored me as an ENTJ (Fieldmarshal)...so basically, I'm like you Thai, minus the bat cave and the dual identity...:P!

Posted by dAN @ 04/12/2006 02:32 PM EST

This struck me as especially true, dAN:

"For the Fieldmarshal, there must always be a reason for doing anything, and people's feelings usually are not sufficient reasons."

Posted by Rayne @ 04/12/2006 03:45 PM EST

The results of the 102 questions test are soooo detailed. However, I thought that the questions were way too subjective. Context situations would have been better, probably. Who will admit that this statement is very accurate : "75) I value solitude immensely."?

Anyway, here it is :

Jung Test Results

Introverted (I) 68.97% Extroverted (E) 31.03%
Intuitive (N) 56.25% Sensing (S) 43.75%
Thinking (T) 75% Feeling (F) 25%
Judging (J) 61.76% Perceiving (P) 38.24%

Your type is: INTJ

INTJ - "Mastermind". Introverted intellectual with a preference for finding certainty. A builder of systems and the applier of theoretical models. 2.1% of total population.

To place your results on your own site use the following code:

Enneagram Test Results

The Enneagram is a personality system which divides the entire human personality into nine behavioral tendencies, this is your score on each...

Type 1 Perfectionism 80%
Type 2 Helpfulness 36%
Type 3 Image Awareness 36%
Type 4 Sensitivity 33%
Type 5 Detachment 63%
Type 6 Anxiety 70%
Type 7 Adventurousness 33%
Type 8 Aggressiveness 63%
Type 9 Calmness 40%

Posted by Étienne @ 04/12/2006 05:15 PM EST

Odd, I'm the Jedi Ninja (JeNa). "Deadly, in a diplomatic sort of way."

No seriously, I'm INTJ.

http://keirsey.com/personality/ntij.html

You are:

* very expressed introvert
* slightly expressed intuitive personality
* slightly expressed thinking personality
* moderately expressed judging personality

Posted by djkimothy @ 04/12/2006 05:22 PM EST

where is the 102-questions test?

We're all the same!!

Posted by Rayne @ 04/12/2006 05:30 PM EST

I was thinking the same thing, you linked us like a 40 question test or something. Way less than 102. And it kept asking the same questions over and over regarding me and large crowds. For the last time no! >.<

Here's my breakdown:

INTJ
Introverted Intuitive Thinking Judging
Strength of the preferences %
78 12 12 39

Duno if formating will be ok.

Posted by djkimothy @ 04/12/2006 05:44 PM EST

Awright, I re-took it, I'm still an INFJ despite a few years flying by. It just seems the ratios have changed a bit. I think the one thing that has stood over the years is that I'm judgmental and introverted.. go me.
Introverted 33
Intuitive 38
Feeling 25
Judging 56

Posted by Arshwana @ 04/12/2006 06:42 PM EST

Here's the 102 question test : http://similarminds.com/embj.html

Posted by Étienne @ 04/12/2006 09:43 PM EST

With the 102 question survey I got an ISTP.

ISTP - "Engineer". Values freedom of action and following interests and impulses. Independent, concise in speech, master of tools. 5.4% of total population.

My enneagram:
http://images.similarminds.com/5.gif

Variant social:
http://images.similarminds.com/sospsx.gif

Posted by djkimothy @ 04/13/2006 01:35 PM EST

man, bunch of introverts...but I guess that was to be expected :p

ENTJ
89/50/29/33

Posted by Mike @ 04/14/2006 12:18 AM EST

The 102 question test insists I'm still an ISTJ.

"Trustee". Decisiveness in practical affairs. Guardian of time- honored institutions. Dependable. 11.6% of total population.

The test accurately determined I'm a perfectionist, although I think you'd have to be pretty dumb not to notice I was one if you knew me.

I'm type 1 with a so/sx/sp variant. I'm guessing my swinging between the guardian inspector and counsellor idealist is really just a reflection of how I'm split between my parents' personalities. :P

Posted by Arshwana @ 04/15/2006 07:34 AM EST

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Posted by ZXPHd475tI @ 04/17/2006 10:13 PM EST

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Posted by K5eiEJ0BOo @ 04/17/2006 10:13 PM EST

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Posted by tVMBPskLjm @ 04/17/2006 10:13 PM EST

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Posted by Pcgg1UpKPC @ 04/17/2006 10:13 PM EST

Thai, I think you have an enemy....

LOL.

Posted by djkimothy @ 04/19/2006 03:51 PM EST

Typical result for me with
'Humammetrics' is:

ESTJ

Extroverted Sensing Thinking Judging

Strength of the preferences %

56 12 62 67

You are:

moderately expressed extrovert

slightly expressed sensing personality

distinctively expressed thinking personality

distinctively expressed judging personality

Posted by Bill Janowski @ 04/29/2006 01:47 PM EST

Typical result for me with the
'Similar Minds EMBJ' test it:

ESTJ, Type 8, SX/SO/SP, but only
one time I got ESTJ, Type 1, SO/SX/SP - go figure...

As far as both tests, I've taken
them 22 times - I got 15 ESTJ, 6 ENTJ and 1 lone INTJ.

The numbers change frequently with the HM one, but the Similar
Minds one runs about 65%/35% average, at least for me.

Bill

Posted by Bill Janowski @ 04/29/2006 01:52 PM EST