wait what

A lot of NPs do this because they are both interested in all the possibilities (different types) of a situation (themselves) and also not great at considering physical evidence and long-term past behavior over time (low Si). So you’ll get an NP bouncing between all of the different NP options, and then considering others. They’ll read something that points out that Se is also creative and consider whether they’re mistyped across there. Then they’ll do something that engages their Si and wonder if they’re an SJ. They’ll then realize they’re conceptually-minded but because they did something organized, maybe they’re an NJ? And so on.

I can only offhand think of one case where an actual NJ mistyped as something else and ‘hopped’ to something (They’d mistyped as SJ, probably due to a combination of overcorrection and some psychological conditions that fit the false Si=fixation on the past narrative); usually when an actual NJ types themselves as an NJ they stay there. If they don’t, chances are they were mistyped as an NJ  the whole time, due to the still somewhat extant Ni=magical unicorn function of all-knowing whatever stereotype. In those cases, it really depends on actual type. Here’s a very brief and somewhat speculative list.

True type: NP

Likely reasons why they’d mistype as SP: overcorrection of intuitive bias (ie, remind themselves Se is creative and more common ->guess they’re SP), or if they’re disciplined enough to actually get things done/aren’t good at math or science (for NTPs) and assume they must have Se somewhere (because of the really incorrect stereotype that STPs aren’t scientists or engineers half the time anyway).

Why they mistype as SJ: looping or gripping on Si, looping or gripping on Te/Fe but correctly realizing they’re on the Si/Ne axis; just thinking they have more Si than they do.

Why they mistype as NJ: being organized; not considering the functions in isolation; The Ni pedestal; looping or gripping on Te/Fe but knowing they’re more abstract than concrete thinkers.

True Type: SP

Likely reasons why they’d mistype as NP: very common due to intuitive bias and inherent similarities between Ne and Se.

Why they mistype as SJ: get that they’re sensors and learn via experience, enjoy details, etc. but are somewhat cautious or neat or planners. Not uncommon in Se-auxes; an ISTP type 6 with decent Ni can look a lot like an ISTJ from the outside but the thought processes don’t line up. Could also happen with Te/Fe loops or grips.

Why they mistype as NJ: looping or gripping on Ni, usually. Could also happen with Te/Fe loops or grips.

True Type: NJ

Likely reasons why they’d mistype as SP: looping or gripping on Se or Ti/Fi.

Why they mistype as SJ: as mentioned, not super common but if they are somewhat caught up in the past for whatever reason and read poor explanations of Si it could definitely happen

Why they mistype as NP: being messy/procrastinating, looping or gripping on Ti/Fi.

True Type: SJ

Likely reasons why they’d mistype as SP: realize they’re a sensor but aren’t particularly boring or traditional or organized; looping or gripping on Ti/Fi.

Why they mistype as NP: looping or gripping on Ne or Ti/Fi, or just overestimating their Ne.

I get this question or variations thereof a lot so I decided I’d put together a non-comprehensive guide.

Including this information doesn’t guarantee you can be typed from it (typing anyone over the internet is difficult and unreliable) but it will help.

Before we start:

Mental illness or cognitive conditions can affect how you behave. There’s no getting around it. I can’t tell you what’s the mental illness (or ADHD, or whatever) and what’s “you”; honestly that’s a pretty deep philosophical debate with answers that vary from person to person. And as always I am not a mental health professional.

Also: I find it is more helpful to type yourself assuming standard cognition and figure out loops or grips as needed rather than assuming you’re looping or gripping. Honestly I don’t even know how you decided you’re looping or gripping without some idea of your type to start.

Behavior over time

That’s the main thing. What behaviors do you have that are consistent and sustained? Those are more likely to indicate your personality than the exceptions; for example, do you always procrastinate? Then the one time you finished a project on time isn’t the example you should be giving me.

Age

If you’re okay with giving an age range that is helpful as it will let me know roughly where you probably are in development. For reference: prior to late teens, your tert and inf are pretty weak. Your tertiary function development really gets underway during your late teens to mid-20s, depending; inferior function development really gets underway in your late 20s and beyond. That doesn’t mean you can’t use those functions before hand, or even use them in a healthy way, but it does mean they probably won’t be the first tool you reach for. If someone is using their inferior in a really mature and thoughtful way and letting it take the lead, they’re probably in their 40s or above. Think of it this way: the 20-30 something IxTPs I know can be very warm and empathetic, but they still have a much more rigid view of personal interaction than a Fe-dom of the same age or an IxTP in their 50s.

Age also helps because a lot of people in their late teens/early 20s are swamped with tertiary function development and lean on it pretty hard but in a somewhat one-dimensional way. So they might relate a lot to descriptions of that function, which can also be rather one-dimensional.

Why you like what you like

Hobbies and likes on their own aren’t helpful but understanding why you like them is. For example: ISTP dad finds running meditative to the point of not using headphones. It also is a way he feels more in control over aging (tert Ni future concerns) and satisfies some Se competition urges. I have an INTJ friend who loves running, because she’s competing against herself (Ni self-improvement/Fi identity) and feels accomplished by doing so (Te). I’m sure there are other reasons coming from other functions for both of them. So: knowing someone likes running doesn’t help, but knowing what they like about running does.

Related: why you do what you do

 A lot of lazy descriptions say INxJs overindulge in Se via drinking, overeating, etc. when stressed (Se grip) but it’s important to note that the reason for this is unhealthy Se desiring stimulation with no thought put into what that stimulation is. A lot of people eat or drink when stressed or upset and it could be for emotional numbing (inferior Fe or Fi*) or to forget about feelings of anxiety/despair (inferior Ne or Ni). Or as another example, I know I’ve procrastinated not because of distraction but out of perfectionist tendencies or fear of the unknown. Behaviors are good at eliminating types or narrowing things down but to really figure it out, we need to know the cognitive process that caused the behavior.

How you think

This can be hard to step back and observe in others and also in yourself- there’s a lot of room for confirmation bias here. But if you can consider how you think, that’s useful. Do you think of lots of things as a checklist, even if they’re not set obligations (often a Te thing)? Do you prefer conceptual learning, or hands on (often points to intuition vs. sensing)? And so on.

If you think you’re a certain type and why

I know this might seem like it would bias me one way or another and maybe it will but I find it so much easier to try to prove someone wrong (or right) than come up with an argument from whole cloth.

Why you’re asking about type

I’ve mentioned this before. This doesn’t necessarily help me type you but it might help me answer your question. As always: if someone is a complete asshole to you, your observations are probably not objective, but also genuinely why do you care? Just get them out of your life if you can or limit your time if not. I mean, it’s helpful to understand them a little, especially if you’re stuck with them, but there are a lot of reasons outside of MBTI why they might behave the way they do and focusing on MBTI probably won’t give you as good a picture as understanding where they’re coming from.

Similarly and kind of tying back to the first point, if you’re unhappy, knowing your MBTI type is not a guaranteed way to fix it or provide direction. There have definitely been times when my unhappiness was tied to my type (difficulty adjusting in new situations due to low Ne) but others where it really wasn’t and it was just a situation I didn’t like. Just as the line between mental illness and identity is a complicated one with a lot of interpretations, so is the one between identity and MBTI. The most biased and inaccurate people tend to be those who have banked everything they are on their MBTI type (and other personality systems), and the people I find most knowledgeable and well-adjusted are those who acknowledge that their type is only one piece of the puzzle.

ISTP + ESFP = keep up or get dragged INFJ + INTJ = sass and subtext over 9000 ENFJ + ENTJ = power explosion, no survivors ESFJ + ISTP = “that’s morally questionable but we’ll laugh about it anyway” ENFJ + ESFP = bromance of insults, and wondering why they weren’t invited to the other’s party ENFJ + ISTP = fun and frustrating. Take a breath and hug it out, then get food INFJ + ENFJ = constantly asking “why do you love me?” and slapping each other with Exasperation™ INFP + ENFP = truth bombs and nothing else INFP + INTJ = “I love you but please stop” INFP + INFJ = “the world and its emotions are ours to understand” ENFJ + INFP = “SQUISH. You’re loved :3 but also terrifying and weird lol” ISFP + ENFP = “you’re adored and life is better with you in it” the true good vibe ISTP + INFJ = “here’s why everything sucks but why that makes life worth it anyway” INFJ + ENFP = chaotic understanding ENFP + ISTJ = “you’re cool for a reason but I can’t remember what it is rn” ISTJ + INFJ = and that’s how this elaborate procedure is effective now and forever. Amen. INFJ + ENTJ =“ here, let me help you with that” INTP + INFJ = “what even is existence, right? ” ESTJ + ISTP = “you don’t like it but I’m doing this anyways”

emperor of rome

corrupt senator who bleeds the provinces dry

Would never roast anyone: ISFJ, ENFJ, ESFJ, ESFP

Pulls it off like a master: ENTP, ESTP, ENTJ, ENFP, ESTJ

Thinks of the perfect roast but stutters in the delivery: INFJ, INTP, INFP, ISFP

Ne: making every little thing

Ti: an “mbti” thing

Fi: you liking

Se: grilled cheese

Ni: has nothing to do with

Si: your introverted sensing

Dominant Ni (INXJ: No, I haven’t learned this before. I just know how to do it, that’s all. Let me guess what that means… am I right? Yes! I knew it! You can’t ask me to stop thinking about the future; I think about it all the time! That person is going to do that, and this will happen as a result. I am not wrong. You wait and see. (Told you!) I don’t like this, it didn’t happen the way I anticipated it would! No, I don’t want to change my plan at the last minute! How can I fix this? Where did I go wrong? I have a creative way to explain this process to you! Interpreting symbolism comes easily to me. Visualizing my goals, and my future, makes me happy and energizes me! I can see where I want to be, and where I am, and come up with each step necessary to reach my dreams.  

Auxiliary Ni (ENXJ): I feel very strongly that this is about to happen, and I intend to use my foreknowledge to do something about it. No, I am not surprised this happened. I knew it would. I am not going to support that company, because they will go under in six months. This person is not worth my time, because they are dishonest and I know they will betray me. Last night, I didn’t know what to do… but now, suddenly, the answer is staring me in the face! I know what to do to accomplish everything! You can’t fool me, because I can see your true self. People tell me that my advice is profound and insightful. I sometimes hide what I know, when I know it, because it freaks people out.

Tertiary Ni (ISXP): I love the silence. It allows me to think about my future, and what I want to accomplish. I like to come up with new ways of doing or seeing things. Don’t tell anyone, but I like symbolism, archetypes, and mysteries. I find them interesting. I sometimes feel like I know what is going to happen, before it happens… and I’m usually right. I don’t know how I knew that about you; I just did. I can visualize a goal, and won’t stop until I turn it into a reality. I trust my insights more in my creativity than in life, but am learning to use my random moments of foreknowledge to create long-term goals.

Dominant Fi (IXFP): I know that this is good, and that is bad. I know that you’re not who you say you are. I don’t need to focus on that particular idea, because it is less important than this other idea or belief. I want to focus on what is important, and I can see the measure of importance of everything in my life: people, causes, thoughts, actions, and feelings. Does this belief conflict with mine? Do I think this action is wrong? If so, I won’t do it. I know what I believe and what is worth believing in. Please, let me have some time to mull over this life-altering decision. I don’t want to make the wrong choice. I feel strong and confident in who I am, and what I believe. I have total faith in you. I know what you need, and will stand up for you when you need me to. I am good at protecting others and showing patience in mediating between them.

Auxiliary Fi (EXFP): I am happiest when staying true to what I believe and what I want for my life. I know what I want, what beliefs and ideals motivate me, and how I feel about something. This is good, and that is bad. I know you’re only pretending, because I can see right through you. How does this new belief measure up against my life, my goals, and my core values? I believe no one should enforce morality; it should be a conscious choice we make. I care very much about you. I am loyal to you. I have great enthusiasm and many feelings toward you, but I show it through actions rather than words. You don’t have to say anything for me to be able to connect to and understand your meaning. I am okay with silent affection.

Tertiary Fi (IXTJ): I put a lot of time and energy into activities that are important to me. I want those activities to be meaningful in some way—I want to volunteer, learn to teach others, apply my knowledge, or write on important social issues. I have a strong sense of what is good or bad. I want things to come out right, and will work toward that end. I am loyal to a few causes and people, because my time is valuable so I prioritize. I choose what beliefs feel the most authentic to me. I compare all my decisions against my strong beliefs of right and wrong.

ESFP: Look, I get it, you leave people in the dust because you know how crazy and all over the place your life can be and you’re also crazy scared to let somebody in just to have it end up with you accidentally leaving them and both of you getting hurt, but emotional intimacy and real depth in friendships are 100% worth it in the end and it’s the struggle and fight of a lifetime to keep them in your life, but it’s also the greatest gift and you can’t keep denying yourself that intimacy and friendship. 

ISFP: I know you have a lot of great desires and wonderful dreams and they might seem too far off and too crazy and too beautiful to come true, but you have them for a reason, and you gotta stop paralyzing yourself with fear and take that first step and throw yourself into the unknown, and that’s the scariest part, I know, but we both know you’re braver than you look, and that your passion can make it happen. 

ENFP: I know that the moment you hit an obstacle or two when you first start working towards that far off dream, it’s scary and it makes you want to crumble and run away to a new thing like you think you always do, but don’t! You’re miles more tenacious and capable than you give yourself credit for and you’ve got to discipline yourself and trust that your talents and optimism can and will propel you through whatever is keeping you from your goals. 

INFP: I know it’s hard to feel understood and it’s easy to let yourself become bitter by the ways of the world or whatever’s happening, but closing yourself off to others isn’t going to save you the pain. You have a natural capacity to understand others that’s hard for the other types to grasp and when you stop yourself from using that talent, or use it for selfish reasons, you’re doing yourself a massive injustice. 

ESTP: Listen, I totally get that the world is full of fun and interesting things and you want to experience them all, but you’ve got to remember that for a lot of the people that come along with you, they’re there to experience YOU as much as they’re there for the thing itself. Don’t let yourself forget that half the fun of anything is who you’re doing it with. 

ISTP: I know you generally don’t mean to yell or be rude when your irritated and that it’s really just a passing thing and you don’t generally care all that much, but just apologize to people after you’ve calmed down! Explain it to them and that you don’t mean it! Admit to yourself that you care enough about them to try to make amends, even when you’re just being a little crotchety; it means a lot to the feelers lol. 

ENTP: You’re a genuinely fun person to be around and you usually rack up a reputation for that, but just because you’re funny and witty and damn smart doesn’t mean you don’t have feelings and problems that need to be externalized, and trust me, the right people will be more than willing to talk about what’s really happening in your life one minute and go back to elaborate jokes the next without a problem. Don’t stunt your emotional growth for the sake of brevity. 

INTP: It’s okay to not know what to do in an emotional situation. Like, it’s genuinely okay. If somebody’s opening up to you, half the time your presence and you listening is 95% of what they need in that moment. Don’t avoid the situations just because it causes writer’s block emotionally. Emotional availability comes with experience. You’ll learn. Just, be your goofy self and the rest will come with time. 

ENFJ: You’ve got to realize that although holding yourself to such a high standard is noble and praiseworthy, that it sometimes eclipses your ability to be a good friend when that was the goal in the first place. You’re human and can’t do everything for your friends that you’d want to be able to do when they need help, and profusely apologizing and beating yourself up for it just shifts the focus off of helping your friend and turns it to you. Accept your humanity, and just do what you can. They appreciate the help, I promise. 

INFJ: I know you have a tendency to feel misunderstood and want people to show you that they love you and care about you, but you don’t get to say you’re fine AND disappear on people. Either say you’re not okay and pull back, or say you’re okay and stick around long enough for somebody to see through the BS. In my experience, y'all have a habit of making things a self-fulfilling prophecy, and that doesn’t do you any good! Be forward, be honest, and just be vulnerable; they care more than you convince yourself they do. 

ESFJ: I need to be straight with y'all. Learn how to talk about something other than your 4-5 current fixations. In my experience, N’s have a crazy hard time being close with you because you keep bringing the topic back to one of your current Favorite Things™, whether it be the semester abroad you just got back from or the first date that’s scheduled for two weeks from now. Expand your area of interest and you’ll find people will be much more authentic with you. 

ISFJ: You have this really amazing ability to notice the small things about people and that helps you show them you care about them in these really great and meaningful ways, but you can’t let yourself overthink the small things you notice about people. One of my good ISFJ friends started poking around trying to see if alcoholism ran in my family after noticing I’d been drinking wine a lot recently. You might have an intention to help, but overthinking/overanalyzing like that and trying to involve yourself in helping can hurt your friendships. 

ESTJ: Your presence is powerful and intense and that’s great at times, but you’ve got to let out your goofy fun side more, and hoe we’ve all seen it before, you’re a damn riot after a beer or two. People, in general, care more about fun than having every plan go right during the night/event. Be willing to be fun more, you’re so good at it. 

ISTJ: I know you get frustrated with yourself because you want to do new things and get out there and be a fun person, but the thing is, you’re so much better at being a responsible, caring person. Befriend the chaotic, crazy, lovable rascals and let them bring the fun to you (or more often than not, drag you kicking and screaming to where the fun is). 

ENTJ: Look, I’m an INTJ, so I know how hard this is to swallow, but showing you care about a person sometimes isn’t so much giving them solutions to their problems or trying to correct an issue; a lot of the other types literally just want you to listen and hear them out. And you gotta do that sometimes, babe. And shut your damn mouth while they’re telling you everything, okay? Just. Let them finish. 

Please read the following before you ask. 

It might already be answered here, and if not you’ll be able to ask in a way that is more likely to elicit an actually helpful answer from me.

The unofficial theme of this blog is “There are no shortcuts; you have to put in the work.” Please keep that in mind.

I am not a psychologist or other mental health professional. Please do not take any advice as mental health advice or similar.

Essentials:

The Welcome To the MBTI Community Super Easy Crash Course. Includes basic discussion of functions, loops, grips, stacking, terminology, and naming conventions.

What information is useful in typing people?

Why knowing why you want to type someone is important

General resources who are not me:

@mbti-notes has a very well-organized blog with a lot of resources

@mbti-resources by eilamona is exactly what it sounds like; @eilamona is also a great resource.

@funkymbtifiction has good articles by the mods (I would take unofficial typings with a grain of salt, but the actual function compare posts and such are good).

If you 100% have to take a test, which I don’t recommend, try keys2cognition and then research the top cognitive functions in your results to start. Dario Nardi is the researcher behind it 

Thought Catalog’s serious articles by Heidi Priebe are a good starting point if you’re totally new.

For Enneagram: The Enneagram Institute has a lot. The Wikipedia page for Enneagram isn’t half bad either; I have a copy of the The Essential Enneagram on Kindle which is fine. The best tumblr folks for Enneagram I know are @naughty-nanny and @istj-hedonist.

Some useful tags:

To be updated as I clean up my mess of tags. In the meantime:

by type (#istj, etc)

by function (#introverted sensing; note that I spell extroverted with an ‘o’ even though it’s wrong)

mbti in general (#mbti)

enneagram (#enneagram)

Previous asks, not necessarily from me (#answered asks). Currently only goes back to May 1st 2017 but that’s around when my ask volume blew up.

FAQ

How do I tell if X MBTI type I have a crush on likes me?

You can’t. Ask them.

Same goes for compatibility

What does X MBTI type look like?

It’s much easier for me to try to type someone based on a description than the reverse (come up with a description without a person). If you’re looking for a general description, try the general resources and ask me if you need clarification/expansion.

Which MBTI test is best?

Clearly you did not read the general resources list but: all tests are pretty limited; I find the keys2cognition test to be the best by far.

Am I possibly mistyped?

Yes. If you want to know whether I think you’re mistyped, you need to add some useful information as described above.

Can X MBTI type be Y enneagram?

Yes. Is it likely? Maybe or maybe not.

INFJ: Diamonds. You know, clarity, rareness, whatever.

(How common INFJs are on tumblr)

ENFJ: Rose Quartz. Who doesn’t like rose quartz? 

ENFP: Opals. So many ideas!!! So pretty!!!

INFP: Morganite. so soft, so warm

INTJ: Moonstone. It is meant to be one of the gems with most clarity. Pretty rare too.

ENTJ: Onyx. Both give the ‘don’t mess with me’ vibe.

ENTP: Alexandrite. It’s meant to change colour in different enviroments. (isnt that cool!) And it’s meant to help creativity.

INTP: Amethyst. Meant to keep the wearer clear-headed and quick-witted.

ISTJ: Pearl. Practical and traditional.

ESFJ: Aquamarine. Meant to have a soothing effect on married couples. (theres a back story trust me)

ESTJ: Citrine: makes a bold statement.  Meant to be a gift from the Sun.

ESFP: Jade. This is a quote from the website: ‘ Wearing a stunning piece of Jade jewelry is sure to make anyone ‘green’ with envy.’. That is enough.

ISFP: Lapis Lazuli. Has been used to make paint and was especially revered in the Renaissance.

ESTP: Ruby. They symbolize passion and courage. So does the ESTP.

ISTP: Sapphire. They symbolize loyalty and trust. Also, they are super tough.

ISFJ: Amber. Warm and protects the past (by fossilizing it in pine resin)

INFJ: sorry, I’m handing my homework in late because time isn’t real

INTP: sorry, wikipedia was more interesting

INFP: sorry, maths and I have an unhealthy relationship. So I broke it off.

INTJ: sorry, the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger, and I needed answers

ENFP: sorry, I ate my homework

ENFJ: sorry, I was doing my friend’s work instead

ENTJ: sorry, my business needed attending to

ENTP: sorry, I had to help my friend clear up a body

ISTP: sorry, I fell off a wall and nearly died

ISFJ: sorry, I adopted a stray cat at the weekend and it may or may not have eaten my homework

ISFP: sorry, I didn’t have time. Would you care to take in my procrastination doodles instead?

ISTJ: sorry, I accidentally wrote two theses instead of one - my hand slipped

ESTP: sorry, I had an accident involving a desk and a ceiling fan

ESFP: sorry, I was drunk, so some of these may not be words

ESFJ: sorry, my pet woodlouse met an early and unfortunate death over the weekend