From: deviass@ecf.toronto.edu (Deviasse Robert)
Newsgroups: alt.psychology.personality
Subject: Re: yet another INFP
Date: 29 Dec 92 03:30:26 GMT
Organization: University of Toronto, Engineering Computing Facility

w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu (Walter Lee) admits...
> In article <1992Dec28.204600.7218@samba.oit.unc.edu>, Paul.Fortman@launchpad.unc.edu (Paul Fortman) writes:
> >In article <1hm4oiINNs6c@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu> jag2@po.CWRU.Edu (Joseph A. Gatto) writes:
> >>
> >>I'm a definite INFP and my SO is a definite ESTJ.  I'm working on
> >                ^^^^
> >Ah, another INFP.  I too am an INFP, but I don't have an SO 8-(
> 
> I think I'm INFP.  One the quick 70 item questionaire that was posted here a
> few weeks ago, I scored 90% I, 90% N, 55% F, 65% P.
> 
> /* interesting autobiography of Paul's formal education omitted here */
> 
> I have a BS in math and I'm going for a second BS in computer science.  At
> first glance, you'd think either of these are emphatically T not F.  Of course
> I think almost as much as I feel (according to the survey), so maybe I'm INXP. 
> And I think/feel that the 90% N helps with the really Arcane stuff.  (Too much
> thinking, at least left brain thinking, can lead to burnout if you're studying
> math.  I've been there.) 

I've tested myself also on a few of the tests and I've found that I'm definitely
INFP. The INFP description fits me more than any of the others so I'm comfortable
with it. The description did explain quite a bit of my personality, although
it missed out on several important areas.

I have a BS in Inorganic (solid state) Chemistry and I'm also going for a second
BS in computer science. I'm extremely analytical and I've been described by
some as being the closest thing to a "binar"(ST old generation) that they've
ever seen. So what am I doing scoring 90% F! We I suppose it's because I believe
that emotions can be factored into logic. After all, it's not logical to hurt
those you care about. Logic is very important and is never an option (for me), 
but it is a means, not an ends. (How's that for being a T for F reasons:) )
I suppose your profession of choice is a very poor indicator of your personality
type.


> 
> Someone, I think it was Jon Noring, the patron saint of this newsgroup, posted
> a list of the 16 MBtypes, with a short descriptive paragraph and % prevalence
> for each.  As I recall, INFP was your basic Mystic On A Mountaintop.  (or
> cultural anthropologist?)  I find "Western Civ" to be something of a
> straitjacket sometimes.

Well I prefer the description in "Please Understand Me" (a very good book, BTW)
that calls the INFP, "the Prince or Princess of mythology, the King's 
Champion, Defender of the Faith, and guardian of the castle". Sir Galahad and 
Joan of Arc are described as INFPs.


One thing I've been curious about is that when I was younger (up to about grade 6), 
I was a quintessential ISTJ. So what caused be to become the (almost) opposite
INFP type? Well, it was a long evolution and it was completely rational
(at least I can rationalize it). My former ISTJ-ness has been very helpful
and I'm about to put myself in ISTJ-like modes when necessary. My question
is, how stable are these types? All books I've read suggest that types
are more or less perminant. But my life experiences seem to indicate otherwise.
One can give the excuse that my personality type had not yet fully developed,
but this does not seem too satisfactory, since it is possible to be mature
yet who's type has not "matured".

> 
>  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  Walter Lee                                          w2lee@argo.acs.oakland.edu
> 
> You can judge a leader by the size of the problems he tackles -- people
> nearly always pick a problem their own size, and ignore or leave to
> others the bigger of smaller ones.
>                                 -- Anthony Jay
Well I could argue that the size of the problems tackled determine the ego
of the leader, but I won't since I'm not feeling particularly ENTP today:-)


Any opinions/comments/references will be warmly recieved,
    Robert

-- 
/-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------\
| Robert N. Deviasse            |"The things that are not easily attained,    |
| EMAIL: g2devi@cdf.utoronto.ca |    are the things we cherish the most."     |
+-------------------------------+---------------------------------------------/