Is it possible to change your type? | INFJ Forum

Is it possible to change your type?

donkeybals

donkeybals

A Permanent Fixture
Jan 10, 2011
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Is it possible just to change your type? Just wondering? I think I do this from time to time based on enviorment.. like at work I focus more on being a sensor and feeler since I have to cater to customer and employee needs, and when I'm thinking about a project I turn into a intj and when I'm delegating I don't know what the hell I turn into I think an e and t and j in there somewhere.. I tell myself I'm changing my type, might sound stupid but I'll be like alright intj mode if I'm trying to acheive an objective.. or I'll be like alright I need to adapt and improvise in this scenario so I'll just do what perceivers do..

Just wondering if you can be chameleon, is it possible? I look at it as just changing what you focus on mentally. I tell myself this, but often wonder if I'm actually changing my type, or not. I noticed a few times if I'm in a certain "mode" I'll test in that mode. But I could be just picking answers because I know what a certain type would pick and want to tell myself I'm that type..

My preference is intj actually, I'd rather talk and think about things that carry substance. There's a lot of fluff in everyday conversation, meaning is important to me, but so is connection with certain people at certain times..

Anyway, I noticed pros and cons for certain types.. for instance when I become or think I become an entp I become more likeable and connect with people more, but it puts you at a more vulnerable state.. what's the opposite of that? Oh, infj actually, when you become that you become more caring individual and have more of a tendency to lean towards standing up for your beliefs more often..

Am I just flat out of my mind? I think I've always done this at some level, but I'm doing it more and more now.. a lot of my friends (who know me the best) associate this with "moodiness". I'm not sure if it's mood or I can change my type..

Right now I'd say I'm in entp mode.. I'm either in that mode or a crazy arrogant infj.. both acceptable imo..

[edit] Note to self infj and entp are not opposite archetypes. Both iNtuitives. :)
 
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I used to think so, but I'm getting more and more disuaded from this idea.

I believe it takes time for you to develop into your type, and this timeframe is different for everyone, but after that we can only attempt to mimic other types.
 
Jung assumed that the introversion-extroversion difference in inborn at least, but I've not seen him clarifying if one's functions are inborn as well.
 
Atticus said:
Jung assumed that the introversion-extroversion difference in inborn at least, but I've not seen him clarifying if one's functions are inborn as well.
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Yes I agree with the introversion and extroversion being inborn however it seems likely that the other functions are much more fluid than people would seem to like to believe.
 
Personally, after about age 7 (your first biological hormonal 'brain cleansing' (for lack of a better word) I'm going to assert an educated guess of 'no.' You can, however, learn to take advantage of your strengths and mitigate you weaknesses and so, as a result, appear to be the best possible version of your type.
 
I don't know what the answer to this is. I think my way of thinking has been very consistent throughout my life with one exception. There was one instance where I had some sort of "spiritual experience" which I suspect was triggered by stress and for about a year I could make connections regarding religion that I couldn't before. However, for that entire time I was very aware of it not being normal for me and eventually it went away. From, this experience I've come to believe that the mind is able to make connections in unusual ways but ultimately it has its preferences. To go against the preferences is to meet mental resistance. I can't name what I experienced but it more than anything else convinced me that people do think differently. It is one thing to know this on an intellectual level and another to actually feel it.
 
kiu said:
I don't know what the answer to this is. I think my way of thinking has been very consistent throughout my life with one exception. There was one instance where I had some sort of "spiritual experience" which I suspect was triggered by stress and for about a year I could make connections regarding religion that I couldn't before. However, for that entire time I was very aware of it not being normal for me and eventually it went away. From, this experience I've come to believe that the mind is able to make connections in unusual ways but ultimately it has its preferences. To go against the preferences is to meet mental resistance. I can't name what I experienced but it more than anything else convinced me that people do think differently. It is one thing to know this on an intellectual level and another to actually feel it.
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Couldn't a large part of that be cognitive bias?
 
donkeybals said:
[edit] Note to self infj and entp are not opposite archetypes. Both iNtuitives. :)
Click to expand...

While they're both intuitives they're pretty opposed.

Ni>Fe>Ti>Se, and Ne>Ti>Fe>Se respectively.

The opposite of an INFJ would be Si>Te>Fi>Ne (ISTJ).

Don't just look at the four letters to figure out the types. It really all comes down to function use.
 
88chaz88 said:
While they're both intuitives they're pretty opposed.

Ni>Fe>Ti>Se, and Ne>Ti>Fe>Se respectively.

The opposite of an INFJ would be Si>Te>Fi>Ne (ISTJ).

Don't just look at the four letters to figure out the types. It really all comes down to function use.
Click to expand...

Honestly the more I look at the two the more they become separate, the stereotypes of MBTI seem far less rigid to me and I'm always questioning "what if there are more than 8 functions?" "what if functions overlap?" "What if functions are just made up and we use cognitive biases to associate to them?" "How do cognitive functions work with sociopaths? or empaths?" "Why does no one seem to question Jung's theory?" etc, etc.

Honestly I think the stereotypes are far more useful for inner discovery than trying to jam yourself into a box.
 
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Sali said:
Couldn't a large part of that be cognitive bias?
Click to expand...

Perhaps, it is. I am not sufficiently informed to say, which is why I hesitate to name it. I can only say that the experience was profound and completely inaccessible to me now, as it was before. I'm welcome to opinions in PM so that there is no thread derail.
 
donkeybals said:
Is it possible just to change your type? Just wondering? I think I do this from time to time based on enviorment.. like at work I focus more on being a sensor and feeler since I have to cater to customer and employee needs, and when I'm thinking about a project I turn into a intj and when I'm delegating I don't know what the hell I turn into I think an e and t and j in there somewhere.. I tell myself I'm changing my type, might sound stupid but I'll be like alright intj mode if I'm trying to acheive an objective.. or I'll be like alright I need to adapt and improvise in this scenario so I'll just do what perceivers do..

Just wondering if you can be chameleon, is it possible? I look at it as just changing what you focus on mentally. I tell myself this, but often wonder if I'm actually changing my type, or not. I noticed a few times if I'm in a certain "mode" I'll test in that mode. But I could be just picking answers because I know what a certain type would pick and want to tell myself I'm that type..

My preference is intj actually, I'd rather talk and think about things that carry substance. There's a lot of fluff in everyday conversation, meaning is important to me, but so is connection with certain people at certain times..

Anyway, I noticed pros and cons for certain types.. for instance when I become or think I become an entp I become more likeable and connect with people more, but it puts you at a more vulnerable state.. what's the opposite of that? Oh, infj actually, when you become that you become more caring individual and have more of a tendency to lean towards standing up for your beliefs more often..

Am I just flat out of my mind? I think I've always done this at some level, but I'm doing it more and more now.. a lot of my friends (who know me the best) associate this with "moodiness". I'm not sure if it's mood or I can change my type..

Right now I'd say I'm in entp mode.. I'm either in that mode or a crazy arrogant infj.. both acceptable imo..

[edit] Note to self infj and entp are not opposite archetypes. Both iNtuitives. :)
Click to expand...

Every human being does this. It's called adapting. This is why "type descriptions" are such a bad idea, because it implies that certain behaviors are exclusive to certain types. That's not how it works. If this were true, we would not survive a single day. People are not this two-dimensional. Different situations require us to make use of different parts of our psyche, and we use all 4 functions in different contexts, albeit, not as confidently. As an INFJ, you use Ni-Fe-Ti-Se. So if at work, you feel you have to make use of more Sensing and Feeling, it means you are making use of the parts of your mind that deal with Sensing and Feeling, that is, Fe and Se, but your use of Se is never going to be as good as an Se-dominant type (ESxP) and it will never be as comfortable/natural/stimulating for you as a Sensing-dominant type. You don't turn into an ESFP at work, you are catering to the demands of the external world, which is what all of us do. Where type comes in is to differentiate our preferences based on where we feel most comfortable and which functions we feel the most natural associating with.

The notion that if you are ENTP at the moment because you are "crazy" and "arrogant" is silly. Any type can be this way, but for infinitely many different reasons. Personality is not the same as type.
 
I've tested as different types before though. I think you might be making an assumption I'm an infj because:

1.) I'm on this forum
2.) It's stated as my type in my profile

The reason I have it as my type is because it's the first one I was typed with.
 
Posting on this forum makes me feel less introverted......
 
Everyone has every type- the one you use most is your preference. I do think that environment or biological factors can change your preference, but it would have to be a very drastic change.

I suppose you could attempt to consciously, but there are probably reasons you do what you do (especially subconsciously), so it would probably not work out for you to try and consciously change it (at least, not unaided). And you'll still be the same basic person even if you do try.
 
donkeybals said:
I've tested as different types before though. I think you might be making an assumption I'm an infj because:

1.) I'm on this forum
2.) It's stated as my type in my profile

The reason I have it as my type is because it's the first one I was typed with.
Click to expand...

I was just using INFJ as an example. I didn't mean to imply you must be an INFJ. You could be ENTP for all I know.

I'm just pointing out that type ≠ traits. Type is a set of psychological associations, not a set of habits or skills. Any type can have any number of traits that are commonly associated with another type, but not for the same reasons, or effect, or comfort level.
 
I'm not sure. Somehow I went from being an ENTP to an INTP over a period of two years, but then again my father did the same thing when he was my age. So I guess maturity plays a large role in MBTI.
 
I lean towards sali's view point on this one. I view the mbti as plastic. The only facts one can possibly know is the questions people surveyed with. And surveying isn't the necessarily the best way to gain factual information. E.g: People can lie. Mbti is after all theorized.

I'm really enjoying different perspectives/view points. They are interesting.
 
Arsal said:
I was just using INFJ as an example. I didn't mean to imply you must be an INFJ. You could be ENTP for all I know.

I'm just pointing out that type ≠ traits. Type is a set of psychological associations, not a set of habits or skills. Any type can have any number of traits that are commonly associated with another type, but not for the same reasons, or effect, or comfort level.
Click to expand...

Oh okay, thanks for clarifying. Perhaps it was a poor assumption on my part.
 
Sali said:
Honestly the more I look at the two the more they become separate, the stereotypes of MBTI seem far less rigid to me and I'm always questioning "what if there are more than 8 functions?" "what if functions overlap?" "What if functions are just made up and we use cognitive biases to associate to them?" "How do cognitive functions work with sociopaths? or empaths?" "Why does no one seem to question Jung's theory?" etc, etc.

Honestly I think the stereotypes are far more useful for inner discovery than trying to jam yourself into a box.
Click to expand...

thats because mbti is a limiting and sucky system that isn't accurate and doesn't work, like astrology, it's based on pretty much nothing
 
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