Theory: Is perception of type affected by confirmation bias? | INFJ Forum

Theory: Is perception of type affected by confirmation bias?

athenian200

Protocol Droid
Jun 29, 2010
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I've noticed that whenever someone asks other people what they think their type is, they almost invariably confirm the type the person already thinks they are. They end up justifying it by throwing in shadow manifestation, function development, gender, and "fundamental human tendencies," even if the behavior seems counter to the core of the type.

It seems as though people are either unwilling or unable to challenge a person's self-perceived type, due to lack of widely-accepted definitions and standards that could rule out the possibility of being a given type. It even seems like this same tendency crops up when talking about people we've never met that have only been typed and talked about by another person.

I've found that the same behaviors are usually interpreted one way when a person is being typed for the first time and has no clue what they are, and in a very different way if the person already thinks they're a particular type.

So, what do you think about this tendency? Why are we collectively unable to apply consistent standards to the way we assign type, tending towards confirming what the person already thinks of themselves, and what we've thought of them as?
 
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Sometimes people are afraid of conflict and/or don't like to be wrong.

Forer effect comes into play as well, but directed externally instead of internally.

If you have the preconceived notion person is type X, then the first action is typically to only ask whether they are or they are not type X; and not whether they are type Y, type Z, type A, type B, etc etc.

However, if someone started breaking it down further into cognitive functions, it becomes much more credible.

I don't get that into MBTI these days. In my particular case, it was more of me filling time and space to ward off boredom.
 
However, if someone started breaking it down further into cognitive functions, it becomes much more credible.

This^^^. I've learned more from MBTI by discussing the relationship between the functions than focusing on whether or not i fit into a particular type.


Good topic, very interesting. I've been thinking about this quite a bit. I notice that if someone presents a description of a type which seems to fit what i already think, i'm very likely to immediately accept what they suggest. But yet, i'm still resistant to being typed. I'm almost always reluctant to agree with someone who says i'm not a particular type, since we're only using what we know of someone online to type them. I'm always open to suggestions, but to say definitively we are or are not a type is very tricky. Our personas online are not necessarily representative of who we are in person.
 
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Our personas online are not necessarily representative of who we are in person.

Agreed. Although in the Tinychat those who get on webcam a lot definitely make it easier. Unfortunately, it seems like usually those who are on webcam a lot aren't posting much.
 
Agreed. Although in the Tinychat those who get on webcam a lot definitely make it easier.

But even in tinychat or a webcam, people may sometimes be self conscious because they know they're being watched, so that may not necessarily be the best indicator either. And we reveal different aspects of ourself depending on who we're interacting with.
 
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But even in tinychat or a webcam, people may sometimes be self conscious because they know they're being watched, so that may not necessarily be the best indicator either. And we reveal different aspects of ourself depending on who we're interacting with.

That would be why they say MBTI is only distinguishable by the individual themselves, which I agree with. Although over time in Tinychat, if they use the webcam enough they tend to be pretty natural on it, I would think. When I first started on cam I was pretty uncomfortable, but as I got more used to the community I am much more natural, which is pretty much quiet and not saying anything unless I am drinking. :p
 
If you have the preconceived notion person is type X, then the first action is typically to only ask whether they are or they are not type X; and not whether they are type Y, type Z, type A, type B, etc etc.

Good point. Yeah, we tend to ask questions to confirm what we think someone is, rather than asking more general questions which are meant to really get at what functions we use. And i still think it's pretty difficult to really determine true type because we often shape ourselves to the people and environment we're in.
 
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This is a bit unrelated, but I couldn't think of a better spot to post it.

I personally welcome any and all constructive criticism from others, and when I was younger I couldn't quite understand how others wouldn't want the same.

"What do you mean? You don't want to better yourself?"

Sometimes I have thought of making a thread asking for personal analysis, but I always fear that I would make myself out to be self-centered or egotistical. I also find that people rarely ever give solid responses for constructive criticism. Some find it as a way to settle some prior dispute and some aren't assertive enough to show their true thoughts. Of course posting in something like that is not at all exempt of people also being able to analyze the analyzer by their responses.
 
This is a bit unrelated, but I couldn't think of a better spot to post it.

I personally welcome any and all constructive criticism from others, and when I was younger I couldn't quite understand how others wouldn't want the same.

"What do you mean? You don't want to better yourself?"

Sometimes I have thought of making a thread asking for personal analysis, but I always fear that I would make myself out to be self-centered or egotistical. I also find that people rarely ever give solid responses for constructive criticism. Some find it as a way to settle some prior dispute and some aren't assertive enough to show their true thoughts. Of course posting in something like that is not at all exempt of people also being able to analyze the analyzer by their responses.

Agree. Why don't you try using an interview a member thread, and get everyone to ask questions and see if you can get some construction responses from that.
 
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You don't post enough personal content to work with! Actually... I could work with that. :p

dude, seriously? *flips through pages and pages of blog stuff to check for not enough personal content . . . collapses in frustration*
 
dude, seriously? *flips through pages and pages of blog stuff to check for not enough personal content . . . collapses in frustration*

Oh yea, I always forget about blogs!

*Catches Res*
 
Here's a nice list nicked from the Place-whose name-shall-not-be-uttered

NephilimAzrael said:



CAUTION: Know your bias.



It is wonderful that you have all discovered personality testing.
Whatever this signifies to you. Perhaps it means that you have obtained an insight into your own typological traits or that the personality systems assist you in understanding others.
However, it is imperative that you take caution when you are understanding what these types indicate.

1. These are not explanations of you as a person:
What these typology tests indicate are generalized patterns of thought and behavior amongst a tested population. They do not explain away your very self.

2. There is no absolute truth about you.
The common features of traits are numerous and there are many aspects of the human personality that are not measured by MBTI/Enneagram/SLOAN. You do however share some common traits, which manifest themselves to varying degrees and with varying significance.

3. NO TYPE IS SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER!
Remember, these traits only indicate how you may/may not operate consciously/preconsciously. The tests are fallible and the descriptions alone do not support your judgments of yourself or others. Take this only as a tool that may or may not assist you in your intra/interpersonal relationships.


Here is a list of biases that may assist you in overcoming fallacies that relate to the tests:

Please be aware of biases within self-evaluation. In addition the biases which may stem from such a measure:

Barnum effect (also known as the Forer effect):
This bias relates to when a person validates a type assessment based on subjective responses.

Bandwagon effect
This bias relates to making choices based on information given by those who present suggestion of authority or prestige.

Groupthink
The bias of attempting to minimize conflict or disharmony through group decision making or favoring agreeableness whilst ignoring dissent.

Bias Blind spot
A behavior of compensating for one's own held beliefs or biases. A self-serving bias which rejects contradictory information.

Choice supportive
A bias of ascribing positive assessments/attributes to a choice in retrospect, so as to subjectively validate that choice.

Semmelweis reflex
A reflexive behavior of rejecting new knowledge in favor of thought habits, beliefs or opinions/methods.

Wishful thinking bias
Forming beliefs or making decisions based on what is pleasing to imagine as true rather than by support of evidence or rationality.

Hindsight bias
Viewing choices or events as predictions/explanations based on past events or hindsight.

Subjective validation
Viewing information to be correct because of the personal significance to oneself (not with substantial evidence)
Projection bias
Personal attributes, unacceptable thoughts/emotions are projected onto another or a group. This can apply to types when one believes a type description shows an inclination for others to behave in a different manner.

System Justification bias
This is a tendency to defend or entrench oneself to beliefs that certain systems or beliefs should be considered legitimate or desirable because they are of the "status quo".. This can be applied to over-estimating typology systems or favoring one over others.

Ultimate attribution error
Mostly directed at members of another group (in this case, another type). This can be combined with most of the above biases, in favoring the behaviors described by one type and ascribing negative behaviors to another type in an attempt to justify one's actions.

Please consider these biases when you are considering what to do with the information you obtain from your typing. And don't forget, it is just a description. It does not explain yourself or even indicate who you are, neither motivationally or consequentially.
 
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oh interesting topic, i think i might have done exactly this in my other thread....

what's interesting when it comes to identity even moreso than the tendency to confirm whatever we already believe about ourselves, is that whenever you believe something about yourself, even if untrue, it starts to BECOME true... it manifests as an actual part of your personality, even if originally it wasn't. tell yourself you're insecure over and over, and your mind will start noticing all the ways in which you are, therefore feeding into your theory and solidifying it as true... (even though it might just be one part of a spectrum of behaviors which could go either way).

i also think people adjust their perceptions of their personalities around what they, individually, consider important and valuable -for example, someone who considers empathy an important characteristic would be likely to center their perception of who they are around whether or not they meet their own criterion of empathic. (did that make sense? XD)

anyway, i'm not sure why we do this.. maybe it's true what the psychologists say and the mind just is naturally affirming... imo, it's more complicated than that. great thread anyway! :)
 
Haven't noticed all that much, but then I also don't read those topics all that much... :m122:

Although, when I made my own type thread no one mentioned the type I believed myself to be. aheh.
 
I did at first, but then I realized that my model of MBTI doesn't allow for someone to have conscious Fi and Fe simultaneously, whereas others' models here do, so I don't really bother with it much anymore. (This has only been a matter of days, so it's a quick process).

Unless we're dealing with MBTI experts, it's probable that the person will have a much better time of figuring out what their own type is, rather than consulting someone else. If it's close enough, people can make it fit, so it's not that important.