Chameleon in interaction; Chameleon in general?

[BurnoutPriest]

I recall reading something about INTPs having the strange nature of being a Chameleon in social situations. Stare seriously at an INTP and you'll see a serious INTP staring back. The thought occurred to me later, "Do INTPs mimic anything else?"

I'll give you an example: I am extremely Chameleon-like. If I read a lot of someone's work and then write anything my style will unconsciously imitate the author's style who I just read. If I hear a certain person speak for a while I will actually think with that voice in my head. If forced to immediately speak after engrossed in an audiobook I'll probably have the reader's accent.

I realize many different types of people do things like pick up on an accent quickly, but I'm wondering if INTPs have more of a tendency to do so.

So, am I just weird or is this common among everyone/INTPs specifically?

 

[Inappropriate Behavior]

Can't answer the weird question. Probably yes since you are INTP but not for what you are writing about here. I think "mimic" or "mirror" are more appropriate terms for it though.

For me, it depends on my mood going in to a situation. When I'm in my quiter, darker, anti-social mode, I tend to stay within my normal behavior for that mood. When I'm in one of my "better" moods, I do exactly as you describe. I'll pick up the accent, mannerisms and style of those around me. Usually I'm not aware of doing so until I reflect on it afterwards. Whether or not it is strictly an INTP thing to be so succeptable to it, I can't say. Other introverts may also do this as they are less likely to have developed social mannerisms of there own.

 

[sagewolf]

I do things like that too-- mimicking the 'voice' of an author I have recently read is a big one. However, I've read a lot of things (writing advice, blogs, weird anecdotes, author notes before stories in anthologies) where other authors specifically say that they don't read anything before or while they're writing a draft of a book for that very reason, so I don't know if it's an INTP thing. It might be a product of the Fe function, though-- getting along with and adapting to others. I wouldn't say that I pick up accents, though-- I'm pretty much stuck at some bastard hybrid of 'Generic American' and 'Vaguely Belfast Irish' at this point, and it hasn't changed for years, despite us moving to a part of Ireland where the accents are much different. I'm fairly good at making fun of/imitating accents, though.

 

[Ermine]

I usually keep my own voice, but whenever I try to write music, it always sounds like what I was just listening to. And depending on which friends I'm with, I tend to be more like them and immediately make the switch when I'm with someone different. I don't pick up accents though.

 

[Jordan~]

After reading Stephen Fry's autobiography, I thought like he writes for about a week, to the extent that I was shouting "SHUT UP WITH THE PROSE!" at myself in my head.

 

[Elkrim]

Oh gee, the countless times I've watched a few too many British documentaries - especially when reading a book by a British author at the time - and had my internal narrative take on a British accent. Just a couple days ago, actually, it happened again. Plus I managed to pick up an Irish accent after only a week in Ireland...

Plus I adopt catchphrases easily, and often without noticing it. I was using "Okiday" for years after Episode I, before I realized I had somehow picked it up from Jar Jar Binks after watching the movie only once.

 

[Jordan~]

I do exactly the same thing with accents, too. I have a different voice for practically every subject and every person, and I don't know which is my real one.

 

[FacetiousPersona]

I think it is normal for an individual to try and adapt to their present environment.

 

[chocolate]

I pick up accents fast. I lived in the east coast for a while then moved west and realized I had picked up quite a bit. I'm not INTP though.

 

[flow]

On the 'Voice' thread I made a similar observation that my voice is essentially an amalgamation of everyone around me. I think mostly all types are subconsciously influenced by everyone around them, but as INTPs we seem to be more aware of our influences.

 

[wadlez]

Intps being chameleons in social situations is probably completly different to mimicing voices. It means that you can quickly change your personality to mould to the person you are talking to. We could be hanging out with a geeky type who we discuss theories with, we will make jokes catered to them, talk like them and be more geeky. Then someone cool comes along whos interested in girls, sport etc and we will instantly start acting more tuff and can converse with this person in such a way that they wouldnt suspect we normally hang with nerds.
That was a small practicle example.
When we talk to any type we quickly change our persona to cater to them.
Personally I have best friends from a broad range of social classes.

 

[Kuu]

The interesting thing about the chameleon INTP is that it ties in with the dislike for "conversation" with large groups of people. The more people there are, it becomes more confusing what is your "role" in the conversation, as was said in another thread. At the same time, you just don't know who to mirror... And maybe there are people there that will see you from a different side, one that is not the one you reveal with them alone, and become horrified at your game of charades... and then they all start thinking you're this huge pretender (which is true), but making a huge mess of things, not understanding our shape-shifting nature... So large groups of people = mirror none, stay out of sight.

 

[bdubs]

I find that while the manner in which I speak rarely changes from group to group, the way I present myself outwardly can change. What I mean to say is that if someone I meet looks at me with a stern look I will immediatly mimic the stern look. Likewise with most facial permutations (and perhaps posture in general).

 

[Seducer of the Homeless]

i wouldn't say i acted like the person i was conversing with, but i will act a certain way with each person.

with sporty popular kids it is a "Fuck Off Barbarian" kind of reaction. i only cater to people i like

is chameleon a trait of INTP in particular or just normal

 

[wadlez]

It is a INTP trait for when we socialise but there are a few other types that also do it.

 

[hermann morr]

I don't pick up accents, for a start i should talk, that is rarely happening.
But i mirror moods fast, and this makes me feel uneasy near aggressive people, or shows of intense moods. In these situations i truly retreat myself and start looking like a robot out of input.

 

[Chronomar]

I pick up accents, mannerisms, moods, posture, anything basically if I am actually talking or being around people. If I spend some time with my family from Southern US, I speak like them. If I spend too much time watching Doctor Who, I not only aquire an accent, I copy how Tennant speaks, moves his hands, and does facial expressions in acting the Doctor.

If I'm copying someone's moods, it's usually just on the outside. Just a way to get by.

Sometimes, I like to act like other people just for fun. Ex: My best friend's older sister and this one girl I don't like set up a "vote Republican" booth together during my highschool's pretend Elections. They had all these fliers and statistics and things and wanted to talk to anyone who was around. I was really bored at lunch, so I went and talked to them. For 15 full minutes, about a candidate I was definatly not going to vote for, and a party who's principles I usually detest. However, when talking to them, I acted like I agreed with them, but was interested in what they had to say to convence me on that candidate. Three or four times during the conversation, I thought to myself, "why am I doing this?".

I'm guessing it was a combination of curiousity, the ability to mock an argument style I hate (slander and fearmongering, basically saying I'd go to hell if I didn't vote for the Republican) while participating in it, and just plain randomness. They were really confused, because (being the sister of my friend), they knew I didn't agree with them.

 

[wadlez]

Yeah i've done similiar. Think its an INTP thing.

 

[cheese]

I think flow is right - all types are influenced subconsciously. On numerous occasions after leaving a cinema I have noticed the people around me unknowingly behaving like Frodo or James Bond, which always induces hilarity and a little contempt () in me. When at social gatherings they switch their interaction style from person to person. Perhaps INTPs are more aware of and more adept at it. I think it springs from our ability to find at least a little common ground with most people we meet (in a one-on-one) and then expand on that.

I think Tekton made a good point. Enjoyed this bit:
"And maybe there are people there that will see you from a different side, one that is not the one you reveal with them alone, and become horrified at your game of charades... and then they all start thinking you're this huge pretender (which is true),"
I understand completely, and have actually had this happen to me! Horrifying.

I also adopt the voices of authors/characters I've just read. Right now I'm reading Crime And Punishment. I feel really depressed and mentally disturbed.

I pick up accents quite easily, but more because I have a good ear. My own accent switches only when I want it to. I actually grew up in a country that wasn't my own and to fit in I spoke in their accent at school, and in my own at home. I ended up living a double life, with my parents hating the school-cheese and my friends not believing in the outsideschool-cheese - they thought I was "putting on" a foreign accent whenever they heard me talking to my family. I became quite desperate to keep my two lives completely separate. My brother did the same, and apparently it's a documented phenomenon in linguistics - it's called "code-switching", where each accent functions as a language in its own right and so all are easily kept separate. Back in my country now everyone is amazed that I "don't have an accent".

This does relate to your original question - the school accent came along with the school personality, school mannerisms and school talk, which were quite different to the Other Me. I think this was to fit in with the ESXJs at school. I related to different types in different ways, and was perceived quite differently in various circles. I became disturbed at this fragmentation of self and was very anxious to reconcile all my disparate parts. I didn't manage to though. Now at least I understand it as a typical INTP trait/problem but I'd still like to be whole. Does anyone else relate to this?

Sorry this is so long!