Do you tend to type people now?

[Toad]

I've noticed that I will always try to figure out a person's type now whenever I meet someone new. Is that a good or bad thing?

 

[nemo]

That happens with me too. When some new students came in, I found myself trying to pinpoint their type. I'm thinking it could be a bad habit, since you might judge them on something that they mightn't be before you truly know them.

 

[Toad]

Typing someone may help you better understand that person and by that you can deal with them better.

But on the other hand, you may incorrectly type them or stereotype them into a certain "type"...which is bad.

 

[Belph]

I do it for fun. Most of the time I tell them about it, or not. But i don't think I stereotype them. I'm open to the fact that i was wrong, i never think of one type from the start and then expect them to be so. Actually it's very funny how some people seem one type and then as you get to know them better turn out to be completely different.

And after a while when you learn to pick up subtle things, and get the sketch into a full portrait makes it much easier to handle humans. Especially for introverts, like me, probably like you. Humans were confusing MBTI helped me understand them better, it's so much easier when you just put them in a certain type, everything's in place and order. Of course it get's even more confusing when you get to meet a XXXX but that's another story.

 

[Deleted member 1424]

My sister, a graduate student in psychology, told me that it was considered unethical to type someone without their express permission. I can understand this. If you can accurately type someone you have all sorts of insights into their behavior and insecurities. Someone could easily use such knowledge to manipulate a person without the victim having a clue.

 

[Anthile]

My sister, a graduate student in psychology, told me that it was considered unethical to type someone without their express permission. I can understand this. If you can accurately type someone you have all sorts of insights into their behavior and insecurities. Someone could easily use such knowledge to manipulate a person without the victim having a clue.

The official MBTI says that too. However, I find it always scary when I see people here who type everything and everyone they meet. I say at least 70% of these typings are wrong. The MBTI was not intended for such things.
It might work with first-grade relatives but that's it.
Stop typing people, stop basing your relationships on types.

 

[Beat Mango]

All the time. I mean, I have to have something to keep my mind occupied while I endure their mind-numbing conversation. I mean, interested is interesting, right?

 

[transformers]

My sister, a graduate student in psychology, told me that it was considered unethical to type someone without their express permission. I can understand this. If you can accurately type someone you have all sorts of insights into their behavior and insecurities. Someone could easily use such knowledge to manipulate a person without the victim having a clue.

This isn't unethical, people analyze others and use that information to manipulate them all the time. For example, if you observe that a person talks a lot, you can deduce they probably don't like being alone and you can "manipulate" their emotions by letting them talk to you longer. They won't have a clue that you've tricked them into feeling a bit better, but that's exactly what you've done by subjectively judging them as being talkative.

Another example, you're at a university and the professor says something you disagree with. You've observed him blow up at people who've openly disagreed with him in the past. By making this observation (judgment), you deduce that an easy way to piss him off and make him end the class early is to make the loudest, most stubborn complaint about his teaching methods right in the middle of class. If it works as intended, you've essentially manipulated him into giving you a half day. (ok bad example, because he'll probably know you're doing it, but if you are smart you can find better ways to get out of class early using the same subjective judgment).

My point is MBTI is just another way to understand people, and will, like any piece of information, assist you in manipulating others to do your bidding if that's what you want. It's no more or less ethical than other judgements we make, based on people's dress sense, manners, hobbies, or income level. Just another tool in the repository.

Anyway, Toad, the more you visit this forum and read up on MBTI, the more you'll start associating people with type. As long as you appreciate that there are many other ways of understand human behaivor, it probably won't restrict you in any significant way.

 

[Aiss]

Wasn't typing people actually suggested to INTPs in one of the profiles linked somewhere on this forum? We don't have strong Fi, Ne has a tendency to think in patterns, Ti needs data to work with. I suspect most of us "types" people in a way, even if it's as simple as "she's a lot like that other person I know well, so she's likely to react the same way". In this way we're creating our own typology, very limited and based only on our own experience. Ready-made tool (like MBTI, Enneagram, etc.) will probably have a higher rate of success.

I can't always type a person according to MBTI. If I don't know them well enough it doesn't work at all, if I know them very well I can usually guess what type they're.

I think the danger lies not really in typing people, but in ascribing characteristics to them which aren't connected with personality - especially being good, loyal, dishonest, stupid, etc.

 

[SEPKA]

I think only typing people with MBTI is unethical because MBTI is supposed to be about your preference, which people cannot know. Although your behaviour is affected by preference, there are too many other factors affect it.
Typing Kiersey's Temperament however is on behaviour, so it is not unethical. People type other all the time based on behaviour, and that is necessary to keep the society coherent. An unethical acts that help the society seems like a self-contradiction.

 

[Cogwulf]

I've been typing people 'passively' recently, I'll notice things in people and think they might an NT or a J or whatever, but I have never set out with the intention to deduce someones full type.

 

[Claverhouse]

No, I have people to do that.



Claverhouse

 

[Adymus]

I type people like a fucking demon. Ever since I have gotten into this, and I'm down to about two to five minutes of observation now. But I'd highly recommend it, it is an infinitely useful tool to know enough about how a person's mind works to know how to approach them, and what they are looking for out of you.

 

[Ombat]

I sit around thinking about what other people would type me as. Is this healthy?

I do try to type almost everyone I interact with, though. I agree that this leads to assumptions that may be incorrect, but it's still fun. I have nothing else to do anyway.

 

[asdfasdfasdfsdf]

I type people like a fucking demon. Ever since I have gotten into this, and I'm down to about two to five minutes of observation now. But I'd highly recommend it, it is an infinitely useful tool to know enough about how a person's mind works to know how to approach them, and what they are looking for out of you.

hm.
i understand the types and such .. like what n and t and f and s are, and how j or p determines extroverted introverted etc.. but do you have any tips for typing people in public?

 

[Enne]

All fake blondes are 'E's.

Anyone wearing brown shoes is a 'J'.

If you see someone turn their head twice, nod, and touch their ear, they are an NF.

If you see someone turn their head twice, nod THRICE, but not touch their ear, they are an NT.

Should they execute a thrice head turn, coupled with a thrice nod, reach for their ear, but decide against it, fantastic! You have just spotted an NTP!

Should they exit a stationary vehicle, left foot first, they are either a 'J' or a disgruntled STP.

More later. Will create a flowchart...

 

[ozzieflipflop]

Other types have certain "rules of behaviour". If I can guess their type, I can anticipate their expectations. It makes for a more level playing field!

 

[nemo]

This isn't unethical, people analyze others and use that information to manipulate them all the time. For example, if you observe that a person talks a lot, you can deduce they probably don't like being alone and you can "manipulate" their emotions by letting them talk to you longer. They won't have a clue that you've tricked them into feeling a bit better, but that's exactly what you've done by subjectively judging them as being talkative.

So just because everyone already does it, it's totally ethical. Right.

My point is MBTI is just another way to understand people, and will, like any piece of information, assist you in manipulating others to do your bidding if that's what you want. It's no more or less ethical than other judgements we make, based on people's dress sense, manners, hobbies, or income level. Just another tool in the repository.

True. But judging people on their appearance/manners/doings/earnings, whilst most people do it, many others will agree that it isn't 'ethical'. But there you might get into a discussion about what is and isn't 'ethical'. >.>

 

[SEPKA]

So just because everyone already does it, it's totally ethical. Right.



True. But judging people on their appearance/manners/doings/earnings, whilst most people do it, many others will agree that it isn't 'ethical'. But there you might get into a discussion about what is and isn't 'ethical'. >.>

In this case it depends on the purpose of doing the typing.
People type people all the time, and many of them do that for the purpose of preserving harmony in the society. I would consider typing for that purpose ethical, because without it the society would fall apart.
However, typing for the purpose of denying jobs, set salaries, etc. is not ethical because MBTI is based on preference, which only the person who is typed know most. So if you type them yourself, you are likely to get it wrong, and subsequently cause unjustified harm to that person.
Typing using Kiersey's Temperament is another things though, since it is based on observable long-term behaviour. I think it is justified to type people based on that as long as you remember that people can change temperament easily.

 

[Nicholas A. A. E.]

I happen to think it's insane to call judging people based on appearance and behaviour unethical. There are few things more absolutely fundamental to human social interaction. We do it constantly, and rightly so!

Even typing people based on the MBTI is absolutely ethical, it's just that you're doing it incorrectly, based on behaviour and not preference.

 

[nemo]

I happen to think it's insane to call judging people based on appearance and behaviour unethical. There are few things more absolutely fundamental to human social interaction. We do it constantly, and rightly so!

It's true that humans seem to be naturally judgemental creatures. Just because we are by nature, however, does it mean it's right? Seeing as I go by Kantian ethics, this is what I ask myself: would I like everyone in the world to judge like this? My answer is no; therefore to me, at least, the action is unethical. Even if it is a natural human trait.

Even typing people based on the MBTI is absolutely ethical, it's just that you're doing it incorrectly, based on behaviour and not preference.

A lot of things have started out ethical and have become unethical because of people doing things 'incorrectly'. Communism wasn't meant to be bad in its purest form, but because of some people using the theory 'incorrectly' or with 'incorrect' motives, there've been some pretty bad results.

 

[Dormouse]

Typing is just a more systematic way of deducing people's personality based on their behaviour. Nothing unethical about it.

 

[Cogwulf]

All fake blondes are 'E's.

Anyone wearing brown shoes is a 'J'.

If you see someone turn their head twice, nod, and touch their ear, they are an NF.

If you see someone turn their head twice, nod THRICE, but not touch their ear, they are an NT.

Should they execute a thrice head turn, coupled with a thrice nod, reach for their ear, but decide against it, fantastic! You have just spotted an NTP!

Should they exit a stationary vehicle, left foot first, they are either a 'J' or a disgruntled STP.

More later. Will create a flowchart...

I often touch my shoulders, what would this indicate?

 

[Adymus]

hm.
i understand the types and such .. like what n and t and f and s are, and how j or p determines extroverted introverted etc.. but do you have any tips for typing people in public?

Okay so I started writing a reply to this and it came out really long, I am actually not even done with it. I am up to like a page and a half worth of material and I still haven't even finished talking about F and S yet. So I think I am just going to make my own thread on this. More on this soon...

 

[nemo]

Maybe there's nothing unethical about typing a person; it's how the information is used that can be ethical or unethical.

 

[asdfasdfasdfsdf]

Okay so I started writing a reply to this and it came out really long, I am actually not even done with it. I am up to like a page and a half worth of material and I still haven't even finished talking about F and S yet. So I think I am just going to make my own thread on this. More on this soon...

thats cool.
i am rather interested, and would probably read every word you write..

 

[Adymus]

So just because everyone already does it, it's totally ethical. Right.



True. But judging people on their appearance/manners/doings/earnings, whilst most people do it, many others will agree that it isn't 'ethical'. But there you might get into a discussion about what is and isn't 'ethical'. >.>

I think what is most important is:

Who the fuck cares if you think it is ethical or not? This is like feeling guilty for reading a book that I borrowed and didn't buy. It's just knowledge, it's not even exact knowledge about their life and character, just data on how they will respond to different situations.

We were built with the "technology" to be able to read people (facial expressions, emotional cues, etc.), and we use it everyday of our lives. Now if using something I was meant to be using to function in a society is unethical, then I guess might as well just stop looking at people and listening to them too.

 

[Yellow]

I think the question of ethics comes in when making official determinations. This topic came up in my ethics class. You cannot perfrom a test on a person, or include them in research (even a more passive project) without their informed consent. Why? because it is personal and people have the right to refuse. However, those ethics only really apply to the therapist-client relationship. Type away... just don't put it in writing without the person's permission.

And yes, I do mentally type those who have a real impact on my life as a way to better understand them. I can't really do strangers or casual acquaintences [too lazy to spell-check, sorry] because I couldn't be bothered to get to know them that well.

 

[Zero]

I would've gone fucking INSANE years ago if I didn't type people.

 

[echoplex]

I sometimes try to type people, with varying results. Some people are harder to read than others. I don't really think it's unethical, but I would beware of confirmation bias. I don't think that's something INTPs are as susceptible to as, say, ENTJs, but it's still an easy trap to fall into. I mean, let's face it, we sometimes want someone to be an INTP, and so we may believe they are until we can disprove it.

I tend to look not at "letters", but at functions. I say "OK, Sensing: are they e or i?" According to the theory, if they have Se, then they also have Ni....and so forth. Once you can discern their 4 cognitive functions, the next part(s) is easy (usually). You ask yourself which one or ones seem weakest or strongest, whichever is easiest to discern.

 

[Zero]

I find that people are kind of situation as subtypes and they project something more dominantly. So I have some people I can almost completely figure out their type and others I question whether or I'm mistaking a N/S and a J/P. Usually I/E is easy to figure out, if you ask them about how they were when they were younger. Some people are naturally extroverted, while others have become that way out of necessity. Sometimes it's difficult to tell with people.

 

[Aiss]

I sometimes try to type people, with varying results. Some people are harder to read than others. I don't really think it's unethical, but I would beware of confirmation bias. I don't think that's something INTPs are as susceptible to as, say, ENTJs, but it's still an easy trap to fall into. I mean, let's face it, we sometimes want someone to be an INTP, and so we may believe they are until we can disprove it.

I tend to look not at "letters", but at functions. I say "OK, Sensing: are they e or i?" According to the theory, if they have Se, then they also have Ni....and so forth. Once you can discern their 4 cognitive functions, the next part(s) is easy (usually). You ask yourself which one or ones seem weakest or strongest, whichever is easiest to discern.

I do it in the reverse order... it's easier for me to type someone as Se/Ne or Fe/Te user, determine P/J, then guess at Fi/Ti and Si/Ni (which are only indirectly discernible).

I agree about confirmation bias... it's easy to say the people you like are N, those you don't are S, and will probably even agree with S/N frequency in population, but it won't necessarily be true.