House

[ckm]

Disclaimer: I realise this has been a topic of debate on numerous forums. However I want to engage in a discussion/argument regarding this.

House, protagonist of the television series of the same name. I want opinions.

I am confident that he is INT.

Introverted:

Yes, he engages with other people in order to experiment on them, but ultimately this is only for himself. He lives alone. Unless blessed with exceptional breasts, he doesn't talk to patients if he can help it. He pulls the strings from behind the scenes.

Intuitive:

Theories. Ideas. Possibilities. Puzzles. There really isn't any question.

Thinking:

He's cool, he's calculated, he makes decisions based on critical logic. He shows no sensitivity to the feelings of others.


Judging:

He has ideas and he sticks to them. Once he has an idea, he tends not to back down and consider alternatives (although he is forced to do so sometimes). He sees in black and white (sorry Foreman): it's true, or it's false.

vs.

Perceiving:

As a diagnostician, he needs theories and ideas while solving cases. He tends to approach things without a plan. Dropping everything to focus on something else doesn't seem terribly difficult for him.


INTJ:

• Ni: Subtle clues direct him to an abstract conclusion. He experiences "epiphanies" regularly. He seems to rely on his minions' ideas, which catalyse his Ni to a hypothesis.

• Te: What he displays to others, his knowledge and reasoning are used to knock others and boost his ego.

• Fi: Er, can't explain this one really.

• Se: Combined with Te, this makes him the comic genius he is. He embraces spontaneity from time to time, grabbing opportunities and noting minuscule details.

vs.

INTP:

• Ti: He thrives on puzzles. Solving them is all that matters. Clues are put together in his private world.

• Ne: I think he's more Ni, but Ne is still plausible. Perhaps his comic manner is sourced in Ne, seeing strings of relationships between the situations before him. In diagnostics, Ne seems less relied on as he keeps his theories to himself, only revealing them if someone pushes for it. He also depends a lot on his minions for ideas, as I mentioned.

• Si: He knows just about everything.

• Fe: This is a no-brainer, and if it wasn't for this I would be more or less certain of his INTJ-ness. He completely disregards social structure and values, shuts down when others approach him personally etc etc.

I ran into a poll on some forum through Google, and to my horror ENTP polled first. I have only seen up to halfwayish through the third series, so I may have yet to encounter relevant data (please use spoiler tags where appropriate).

I am aware that some people like to type by gestures and mannerisms. After scouring Youtube, I couldn't find anything even mildly worthwhile, except this:this It involves some of the cheesiest, most clichéd excerpts from the series and focuses on all the "bad" stuff. House is notorious for his one-liners, but this video (unlike most every other House-based video on Youtube) doesn't focus on this.

 

[Madoness]

INTJ, no guessing.

 

[ckm]

But but but, what's with tertiary Fi?

 

[Wish]

On a side note, when does the current season resume?

To contribute and not look like a side-tracking jerk, I don't think he's an INTP, as much as a contribution as that is.

 

[ckm]

On a side note, when does the current season resume?

No idea, I have the DVDs. I bought Season 1 a couple of weeks before Christmas and watched it instead of studying. I got Series 2 for Christmas from my sister, and now I'm half way through Season 3 and a proud owner of the first five seasons.

To contribute and not look like a side-tracking jerk, I don't think he's an INTP, as much as a contribution as that is.

Feh, it's still a contribution.

 

[Wish]

I think you should also not rule out the possibility of him being an INFJ. He definitely seems to have a good command of Fe even though he doesn't use it that often (more when he feels like it I suppose). An INFJ would also have the Ti and Se that I'm pretty sure he uses in addition to dominant Ni.

Him not being a T does seem a little strange, however.

 

[ckm]

I think you should also not rule out the possibility of him being an INFJ. He definitely seems to have a good command of Fe even though he doesn't use it that often (more when he feels like it I suppose). An INFJ would also have the Ti and Se that I'm pretty sure he uses in addition to dominant Ni.

Him not being a T does seem a little strange, however.

This has crossed my mind, as it covers Ni and Ti. I dismissed it because of the lack of T, as you mentioned though.

 

[Adymus]

INTJ, no doubt.


Thinking he is one of out kind is just wishful thinking. We have a real bad habit of see a little bit of ourselves in something and then thinking it must be one of us.

 

[Mints]

We have a real bad habit of see a little bit of ourselves in something and then thinking it must be one of us.

...Completely agree (and I don't want to admit it). We certainly have that habit.


I agree with you, too, on the INTJ. The way he says his ideas, and most of all how he doesn't loook much too all the other options when he sees a realistic one that he knows is the right one. Just to narrow minded on that to be a P.

 

[Words]

Definitely more INTJ. He has INTP traits but he falls more on INTJ.

He's rude. I think TJ's are more rude than TP's.(?) P is a bit open-minded and gives chances...a little.

 

[shoeless]

...why does he have to be an N?

i mean, dude has some serious Se for an N-type. he notices all sorts of shit.

i could see him being ISTP. utilizes Ti, Se, and Ni to a degree. i'm only bringing this up because i really don't think INTP or INTJ completely fit -- though, he is a fictional character, and could be one of those un-typeables. (between INTP and INTJ though, i've gotta stick with INTJ. INTP is just wishful thinking.)

 

[Words]

...why does he have to be an N?

i mean, dude has some serious Se for an N-type. he notices all sorts of shit.

N types usually train their S's well knowing how its so useful. My dad is an example...a pure N yet he could remember the names of every people he encounter--important in politics. But can you train your N? Plus, Although House's S is strong, He does more Intuiting than Sensing. He is excellent in both but with an N preference of discovery, experiment preference.

he is a fictional character, and could be one of those un-typeables.

..most likely. but you *can* tell he is more one type than another.

 

[dark]

To disagree with everyone else here, House is the perfect angry ENTP scenario. He runs on a dominate Ne it seems. Many times he has been called a mad scientist in countless episodes. Yeah sure INTJs are called scientists, but ENTPs are thus far the only mad scientist types I have read about.

It is evident he is extroverted, he needs his team to operate, he recruits a janitor in one episode. An INTP or INTJ would be fine with just thinking everything through in their own head, but an ENTP needs that interaction. He usually always solves the big problems while talking to Wilson about something completely irrelevant to the case. That is Ne.

I am not sure of what the actors true type would be, but he portrays an ENTP definitely. Read any stereotype profile of the NTs and ENTP fits him best.

For those who try to account for his anger and saying it is INTJ territory, that is insulting to the INTJs, sure they could get annoyed easy, but doesn't everyone? It isn't like all INTJs are angry irrational hot-heads, I know a lot of any type.

I know I didn't give enough evidence but if needed I will.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

I take back my typing. I have a better understanding now, and I'll renew my judgment when I see the show again.

 

[Zensunni]

House is Rationality.

All of the other characters are other parts of one person's personality. They all vie for control over the body but House usually wins.

To see this, one should wonder first why House is his name when the creators could pick any name in the world for him. Second, during the opening credits if you notice when they flash the names of the actors, they show different parts of the body.

House is the rational half of the brain.

Wilson (beyond being the name of the volleyball [Tom Hanks' alter-ego on the island in Castaway]) is shown to be the emotional half of the brain. This explains why he is so good at interpersonal relations and pleasing people...even those he tells they are dying.

Cuddy, the Administrator, is shown as the veins, the lifeblood.

Foreman is the beating heart, just as his character is portrayed.

Chase is the crooked spine and he is the ingratiating sycophant.

And Cameron is the pacing boat on the sculling scene, the one who dogs and pushes the contestant. She is always demanding that House look at things beside himself, rationality.

If you watch the TV show with these interactions in mind, the show will make alot more sense since what is happening is that parts of one person's personality are arguing and Rationality wins most of the time; which for people like us is so exhilarating. House gets away with not having to care what decorum or convention dictates and gets to say to Hell with consequences.

 

[Agent Intellect]

House is Rationality.

All of the other characters are other parts of one person's personality. They all vie for control over the body but House usually wins.

To see this, one should wonder first why House is his name when the creators could pick any name in the world for him. Second, during the opening credits if you notice when they flash the names of the actors, they show different parts of the body.

House is the rational half of the brain.

Wilson (beyond being the name of the volleyball [Tom Hanks' alter-ego on the island in Castaway]) is shown to be the emotional half of the brain. This explains why he is so good at interpersonal relations and pleasing people...even those he tells they are dying.

Cuddy, the Administrator, is shown as the veins, the lifeblood.

Foreman is the beating heart, just as his character is portrayed.

Chase is the crooked spine and he is the ingratiating sycophant.

And Cameron is the pacing boat on the sculling scene, the one who dogs and pushes the contestant. She is always demanding that House look at things beside himself, rationality.

If you watch the TV show with these interactions in mind, the show will make alot more sense since what is happening is that parts of one person's personality are arguing and Rationality wins most of the time; which for people like us is so exhilarating. House gets away with not having to care what decorum or convention dictates and gets to say to Hell with consequences.

This is an interesting assessment of the show; I've never thought of it this way before. A couple things though: House is named such in homage to Sherlock Holmes (home = house). Second, most of House's insights for making the diagnosis are not carefully thought out rational conclusions, but epiphanies that come more like a revelation, which is not usually what people consider "left brained" (by which they mean consciously/logically thought out using Wernicke's and Broca's area, which are on the left hemisphere).

 

[Zensunni]

This is an interesting assessment of the show; I've never thought of it this way before. A couple things though: House is named such in homage to Sherlock Holmes (home = house). Second, most of House's insights for making the diagnosis are not carefully thought out rational conclusions, but epiphanies that come more like a revelation, which is not usually what people consider "left brained" (by which they mean consciously/logically thought out using Wernicke's and Broca's area, which are on the left hemisphere).

I disagree that his answers are revelations. At least in the first three years of the series, that I have watched, he is dogged in his persistence and makes the best guess sometimes when he has to but mostly he just keeps plugging away with the understanding that there are answers, even after the patient dies. Making that connection between seemingly discreet bits of information is a sign of his genius, not revelation.

To support my claim though, in the first few episodes Cuddy is always on his case and House argues that each patient is suffering from vasculitis, which is simply an inflammation of the veins. He is the doctor they call in when other doctors cannot figure out the problem, the show has actual M.D.'s on staff to come up with lingo and jargon, and the best anyone can come up with is vasculitis repeatedly? I don't buy it.

I would like you to expand on the House Holmes connection though.

 

[Agent Intellect]

I disagree that his answers are revelations. At least in the first three years of the series, that I have watched, he is dogged in his persistence and makes the best guess sometimes when he has to but mostly he just keeps plugging away with the understanding that there are answers, even after the patient dies. Making that connection between seemingly discreet bits of information is a sign of his genius, not revelation.

Quite often his diagnoses come from unrelated conversations. For example, in season 3 "Insensitive" Wilson makes a comment about House getting off on taking his food before he can eat it and it dawns on House that the patient has a tape worm that's "taking" her food (vit B deficiency) before she can absorb it (that she can't feel because of congenital insensitivity to pain or CIPA). I'm not calling this a literal revelation, but it comes to him in an epiphany like a revelation (which some would argue is why House is Ni dominant, as this is something often attributed to introverted intuitiveness).

To support my claim though, in the first few episodes Cuddy is always on his case and House argues that each patient is suffering from vasculitis, which is simply an inflammation of the veins. He is the doctor they call in when other doctors cannot figure out the problem, the show has actual M.D.'s on staff to come up with lingo and jargon, and the best anyone can come up with is vasculitis repeatedly? I don't buy it.

You might enjoy these medical reviews of every House episode done by an actual doctor - he points out all of the medical flaws in the show (although he says House is a lot better than most other medical drama's).

I would like you to expand on the House Holmes connection though.

It's not my comparison, it was intentionally done and explicitly pointed out by the creator of the show (and enumerated on in the link I posted - and here's some more).

 

[Zensunni]

Thank you sir.

 

[Latro]

N types usually train their S's well knowing how its so useful. My dad is an example...a pure N yet he could remember the names of every people he encounter--important in politics. But can you train your N? Plus, Although House's S is strong, He does more Intuiting than Sensing. He is excellent in both but with an N preference of discovery, experiment preference.
..most likely. but you *can* tell he is more one type than another.

This raises a ridiculously huge "iNtuitives being elitist assholes" flag for me. Not that you're unique in doing that, but seriously, Ns give themselves way too much credit and Ss way too little credit in general.

Anyway, offhand I'd also say INTJ.

 

[juansk]

This raises a ridiculously huge "iNtuitives being elitist assholes" flag for me. Not that you're unique in doing that, but seriously, Ns give themselves way too much credit and Ss way too little credit in general.

Anyway, offhand I'd also say INTJ.

I think that he's an INTP because:

*he's reluctant to follow the rules, defying the authority/status quo countless times (boss/religion/institutions)
*superb at recognizing patterns/solving puzzles
*he needs to isolate often (to think/play an instrument)
*he's got it hard talking about his feelings
*sarcastic as hell
*shows respect/interest in talent, no matter if its art, sports, medicine.
*he's knowledgeable
*his addiction to vicodin
*he sees everything from a scientific/statistical point of view, even towards feelings

 

[Alomoes]

INTP is insane in the traditional sense of the word. I'm just putting that there. I also wouldn't put it past for INFP to be as well, but at least they do the right thing.

As a note, my own type is probably way too sane for its own good. The idea is that I think faster than I can act. This leads to inactivity, as every action I think of taking is wrong after I think of it.

 

[Yellow]

I am not sure of what the actors true type would be, but he portrays an ENTP definitely. Read any stereotype profile of the NTs and ENTP fits him best.

House is such an E. He loves to be the center of attention (as long as he isn't being analyzed). He loves being surrounded by people to bounce ideas, to torture, and he loves to be worshiped for his skill.

He strives to understand disease, the body, etc., to the point that he is an diagnostic expert and he keeps going. He craves variety and is easily bored, so specific expertise isn't the focus so much as a driving question.

This ability to intuitively understand people and situations puts the ENTP at a distinct advantage in their lives. They generally understand things quickly and with great depth...ENTPs are idea people. Their perceptive abilities cause them to see possibilities everywhere. They get excited and enthusiastic about their ideas, and are able to spread their enthusiasm to others. In this way, they get the support that they need to fulfill their visions.

And when House gets a puzzle he can't solve, he goes into stressed ENTP mode:

Under stress, the ENTP may lose their ability to generate possibilities, and become obsessed with minor details. These details may seem to be extremely important to the ENTP, but in reality are usually not important to the big picture.

 

[Alomoes]

Now, I have one or more votes for the NiTi user. Now contrary to what everyone probably thinks about Ne, or Ni, it isn't the way you think it works. With Ni, I pretty much look at something and gain data on it. It is irational. The idea is that if you have a pattern, like the stock market, I'd be good at that. But I'm not. Reasoning is because I'm NiTi. This means I take in vast amounts of information, but never share it, except through Se and Fe. Se goes with Ni, and from this we can assume that it is explaining your thoughts as they come. Ti culls all the redundancies, but I'm not a Ti dom, so I don't sit there and check each sentence ten times. I could, and have. Fe, should mean that there is an underlying tone in everything I do. If you are an Fi user, you should be able to tell me what that is.

Se and Fe are not good with specific quantities of things. That is why I suck at stocks. I like the idea though. Te would be the best at dealing with quantities. Fe would be better, but meh.

To contrast Te with Fe, or INTJ and INFJ, INFJ is quite lazy. INTJ turns in all his work on time, like the good hard worker he is. See, I almost made a mistake where instead of INFJ, I put INTJ. Whoops.

But yeah, if I'm INFP, then I'm taking all the important people, such as Teddy Roosevelt with me, although Teddy would likely be an Ne dom, and such. I would be an Si dom. That is wrong, my feelings are strong. :P

In that list includes a ton of other people, I should compile a list. I guarentee controversy. Still ambivalent with Edgar Poe. I like his stories, but they are quite wordy. Ti is the opposite of this. As such, I type him as INFP, if you want an example of that. He could also be a depressed INFJ, because depressed INFJ looks like INFP. As such, the idea is that depressed INFP looks like INFJ.

But yeah. Se is the fast talking function. Ne is generating new possibilities. I don't generate new possibilities, I find them. Nothing I do is original. No apifiny. No nothing. Maybe I'll coin a new word, but it is a combination of two words for sure.

I typically don't speak because Ni is faster at moving forward. Writing is better, because then you have what you had before to look back on if you lose track and go on a tangent. Time to sort out the redundancies.

Last thing to leave off with is that the thing where nothing I do is truly original depresses me. I like to write music, but the idea is that if I didn't follow the rules of writing music, I'd make bad music. And I don't want to make bad music. As such my music depresses me by making me remember that. These are my feelings, you'd probably understand more if you saw me.

 

[Idunno]

Hes an INTP, rule breaker. INTP's can get stuck in the Ti-Fe dilemma. Like the Brain vs Heart analogy. However Fe is inferior, and Ti the master system analyzing function, is dominant. Hes a very rude person, but at the end of episodes it shows the good in him. The deep meaningful good, despite all the lewd remarks he makes throughout the episode, as if he has it all planned. He does bad things in order to achieve the good, in a way. ex: yelling and threatening to fire the little asian girl in S8, in order to make her feel inferior and spit out the truth so that she doesn't get fired. He needs to spend time alone and just think, in silence, in order to connect the dots.

I: needs his alone time in order to analyze, then synthesize information
N: He diagnoses every patient. He knows the book of medical diagnoses, and then intuits the highest probable chance. Unlike foreman and the rest of his colleagues, who plays by the book, (S), he receives information about the patient and intuits his own idea.
T: detached from patient, from everybody, unfriendly, highly favors rationality he cant have someone fiddling with emotions on his team, analytic, He cant be an Feeler and be house, what feeler is insanely rude has the best analytic thinking skills, is detached, and thrives on puzzles/ solving problems. INFJ being a tert Fe just wouldnt make sense.
P: Meaning hes TiNe and not NiTe, he doesnt follow rules, shows up whenever he wants, does whatever he wants, no J about him. He follows his own logic, thats why he is able to diagnose before any of his colleagues can. Ti Ne is better at large amounts of information that needs connecting, while Ni Te is better at less variables and quick problem solving. An analogy would be INTP: Diagnostics INTJ: Emergency Physician. INTPs goes DEEP into thinking just for knowing, INTJ just needs to know enough so that they can DO.

His famous death stare, the focused eyes he has throughout every episode, he has that analytic expression. Hes not running dominantly on an unconscious, perceiving process. Hes running on an analytic judging process.

 

[Brontosaurie]

wow Alomoes is heavy

Idunno not to be ignored either

why am i handing out compliments? who do i think i am?

 

[scorpiomover]

He's a geek hero, a character pecifically designed to appeal to geeks, who has their quirks, their advantages and disadvantages, and who has found a way to be successful. He's an idol for all those young, imperssionable geeks, and all thoe geeks who had to accept real-life practicalities and didn't get to live our their fantasies. As such, he's really a character designed to appeal to as many types of geeks as he can. So they deliberately threw in different qualities that were associated with being geeky, even if it means that such a character would never occur in real life.

He's dysfunctional and flawed. Yet somehow he's got his dream job. He's got the gadgets he wants. He doesn't worry about money or paying the bills. People defer to him in work. When he makes mistakes and errors, he manages to save the day anyway. And he even gets as many women and as hot women as he wants.

Like Sheldom Cooper, another geek hero of a series that has done incredibly well in ratings, and has been very popular for several seasons.

It's a formula.

 

[Idunno]

He's a geek hero, a character pecifically designed to appeal to geeks, who has their quirks, their advantages and disadvantages, and who has found a way to be successful. He's an idol for all those young, imperssionable geeks, and all thoe geeks who had to accept real-life practicalities and didn't get to live our their fantasies. As such, he's really a character designed to appeal to as many types of geeks as he can. So they deliberately threw in different qualities that were associated with being geeky, even if it means that such a character would never occur in real life.

He's dysfunctional and flawed. Yet somehow he's got his dream job. He's got the gadgets he wants. He doesn't worry about money or paying the bills. People defer to him in work. When he makes mistakes and errors, he manages to save the day anyway. And he even gets as many women and as hot women as he wants.

Like Sheldom Cooper, another geek hero of a series that has done incredibly well in ratings, and has been very popular for several seasons.

It's a formula.

Yes. Well put. You cant get such a job/authority with a personality like that in the real world.

The thing is you can find flaws in MANY fictional characters, you just have to look for them.
Characters have it a certain way, but achieve some of the total opposites. Its the only way it can be a TV show.

I think you can find a formula to.. pretty much anything. Very vague, nominal formulas that works. As long as it works. However, correlation and inferential data might not be precise.
Creators of House and Sherlock Holmes did a very good job at it.