Recognizing other INTP on the fly?

[Pizzabeak]

Or any other type for that matter. I thought two of my professors were INTP (Astronomy; Maths) but I didn't wanna just walk up to them and ask them to take this test (the Astronomy one was a huge skeptic so I doubt he woulda even believed in type theory anyway). :

Today, I decided to go "film club" and there were like 6 people there. One of them, who rolled in a pack of 3, caught my attention for some reason. I thought he may have been INTP (or whatever type I am, or something) due to some similarities, or what I thought may have been similarities.

There was a desk with a crank on top of & I wondered what it was, or it at least caught my attention. I didn't go up to it and examine it though, then like 20 minutes later the guy I thought may have been INTP walked up to it and said out loud, "What's this?", and then he started twisting the crank, which just raised or lowered the desk (it was for wheelchair people, I think). Do you understand?


So, are there any methods for recognizing types? Or should you just study types until you have the characteristics memorized, then apply & see?

 

[Pyropyro]

Hmmm... I think we could only guess the person's type but not automatically on the fly. You need some serious time studying your target person and even then you will not be entirely sure. I had a couple of misreadings of "E's" that tested as "I's".

IMO the quickest means of learning the person's type is to have them test for their MBTI type.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

I have all of my students take an extremely condensed version of the MBTI (4 dichotomous questions) before the start of each quarter to help with actually teaching them the material and monitor their status as the quarter progresses and possibly make changes as I get to know them on an individual level. I'm not that wholeheartedly into the MBTI, but I find that it provides a good foundation to vary your methods and tailor them to individuals. I've only had 5 INTPs out of 174 in the courses I've taught so far, 1/90 in a course for non-majors. I've changed some initial INTPs to ISTP, ENTP, and ENTJ (<-assumed I was an INTP after a few of his peers took the quiz and fudged his answers in an attempt to become TA's pet, the little shit).

The only readily observeable trait is that they tend to hide in the back corner of the room when in a room full of strangers, and if they know someone well enough, they might sit beside them, but still, never in the middle or front of the room. There really aren't any physically defining characteristics; even an overtone of general "nerdiness" doesn't apply.

As I get to know them, I find that they're all quiet procrastinators who don't do homework or study and ace all of the exams, and write their peers under the table (except the INFPs) during writing assignments even though they probably procrastinated there as well. They're also motivated by free pizza... But not much is available initially.

 

[snafupants]

You could identify me by my bulging fly.

 

[Reluctantly]

The only readily observeable trait is that they tend to hide in the back corner of the room when in a room full of strangers, and if they know someone well enough, they might sit beside them, but still, never in the middle or front of the room. There really aren't any physically defining characteristics; even an overtone of general "nerdiness" doesn't apply.

That's really interesting. I've always felt uncomfortable when people sit behind me, but I assumed it has to do with the anxiety of not being able to trust very many people.

 

[Lot]

I can pick up on a sense of some type preferences, but I try not to hold them as a solid. I find it easier to use the color approach when first meeting people. That tends to help me communicate. Although, I can pick out male INFP's pretty fast, female ESFJ's, ESFP's, ESTP's, and ENTJ's. As ENTJ's are concerned, I mostly meet undeveloped ones. So they are usually pseudo-intellectuals and narcissistic, quick to get into a fight.

But I don't always get it right. It still can be helpful to get along with others or atleast relate.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Agreed. @snafupants 's fly is clearly the Drosophila labeled B.

Spoiler

 

[eagor]

my friend mistyped me as an entp on account of my utter loss of inhibition around my friends and on the internet, so in a nutshell you can get an idea but you won't know until they try it, and even then

 

[Words]

Or any other type for that matter. I thought two of my professors were INTP (Astronomy; Maths) but I didn't wanna just walk up to them and ask them to take this test (the Astronomy one was a huge skeptic so I doubt he woulda even believed in type theory anyway). :

Today, I decided to go "film club" and there were like 6 people there. One of them, who rolled in a pack of 3, caught my attention for some reason. I thought he may have been INTP (or whatever type I am, or something) due to some similarities, or what I thought may have been similarities.

You should try talking them to get to know them more, but perhaps try not to be too presumptuous. Don't think that you know them in any way at all even if you have an idea of their temperament. I know I couldn't get along with some INTP's.

There was a desk with a crank on top of & I wondered what it was, or it at least caught my attention. I didn't go up to it and examine it though, then like 20 minutes later the guy I thought may have been INTP walked up to it and said out loud, "What's this?", and then he started twisting the crank, which just raised or lowered the desk (it was for wheelchair people, I think). Do you understand?

Yeah, I know about those, hehe. Don't know how it's related to what you were saying though.

So, are there any methods for recognizing types? Or should you just study types until you have the characteristics memorized, then apply & see?

You should apply and "see" more than study. Reality is a better filter than someone's words.

I can type better than any test, in my opinion, and I'm quite sure anyone can too given the right amount of observable data and "observable" theory/pattern.

How much time it takes to type a person really depends on that person. I think I've been able to accurately type a person for as short as a few minutes observing and talking to her. Other times, it took me months. ISFJ's, ESTJ's, ENFJ's, ESFJ's, IxTJ's have been generally easier. Most difficult for me are INFP's, INFJ's, ISFP's, ENFP's... then IxTP's, ExTP's, ENTJ's. It's far from absolute, an ENFJ can be confusing and other times some INFP's and INFJ's could be really easy. I don't think i have enough data for the types I didn't mention.

The only readily observeable trait is that they tend to hide in the back corner of the room when in a room full of strangers, and if they know someone well enough, they might sit beside them, but still, never in the middle or front of the room. There really aren't any physically defining characteristics; even an overtone of general "nerdiness" doesn't apply.

How old are your students? I used to behave the same way[except I kept failing my exams and aced it other times, extremes yes] and the people around me also behaved in the same lax apathetic manner. Then I started going to the front seats. If you prefer your class to be more of a discussion, then I really recommend introducing to your INTP's or ENTP's the concept of being in the front seat and talking. I think too often, they have interesting but hidden things they want to contribute or inquire. Ne is sort of a "hit and miss", but I think that's crucial for learning.

 

[C.J_Finn]

Some of my closer friends would have trouble typing me because of the fact that I tend to be more outgoing when I'm comfortable. My I comes out the most when I'm around people that I'm not too comfortable with (if I'm with one friend and we see some people that he's friends with I'll tend to move away from the group and observe) and I'll only speak when someone directly asks me to.

I also think it's a bit funny what Habitat said. I've been like this for as long as I can remember. As early as 4th or 5th grade I was like he described. My teachers were always a bit annoyed with me because I would rarely do homework, but when it came to tests I always did well. In eighth grade I had to take a test on the US constitution and one of my friends was angry with me because I looked over stuff on the internet for about an hour while he studied for a couple of weeks and I ended up getting a 100% on the test while he scored quite a bit lower.

 

[snafupants]

Agreed. @snafupants 's fly is clearly the Drosophila labeled B.

Spoiler

I just got off.

 

[thelithiumcat]

That's really interesting. I've always felt uncomfortable when people sit behind me, but I assumed it has to do with the anxiety of not being able to trust very many people.

I don't like people sitting behind me either. Maybe it's paranoia but I like doing the watching, not being watched.

On this note, our library was rearranged recently so that the shelves I could hide behind, alone, were moved and now I can't sit there without having everyone behind me. Now there's hardly anywhere I can sit and not have this problem.

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

How old are your students? College age. 18-23 mostly. I used to behave the same way[except I kept failing my exams and aced it other times, extremes yes] Possibly because your TAs didn't factor your personality traits into their instructive methods? and the people around me also behaved in the same lax apathetic manner. Then I started going to the front seats. If you prefer your class to be more of a discussion, then I really recommend introducing to your INTP's or ENTP's the concept of being in the front seat and talking. I think too often, they have interesting but hidden things they want to contribute or inquire. Ne is sort of a "hit and miss", but I think that's crucial for learning.

I tend to force discussion by annoyingly poking them in quite a few ways (figuratively).

For labs I assign groups based on MBTI results. P's always with P's and J's with J's if possible, same with T and F to a lesser priority, with a 1:1 E/I ideal ratio and 1:3 N/S ratio, although 1:1 would be ideal. I-dom groups toward the back, E-dom up front, P's on the left, J's on the right. It works quite well IMO.

Also for labs, after week 3 I refuse to answer any questions. I allow myself to be a gopher for the first week, slowly increasing my encouraging of them to use their peers as a resource to the point where I only answer things that only I can answer and they basically begin shouting out questions and answers and using eachother as a collective resource of solidarity. The division of labor based on functional skillset is apparently innate, and the efficacy of their roles doesn't appear to be influenced by position

For lectures I have a designated heckler (usually INTP/ENTP/ENFJ/ENTJ) for each section whose job is to ask at least 3 annoying questions per day and throw things at me (airplanes, paper balls, snowballs, etc). It usually takes awhile, but midway through the quarter everyone gets the routine and it actually helps me break out of my own introverted shell.

Regardless of whether it's a lab or lecture, I also have sections compete against eachother on exams, develop their own battle cries, and occasionally challenge other TA's sections to various forms of competition. Even the most socially spiteful ISTPs shout the battlecry...

 

[Peripheral Visionary]

I habitually attempt to type people, and I have found that I am only marginally better at it than when I started.

The important thing I've learned is to make an assessment, but don't be tied to it. Constantly revise in the face of new data. Context is vital. An extrovert with a migraine will fool you. An introvert with her best friends might be the life of the party in that particular situation. Anyone can make a dumb mistake; idiots sometimes spew incredible wisdom.

Be very careful of projecting. If I have a great conversation with someone, I find that I'm quick to assume they are NT's.

A co-worker of mine said something I found moronic shortly after he'd started working. I kind of dismissed him quickly, especially when other co-workers mentioned that they thought he was a nitwit. A year went by. One day, I happen to see a David Keirsey book on his desk. I asked him what type he was. "INTP" he replied. I was floored. As it turned out, this guy is the closest thing to an Evil Genius that I have ever known. He purposely says stupid or annoying things in order to make people underestimate him, and then he covertly works to undermine them. It all made sense because he'd gotten promoted twice.

On the upside, I was never his target. Also, we have become very good friends.

 

[Peeps999]

There is one person I know who I've confirmed as an INTP. I didn't even know them at first, but they appeared like an INTP after much creepy observation. We later became friends and now are in a relationship, and then I made here take the test which said INTP. Aside from that, every other hunch about someone being an INTP was wrong.

 

[Architect]

The crank on the desk was probably for a height adjustable desk, for ergonomics not wheelchair.

 

[Beholder]

For lectures I have a designated heckler (usually INTP/ENTP/ENFJ/ENTJ) for each section whose job is to ask at least 3 annoying questions per day and throw things at me (airplanes, paper balls, snowballs, etc). It usually takes awhile, but midway through the quarter everyone gets the routine and it actually helps me break out of my own introverted shell.

Why?

 

[Ex-User (5841)]

Why?

1. They tend to contradict what I just said about something or ask pointed questions about something, which others find useful and which also forces me to read ahead and actually know what I'm talking about because... I don't like looking like an idiot. This also serves as a bit of practice on my end in preparation for answering questions at research presentations.

2. I enjoy (?) dodging moving objects, especially in situations where everyone's working quietly doing some mundane task and I'm bored as hell because I've got nothing to do but look at a bunch of students intently working with their heads down.

3. It makes me look like a badass during evaluations because my evaluator (luckily the same person 3 quarters in a row) is in on it.