Sensing, Thinking, Judging

As if there was ever any doubt, we have confirmed that I am an introvert but perhaps not quite as rigidly so as the 100% result from the quiz indicates. Apparently, I am also (i) sensing vs intuitive, (ii) thinking vs feeling, and (iii) judging vs perceiving. It is true, though, that the results in these categories is much more even with less that a 60-40 split in the first two areas and not much more than 60-40 in judging vs. perceiving.

Sensing vs Intuitive: One who senses is more practical, concrete and realistic whereas the intuit is imaginative, abstract and theoretical. Actually it's more than these traits, but I have chosen ones that I think were influential in placing me in the sensors category and keeping me out of intuition side. Supposedly, however, a true S tends to focus on details while I think that I tend to see the general picture. In that regard, I think I am more of an I, and it probably explains why the test declares me fairly close to the border line.

Thinking vs Feeling: This was very close to an even split, and when I look at the traits I find myself leaning toward the feeling side of the ledger, for I can identify with dislikes conflict, gentle, empathetic, and caring. But I can be fairly logical, rational and critical (meant in the academic sense as opposed to being critical of others, I trust), which probably nudged the results, ever so slightly, over to the thinking side. Possibly, on any random day, I'd get a different result in this category.

Judging vs Perceiving: I am pegged somewhat firmly at a judger because I tend to be good at finishing, organized, structured, scheduled, and I am responsible. However, I'm not over the top in any of those areas; there are certainly people who are a lot better at structure and scheduling than I am, for example. Also, I can certainly procrastinate like a true perceiver, and also like them, I tend to be adaptable and relaxed, and I like to keep my options open.

So there you have it; I am an ISTJ, an Examiner. I am definitely an Introvert but less definitively a Sensing, Thinking and Judging sort of guy. However, the site's synopsis of my ISTJ type seems pretty accurate: ISTJs are responsible, loyal and hard working. They have an acute sense of right and wrong and work hard at preserving established norms and traditions. Because of their deep sense of duty they are dedicated to everything they do and are very dependable. ISTJs care deeply for those closest to them.

This additional descriptor seems to fit me closely as well: While they generally take things very seriously, they also usually have an offbeat sense of humor and can be a lot of fun - especially at family or work-related gatherings. And there's also this: at work, ISTJs get things done on a timely basis. They honor deadlines, and they believe in thoroughness. A half-finished joy is not a job well done. As long as they can fulfil their responsibilities, they feel useful and thereby satisfied ... Their work does not have to be fun, but it has to count toward something productive.

I hereby request that the rest of the family to go to mypersonality.info and take the quiz. It doesn't take long and might provide grist for discussion at some future gathering of the clan.

The I of ISJT

It's official; I'm an ISTJ — Introverted-Sensing-Thinking-Judging —because personality.info has told me so. I've been meaning to take the test for years but alway found a reason to demure, mainly, I suspect, because the site wants you to register in order to take this little quiz and get the results. You see, I had been there previously, maybe more than once, but was off-put by this requirement. Finally, however, after KGMom's recent piece, I decided to forge ahead, regardless. What I found wasn't a particularly stunning revelation. I mean to say, one should know oneself fairly well after dwelling on this blue planet for six decades. I've posted the results are below and will ruminate upon them further down.



By George, I really am an introvert!! That's no surprise but the degree to which they have me pegged might give one pause. However, I could pretty well tell whenever they were asking an introvert/extravert (sic: they say extravert rather than extrovert) question. When there's only two choices, however, I found myself having to chose the inny response every time: hence the 100%. But that might leave the impression that I am a total recluse, fit only to dwell on a mist-shrouded mountain top, and such is not quite the case.

However, when I regard the list of introvert traits, it's just about bang on, so the test must be pretty darn accurate: energized by time alone; private; keeps to self; quiet; deliberate; internally aware; fewer friends; prefer smaller groups; independent; not socially inclined; enjoys solitude; thinks before speaking. My main caveat would be the part about enjoying solitude. To some degree it's true, and I suspect more so with me than many others, but I also like to have my loved ones around. A few hours of solitude manages to fill my need for alone time quite well, thank you very much. Mind you, when Cuppa and I are together in the house, we each tend to be off doing our one thing, so that's a type of solitude. However, I do find it comforting to know that she's there and that I can find her and greet her as often as my little heart desires. Which is sometimes quite often. Oddly enough that need for contact is more true for me than it is for her, who is supposedly more extraverted.

I think I'll stop there today and perhaps get back to the S, J and T in a subsequent post. Meanwhile, if you're new here, I have blogged about introversion previously: Introversion, and I'm an Innie. There may be some halfway useful information in those posts if you happen to be interested in this topic.

Introversion, Addendum

Just a few brief additional thoughts to yesterday's post.

It's interesting to delve into personality types, isn't it? I have actually requested that the library reserve a copy of Laney's The Introvert Advantage for me. I don't expect it to appear anytime soon, for I'm 40th in line, but there is more than one copy in circulation, so it might not be too long either.

One thing that I didn't mention in the previous post about introversion was that they claimed that this was something that is hard-wired into us. It has to do with the construction of the brain, as I understand it. I had always thought that these sorts of things had more to do with nurture than nature, but it seems that I was wrong. I would think it likely, however, that nurture could certainly modify one's degree of introversion — or any other personality trait for that matter.

When I ponder my days of teaching and how much I enjoyed teaching English, I can see how personality may have come into play. Whether you discuss Shakespeare or a novel or a poem, there is always room for interpretation and the sharing of thoughts and ideas. As an introvert, I was quite happy to hear what the kids thought of this or that, and, as most of them were extroverts (apparently), I'm sure that many of them were pleased with the opportunity to voice their opinions. My other subject, geography, was more of a tell it type of subject, so it was probably less of a natural fit for both teacher and many students.

Introversion

I happened to turn on the news last night; I guess it was a sort of Sunday Magazine more than normal news. I was soon hooked by a segment on introversion. They started with a test. There were seven items. I remember two: are you a listener or a talker, and, do you tend to not know what to say in social situations. That last one wasn't exactly the way that it was put, but that was the general idea.

The results were predictable. At this stage of life, or any other, I suppose, I don't really need test results to tell me that I am introverted. However, I think I was a little surprised to be such a full-blown case because I think that I came down rather solidly on the introvert's side on all seven questions.

Just last week, at line dancing, I found myself in a typical situation. I was seated between two groups of people and was part of neither group really ... or both ... take your pick. What I was doing was listening to first one group and then the other. That has occurred to me often, for I am much more of a listener than a talker. And that's typical of the introvert. They did say that introverts can be quite adept at talking on-subject: able to carry on a meaningful conversation with substance but not so good at small talk or starting up a conversation that has lagged.

Although, they couldn't get into the topic in huge detail in a ten-minute segment, I begin to suspect that such personality traits can affect how we learn. For example: I can't seem to learn a new line dance in a group situation. Rather, I seem to need to take the steps home and process them in my own way — at my own speed and in my own time. And I seem to see a similar thing occurring with my fiddle lessons. If I am introduced to a new concept, and it can be quite simple, it seems to fluster me. However, when I take it home, I am very likely to get the hang of it without too much trouble.

According to this program, about twenty-five per cent of us are introverts, and it is often seen as almost a stigma or disadvantage. People don't always understand us or may think that we're stand-offish or stuck-up, but that's hardly the case.

I'd like to follow-up on this a little bit. One of the two people that they interviewed, Marti Olsen Laney, has written a book called The Introvert Advantage. The other, Brian Little, is a professor at McGill in Montreal and previously at Harvard. In the video clips of his lectures, you would not likely have guessed that he is an introvert, but he explained that we introverts can gear up for the task but would tend to need more recuperative time afterward. (I found this pdf about Professors Little at canada.com.)

This idea of introverts needing recuperative time was new to me, but it makes sense. In my last few years of teaching, I often felt it very important to shut my door for ten or twenty minutes at lunch time and bask in the luxury of some quiet moments before the next onslaught. I suppose this would be anathema to many of my pedagogical compatriots who would make a beeline for the staff room and the comfort of a social situation, perhaps venting their morning's concerns rather than meditating quietly as I would. That's not to say that I am such a hermit that I would avoid the staff room entirely. In fact, I'd probably head there for a while after I had enjoyed my respite of solitude.

I rather suspect that more than twenty-five per cent of bloggers might be introverts. We're better at writing in our space than talking in shared space.

Here is an excerpt from the article about Brian Little on canada.com.

After a lecture, he often escapes to a washroom, where he finds an empty cubicle, sits down, pulls up his feet so nobody can find him, and takes a long moment to reflect ... the washroom retreats bring momentary peace and restore Little's true nature.

"He once explained this to Peter Gzowski on CBC's Morningside, telling the famous radio host: "After a talk, I'm in cubicle nine." Gzowski confessed that, after a show, 'I'm in cubicle eight.' "

... It's a fine balance, he says, because introverts do make good professors -- or radio hosts -- attuned as they are to other people's cues, constantly scanning the room to make sure they haven't lost anyone.

... The risk is that they can burn out, because in a sense you're acting out of character. That's why we really need those restorative niches. When you're 'on' with that degree of intensity, I think you would burn out very quickly, unless you're able to find those quiet moments on your own.