Testing...

Who Am I? Psychological Type Discussion

(11 year old me, enjoying an introvert's favorite past-time)

"I wonder if I've been changed in the night. Let me think, was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a bit different. But if I'm not the same, the next question is, 'Who in the world am I?' Ah, that's the great puzzle!"

- Alice, from Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland

Let me be honest, I was always a strange child; creative, quiet, and not exactly surrounded by friends. A loner, if you will. And after years of putting up with my preference of spending time with an imaginary friend (her name was Jen and she was an orphaned pop-star who played basketball with me in my back yard….) over joining my family for bike rides, cookouts, and normal life, my mom – who is 100% extrovert – decided to read the book The Introvert Advantage. Once she concluded (to her relief) that there was nothing “wrong” with her daughter’s strange schizophrenic-like penchant of locking herself up in the bedroom after spending hours playing with friends, she accepted my need to be alone as important to my development, and spoke so proudly and often of my introverted-ness (yes, I realize this is not a word but my personality type includes ‘thinking outside the box’- so there you go), but I never came to be proud of it myself. The way I saw it, I was different – I could spend time with friends and “turn on” my outgoing, talkative, friendly switch, but I'd much rather "turn the switch off" and forgo an afternoon at the country club pool for solitary relaxation on my porch rocking in a chair and thinking on the state of my life thus far. This was 'weird'; I was different and I didn't like it.

Needless to say, I had a pretty good feeling of what the results of my taking the Briggs-Meyer test were going to be. I ended up with INFJ: Introverted, iNtuitive, Feeling, Judging. What I did not know was how enlightening it would be to study the different writing and learning habits of those with my psychological type, and to see how accurately (or, in some cases inaccurately) my own styles were described. Here is what I found:

Learning and Writing as an Introvert

I’m sitting in class. My professor is holding an open discussion about the assigned book we read last night and I think I just might know the answer. But….do I? I mean, I know the general idea of the answer, but what exactly is he looking for? How accurately and quickly can I get my point across without stumbling over my words and forgetting my point? Can’t we all just write down what we think of the book and turn that in?! Oh, wait, someone else just raised his hand. Thank goodness.

This is a typical moment for me in a typical class on a typical day. This is also, apparently, the attitude of most introverted students. Some (read: extroverted learners) might say we second-guess ourselves to the point of self-destruction; I prefer to call it “thinking it through” until we know exactly what we want to say (Course Anthology, 140).

Introverted writers follow much the same modus operandi when preparing their papers. “Introverts may become blocked when they cannot see where the paper is going or when they want to have the entire paper planned in their minds before beginning to write," states an excerpt from The Writing Process Inventory (Course Anthology, 147). This is something I’m experiencing right now with this blog entry, as a matter of fact! The Writing Process Inventory excerpts from the Course Anthology are encouraging me to attempt writing in an extroverted way (using trial and error) so I guess I’ll attempt that for now!

Learning and Writing with Intuition

(in-tu-i-tion: noun: a sense of something not evident or deducible; an impression)

[Courtesy of: http://quirkymon.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/intuition.jpg]

According to the Writing Process Inventory, intuitive learners “like to look beneath surface to find hidden meaning” (Course Anthology, 138). When it comes to my style of learning, this rings true. I find that facts and practical knowledge are difficult for me to grasp and limit my creativity, whereas dissecting the minute details of what something means or why something happens brings my imagination to life. Give me a copy of one of my favorite books, Jane Eyre, and my first question will be about the things Charlotte Bronte isn’t writing about – her secret desires, what motivates her to pen such a work in the first place, and basically everything her words mean when read ‘between the lines.’

The characteristics of an intuitive writing style continue this theme of having a big imagination as “[intuitive writers] tend to write best when given general directions from which they can create their own goals” (Course Anthology, 151). My favorite papers to write are narratives or analytical papers with which I can take creative risks, so I do feel that I would be accurately labeled an intuitive writer.

Learning, Writing, and Feeling

Feeling is a huge part of who I am. Especially in my sport do I find this to be apparent – I feel the highest of highs after winning a swim race but am disconsolate often for days after a loss. In the same sense, my ultra-sensitivity is apparent in my classroom behavior and learning style as I tend to take criticisms harder than I should, and spend too much time worried about the attitudes and personalities of others around me rather than focusing on the assignment itself.

However, my penchant to feel too much is probably a good thing when it comes to my writing and is evidenced especially in the personal emotion I put into any first person narrative pieces. Says the excerpt from the Anthology, “[feeling types] are good at making contact with the audience…their writing will usually reflect a deep personal conviction” (Course Anthology, 153). A detriment to this style of writing, for me, is that I find it difficult to write about a topic I have not experienced or from a point of view different from my own.

Learning, Writing, and Judging

[Judges gavel courtesy of granitegrok.com]

I have to disagree with the Briggs-Meyer test on the ‘Judging’ portion of my personality when it comes to learning. The learning style of a judging individual involves “a need for closure [that] may make them finish too soon” and a “preference to work on one subject at a time” (Course Anthology, 140). On the contrary, I put off finishing a project until I am absolutely certain of the outcome I will achieve (similar to tendencies of the ‘Introverted’ student) and find myself needing to work on more than one thing at a time to preserve my sanity!

Writing-wise, I also feel that my style does not match up with the prototype of a typical ‘judging and writing’ individual. I do the opposite of the ‘judging way’ – according to Writing Process Inventory excerpts – which is said to involve “writing quickly” and “adhering too rigidly to original plans” (Course Anthology, 154). Whether the Briggs-Meyer test itself was incorrect in labeling me as ‘Judging’ or my writing and reading skills are simply an anomaly (in which case other non-school related parts of my personality would fit in the ‘Judging category) I am not sure, but it is interesting and refreshing to discover that not all of my creative tendencies are such that can be outlined in a personality test!

Typology Assessment of Instructor and Class

“INFJ’s have a good grasp on the other types present in our class. Her leadership is therefore vital for the success of the group,” explains Saumya Tayi in her Typology Assessment of Instructor and Class (Course Anthology, 141). I think Saumya is accurate in this assessment of my psychological type, but I find myself wary (read: scared!) to take on the role of leadership in this – or any – class. Hopefully I can grow into this role a bit and also, as Saumya mentions, “serve as a mediator between people in fierce debate” (Course Anthology, 141). If I can learn to exercise these skills in class, I will be able step out of my comfort zone and grow as a student and person into the best INFJ I can possibly be and can enjoy working and learning with each varied psychological type.

Let me be honest, I’m still a little strange. But, most gratifying about this test was not that it confirmed most of what I already believed about my personality, but that it made me feel that perhaps it’s not only acceptable to be the way I am, but also possibly praiseworthy. Perhaps I can be an asset to my peers and to my classes in more ways than the traditional ones I’ve been accustomed to. Learning about all the characteristics of being an INFJ in a classroom environment has given me a greater sense of power and a smaller worry about limitations. It has also encouraged me to learn about the ways in which each different type can work together in a harmonious, successful environment. After taking this test and analyzing the results, I have a better grasp of the student, friend, athlete, writer, and learner I can be. I don't know if I've fully accepted the benefits of my 'type' yet, but I do know this: I'm different, and I'm beginning to like it.