MBTI

[lupinesque]

B wrote:
 
> I or E (introverted or extraverted)
> S or N (Sensors take in information primarily through the 5 senses, 
> iNtuitives are internal, idea-driven people)
> T or F (Thinkers or Feelers - Thinkers use impersonal logic, Feelers 
> use personal/relationship-oriented logic)
> P or J (Perceivers prefer to gather as much information as possible 
> before making a decision, Judgers tend to be quick decision makers)

I just want to expand upon I and E the way you did on the others, 
since they are often misunderstood.  In Myers-Briggs terminology, the 
introversion/extraversion scale has to do with where one gets one's 
energy.  Extraverts may be very thoughtful, reflective people, but 
they are wearied by solitude and turn to other people to refuel.  
Introverts may enjoy social interaction, but they are wearied by being 
among others and when they need to refuel, they head for solitude.

I always jump on this because people are frequently surprised to learn 
that I'm a strong I--it surprises them because they're using the 
common meaning of the terms, in which introverted means quiet, shy, 
even averse to company.  (It's quite pejorative in U.S. culture, as 
well.)

I found this incredibly illuminating when I went out to a street fair 
with a friend a few years ago.  As the evening wore on she got more 
and more jazzed up by being in a crowded street, while I got tired and 
grumpy and kept looking for ways to find a bit of time alone--poke 
into a quiet booth, go to the ladies' room, anything to be away from 
other people for a while.  I've been doing this all my life--after an 
hour at a dinner party, I'll go to the ladies' whether I need to or 
not, just to be alone for a few minutes--and it's oddly affirming to 
just have someone put a label on it and call it part of the normal 
range of human temperament.  In the case of my friend, whom I've known 
for 20 years, it eased a tension between us that's arisen countless 
times.  

Which, I suppose, answers the question I had, since this spun out of 
a post on compatibility:  do partners do best when they are the same 
type?  Answer: not necessarily, but it sure helps if they understand 
that the differences are those of temperament; it cuts down on 
recriminations like "damn it, you're always dragging me to some 
party--don't you like just being alone with me?"  

Amy
INFP, married to an INFJ