VERY interesting book that explains a lot about me

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Neil

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My family and I were (somewhat) recently taking a funny little personality test in some old book, called "please understand me". At first I thought it was all crap, but once I read my personality description, I thought otherwise :D The test is just silly (I thought) questions about things you wouldent even think would make the least bit of sense. Anyways, heres some blurbs from my charachter description thing (I am an "ISTP", whatever that means. I think I like it...)

"ISTPs are often fearless, risking themselves more than other types, despite (even frequent) injury.of all the types,ISTPs are most likely to pit themselves, or thier technique, against chance, odds or fate. they thrive on exitement;they crave some exiteent each day, in t he form of fast motion :)D)-racing, skydiving, or surfing (or rockets, in my case) for instance. this hunger foraction makes them more subjext to boredom than any other type,thier urge driving them to a faster pace. trangely however, they are not bored while doing thier thing, even thoughthere may be long stretches where nothing happens, asdoes during travel, surfing, hunting orfishing."

Too right they are... :kill:

It also says we are very good with tools ("from the microscopic drill to the supersonic jet").

"one tool especially attractive to the ISTP is the weapon. Should ISTPs turn against society (for whatever reason), they wield thier weapons with lethal genius to support thier directions. "

So, dont make me mad ;) ;) :p

heres my fauvorite part:

"action for the ISTP is more gratifying if it is born of umpulse rthar than of purpose. if the action is in the service of an end or aim, let the aim look out for itself; it cannot be allowed toinfluence execution. the act is self directed, self-leading, containing its own imperatives which cannot be suborned to mere rules, regulations or laws ISTPs are egalitarian and can be firecly loyal to "brothers, but they can also be firecly insubodinate, seing hierarchy and atuority as unnecessary andeven superfluous. it is not so much as a matter of going against regulations, as it is simply ignoring themthe ISTP must be free to do his or her thing, free to vary each next move. And ISTPs are, or want to be, proud of thier ability to make the next move skillfully"

ROTFL!!! couldent have said it better myself. I love the bit about regulations...

The book also says that you should not stop an ISTP from doing something because he "feels like it", and also that ISTPs do not like school, and are often mislabeled as dyslexic, learning impaired ETC. We do not like school because we see it as "unneccesary", and though we know we "should do our schoolwork", we see no benifit for us, and dont do it anyways.

It also says we are brilliant battle leaders, but we have to be on the field, "sword in hand and leading the charge". lol.

This certainly is an interesting book... I suggest getting a copy, its good for a laugh, if nothing else. Read the ISTP charachter profile thing, its hillarious. :D More so for me because I am an ISTP, and most of it is true in every way :D
 
That test is derived from the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI). It's very widely used in business for matching up workmates.

A problem with personality based testing is that rarely is it ever replicated, thus proving it has value of its own rather than just being read into like a horoscope.

About 50 years ago, a Lithuanian psychologist Aurora Augustavichute, started with the same basic background as the MBTI (Jung's personality theories) and developed her own personality test. Keep in mind the MBTI didn't exist yet, and she was in the USSR where collaboration and communication with the west was difficult at best.

She developed a test called "Socionica" (Socionics) that was so successful that the Russian space program did then and still uses it to match up cosmonauts for missions.

Her test gives results in 4 letter codes, each letter being one state or another ( such as I for introvert vs. E for extrovert in the first place). Three of the four letters are the same and mean the same thing as the MBTI codes. The fourth isn't exactly the same but the meaning does overlap by about 90%.

Sadly, both the MBTI and Socionics people will only sell their tests, not publish them in science journals, and although they know about each other they won't test them against each other to prove how similar they are. Darn shame too. This is the only instance of a personality test being independently developed in parallel and coming up with the same output.

Professor Augustavichute went on the develop further an idea originally put forward by a Polish theorist, "information metabolism". It's essentially complex dynamics systems theory and information theory applied to development of mind, something the folks at Santa Fe Institute are still trying to get a handle on.
 
4-5 years ago when I worked for the government they made me take a training class where I took the DISC personality survey. I think this is some variant on the Myers-Briggs, but it breaks you into one of four categories: D - dominance, challenge, I - influence, contacts, S - passive, C - control (if I'm remembering them right). It scores you by what you *really* are and by what you project to others - i.e., what you want them to think you are. I pegged 100% on D, and my projected score was nearly 100% on D as well. Supposedly, this means I thrive on challenges like having difficult problems to solve, and I think it describes me pretty well. I'd much rather be working on a challenging, interesting project than rubbing shoulders with bigwigs (I), taking a nap (S), or managing others (C). What was interesting was that nearly everyone else in my training class who took the test was an S, but projected something else (i.e., they didn't want anyone to know they were an S). To me that summed up the government right there and did a lot to explain to me why I always felt like a fish out of water. Got out a year later. One of the best things I ever did.

I too would have dismissed the personality survey as psychobabble, but found it to be pretty useful.
 
From my web page....

Much like <a href="https://keirsey.com/einstein.html" target="_blank">Albert Einstein</a> and
Marie Curie, I score as an <a href="https://keirsey.com/personality/nt.html" target="_blank">"Architect" (iNTp)</a> on the <a href="https://keirsey.com/" target="_blank">Keirsey Temperament test.</a>

Being an <a href="https://www.personalitypage.com/INTP.html" target="_blank">iNTp</a>, makes me <a href="https://www.personalitypage.com/INTP_car.html" target="_blank"> well suited for my chosen profession.</a>
 
Originally posted by Reeferjon
INTP as well.
This could be interesting, how about a poll?

Good idea. I have packed away in the boxes just delivered most of the MBTI background books, including the % prevelance of each type. I think we're already bucking the odds: I'm INTP also.
 
I might be out of step with the rest of you (grin).

6% ISTJ – Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging
Take your time and do it right!


STRENGTHS
Precise and accurate in all work
Follow established routines and procedures
Have excellent powers of concentration and are able to work alone without the need for socializing
Great maintainer of organizations
Stable, dependable, and can be counted on to follow through

WEAKNESSES
May have trouble adapting to changing systems
May need to see practical application to accept new ideas
May not understand needs different from their own
May underestimate themselves and their contribution to the organization
Tend not to like change, may be inflexible
 
Originally posted by illini
4-5 years ago when I worked for the government they made me take a training class where I took the DISC personality survey. I think this is some variant on the Myers-Briggs, but it breaks you into one of four categories: D - dominance, challenge, I - influence, contacts, S - passive, C - control (if I'm remembering them right). It scores you by what you *really* are and by what you project to others - i.e., what you want them to think you are. I pegged 100% on D, and my projected score was nearly 100% on D as well. Supposedly, this means I thrive on challenges like having difficult problems to solve, and I think it describes me pretty well. I'd much rather be working on a challenging, interesting project than rubbing shoulders with bigwigs (I), taking a nap (S), or managing others (C). What was interesting was that nearly everyone else in my training class who took the test was an S, but projected something else (i.e., they didn't want anyone to know they were an S). To me that summed up the government right there and did a lot to explain to me why I always felt like a fish out of water. Got out a year later. One of the best things I ever did.

I too would have dismissed the personality survey as psychobabble, but found it to be pretty useful.

Just took a DISC myself a week ago at work. Man, the feedback on that one can be harsh!! I had extremely high D and I numbers and very low S and C numbers. Some very valuable feedback, but it's not necessarily a pleasant look in the mirror.
 
Originally posted by KermieD
Just took a DISC myself a week ago at work. Man, the feedback on that one can be harsh!! I had extremely high D and I numbers and very low S and C numbers. Some very valuable feedback, but it's not necessarily a pleasant look in the mirror.

LOL!! In my predominantly "S" environment, I took great pride in being a "D". Somewhere in the booklet there was a description of how to work with someone of each personality type. I had a photocopy of the D "rules" on my door...found it kept a lot of the riff-raff away!
 

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