<p>I agree Audio, many introverts actually do like people. When one of my children gave me the Meyers Briggs test a while back, I was shocked that I was an INTJ. I don’t think anyone who knows me would classify me as an introvert. I think I often make a concerted effort in social situations because, well, they are “social” events; but I guess my natural tendencies do not align that way. I will say that I am totally as ease when by myself and enjoy my own company. But I do like people and enjoy social interaction as well.</p>
<p>ESTJ - Fallgirl, Kiddie
ESTP
ISTJ - atomom, mereluvs2run, Kiddie’s daughter
ISTP - mathmom
ENTJ - cobrat, noimagination, Consolation
ENFP - EPTR
INTJ - Pizzagirl, soccerguy315, harvestmoon1, Joblue, Martina99, kitty56’s D, intparent, Sop14’sMom, sabaray, audiophile
INFP - LasMa, QuantMech
ENFJ - emilybee
ENTP - LoremIpsum
INFJ - Emily0722 , downtoearth, bookworm, poetgrl, hyperJulie DTE, D2, NJTheatreMom, Viewer
INTP - pelicularities, fendergirl, LoremIpsum’s youngest, BunHeadMom, emberjed, Halogen
ESFJ - eddieodessa, RobD
ESFP
ISFJ - frazzled1, opnopgod, kitty56
ISFP</p>
<p>On judging vs perceiving, another way that I have heard it described is: do you feel more comfortable before a decision has been made, or afterwards? If a strong P and a strong J were out buying a new sofa, for example, the strong P would revel in shopping, comparing, researching, and so forth. The strong J would want to just pick something out and be done with it. Shopping would drive them crazy. 
Of course, most of us are somewhere on the continuum, not at either end.</p>
<p>I am marginally a J, but I enjoy spontaneity much more than having rigid plans when travelling. I would NEVER go on a tour group.</p>
<p>BTW, no one here is slamming introverts, and if this thread devolves into the “we introverts are so special and you extroverts are so shallow” crap that I have heard all too often, I for one, will be out of here.</p>
<p>I’m barely, just +1 an introvert, and barely a J.</p>
<p>NF is my strong thing.</p>
<p>I like people, but not as much as my youngest who is a very lopsided E to the point it sometimes drives me crazy the way she is constantly with other people.</p>
<p>But, I’m not slamming Es. I live with all Es. I sometimes think the I in mine is just self defense. we would have a party at our house pretty much continually if I wasn’t nominally I. :p</p>
<p>I am inviting everyone to an Introvert Party this evening! We each get to stay at our own homes and read a book! Extroverts are welcome, of course, but I don’t think they will enjoy the party very much.</p>
<p>As an Extrovert, I would like to say a few things :)</p>
<p>I love introverts because they let me have all the attention and because I look at them and think “I wish I was one, they seem so much more evolved!” lol.</p>
<p>Also, extroverts DO like some alone time! We are not always seeking out someone to talk to.</p>
<p>While we are (or I am) extroverted and love people and social situations, I am still selective in who I choose to spend time with.</p>
<p>That list is interesting, by the way!!!</p>
<p>D2 (strong I) only agreed to have a high school graduation party this spring if D1 (strong E) could be there. D2: “You really need an extrovert to help host a party”. So we planned the party for the one day D1 will be home and available. :)</p>
<p>Oh, for doG’s sake. </p>
<p>The extrovert version of that party might be reading the book, then having the opportunity to <em>discuss</em> the book with someone. I read constantly. Something I really, really miss is the opportunity to discuss books and ideas. Luckily my highly-intellectual S is now willing to have lengthy discussions with me via Google Hangout or Skype. I expect that that will change once he goes to journalism school and is too busy. :(</p>
<p>There is a reason why the Kiersey book is entitled “Please Understand Me.”</p>
<p>Quite sure I am an INTJ. Is this unusual though - I don’t want to have superficial relationships with people. I think smiling and making small talk and listening to people is important as part of the human experience but I don’t want that. I want people who understand me and to understand people.</p>
<p>I don’t think that is at all unusual, ecouter. I think that MOST people want deeper relationships with people. As you say, the capacity to be friendly and outgoing does not preclude the need for non-superficial relationships.</p>
<p>I am in kind of a strange situation. I work alone most of the time. Several of my closest friends have died, one very recently. While I have no problem being alone and working alone, I flourish when working at least part of the time with others, and that is something I do not have. I am like a plant that doesn’t die, but is marginally deprived of sunlight or water. It is not god for me.</p>
<p>I’m an INTJ. I totally agree with Audiophile. While I can enjoy my own company, I do like to talk to people just as long as it’s in a small group. </p>
<p>A few years ago, I was planning a team meeting for the geographically separate groups I was leading. We were all in the same place for the first time in over a year. I found this book and website called Kingdomality ([Welcome</a> To Kingdomality.](<a href=“http://www.kingdomality.com/]Welcome”>http://www.kingdomality.com/)) and had them take the 8 question test prior to the meeting. It’s a “medieval” type Myers Briggs test. </p>
<p>During the meeting, I had all team members get in their groups. The Prime Minister, Discoverer, benevolent ruler, bishop, black knight, doctor, engineer, merchant, minstrel, scientist, shepherd, and white knight.</p>
<p>It was interesting because the premise of the book Kingdomality, was that you need to have people of all types in order to be successful as a team. This task also helped break the ice with my teams- before it was an us vs. them mentality. As soon as they were grouped by type, they found things in common and were communicating more than they had before.</p>
<p>I tested as a Prime Minister: “Your distinct personality, The Prime Minister might be found in most of the thriving kingdoms of the time. You are a strategist who pursues the most efficient and logical path toward the realization of the goal that you perceive or visualize. You will often only associate with those people who can assist you in the implementation of your plan. Inept assistants may be immediately discarded as excess baggage. To do otherwise could be seen as inefficient and illogical. On the positive side, you can be rationally idealistic and analytically ideological. You can be a bold decision maker and risk taker who can move society ahead by years instead of minutes. On the negative side, you may be unmerciful, impatient, arrogant, impetuous and impulsive. Interestingly, your preference is just as applicable in today’s corporate kingdoms.”</p>
<p>Weird, but so very true- even the negatives. ;)</p>
<p>sorry, it seems I was wordy mcword again. 
I’ll go back to my corner.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Deal, as long as it also doesn’t devolve into “You introverts just need to learn to be genuinely interested in other people,” which is what we hear all the time.</p>
<p>Adding my results to the list. Surprisingly, I am an ENTJ. I had always considered myself more of an introvert than and extrovert. When I am working on community projects, I am out meeting with people but my idea of down time is sitting in my empty living room with noise reading a book.</p>
<p>ESTJ - Fallgirl, Kiddie
ESTP
ISTJ - atomom, mereluvs2run, Kiddie’s daughter
ISTP - mathmom
ENTJ - cobrat, noimagination, Consolation, lilmom
ENFP - EPTR
INTJ - Pizzagirl, soccerguy315, harvestmoon1, Joblue, Martina99, kitty56’s D, intparent, Sop14’sMom, sabaray, audiophile
INFP - LasMa, QuantMech
ENFJ - emilybee
ENTP - LoremIpsum
INFJ - Emily0722 , downtoearth, bookworm, poetgrl, hyperJulie DTE, D2, NJTheatreMom, Viewer
INTP - pelicularities, fendergirl, LoremIpsum’s youngest, BunHeadMom, emberjed, Halogen
ESFJ - eddieodessa, RobD
ESFP
ISFJ - frazzled1, opnopgod, kitty56
ISFP
- Report Problem Post ** Reply **</p>
<p>So now this thread reminds me of my favorite saying, which is, “We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.” As a confirmed lifetime I, I have honestly never thought that I was special for that reason, nor have I ever seen extraverts as shallow; nor have I ever thought of Is - or Es - as being in some way superior to the other group. </p>
<p>I thought that QuantM’s suggestion about the introvert party in post 165 was meant humorously, and actually poked fun more at Is than at Es. I truly don’t see any offense intended. That’s the part of the elephant I’m aware of, I guess.</p>
<p>Adding myself as INTJ. Very strong on the I, moderate or slight on the NTJ. Fascinating thread. I love comparing the results to the online personas.
ESTJ - Fallgirl, Kiddie
ESTP
ISTJ - atomom, mereluvs2run, Kiddie’s daughter
ISTP - mathmom
ENTJ - cobrat, noimagination, Consolation, lilmom
ENFP - EPTR
INTJ - Pizzagirl, soccerguy315, harvestmoon1, Joblue, Martina99, kitty56’s D, intparent, Sop14’sMom, sabaray, audiophile, shyparentalunit
INFP - LasMa, QuantMech
ENFJ - emilybee
ENTP - LoremIpsum
INFJ - Emily0722 , downtoearth, bookworm, poetgrl, hyperJulie DTE, D2, NJTheatreMom, Viewer
INTP - pelicularities, fendergirl, LoremIpsum’s youngest, BunHeadMom, emberjed, Halogen
ESFJ - eddieodessa, RobD
ESFP
ISFJ - frazzled1, opnopgod, kitty56
ISFP</p>
<p>Consolation, keep in mind that introversion doesn’t necessarily mean we don’t like to talk to people. For example, regarding the book party, I also LOVE discussing books. It’s not conversation that I dislike. It’s chatting that I dislike. When there’s something engaging to talk about, I’m all in. </p>
<p>For an introvert, talking with other humans is a spectrum. At one end is an absorbing discussion; at the other is random chitchat. It’s the chatting end of the spectrum that sucks the energy out of us. Does that make sense?</p>
<p>By the same token, you mentioned that you work alone. I work in an office with 20 people, and you may be surprised to know that I enjoy it. First, there’s a built-in topic of conversation – work – so I don’t have to cast about in my mind for something to talk about. I have plenty to say about that topic, and if I don’t, it’s OK. And second, although there certainly is off-topic chitchat at the office – which I DO participate in – I have a great excuse to exit the conversation when it peters out: “Well, I gotta get back to work.” One of the things I find most draining is trying to keep a dying conversation going, and I never have to do that at the office.</p>
<p>Where it gets dicey with co-workers is when we do something social outside of the office, or even driving to an off-site meeting (the dreaded car-time – you "I"s know what I’m talking about!). THEN we’re into chitchat territory.</p>
<p>Yes, my post #165 was a joke, Consolation! It was actually expecting Pizzagirl to leap in with the objection that “extroverts read books, too, you know, QM. Introverts aren’t the only people who read books!”</p>
<p>Hope you do not mind this, Pizzagirl! :)</p>
<p>In the context, poetgrl had just mentioned that there would be a continuous party at her house, with all the E’s in her family, if she weren’t the hold-out I.</p>
<p>I’m either an introvert, or I only click with a few people. Like, I can easily chat with a random girl on the bus, but my swim team barely knows me.</p>
<p>Someone - I think it was LoremIpsum - asked about type changing with age. I was introduced to this in 8th grade and we were told that type may not have fully manifested by then - and in fact, I had a classmate who tested 50-50 on all four axes. In 8th grade, I was a strong, strong INTJ. </p>
<p>What changed for me was interest - at that time, I was very immersed in anything sciencey and mathy, with the arts not really on my radar at all. At the end of 8th grade I began to get more and more interested in film, which became an interest in theatre, which then became an interest in music and literature. I don’t know when I switched over, but the need to exercise a different function from my usual - F instead of T - meant that F started gaining ground. Question is though, did I actually gain more F that hadn’t existed before, or did I simply give myself more opportunities for the F to manifest? It’s hard to tell, especially since I’m still borderline. </p>
<p>The J-P switch is more interesting. I was a strong J who is now a strong P, and cannot really call on my J any more. One of my best friends has taken to saying “tell me again tomorrow” when I tell her of any big decision I’ve made, because I’m likely to change it! I think that also comes with the switch in interests - I have to be comfortable with ambiguity, it’s the side effect of possibility. I also think that that came with a greater awareness of F for me - I find it harder to be decisive when feelings - mine or otherwise - might be hurt. </p>
<p>Actually, thinking about it, I think the J was a phase more than anything - 8th grade was a year I set out to be disciplined, and I was probably always a P. </p>
<p>I actually plan a lot of things far in advance - I always have personal projects in mind, and I plan to start this one in 2014, that one in 2015, to finish that one by 2017, etc. The key is, though, that these are never set in stone. I had my four years of college planned before I set foot here and I still agonise every semester about which classes to take. When I travelled through Europe, I had a list of places and landmarks to hit but if I woke up in the morning and didn’t feel like it, I would postpone it - or I would wake up with no plan and look at my list and decide on the spot. I travelled with someone once who wanted to know what we were doing for the whole day at the start of the day and would run through the plan step by step and it really annoyed me. </p>
<p>About connecting with people - I love connecting with people, I couldn’t be a documentary filmmaker if I didn’t. The thing is, though, I want all my relationships to be personal, long-term relationships, and situations that don’t allow for that make me very uncomfortable. I hate parties where I don’t know anyone, but if there’s a party where I do know most people, I’m absolutely going to catch up on what’s going on in everyone’s lives. It’s the same reason I’m uncomfortable with jobs that require me to interact with people but only for brief periods of time after which I might never see them again.</p>
<p>Just to add to my comment about the Introvert party: I do appreciate the fact that there are highly intellectual people who are extroverted and in fact very gregarious. I know a few of them. I wasn’t meaning to stereotype extroverts in any way.</p>
<p>But when poetgrl raised the possibility of a continuous party, it made me think that there have been many times when I would practically have paid to avoid going to a party. So, given an open Saturday night on a holiday weekend, I was trying to come up with something that introverts like me would really enjoy!</p>