Not an INFJ?

I have been procrastinating this for the longest time, which is quite unlike me since I love this kind of stuff. I have taken the test some place else and it tagged me an INFJ. However, when I was in conversation with Lee Mei, who uses Myers-Brigg in her course of work, she was quite certain I am an INFP. Therefore, I decided to do the test today, this time at MyPersonality.info and it proves Lee Mei right – I am an INFP. And if I read the J/P preference right, then I agree that I am more a P than a J.

In reading the profile, I do see the traits in me. And what do you know, I am a dreamer! The scary thing is that I couldn’t agree more. A brief of what an INFP is:

Profile
INFPs focus deeply on their values, and they devote their lives to pursuing the ideal. They often draw people together around a common purpose and work to find a place for each person within the group. They are creative, and they seek new ideas and possibilities. They quietly push for what is important to them, and they rarely give up. While they have a gentleness about them and a delightful sense of humor, they may be somewhat difficult to get to know and may be overlooked by others. They are at their best making their world more in line with their internal vision of perfection.

Learning
INFPs learn best in flexible situations where they know the teacher takes a personal interest in them. They like to be able to interact with their peers, but not too much so. They want to feel free to dig into subjects that are of interest to them. Having both flexibility and creativity rewarded is encouraging to them. While they may not enjoy deadlines, if they value the assignment, they will meet those deadlines. Deadlines may force INFPs to decide that their work is 'good enough' to turn in. Subjects that hold a great deal of interest for them are learned readily. They will often do extra work in their attempt to learn as much as possible about something of interest. And they often read assignments carefully and them work their creativity into the given framework of the assignment. Thus it may appear that they did not pay careful attention to the details of the assignment in their reinterpretation. It is best if they have teachers who appreciate their unique approach and who do not hold them to the letter of the law.

In light of what I have been doing with my current studies, I am surprised they had me almost on the dot on “learning”. (But lest I am being accused of hinting again by my good lecturer) I must say that I am not taking it that seriously since many academic psychologists have criticized the indicator in research literature, claiming that it “lacks convincing validity data.” The scientific basis of the MBTI has been questioned as neither Katharine Cook Briggs nor Isabel Briggs Myers had any scientific qualifications in the field of psychometric testing. The reliability of the test has been interpreted as being low, with test takers who retake the test often being assigned a different type, as it did with me, though I did take the test from different sources. But having said that, I find it useful sometimes to manage people. Knowing, albeit roughly, the traits of the people I work with, helps a lot in accepting them and bringing the best out of them.

Anyway, I am delighted to know that these famous people are INFPs: A.A. Milne, Audrey Hepburn, Helen Keller, J. R. R. Tolkien, John the disciple of Jesus, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Lisa Kudrow, Luke the physician and author of the gospel, Mary the mother of Jesus, Peter Jackson, Princess Diana and William Shakespeare. Fictional INFPs: Anne of Green Gables, Deanna Troi, Doctor Julian Bashir, Wesley Crusher and the one that delighted me the most is Calvin of Calvin and Hobbes.

Anyway, enough play for the day. I am seriously running out of time for my assignment and tests on the Gospel of Mark. Oh bother ...

pearlie