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"It's 4AM and I 'm drinking caffeine" you get a like already.

“I did a biology degree. Did is a big word. I turned up to some lectures, sometimes.” 😂

Although Personality Type is not science, it is not pseudoscience either. I would consider it as a very good scientific hypothesis that could be further improvised and refined.

For me, MBTI is a basic guide of how you act to everything. But it doesn't have to be 100% follow the guide, nor 100% abandon them. Depend on the people. That's why we aren't only seeing those 4 letters, but how much the percent number support those letters. Ex: I'm INFP, but I'm not having anxiety when ordering stuff at restaurant or answer the calling. Probably affected by my ESTJ mom who taught me patiently. My test also shows that my Perceiving is 51%, almost near to Judging type. The only advice that I can give is to not really believing the mbti memes. Just see it as fun. Those over-believing with mbti memes are what made some people sees it as vague and cannot be trusted.

My favorite analogy I saw was - cross your arms. You will typically always naturally, without thinking about it, cross one arm over the other. Now try to cross the arm once underneath, on top. You can do it, but it’s weird, and not preferred. Your cognitive preferences are the same, and very much engrained.

Seriously you've said most of the things I've been saying for years.. Like seriously Susan you don't have to get so upset because he's the same type as you and didn't react the same.. Or you have to be so paranoid because they say that type ain't your ideal match or the least or feeling down and want to give up on your career just because you heard that not common on your type.. That's pisses me off so much!!

I thought it was just me but looks like every INTP is a night owl.

I think there are three personality types. 1. Naive. 2. Bitter. 3. Conscious.

I don't understand why so many people are afraid of labels. For me, they are just a simplification. You are totally right when you're saying that everyone can do everything. But isn't life easier, when you know, who you can fit into "box" and suddenly know a lot more about what behaviour you can apply on that person? Are you ESTJ? I will definitely treat you differently and talk with you differently than with INFP. Boxes and labels are important in my opinion, they can offer us many lifehacks and easier sailing through this messy and complicated lifetime. 😏 I wish more people would actually invest time in learning MBTI, it would save a lot of unnecessary misunderstanding in everyone's lifes, when everyone could just know, why the other person is the way she/he is. -INTP

The MBTI is a fantastic resource that can provide a reasonably stable foundation upon which we might understand our strengths and weaknesses and therefore improve upon them, if that's our aim. It also helps me to understand that we all perceive and process reality quit differently and that there really is no need to judge. MBTI helps me to be much more flexible and understanding. -- ISTP.

I reckon “scientific” has lost its meaning to Te standardization over time. Just because it isn’t “scientifically proven” doesnt mean there ain’t truth to it. It’s like the idea that only what the majority thinks counts or is valid. Too Te for my liking/acceptance.

Your humor is like those folded cloth napkins at a fancy dinner table... It's perfectly placed and elegant, yet very accessible! I share your attitude toward cognitive type (better term than "personality"?), and I applaud your ability to balance the evidence that your experience brings, yet also play devil's advocate to address potential criticisms AND possibly legitimate critiques. So... who would win in a chess game if you played yourself, Nathan?... XD Keep up the good work-- I [and everyone else, I'm sure] really appreciate the content and insights! Thank you! ^_^

I think the cognitive functions themselves are actually the more interesting and accurate part of the theory than the "types" because as you say dichotomies are not always as precise. Butttt that being said once you see it you can't unsee it and you're cursed with trying to type everyone you ever meet for the rest of your life lol

Are the MBTI types valid to a good degree? I look at all the people who have benefited by studying this classification system, including myself (INTP), and the answer is yes, of course. Wisdom is justified by her children.

It's true. I asked, talked, predicted behavior of almost every humans around me and It's accurate. MBTI is like the 'default setting' or 'inborn' personality of that human when they were young / in their teens. As a person grows up he can go corrupted, matured, or try to fake but deep down it won't change. I'm INTJ

Height is continuous but you can still classify people into "short" and "tall" and just because 2 people are tall doesn't mean they're the same height. I think personality traits are like that. Continuous but we can draw our own line put it into categories and there is a lot of variability within a category. I've had lectures on genetics and behaviour where we learn about the heritability of psychiatric disorders and I think personality type would be very similar to that. People think you either have a psychiatric illness or you dont but that's also a continuous variable and someone has drawn a line to split people into groups of normal and abnormal. Unlike eye colour there isnt just a gene that codes for it, but many many genes that contribute towards it a tiny bit giving you a natural inclination for a disorder which can manifest with the right environment. And they affect each other eg someone that has a genetic inclination to anxiety will be less likely to be a psychopath. I think this is similar to personality in that you have a genetic inclination towards a certain way of thinking but your environment either increase that effect or change it. I think we learned extraversion is ~60% heritable and is one of the most heritable personality traits. And like you said, having one really strong personality trait will naturally make others weaker. I've tried to speak to some lecturers about mbti but it's just too "unscientific" compared to the big 5 because it's all about how people THINK not how they behave so we cant produce repeatable and accurate data for it. People dont get the same type on different tests, it doesnt match behaviour and even "experts" disagree on what someones type is so how can we measure it and if we cant measure it, it's apparently not science Regardless of what it is though I think it's so useful in understanding everyone around me and myself :)

Yes I feel like most things are a spectrum. But in the end you do lean slightly one way like you said. Also the cup at the beginning was cute!

Great video Nathan - I still think we should collaborate at some point! I do have a few comments in response: Firstly, I'd say cognitive type is in fact continous - a type is a position on a cognitive spectrum that undulates around set points between individuals. These points also change over time. Furthermore, two individuals of the same type will vary according to more than just life experience - few people occupy exactly the same place on a cognitive map and, generally, one ENTP is going to share more in common with, say, an ISFJ than another. The two ENTPs within this hypothetical scenario will as such share less of the stereotype usually assigned to their type.

"Everyone can do everything" "Everyone is capable of anything" Why are these statements not being challenged, in fact I see it repeated. Truly these are dangerous statements. Peace and Love to You All.

It makes A LOT of sense. I completely agree. Thanks for sharing!

Quality content. You are literally saying what I struggle to explain to people that disagree with the theory. I like that you can produce quality thoughts and top them with quality explanations. I really find the latter hard, as an INTP.

I would say just by personal experience and also as a mother that our personality blueprint is decided way earlier than we normally think. Many people have talked about the first two years of a child’s life as being so fundamental in them forming their personality, but then as a mother when their personality is aloud to come out, i see it unfolding since their newborns, not us “filling up” their personality cup. It’s pouring out of them, is actually beautiful to see their sense of self being expressed more and more. And also it is amazing how different they are to one another (for example as siblings) from day one. Also find that im the truest to myself when i go back to be a free and positive as i was when i was a child. What you learn in life is “survival” skills, but personality and inclination seem more innate than anything else. Id like to know how other people of my type (ENFP) were as children, there will probably be similitudes...

We're mapping spectrums to labels, so I feel those between label definitions, won't benefit as much from the MBTI model. But with the alternative being unknown personalities, it's useful if understood (which difficulty varies depending on personality). You mentioned people gravitate to their strengths, but external world dynamics make that murkier, with those near a 50% split. Believing in MBTI, funnily enough, will gravitate their behaviour to their label though. MBTI's success would come down to how someone uses the model. A guide to help clarify the world that works for them, or a competition to be the best person with a given set of traits. If it's the later, they might be overvaluing their label.

That was incredible! I loved every moment. So organized and informative that you rooted my attention to the spot, yet just playful enough to keep me smiling and smirking throughout. I only ever heard of MBTI about a year ago, I am an INFJ for the most part, but my test results tend to fluctuate between infj and infp. The most distinct factor Ive observed in this shift in results is whether or not Im sinking into loneliness and depression(INFJ), or if I'm feeling rejuvenated and inspired(INFP) I may have that backwards, reading what I just typed I am definitely a -T, lol I hear people say that they are both and I most definitely feel like I am, but avoid making such a claim, since online community tends to aggressively condemn such ludicrous declarations(The neeerve! Hrumph! Hrumph!) Just to highlight the nuance and variables that make each of us so different from one another. Many INFJs on here tend to relish in the fact that we are the rarest type, which I find to be kinda ego-driven. Whereas this discovery filled me with sorrow as I felt that it merely confirmed, as I hit the ripe old age of 45, that I may never find another to share and appreciate this mechanical, celestial, heart-wrenching euphoria I feel inside. Hmm that's kinda ego-driven in its own right, so I guess I best digress... In any case, there's so much nuance to savor and appreciate within every individual and in every situation. So many assumptions and theories to be confirmed as fact or disproven. And at the end of the day, it all makes for such a wondrous and ever-shifting adventure that I absolutely love when Im not kicking and screaming against its natural current Thank you for sparking my curiousity and imagination. I truly do enjoy your work.

Thanks for your insight! I thought MBTI was entertaining at best and mostly like astrology, but the way you explained it made a lot more sense. A bit like everyone can get cancer, but some people will be more prone to developing the genetic mutations that cause the disease than others, or like some people lose weight more easily than others because of their metabolism... or like different models of cars have different pros and cons... I could probably go on like this for a while now. X)

I think for me, interest usually comes first, and then proficiency. I get good at things because I'm interested in them or because I have to do them and I want to figure out the best way to get the results I want. If I'm interested in something, like singing, for example, I will keep doing it until I get good at it. It's because I love it and I want to improve. If it's something I need to become proficient at for some other reason, then I just buckle down and learn it, so I can get on with it. But I do think that I sort of fall naturally toward things I am innately interested in, and proficiency follows. For things that I have no interest in, but need to do anyway, I learn just enough to do what I need to do, and nothing more. For things that I am genuinely interested in, I keep going. I really don't worry too much whether MBTI is 'accurate' or not, it's much more important for me to ascertain whether it is useful. To me, any framework that allows you to take stock of yourself and try to understand other people is useful. The process of trying to discover insights about yourself and others is the potential benefit. The framework itself is just a means to an end. If MBTI makes me more aware of others, more sympathetic to their differences, and more cognizant of my own strengths and weaknesses, then it is worthwhile regardless of it's 'accuracy'. Or at least, that's how I see the matter.

Nice. Been trying to iron out my perspective on MBTI. Helpful to see another perspective.

Really interesting video! I can see it going either way with complexity/simplicity. Wasn’t it the Greeks that thought everything was made up of 4 elements: earth, air, fire, water? Now we have the whole periodic table of elements and chemistry to try to figure out how things work. The 4-elements approach isn’t necessarily wrong, just way more generalized… Maybe we’re at a similar generalized spot with all of this personality types theories and just need to study it more, or maybe 16 personalities is as deep as we should go to keep things useful. I think because we don’t know enough about how the human brain works, we can come up with any theories we want, and refine them until it makes sense to a large group of people. Theories can still be really useful in the meantime. Maybe someday we’ll know more. 🙂

I like things because I am good at them. Example- I dive into my art-making practice full on because I am 'good' and have always been 'good' at art-making. Painting, writing, creating video art. I have never been good at running, so I do not enjoy running. I would never take up ice skating/basketball/rock climbing because I am not good at physical activity like that. The only things I enjoy that are of a more physical nature are playing drums and bike riding. BUT I am not good at these things, so I have fallen away at the practice.

Good vid. I think there is a spectrum between the two poles. There are many axis that we can divide traits on. Every axis is a dimension. Greed vs Generosity Pride vs Humility ... etc. We all fall somewhere on these dichotomous axes. Most people probably actually fall somewhere close to the middle, even between dominant and inferior functions. Especially considering that if one is zero, the other quantity must be infinite.

I enjoy trying out new stuff (and thereby usually failing at them). I don't take failing too seriously, and the more I do stuff the better I become at it - and soon people are impressed at how many things you can do on a very basic level

This was a great video start to finish. Nicely done

UUUUUUUGGGGGH, YES. You completely said what I've been thinking for so long. Every time I see arguments against MBTI, I give the same answers you gave in this video. Especially the "put in the box" one. The types are just your _tendencies._ It's like a science experiment: if you tend to x, y, and z, you are _most ilkely_ going to do and think this way and be weak in these areas. The only thing that you didn't mention that I see as a common argument is people's types changing after taking the test multiple times. To that, I say that as we grow as humans, we get confused about what are tendencies are versus what we actually do. For example, a XXXJ type might have multiple XXXP type friends, so they might have gotten used to doing things spontaneously. They might even purposely do it on their own once in a while. As a result, when they take the test and see "are you more spontaneous or rigid?" they think "I could literally do either one" and answer randomly, which is why the tests can sometimes be unreliable. To answer your question from the beginning of the video, I like things because I'm good at them. This is a lame example, but I happen to be very good at certain video games where I can reach the 80th percentile, so that pushes me to play it even more. I like to draw, but since I'm not naturally good at it, I don't want to put as much effort into it as I would with games. Anyway, thanks for this video. I'm adding it to my favorites!

I like that you brought up the fact that the label of a "personality test" is kind of a misnomer. I have a lot of friends who are skeptical and one of the points I always make is that mbti looks at cognitive functions, not personality, so I appreciated you pointing that out! Also, I myself am a little skeptical of it even though I'm obsessed with learning the different types, purely because of the idea that it helps you better communicate with those around you. I'm an ENFP, my parents are both sensors - that helped explain why they always saw me as illogical/dreaming too big. My husband is an ISFP and extremely selective with the thoughts he shared, so learning about his mbti helped me come up with better communicative strategies so that we both feel heard/understood. Whether it's a valid theory or not, mbti has helped me better understand that what I initially saw as flaws in other people were in actuality manifestations of different ways of thinking. Even if it is isn't valid, I think it helps us approach people in the ways they best respond to.

The way I would put it is that MBTI describes the things that it measures reasonably well. But it doesn't describe the whole personality of an individual. The problems arise when people try to over-interpret what the type tells you. Every individual is unique, and we can't all be put into 16 categories, where everyone in that category is exactly alike. So when I listen to descriptions of my type (INTJ), I always think "that part sounds like me, but that other part doesn't quite sound like me". Jung came up with some observations about people, and Meyers-Briggs turned them into this model. It is qualitative, not quantitative. And it's not comprehensive. But I think it does have some validity.

I find it funny how people who criticize MBTI often don't see any problems with gender

I'm really glad you addressed this, as a long time skeptic of modernist "scientific" sub-categorization of individuals. My biggest issue lies in the current replication crisis inside the scientific community. However, as long as these 'types' as you so brilliantly clarified, are just that; personality types that prescribe inclinations, and preferences, and does not become a deterministic value judgement like IQ is in large today, then I'm all game. I watch all your videos, because you are so present with the ideas, and it is truly captivating, even if I sometimes wonder about the legitimacy or substance of the content itself. Cheers.

myself and a few others have had different types set out as answers throughout like 10+years of checking on an off every 2 years or so. I wouldn't know if that's possible for certain personality types, or maybe it'd be described as a disorder. From what I've seen so far of it, you have a main personality that develops over time. The fluid, flexible bits about it I think are different psyche fragments, that may develop on their own terms. There is some influence over this to a certain extent, but we'd need to go super micro in discussing it.

Answering the question you posed at the beginning of the video, I'm definitely more passionate about things I'm absolutely the worst at. And it applies for the other way around as well. I've always been told I'm good at music, but I've never really liked it - it seems too easy for me to do something I'm good at. On the contrary, activities which are difficult for me give me a sense of challenge that I gladly accept, inspire me and give me a precious opportunity to grow as a person. I wonder how much success you could achieve if you worked hard for something you excel in. Sincerely, your ISTP fan

One of your best, and most thought out videos to date mate! I do find personality types useful, but as you said to a certain extent... Way too many times I see people say "as an enfp(insert any here) , I..." and that point, it becomes limiting, when you think of yourself as this one personality type, therefore you can't do certain things, and 'hey, it's not my fault, I'm an istp after all' Anyways, Congratulations, I enjoyed every second of it

I love the matching bushiness of your eyebrows, hair 'n sweater.

For a 4 am conversation, that was solid. I agree that including more skeptical analysis could help develop and solidify an understanding in the defining of personality in science.

It's great that your videos tackle these problems with solid points. Rather than those wishy washy articles all over the web.

Thank you for this video...you did clear my doubts that were similar

5:15 as an ISFP, this is why I’ve been more OUT THERE in forums and chat rooms talking about MBTI. I need to improve my Te in both my real life and in written form. The more I do it, the better I feel like I’m doing. Plus, I think it helps me tap into sides of myself I didn’t realize were there. And I like that! Great advice, Nathan.

I definitely think that what you said made sense; it was well formulated and open/aware. I’ve had similar questions to those posed by OP (or... OQ?? haha), and your response provided definition and clarity that helps put things into perspective. Much appreciated!

Reasonably valid and well constructed thought analysis

I think MBTI is all possible combinations of possible mathematical strategies to take in data and output action, so, it's probably fundamental and what human behavior will approach, but not exactly match all the time

I would argue Infps are probably the most likely type to pursue stuff just because they're interested... I'd guess successful infps got lucky and their interests coincided with what they're good at. I, for instance, was pretty good at maths and science but didn't care much for them so I went down the route of social sciences even though I'm not that great at writing or MEMORIZING. Guess it has to do with Fi dom :/

Thank you! People overthink personality types and mbti overall so much. It's an entire spectrum with each type, no two people of the same personality type are going to be carbon copies of one another.

Pseudoscience or not, it's still a form of information which may or may not be useful depending on the way it is used. If someone were to ask me a few years ago on about how do I think people approach their problems (because that's what I think functions are, problem solving tools), I would probably give a toddler like answer. If someone were to ask me now after I learned about the functions, I probably could give them a better answer. Which makes me always wonder, what if there are more functions or some sort of new information that might cause similar leaps in understanding. I think the key word is "growth" and information does make us grow as long as we can control it and not make it control us. Sadly I think that in the case of typology people get controlled by the information. I've came across MBTI over a year ago. I don't know which type I am, and neither do I care. But what I did find out by learning the functions was that certain problems in my life which needed solving required specific tools (functions) and some problems just didn't budge or more rather I was using the wrong tool (i needed to use a different aproach) to solve them. An example in my case would be, poor Si. Often I would have a meeting where I had to pass down important information (have in mind it's information which needed to be presented informally/face-to-face). The meeting would end, and 30 minutes after I would realize that I'v forgotten to pass down the important information, for 10th time. I've been using a memo to every event I attend, to remind me of the things that I cannot recall in detail or at that present moment. Now this isn't an example of Si (Si doms don't need a memo) but it's an example of how to cover up for poor Si. The reason why I think it's very difficult to change our function hierarchy might be because of the environment. The environment we are currently in changes very slowly, and the pace at which we forcefully change our environment is slow as well. It's as if we are given a game of shapes when we are born. We are given a big pool of shape figures and they are disorganized. Our environment gives us a board with shapes we need to match, and it's usually a small number of unique shapes we need to find (let's say that we have a pool with 8 unique shapes but our environment keeps on giving us 2-3 unique shapes to match. For examples sake lets say its a square, triangle and a star). We notice a pattern, and we start to organize these shapes which are required to solve the problem. We pile up the triangles, squares and stars, and we become better at finding them in the pool of shapes. We get better at solving problems at that environment . But every now and then we are given a tricky problem with a different shape that we need to match, a shape which we didn't organize and we can't find as easily in our pool. At start we try to budge the first 3 shapes with hope of it going in. It gets even worse if we change and enter a new environment which rarely gives us the shapes we are used to and more often gives us the shapes we can hardly even find. TL:DR: Toddlers

Great Video! It is life-applicable, meaning, you can apply it in life in many ways. Once you get a better understanding of the system, and a system is what it is, you can clearly identify these types in daily life. It's not like horoscopes where you see bits and pieces of what you want or don't want to see, but just the opposite. It is a basic objective understanding of the subjective mind. Throw in the enneagram, a good one, and you narrow things down a bit more. The Big 5 does this by breaking down a personality into 5 traits and then breaks the 5 traits down even further. Like with the MBTI Types and the Enneagram. You can even tell someone's first 2 letters by their subconscious eye movements while they are talking. This is happening for the fact that they are accessing different parts of the brain and sometimes locking onto external factors while they process information. You can definitely see a string of commonalities between people of the same type. From ways of thinking, types of interests or what these interests entail from a function perspective to an overall leaning towards certain strengths and weaknesses that stem from the type's cognitive functions. Yes, like said, there is way more to a human being, but this is a fairly comprehensive basic system for understanding what cognitive functions a person consciously uses the most. I like where you state that it's not about boxing in. Truly boxing in consciousness would be an endless task also. Yes, it can help people early on strengthen their weaknesses and hone their strengths to the best of their ability. What we call "Personality" is "cognitive functions"; which are formed in the first four to five years of life, and "characteristics"; which are formed in the next five or so years of life. " Characteristics" are how you decide to go about using those tools called "cognitive functions". "Personality" in psychology, the way the MBTI refers to it, is the way the mid functions, hence, cognitive functions.

For me, the different personality types of this test are comparable to the different colors in the spectrum of visible light. Every color is different as it has a unique wave length, but socially we all agree that certain wave lengths are called "yellow" in order to better understand the world we see. However, all of us will agree that there are different shades and types of yellow and the number will grow the more concrete we describe these shades. Moreover, there will be some shades that other people will describe as orange or green instead, because they will be in a point of the spectrum that is ambiguous. Although, I don't know how accurate or scientific propper this test is (because I haven't done propper research yet) I think most people don't understand that the results given aren't unique for every person, they describe general traits of groups of people. (Sorry if there are any grammar errors, I'm not a native English speaker)

Hmmm good question on hobbies. I have a lot of hobbies I’m good at but I have been doing things I didn’t know I was good at: gardening, painting, kayaking and I had to learn and work hard at them. But I’ve tried some things that I sucked at right away - weaving and jewelry making. My choice was this: do I want to spend this precious hour threading needles and beating this square until I get better at it or use the hour painting? I didn’t like weaving enough to spend time learning to do it. 💖 PS I was very very much a London Remain vote and I knew why: I worked in financial services in the City and became British AND European by choice.

MBTI gives possible insight but is very generalized. Has interesting ideas and theories on how people process the world around them. Somethings may apply, some may not. MBTI is also cringey to watch people type themselves and just rant about themselves proudly for 15 minutes. Big 5 however is measurable and is the more updated scientific standard when it comes to your individual personality.

I will keep doing the things that I like regardless if I become competent at them, (with the addition that I can often say "I am going to scrap this, I will never be good or competent at them"), but then there is still that part in me that keeps coming back to them, especially if I see some sort of connection with (whatever it is I am doing) that I could potentially use for the future. However I also find myself liking things quicker if I think I am good at them, and am less likely to scrap the things I am good at than quitting the things I am bad at. So maybe I lean a little bit more to the first but the second statement doesn't sound unknown to me.

Thank you, Love Who, you took the words right out of my mouth! I just introduced my best friend to MBTI and if she has any questions or concerns regarding the classification system, I'll be sure to show her this video. (:

I use it as a simple tool for self improvement and a useful social tool in figuring out the insanely complex social dance! I’m can say despite decades of self improvement, expansion of interests and much improved social savvy and interaction...I have always come out as highly INTP. I have expanded my repertoire across most functions, so many casual acquaintances wouldn’t immediately pigeonhole me as INTP, but those close to me would laugh and say “for sure”! I also have noted and others concur, that becoming a parent and now grandparent, definitely smoothed the sharp edges of my INTPness 🤓😀 I believe someday we will know why this simple tool works...I surmise that DNA lays down initial wiring, then nature and nurture format the circuits. Once pruning happens the preferred processing is hardwired. BUT, it’s absolutely true that trauma of any kind can cause dramatic changes in function and preferences...thus supporting the theory.

Nice one Nathan @LoveWho ! Two comments: 1) can personality change? I think, eg people can move from being Extraverted when younger to Introverted when older (eer...like me? prob INFP). Life experience and social circumstances play a huge part. Maybe less so in Thinking/Feeling but even there, the spectrum allows for change. 2) is MBTI reliable? My issue is about Cultural Variation vs Universal Application. Qualities like Extroversion are heavily regulated by cultural norms. One could say 'Extraverted in the context' - but this then leads to questioning the (MBTI) questionnaire. There are many articles about this, so I won't say more. Landing point - is the key question "what are you assessing for?". In other words, as an exercise in self-realisation, growth and reflection, MBTI may be useful. But over time (and it has been) Jung's ideas of the archetype - an altogether more complex and fluid concept - has grown into a lucrative tool used for corporate recruitment, et al. Perhaps "take it with a pinch of salt" is sound folk wisdom - unless you're trying to cut down that is! Thoughts? Bonus random link: www.city-data.com/forum/world/1962408-most-least-introverted-countries-7.html

I like to do things I'm passionate about - but not always with other people because if I'm not naturally good at it my discouragement is often visible even to the point of being contagious - unless it's a low-pressure environment and everyone is having fun; then it's just funny... I LOVE doing things that I'm good at. Basically any physical skill like archery or horse-back riding are things that I tend to be sort of half-way clumsy at but I love to fine-tune myself in those areas, and with improvement I find them to be very rewarding. I do tend to enjoy it more when it involves something I'm naturally good at, though, like theorizing about improvements or planning a unique exercise. It's always best when I'm with comrades who enjoy discussion. I suppose there are some areas out there that I'm not good at nor do I ever wish to be - supervising, for example, is the world's necessary evil. I love MBTI because it's both measurable and infinite; on the one hand an analysis of the cognitive functions can place you in a predictably accurate field that breaks down the steps of the way you think and where your behavior stems from, while at the same time there are many different sub-categories from many different formats that can fit under each type, making all individuals that much more unique... There's a lot to talk about in this video! Go night-brain!

i am personally extremely thankful for MBTIs, it has definitely helped me understand why i act a certain way and even in the most specific of cases it explained everything to me down to the tea. MBTIs were almost like a revelation to me, why i had some behaviours that were so incredibly unlike everyone elses. It made me come to terms with myself and made me feel more comfortable in my own skin. My self worth was always quite decent but through MBTIs i feel as if i can finally be proud of the decisions i made be it big or small. - an intj also for people who say MBTIs are rather vague and sometimes unapplicable to specific people- that's why its a scale? youre usually a percentage of a specific E/I - S/N - T/F - J/P. Of course it will never be down to the bone accurate because a lot of personalities are extremely vague. I've only met a few extreme cases of people i know embodiying their MBTI so much that they could be 90-100% each of their MBTI letters. I would say that its usually the rarer personality types that have a more specific niche that when you know how an MBTI acts you can pin point people as that MBTI a few specific mbtis i know and are extremely familiar with and could most likely pinpoint: - INTJs (i know my people from a mile away) - INFPs (i grew up with many INFP friends and tend to gravitate towards them) - ENTPs (i gravitate towards these people and can easily tell ENTPs, it would usually baffle my sister and how accurate i can pick someone out to be an ENTP) - INFJs (the rarest personality type because it is the most specific type of people, i cant help but either hate or love them, moreso love though, super easy to pick oit as well, as youd probably only interact with them through a rare DM , where one of you so courageously stepped up to the plate and instant VIBE with) - ENFJs and ENFPs are rather easy as well (i think the name Protagonist associating with ENFJs are super accurate and ENFPs are usually the popular bubbly kids that me as an INTJ like, eventhough I do tend to gravitate towards smarter people that could enlighten us and match wits (not to sound condescending or superior;;), we find ENFPs very endearing and admirable to be around, [like a sunshine that everyone needs] - i guess ENTJs are also rather easy seeing as they are more or less extraverted versions of INTJs (i just dont know anyone that have an ENTJ personality so i have no way of connecting the dots or intertwining correlations with famous people who have this MBTI) // i dont really trust famous people MBTIs unless i take then for myself to verify it because they put out different personas of themselves compared to how they would actually act behind the scenes // Of course it is absolutely fine to be sceptical of MBTIs as a lot of the times it could just be Barnum Effect- however, they are way more reliable when compared to Astrology and Palm readings. And as an INTJ I couldn't help but be creeped out at how accurately I was being described in a video to then go to another MBTI type video and be completely bored out of my mind because it just didn't apply to me at all. edit: more coherently cause i word vomited all my ideas ,_,

INFP, I definitely pursue passion over skill. Biology and pretty much any of the math courses my school offers, come incredibly easy to me. It’s simple, you learn the components and then you see how they work together. I have no interest in pursuing either though, as I have way more interest in the arts (okay genetics are pretty cool.) in terms of music I don’t have a ton of “natural talent” and I’m still second flute after playing flute for 7 years, but I would never quit band. I’m more focused on pursuing comics and animation though. The idea of making people feel something with my work, or bringing fantasy to life in some way will always trump any fulfillment I would get from solving a function.

I am a newbie in terms of MBTI. I can state that I tested myself 4 times. Only. Every time I ended up where I first left - INTP. It kinda makes sense to assume I am one, already. However, MBTI, just like PCM let's say, are theories. They are not (yet) science. But as long as they have a huge panel to base the information on (more than 100K individuals) I must say they tend to look like interesting theories to me and I wish to know more. Anyways, I feel the need to say this, in response to your video: these are guidelines. One can never assume that if you are an I, you can never act like and E. And I will once again take my own case - I do recharge at home, alone, in my own world. But when it comes to speaking in public and dominating individuals, I ace that s**t ;) So what is an Introvert?

I agree with the last statement... with the continuous rapid growth of the world and with the rapid understanding of the new things happening around us so fast, I also believe there should be equal importance to look inward to the understand of ourselves by this I mean more importance and development of human knowledge studies so we dont dive too deep with the things around and forget to simply look what ticks us and what is within us.. this is to maintain more balance through understanding of human nature.

So poetic! Simply divine descriptions.

(isfp) to answer your q : i want to do what i love no matter if i can be competent at them or not -- sadly, some activities are /only/ fun after passing a certain level of proficiency (for ex: surfing -- it doesn't seem very fun unless you know how to do it) some of my fav activities are freediving (which i'm not great at; but good enough to enjoy it!) and riding my bike (i'm not fast; but that doesn't matter bc i love to ride along leisurely and listen to podcasts at the same time lol for like 3h at a time). i also enjoy playing the piano but sometimes i get obsessive and play for 5h at a time and i end up annoying myself so i have to be careful about how long i spend playing...annd i enjoy playing with makeup. and cooking. maybe you can make a series on activities that each type might enjoy doing or be suited for; idk i'm personally always looking to add more fun activities to my life

Thanks for addressing the elephant in the personalityspace

Hmm...(non-scientific) about age: I remember quite clearly how I was at a very young age. I was quite the same • observant • internal monologue and intuitive creativity (sketching, reading, painting) rather than actions like sports or any crazy movement... • more inclined to create alternatives than plead for material actuality (played with my mom’s medical gear she brought home e.g. gloves and empty vitamin jars compared to getting medical kid toys at the store) And I know around 10 kids In my neighborhood I’ve played with...now that many years have passed, upon my recollections, these 4 year olds now much much older are the same except mature ??

Really appreciate this video. While I'm very fond of Psychological Types and MBTI as a theory of personality, I often question how "true" it actually is. But since I find reasons on both sides of the argument - which is just textbook ENTP - I tend to kind of just hold onto it anyway. It's funny, because from a utilitarian perspective it often goes both ways; I've found it useful since in my high school years it helped me develop a better sense of self and individuate from my peers, while also understanding their motivations and our differences better. On the other hand, it is easy for me to box myself and other people mentally into neat little categories. A strange phenomenon I've noticed - and I'm curious as to whether anyone shares this weirdly particular experience - is I try to act like my type. Reasons can vary; perhaps it's confirmation bias, maybe I think it's better for me to be aligned with my type description, maybe I think it's the way I'm supposed to be. That's often when I wonder if MBTI is helping me be authentic and is actually serving as a tool for self discovery. Thoughts? Edit: another big reason I see it as valid is my own anecdotal experience. Extroverted intuition (strength) and introverted sensing (weakness) sums me up to a tee. Edit II: also Love Who are you an INTP or INFJ?

Personally I think that the typing system is superficially useful for understanding that there ARE differences in the way people think, and broadly categorizing some of the major ones, but that it's inadequate and falls apart for intimately describing the operation of the psyche. It does seem to be a useful tool. It has helped me with embracing myself for who I am rather than trying to be like others. But when I try to get into the gritty details there too many contradictions and inconsistencies a) between different people explaining the theory and b) between any of the theories and the way my brain actually works. It's more gooey than prickly at the micro level… If you're familiar with Alan Watts. (And for the record, my preference for introversion is by far my strongest preference in terms of dichotomies, followed by my preference for intuition ;) ) And I think generally personality is a continuous distribution, not a discrete one. There's too many maybes, and not enough good ways to measure them accurately. How can you measure the development of personality over someone's life if people can't even agree on what different functions are supposed to be, how to define them, etc? Not to mention that telling someone something about their personality will then affect how they perceive themselves and thereby affect how they develop afterwards. Not saying it's impossible... Just that we're not there yet. Anyway, thanks for sharing. I enjoy thinking about the relative validity of the system(s) and what it would take to improve or verify.

On the question of being pragmatic or someone who purely follows their passions, I personally feel a bit of both for myself if that's possible. I am all about following cues from the heart on interests, hobbies, occupations, and just life in general. Whenever I'm drawn to something, I tend to pursue it and with full force to the best of my ability. And this can happen for me in any subject of life I find. I'm sure it also looks completely random and aimless to others. But, I find there is always, always points where I stop myself and take a look at the big picture and ask myself questions to determine how much the pursuit is serving me. Granted, it's from an Fi sort of angle, however that doesn't always mean it isn't practical questions I'm asking myself(Fi can absolutely value realistic, necessary things in my opinion). If I find that whatever it is my heart has been so obsessed with and chasing isn't adding some serious value to my life and I'm not advancing no matter the time or energy invested, it's dropped and I tend to not look back. Sometimes things stick. A good example of a whim, turned passion, and now something that I value a lot because I feel confident in the skills and it has proven to become extremely productive and practical for me is the fiber arts. Nearly 8 years ago I randomly picked up a learn-to-knit kit at a craft store because Ne said "Think of all the wonderful things we could make!" Now, I am dyeing my own yarns for myself and to sell. I take on complex and advanced knitting projects confidently, and I'm never scared to try any new technique put in front of me. I also never tire of researching essentially colorful string. But still, many times over the years I have had those moments of evaluating this area of my life on how both practical and meaningful it is. It's passed the test every time. Apologies for the long reply on how basically there is an Fi dom in the world who doesn't identify with a set of labels haha. I just found this whole idea really interesting.

As an istp female I never found myself as a nurturing or warm person, sometimes I'm right out frigid and distant. I never understood why until I googled a bunch of stuff that lead me to MBTI which helped me understand myself better. I don't agree with it entirely but some of it was spot on.

I think you've summarised MBTI almost perfectly. It's not meant to be used to distinctly categorize people into neat little boxes (and it's very dangerous to do so). It simply refers to how you naturally may tend to think (cognitive functions). An interesting point you made and what I also strongly believe (no evidence just theory) is that genetics likely slightly contribute to the probability of leaning towards a certain type but ultimately the environment you grow up in shapes your type more. For example, and I know this is my subjective experience and not scientific, but I know countless Fe doms who were raised in environments whereby they were either forced or felt inclined to maintain a harmonious environment in their households to hold things together, or they had to understand other people's emotions so well in order to be liked and thus survive. Similarly with Te doms, who felt the constant pressure to control their environment and figure out how to move forward and get things done because no one in the household was doing so (purely took these two because I know a lot of ExxJs). The other interesting point you raised which I think is so important is the changing of type. A theory I have of why I believe so many think your type is set in stone is simply because these are the most ingrained habits that you've adopted for survival since childhood and so changing them would be so incredibly difficult and exhausting (and hopefully for most people they're generally happy with their type so don't feel the need to change). Yet, I also strongly believe that we can all (and should) work on learning and developing functions which we may be weaker at to bring about more balance in our lives. Of course, they'll likely never be as strong as our strengths, but we as humans I think are certainly more malleable than we think and can learn and develop new habits and ways of thinking over time! Just my personal take. I know this was posted a while ago but if anyone happens to stumble across this and has anything to add or critic would love to hear!

Love this video; very personally helpful. Was recently wondering about just this (validity of mbti). I'm typed as an isfp but I keep vibing with infp and despite trying as objectively as possible, I always have trouble fitting into one comfortably. For example, definitely feel objectively an isfp, but have terrible spacial awareness\memory (will not notice a detail in the environment unless pointed out).

I wouldn't know how to answer your question. There are definitely things I like because I can get good at them - but I only really can get good at them because I like them. I just assume I can get good at anything I want, the thing is, I need to have the motivation, and for that, I need to like what I do. But if you suddenly told me I couldn't actually get good at what I do, I might stop, so... /shrugs/ For instance, writing. I've always written, as long as I can remember - before I could even write, I had already composed rhyming poems that my parents typed up (when I was around 5-years-old). But I was also a child who had an extensive vocabulary and apparently spoke like an adult and was witty, so I might've liked it in the first place because I was good at it. Over the years, I continued writing, without trying to get better and without getting any feedback from anyone - just for the sake of writing. Nowadays I'm actively trying to get better. So in the end, to me it's just a back and forth.

The hard part is when your functions are mostly well balanced and there are glaring inconsistencies in your type. For example, after a lot of trial,error, comparing and contrasting the types, I learned I am an INFJ. Especially after your videos clarified them better than anyone. But here are some of those inconsistencies: INFJ's are more likely to notice a sweeping landscape while an infp or ISFJ is more likely to notice a specific tree. I'm the opposite. And prefer to paint the tree, rather than a landscape! I will often focus on a person's particular physical trait or clothing article and remember it later. INFJ's hate taking in new data but prefer to go with what they know. I love and obsess over making sure my research is thorough. Though, if I really analyze that, my intuition quickly connects a lot of dots and I sometimes feel it's unnecessary to dive deeper, because I'm often right about my conclusions. It's normally after I 've concluded something that I'll go and further fact check something to make certain I was right. So I guess I've just resolved the whole data intake thing. I don't often know how I know, I just do. But I will dive deep to make sure the facts align with my initial thoughts. Those are just two examples. Actually, just one since I've reconciled the second one! The first one is a big one though, yet perhaps for some INFJ's, it could be our way of not experiencing sensory overload by only focusing on certain details? On the other hand, I do like to focus on the big picture when it comes to global issues and how everything is connected somehow by looking at patterns, etc. The way I think or respond to something is also based upon how I physically feel. (Chronic health issues) When I'm feeling well, I tend to be more grounded and in tune to the sensory world. When I'm not, I'm in my head a lot and don't notice anything! So many factors play a part in how our personalities are displayed on a day to day basis, it can be difficult to tell what our baseline type is. Add to the mix hormonal fluctuations as a woman, and there are times of the month I can swing from being a dictatorial ESTJ, to a whimsical INFP who just wants to go with the flow and make up stories in her head! It would be great to be feeling well enough consistently and have very little hormonal fluctuations. Maybe then I would be able to analyze my personality type with absolute clarity! Until then, I am left to being a very divergent INFJ.......maybe! :p

On the music thing, that's true as far as I'm aware. There's plenty of articles about it if you look up "music preference and age." It was also in Criminal Minds S7E12, which is where I first heard about it. It was how they knew one of the suspects wasn't the killer, because the killer they were looking for would have certain music playing and the suspect in question was much younger than someone who would've grown up with that particular music. "Why? Well, 14 is when we start to make our own musical choices. Our cognitive development evolves at that age, and we start to form our own cultural identity. We stop listening to the music that our parents put on, and we start listening to the music that our friends listen to. REID: And those musical experiences imprint on us. Our hormonal surges as teenagers may make the choices seem more personal and passionate. And later on in life we might experiment with other musical selections, but no music ever impacts us as much as that which we listen to at age 14. " www.springfieldspringfield.co.uk/view_episode_scripts.php?tv-show=criminal-minds&episode=s07e12

Hi Nathan, I love your view on MBTI types. Also a lovely surprise to know that you did a biology degree! Actually on eye color, I recall from a genetics class in undergrad that eye colors are continuous, depending primarily on how much melanin is expressed. I thought it might be an interesting thing to share!

I can only offer a personal anecdote that truthfully isn't perfectly thought out. When I was in college I got really sick. Like bedridden in a bubble kinda sick. It's been 13 years. We turned our home into an ICU and I am still daily fighting for my life. being sick I'm every system of your body required you to change everything about your lifestyle, much of your perspectives and unintentionally your relationships. I do think I've changed a great deal....maybe you could more accurately says adapted 🤷‍♀️. I can tell at least the proportions of each function changed but I'm not sure if they officially ever crossed the line.. it's actually even challenging to take the test. Think about it .."do people give you energy or drain you?". "Do you often make new friends?" 😂 "Do you generally get along with your coworkers?". Anyway, thank you for the videos. I find you to be very well spoken, intentional and exhaustive. Keep up videos with this level of depth. It is very helpful!

Good job here. What I find interesting is why some think 16 types is not enough. When I first started studying this stuff I was the opposite. To me, as you stated, two people of the same type can be quite different depending on the many variables, such as how/where they were raised, did they have trauma, ect. To me when all that is factored in, 16 types isn't that unreasonable, and I wonder why people want more of them. There is a lot of variance within each type, especially if things like enniagram are factored in too.

INFP: I follow my passions. For example, I love to dance and I persistently take dance classes despite harsh and even ludricrous comments I get about how hopelessly uncoordinated I am. It just makes me laugh. I want to move like a dancer despite all the criticisms and nothing can stop me in the long run from trying. Same with outdoor sports. I see beautiful things in my mind when I envision dancing and hiking, and beautiful things outdoors when I hike, plus I very much enjoy watching dancers and athletes perform in ways I cannot imagine myself doing. By the way, I pretty much agree with you about mbti, but I look forward to more objective instruments being developed. I have studied the Big Five formally and find it also to be problematic, especially the Neurosis scale which may be more indicative of state than trait. Somewhat tautologically, I was trained to view self report scales as reflecting the way test takers view themselves, which I find useful.

I have a motto that I got from watching a gamer KZfaq channel (Captain sauce) in which the game revolves around making choices through life. My favorite quote from this game is “Choosing not to choose is a choice “ it reminds me that there are more possibilities if I just wait. As an ISFP it has helped me not react negatively by what I believe to be a lack of freedom to choose what I want. Since Ne is a function I struggle with I constantly try to improve it. The same goes for Ti and Te.

I think this is the best video I've ever seen yet that addresses the critics to personality type systems in a rational way.

I think generally I tend to pursue my passions regardless of whether I become good at them, but I’m not entirely in this camp. For example I’m a fairly good singer, but I wouldn’t say it’s a consistent passion. There’s been considerably long periods of feeling pretty indifferent about it, but what keeps me persevering is in part the possibility of success. The idea that I am good at this, and therefore should utilise it for worldly success haha. That said, sometimes singing has sparked a lot of joy. As an INFP (I think) it seems impossible for me to pursue something without at least a little sincere passion behind it. Most of the time, I will stubbornly focus my attention on these sincere passions exclusively.

Personality typing is interesting, and I don't mind categorizing things to some degree. My doubt of MBTI is not the idea that people are predominantly iNtuitive or Sensing etc., but the idea that there is a so-called extroverted and introverted version of each (Ne/Ni, etc.). I am typed as an I(E?)NTP, and sure, I match some of the descriptions, I don't do planning well for one. This could be connected to my Ti - overthinking things. Or it could be because I am Perceiving (basically prefer not to plan). Most tests focus on things like tidiness, to place us on the Judging/Perceiving scale, not really on the functional stack. The ones who test for the functional stack is a lot more unclear in their results (at least for my case). I am pretty practical in many cases and like to get things done, this fits more a Te type (as far as I know).

Actually At the end of the day, It's not bullshit because it simply explains you, who you are and how many people like you exists and also how to improve yourself by knowing your bad habits or qualities. You can even predict someone's decision if you his'/ her's personality. Also it is sometimes, if you bound yourself that people of your personality can't do something specific, etc. Last thing, you should also know about your cognitive functions so then you know how you take decisions and have a control over your decisions. ( for ex: Your fourth function is Se that's why you forget what's happening around you, but now you know that it's one of your undeveloped feature, so you start prioritizing when you require it the most and de-prioritize other functions when they aren't useful. This way it helps you get away from your procrastination, over-selfless or selfishness, etc.

I think the world of personality is deeper than people think, it's like puzzles that need to be solved to see it, and nobody matches their character 100% (lifestyle is also a thing ⛅️)

(INFP) One of the better video's I've come across that gives an objective response to the MBTI's validity. The content firmly defines its' role and place among things not by stating its' nature but by providing the range of space and approach one should give it. In other words, not by saying it's black or white but by describing the gamut of grey it can occupy.

MBTI/Objective Persobality helped me to realise that: • your trickster/ polar function related issues are far more serious than previously thought of, even when you focus on paying attention to it. It tricks you to a *REDICULOUS EXTENT* and no jokes might get you killed in the end if left unchecked • your inferior function related things are a source of disillusionment and pain and you are inadequate when handling it. • when people say some things about you, your problems or your character, they are often right, or not 100% joking, or "cry out for help" for you to stop "beating" them with your saviours and get serious about dealing with your 4th/ 7th/ 8th functions (like, when 3 people independently of each other take it on them to track your sleeping hours, you have to stop treating it as amusing) • Your lowest two animals have to have their place in your life and timetable (preferably before midnight or death bed). That's it, thanks for reading it if you got all the way to the end of it :)

30 years ago I took the Meyers Briggs test for a very conservative national company to see if I would be better suited for their sales or service careers. They wanted to make sure your personality was suited for the career choice you made and that you would be with the company for a long period of time if they were to hire you. I was told that I had an INFJ personality and that I was in the 1% that could do either one equally well and would be satisfied with either career choice. This company has the same name recognition as Kleenex and so conservative they would not be the type to spend one penny on something akin to horoscopes or deemed pseudoscience.

This is the best mbti video i have ever watched.

I like your INTP side, I totally relate and it makes me feel good 😂

The video made sense, whether done at 4 a.m. or not. :) To the point on generalization, typeology is a rich field of study when one can discern the range of each cognitive function in given situations.

When I'm engaged in an activity my goal subconsciously always seems to be to get as good as I can at it at least to a level of proficiency. It's moreso to completely understand what the activity I'm engaged in even is though, not just so I can say I'm good at it. Once I understand it really well, I usually quit it and move on to something else I can learn. So maybe I like the learning process behind different activities. I just want to figure it out. I did this all the time as a kid. Whether with an instrument or sport or maybe girls? Haha. Or even weird things like unicycle or slack line.

i think im more of the "i do things because im good at them" i dont like the idea of wasting time on something i will not be good at, im not atletic, why should i bother trying to learn an sport? at most i hit the gym in order to stay healthy, but my hobbies usually involve things that i have some natural knack for, i like programming, a lot, and i also like drawing, and overall anything that i can study in depth to excel at, be it a coding language, a game, or whatever else i put my mind into, but if i feel like im just not getting what im trying to learn i will just stop trying to and focus my mind on something more rewarding.

I test as INTP all time. 7:24 Why do you assume that we have priorities? Why do you assume that neglected things can be categorized in similar groups that could be called later functions? We first need to fundamentally understand how brain perceives world and what are bits of information it focuses on. Cognitive functions try that but we make categories by our interpretation of events , it's context based. For example elementary particles are not context based , categorization is easy. How do you explain thinking patterns without context? You need evaluations constantly. There are no measurable (not yet) categories. You could make an argument that we don't need to understand fundamentals to makepredtivesystems. Hell Newton did not know about GR , QFT and such but still made useful system. Afterall i am happy that humans are trying to understand personality.

I think MBTI has gone way further then its original intention. I get that there are different cognitive functions, but I don’t understand the whole duality of it. For example, why can’t someone be an extroverted sensor in some circumstances but an introverted sensor in other circumstances? There are way too many variables oftentimes that makes putting anyone in a “ box” near impossible. In my own personal opinion, MBTI is popular with 2 main groups: individuals who have felt different all their lives and finally found a system that explains “everything” (understandable); second are individuals who wear the “ intuitive” label with pride and use it to feel superior to others (pathetic). Mark my word, if an “Intuitive” would later find out from a professional that they were really a “Sensor” the whole time, they will abandon MBTI as unscientific bullshit in a hot second!

well done! and any time is a great time for coffee :)

Very good video. This has been my view on typology for a while. Is it true in its current form? Probably not. However, I do think that there is a kernel of truth within it, and that's why it shouldn't dismissed. Perhaps the cognitive functions need refinement or maybe there needs to be more functions to better reflect actual brain functions that are known to affect personality. I don't know. I do know that when concepts are extremely vague, usually they are that way because they are trying to describe something in too broad of a sense. Typically, they can be broken down further into sub-concepts that are more easily defined.