I am an I.S.F.J.!

I am an I.S.F.J. – that’s an introverted, sensing, feeling and judging person – according to the Jung Typology Test. 

As part of our Psychology and ICT module, Pete asked us to go to this website (http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/jtypes2.asp) to take a test based on the Jung and Briggs Myers personality aproach. There are 72 questions with yes or no answers and the idea is that you answer as quickly as possible. I actually found it really difficult to answer quickly, without thinking about the answer, and realised that this is because for some questions there is the desire to answer the question with how you would like to be, rather than how you are. For example, some people might like to think they are the life and soul of the party but know that, in fact, they love nothing more than a quiet night in! 

So, we answered the questions and were presented with four letters – mine being I.S.F. and J. 

We were then told to turn off our computer screens – I was perplexed… we were in an ICT lesson! But there is always a method to Pete’s madness! 

We were given a piece of paper and were told to be silent for two minutes. We had to keep a tally, marking each time we wanted to do something. I ended up with seventeen marks on my paper – partly due to being sat next to Scott who kept mumbling under his breath!

We were then told to stand on either side of the room, dependent on what our first letter was – E (extrovert) or I (introvert). We were then told to look at each other’s tally charts and we noticed that the introvert attitudes generally  had fewer tally marks than the extrovert attitudes.

Briggs and Myers suggest that those extroverts draw energy from action, and that they act first, reflect on it, and then act again, compared to introverts who expend their energy through action, reflecting, then acting, and then reflecting again. 

Given the options of introvert and extrovert, I would say I was an extrovert – I like being around people, I feel confident around people and am outgoing – however the meaning in this context is different, and therefore I would say I am an introvert and that the test, for me, was correct – I do think before I act and speak. 

Pete then asked us to go in to two groups again – one side for sensing and one side for intuition. I was ‘sensing’. He then put the picture below on a computer screen for each group, and asked us to discuss the painting with eachother and then describe it to the other group. 

The sensing group stated what was in the picture: a dog, a boat, water etc. The ‘intuition’ group described the picture in detail – they mentioned that they thought it was set in the Victorian era due to the clothes etc. 

Briggs and Myers suggest that sensing and intuion are information-gathering functions and they describe how new inform ation is understood and interpreted. 

Our sensing group formed information that was tangible and concrete about the painting, whereas the intuition group formed information that was more abstract. 

Again, I think the test got it right for me – I tend to take things as I see them, although I would like to be more intuitive! 

We were then split again in to those whose test results gave the thinking function and those who had the feeling function. 

I was a ‘feeler’ as was most of the class. We were given the scenario of being a head teacher and, having sent a TA on an expensive training course, finding out that they had not been attending due to a family member being in hospital. We were asked to discuss how we would deal with the situation.

Instantly, we all agreed that we would talk to the TA to discuss the situation and explain that it shouldn’t have been done, but that they should feel that they could talk to us. The ‘thinkers’ all agreed that they would ‘sack her’. 

The thinkers make their decisions from a more detached position, doing what seems reasonable and logical, whereas feelers empathise with a situation and consider the needs of the people involved.

I agree again with the results, that I am a feeler – the thought of sacking the TA never crossed my mind – but I don’t think that this is necessarily always a good thing! 

The final dimesion of the model is judging and perceiving. I was on the judging side and we were given the scenario of being given £3,000 to plan an end of year university party. We could spend it on whatever we wanted. We found ourselves planning a party with details of money spent, and on what, with lots of details. The perceiving group came up with “Magaluf and a free bar”! 

The judging personality like to be organised and have all details sorted, whereas the perceiving group like to make vague plans and keep decisions open. 

This is the one I agree with the most – I am definitely a very (over!) organised person, with lists of things to do that are endless!

The seminar was a really interesting one, and I enjoyed being taught in this way rather than Pete simply explaining it on the board. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is a complex subject to explain and by learing it kinaestheitcally, it has lodged itself in my head!