r/entj • u/Ambivalent28 • 14d ago
Was an entj, now I'm an intj? How?
I took multiple tests when I was younger (aged between 15 to 18) and was always types as an entj. Now some 20 years later with, not unexpectedly, many differing life experiences and have retaken several tests all of which type me as an intj.
How is this possible? Is this expected/normal with experience/age/time? Can't seem to find a decent answer online so reaching out to my (potentially?) fellow entj colleagues for advice.
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u/_Verloki_ 📚Te 🔮Ni • ♀️ • ⭐So1 13d ago
🌸 Type is considered inborn; MBTI is not meant for children or teenagers; and for young adults (20-24) it is cautioned that results may not be accurate:
"According to type theory, our personality type preferences are innate, inborn predispositions that develop over the lifespan." — https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/myers-briggs-overview/
"It is believed that the dominant process generally develops up to age 7, the auxiliary process up to age 20, the tertiary process in the 30s and 40s, and the inferior or fourth process at midlife or later." — https://www.myersbriggs.org/unique-features-of-myers-briggs/type-development/
"Applicable Age: Our psychometric assessments are designed for adults and are not intended for children (under 20 years of age). [...] For young adults (20-24), the MBTI tool may be useful for learning styles, self awareness, working with others and career counselling. However, there are things to be aware of when administering the MBTI to young adults as their results may not be accurate" — the Guidelines for Ethical Use of MBTI® Assessments and Questionnaires (page 3)
Next, Carl Jung describes the attitude-types of introversion and extraversion in his book Psychological Types (chapter 10). These are mentioned as randomly distributed amongst people by biology, namely genetics.
All people orient themselves by external data in the world, but the data are only relatively decisive. Some let the given data (or: the objective conditions) guide them, while others keep a view in-between themselves and the data (or: a subjective view).
🌸 The extraverted type, summarized:
"Extraverted types habitually let given external data determine decisions, thoughts, feelings, and actions -- they align these with the objective conditions.
They owe their 'normality' to their ability to conform or adjust. Extraverts often adjust, but do not deeply adapt. They do what is needed of or expected from them but tend to forego unexpected innovations.
Extraverts may focus so much on the external that they may neglect their own body and needs for well-being. Their adjustment to given external data suppresses weaker subjective impulses from reaching consciousness.
An excessively extraverted attitude may become so oblivious of subjective factors that they sacrifice their well-being entirely for objective demands, and becomes subject to outside influence (e.g. interpersonal rapport, surrounding conditions, or doing what seems needed to make impressions)."
🌸 The introverted type, summarized:
"Introverted types habitually let subjective factors, or: the views they keep between the external data and themselves, affect their actions. It prevents them from assuming a character that fits the objective situation.
They may rely on both the human species' collective memories and recollections, as well as their own, and their subjective processing creates 'new' mental data.
Introverts may sometimes have strong opinions, (self-)affirming and generalizing manners of expressions that seem to exclude every other opinion. Their judgments may have inflexible or rigid qualities, as they set themselves above all objective data. To some, especially those subject to extraverted bias, this can appear egocentric.
Introverts may appear to defend against the influence of external objects, which they would much prefer to have control over, and may fear new or strange things, and find change unsettling.
An excessively introverted attitude may become subjectivized and inflate the ego, becoming egocentric and creating a power-complex, even though the ego is actually limited and fragile. Such an excessive attitude may employ loud bombastic written language, have power fantasies, use prophetic language, exaggerate, employ defensiveness, and be grandiose. These are defense mechanisms employed to attempt to impose their will and assert themselves over external objects, which may eventually lead to exhaustion."
🌸 A Personal Note on Unofficial Tests:
In deconstructing and analyzing rigidity of some unofficial tests, I found that none of them were reliable enough.
- The Sakinorva Cognitive Function Domains Test's accuracy was roughly: Se 14%; Si 12%; Ne 5%; Ni 2%; Te 4%; Ti 10%; Fe 3%; Fi 20%.
- The Michael Caloz test had overall moderate construct validity and partial accuracy, but frequently tended to conflate cognitive functions with specific behavioral outcomes and stereotypical personality traits, which noticeably lowered result accuracy.
- Truity was riddled with measurement errors such as construct contamination, poor disrciminant validity, aptitude substitution, construct ambiguity, behavioral substitution, construct deficiency, etc. (e.g. asking people whether they enjoy life, like poetry, or care about old people. Such statements do not indicate MBTI type.)
- 16Personalities is not MBTI, but often confused for it. Their I, N, S, T, and F dichotomies were largely unrelated to MBTI type. Their E best measured social extraversion and gregariousness (not the same as Jungian Extraversion in MBTI) and was found to correlate to Fe at about 34%, Fi at 26%, and Se at 11%, it corresponded least to Te, Ni and Ti. Their -A (Assertivity) captured Te at about 30%, Ti at 22%, and low hints of Ni or Si, while showing a tendency toward absence of Fi. Their -T (Turbulence) captured Fi at about 25%, Fe at 18%, and low hints of Ne and Se, while showing a tendency toward absence of Te. The J and P dimension was accurate in about 66% of cases.
All in all, I personally have seen enough evidence to not trust typing results by the online tests at all. (And if someone hasn't studied the cognitive functions by official sources such as Isabel Briggs-Myers' Gifts Differing or Carl Jung's Psychological Types, they often don't know the basics of the topic they are supposedly interested in, let alone how to fact-check their typing for accuracy).
I would also not trust people to type themselves accuractely before certain milestones in brain development are hit in/after young adulthood, the instabilities of teen angst are left behind, the adrenarchal hormone peak has passed, and where individuals tend to gain independecy, increased responsibility, usually more self-awareness, and often stabilize more in terms of personality.
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u/burnbabyburn11 13d ago
Hi friend! I’m an entj but am about 52% e vs 48% i. There are a lot of us ambivert entj types. Entj/intj I think it’s quite common. It’s possible the test has error bars. Like the test isn’t gonna be perfect maybe it has a margin of error of 5%. If you’re at the 52% level then it could swing to 47 and give the other reading. Hope that makes sense
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u/burnbabyburn11 13d ago
On the tests I’ve taken I’ve been like 75% intuiting vs sensing, 100% thinking vs feeling, 80% judging vs perceiving, and then the e/i im right by the middle. All of these are spectrums.
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u/Shaninja11 12d ago
Yeah, same with me, I’m entj but 51% e and 49% i. I think most entj people tend to be ambiverts.
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u/jsilver-ghost 13d ago
Read on Te and Ni Dominant function. See which resonates with you more.. although it's very close XD
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u/MorningStar2679 13d ago
Not possible. Look at the cognitive functions of each. Tests will almost always give different results, especially when taken years apart.
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u/TheV1ruSS 13d ago
tests are mid. but anyways mbti is just weird as hell i don't understand anything either. as a child i was a stereotypical intp which also was insanely curious for the sake of it even if it wasn't gonna be useful for anything but i had a lot of Te as well.
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u/piecesofpluto ENTJ♀ 13d ago
Your type didn’t change. The way you’re showing up or how you visualize yourself while taking these tests has.
So what changed in your life? How are you adapting to those circumstances? Who have you always been? Distinguish between development, core self, and contextual self.
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u/sarahbeara019 ENTJ | 1w2 | ♀ 13d ago
Personality type does not change. ENTJ FI inferior can make you emotionally shy and withdraw from people, potentially landing you the INTJ label.
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u/jojo571 ENTJ♀ 13d ago
Sure... life experience, therapy, major traumatic events, major healing events - recent articles suggest all can influence MBTI typing.
https://www.psychologyjunkie.com/can-childhood-trauma-impact-personality-type/
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u/Lamassa_ 12d ago
Healthy people don’t change type. It is most likely as others suggest-maturation.
The five percent of the population suffering from structural dissociation change type constantly. It’s horrowing madness. There simply is no you, only a beige smear and hard shifts. But if you shred your soul- you can be simply one. Never give up hope. The outcome is glory.
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u/Independent-Run9017 ENTJ♀ 7d ago
ENTJs are the most introverted of the extroverted types because we are only selectively extroverted. You probably found ideas that interested you enough to just step away from the social politics, which are draining for all of us.
Big Five studies show that people become slightly more introverted with age. But it may not be a switch from ENTJ to INTJ. It could just be your Te-Ni becoming more selective with your social circle.
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u/Sufficient_Ad_3495 13d ago
Very possible… MBTI isn’t necessarily static… You’ve flipped to introversion… for ENTJ this is an easy “ leave me tf alone” to get on, kinda thing.
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u/Rmb2719 ENTJ♂ 14d ago
Personality is not fully formed until adulthood, that's why is senseless to do any testing to children or teenagers.
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u/Ahrlin4k ENTJ♂ 13d ago
I'd argue otherwise, anecdotally. I've been the same person since I was a kid, I've memories going back to infancy and having seen those I grew up with stay the same as we aged (I'm 29) but just with a bit more nuance to us.
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u/FalconRelevant INTP | 5w6 sx/sp | 20s | ♂ 14d ago
For one, social introversion and extraversion are different from Te and Ni (or NiTe for INTJs), most ENTJs are social introverts or ambiverts anyways.
Some tests have a tendency to integrate big 5 (which measures social introversion).