Few people on the planet who have been introduced to psychological type understand what it is, or are even correctly "typed."  The majority of folks don't realize that a "test" does not choose your type pattern.  It's most unfortunate.

Dr. John Beebe states, "type is a powerhouse of a subject."  This is because we tend to get our vanity wrapped up in type -- we believe it expresses who we are and, more importantly, who we aspire to be!  

It is a messy task to untangle misunderstandings around type -- whenever ego gets involved, it's extremely touchy business.  Nobody wants to suppose they aren't who they thought they were!

(The irony, of course, is that everyone is *always* happier being who they really are than whatever mistake they first got wrapped up in.  They always prefer the code that fits.  It's the journey to that joyful outcome that's the hard part.)

Type is a sprawling topic.  It's a lot more complex than the four simple dichotomies most people are familiar with.  Luckily, that initial framework can act as a springboard to the next level of learning when you have the hunger to understand more.

It's amazing how much information is compressed into those four-letter codes.  That brief code is a shorthand reference to three different domains of psychology:

People tend to wrap all these domains into one big, confusing mess.  They assume that Cognitive Dynamics explain why we do things, and that Temperament says how we do things, and so on.  It's a muddle!

In the pages that follow is basic orientation material to help pick through these misunderstandings and sort things into their appropriate domains. 

To gain the most benefit from this website, it's good to have a curious mind and stay open to the likelihood you may be mis-typed.

After more than a decade of working with these models, I know how incredibly powerful and helpful they are for understanding oneself.  BUT, when the code does not fit, type will seem perpetually lame and useless.  It's a bit like walking around in shoes that don't fit -- ever!  You frankly wonder why you bother to put them on at all.

Most people who get an INFJ result on a test never evolve past that initial discovery.  At best, they may recite portions of a type description they memorized.  They might tell you how rare or special they are.  But their understanding ends there.  They never grasp how type is an active, ongoing movement--not a rushed game of pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.

It's unfortunate that finding one's best-fit type code is not a one-step process.  Sadly, taking a test cannot reliably tell you who you are.  However, it is a rich and fruitful exploration to investigate these psychological domains.  It is powerful self-awareness to step into full ownership of the various dimensions and grasp fully how they fit you -- how you embody them.  It is a constant unfolding, and knowledge is power.

Reality is a vital checkpoint for accurate Type identification.  Otherwise it's too easy to fool yourself about how you truly are.  You need interaction with others in order to properly validate and verify your outcome, and no, email isn't adequate.

Type doesn't exist in a vacuum; it expresses itself through interaction.  Sitting still and thinking it over, you can be any one of the sixteen types inside your head.  (We tend to have pretty idealized self-images about how flexible we are.)  But when you get up and try to get your needs met in the world, your true type expresses itself naturally through behavior.  In other words, it's not just what you think (consciousness), or even what you are (traits), it's what you DO (processes).

I regret that I can't go into all the models and all the dimensions in depth on this website -- but that's not what this site was intended for.  This is not a "teach-people-all-about-type" site -- it's INFJ.com.  If you want to learn about all the models in depth and round out what I touch on here, let me encourage you to read the books I've suggested.  Better still, take a class at Interstrength Associates like I did.  (If your interest is insatiable, you deserve to take a class!  Books alone simply don't convey these concepts adequately.)

If you need help, I'm here for you!  I'm a Type Discovery specialist, and I've made it my business to help others find their best-fit type.  See my website at www.TypeInsights.com to learn more.