Friday, August 05, 2005

Pointless Friday blogging
I'm going to be without computer access all day tomorrow so I thought I'd just post an interesting little personality test that's an alternative to the Briggs Meyers. Here's the url
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/j/5/j5j/IPIP/
And below are my results. I'm a little annoyed about the "artistic interests" part since, being a psych grad, I know which questions were testing for that variable and I'm not convinced that one's lack of desire to sit through a dance recital says anything about, say, one's interest in music or art or literature. Personally I tend to regard dancing as something that one DOES rather than something that one watches. Maybe it's just because my parents used to torture me by taking me to see Cats and other similar horrors as a child. Anyway, here are the results. If anyone else takes the test I'd love it if you shared the results. I'm curious to see if there are any trends regarding the online people who I tend to like. Hope everyone reading has a great weekend!

This report compares Cassandra from the country USA to other adult women. (The name used in this report is either a nickname chosen by the person taking the test, or, if a valid nickname was not chosen, a random nickname generated by the program.)
This report estimates the individual's level on each of the five broad personality domains of the Five-Factor Model. The description of each one of the five broad domains is followed by a more detailed description of personality according to the six subdomains that comprise each domain.
A note on terminology. Personality traits describe, relative to other people, the frequency or intensity of a person's feelings, thoughts, or behaviors. Possession of a trait is therefore a matter of degree. We might describe two individuals as extraverts, but still see one as more extraverted than the other. This report uses expressions such as "extravert" or "high in extraversion" to describe someone who is likely to be seen by others as relatively extraverted. The computer program that generates this report classifies you as low, average, or high in a trait according to whether your score is approximately in the lowest 30%, middle 40%, or highest 30% of scores obtained by people of your sex and roughly your age. Your numerical scores are reported and graphed as percentile estimates. For example, a score of "60" means that your level on that trait is estimated to be higher than 60% of persons of your sex and age.
Please keep in mind that "low," "average," and "high" scores on a personality test are neither absolutely good nor bad. A particular level on any trait will probably be neutral or irrelevant for a great many activites, be helpful for accomplishing some things, and detrimental for accomplishing other things. As with any personality inventory, scores and descriptions can only approximate an individual's actual personality. High and low score descriptions are usually accurate, but average scores close to the low or high boundaries might misclassify you as only average. On each set of six subdomain scales it is somewhat uncommon but certainly possible to score high in some of the subdomains and low in the others. In such cases more attention should be paid to the subdomain scores than to the broad domain score. Questions about the accuracy of your results are best resolved by showing your report to people who know you well.
John A. Johnson wrote descriptions of the five domains and thirty subdomains. These descriptions are based on an extensive reading of the scientific literature on personality measurement. Although Dr. Johnson would like to be acknowledged as the author of these materials if they are reproduced, he has placed them in the public domain.
Extraversion
Extraversion is marked by pronounced engagement with the external world. Extraverts enjoy being with people, are full of energy, and often experience positive emotions. They tend to be enthusiastic, action-oriented, individuals who are likely to say "Yes!" or "Let's go!" to opportunities for excitement. In groups they like to talk, assert themselves, and draw attention to themselves.
Introverts lack the exuberance, energy, and activity levels of extraverts. They tend to be quiet, low-key, deliberate, and disengaged from the social world. Their lack of social involvement should not be interpreted as shyness or depression; the introvert simply needs less stimulation than an extravert and prefers to be alone. The independence and reserve of the introvert is sometimes mistaken as unfriendliness or arrogance. In reality, an introvert who scores high on the agreeableness dimension will not seek others out but will be quite pleasant when approached.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
EXTRAVERSION...............87 ***************************************************************************************
..Friendliness.............70 **********************************************************************
..Gregariousness...........79 *******************************************************************************
..Assertiveness............87 ***************************************************************************************
..Activity Level...........43 *******************************************
..Excitement-Seeking.......99 ***************************************************************************************************
..Cheerfulness.............45 *********************************************
Your score on Extraversion is high, indicating you are sociable, outgoing, energetic, and lively. You prefer to be around people much of the time.
Extraversion Facets
· Friendliness. Friendly people genuinely like other people and openly demonstrate positive feelings toward others. They make friends quickly and it is easy for them to form close, intimate relationships. Low scorers on Friendliness are not necessarily cold and hostile, but they do not reach out to others and are perceived as distant and reserved. Your level of friendliness is high.
· Gregariousness. Gregarious people find the company of others pleasantly stimulating and rewarding. They enjoy the excitement of crowds. Low scorers tend to feel overwhelmed by, and therefore actively avoid, large crowds. They do not necessarily dislike being with people sometimes, but their need for privacy and time to themselves is much greater than for individuals who score high on this scale. Your level of gregariousness is high.
· Assertiveness. High scorers Assertiveness like to speak out, take charge, and direct the activities of others. They tend to be leaders in groups. Low scorers tend not to talk much and let others control the activities of groups. Your level of assertiveness is high.
· Activity Level. Active individuals lead fast-paced, busy lives. They move about quickly, energetically, and vigorously, and they are involved in many activities. People who score low on this scale follow a slower and more leisurely, relaxed pace. Your activity level is average.
· Excitement-Seeking. High scorers on this scale are easily bored without high levels of stimulation. They love bright lights and hustle and bustle. They are likely to take risks and seek thrills. Low scorers are overwhelmed by noise and commotion and are adverse to thrill-seeking. Your level of excitement-seeking is high.
· Cheerfulness. This scale measures positive mood and feelings, not negative emotions (which are a part of the Neuroticism domain). Persons who score high on this scale typically experience a range of positive feelings, including happiness, enthusiasm, optimism, and joy. Low scorers are not as prone to such energetic, high spirits. Your level of positive emotions is average.
Agreeableness
Agreeableness reflects individual differences in concern with cooperation and social harmony. Agreeable individuals value getting along with others. They are therefore considerate, friendly, generous, helpful, and willing to compromise their interests with others'. Agreeable people also have an optimistic view of human nature. They believe people are basically honest, decent, and trustworthy.
Disagreeable individuals place self-interest above getting along with others. They are generally unconcerned with others' well-being, and therefore are unlikely to extend themselves for other people. Sometimes their skepticism about others' motives causes them to be suspicious, unfriendly, and uncooperative.
Agreeableness is obviously advantageous for attaining and maintaining popularity. Agreeable people are better liked than disagreeable people. On the other hand, agreeableness is not useful in situations that require tough or absolute objective decisions. Disagreeable people can make excellent scientists, critics, or soldiers.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
AGREEABLENESS..............37 *************************************
..Trust....................75 ***************************************************************************
..Morality.................46 **********************************************
..Altruism.................53 *****************************************************
..Cooperation..............2 **
..Modesty..................0
..Sympathy.................94 **********************************************************************************************
Your level of Agreeableness is average, indicating some concern with others' Needs, but, generally, unwillingness to sacrifice yourself for others.
Agreeableness Facets
· Trust. A person with high trust assumes that most people are fair, honest, and have good intentions. Persons low in trust see others as selfish, devious, and potentially dangerous. Your level of trust is high.
· Morality. High scorers on this scale see no need for pretense or manipulation when dealing with others and are therefore candid, frank, and sincere. Low scorers believe that a certain amount of deception in social relationships is necessary. People find it relatively easy to relate to the straightforward high-scorers on this scale. They generally find it more difficult to relate to the unstraightforward low-scorers on this scale. It should be made clear that low scorers are not unprincipled or immoral; they are simply more guarded and less willing to openly reveal the whole truth. Your level of morality is average.
· Altruism. Altruistic people find helping other people genuinely rewarding. Consequently, they are generally willing to assist those who are in need. Altruistic people find that doing things for others is a form of self-fulfillment rather than self-sacrifice. Low scorers on this scale do not particularly like helping those in need. Requests for help feel like an imposition rather than an opportunity for self-fulfillment. Your level of altruism is average.
· Cooperation. Individuals who score high on this scale dislike confrontations. They are perfectly willing to compromise or to deny their own needs in order to get along with others. Those who score low on this scale are more likely to intimidate others to get their way. Your level of compliance is low.
· Modesty. High scorers on this scale do not like to claim that they are better than other people. In some cases this attitude may derive from low self-confidence or self-esteem. Nonetheless, some people with high self-esteem find immodesty unseemly. Those who are willing to describe themselves as superior tend to be seen as disagreeably arrogant by other people. Your level of modesty is low.
· Sympathy. People who score high on this scale are tenderhearted and compassionate. They feel the pain of others vicariously and are easily moved to pity. Low scorers are not affected strongly by human suffering. They pride themselves on making objective judgments based on reason. They are more concerned with truth and impartial justice than with mercy. Your level of tender-mindedness is high.
Conscientiousness
Conscientiousness concerns the way in which we control, regulate, and direct our impulses. Impulses are not inherently bad; occasionally time constraints require a snap decision, and acting on our first impulse can be an effective response. Also, in times of play rather than work, acting spontaneously and impulsively can be fun. Impulsive individuals can be seen by others as colorful, fun-to-be-with, and zany.
Nonetheless, acting on impulse can lead to trouble in a number of ways. Some impulses are antisocial. Uncontrolled antisocial acts not only harm other members of society, but also can result in retribution toward the perpetrator of such impulsive acts. Another problem with impulsive acts is that they often produce immediate rewards but undesirable, long-term consequences. Examples include excessive socializing that leads to being fired from one's job, hurling an insult that causes the breakup of an important relationship, or using pleasure-inducing drugs that eventually destroy one's health.
Impulsive behavior, even when not seriously destructive, diminishes a person's effectiveness in significant ways. Acting impulsively disallows contemplating alternative courses of action, some of which would have been wiser than the impulsive choice. Impulsivity also sidetracks people during projects that require organized sequences of steps or stages. Accomplishments of an impulsive person are therefore small, scattered, and inconsistent.
A hallmark of intelligence, what potentially separates human beings from earlier life forms, is the ability to think about future consequences before acting on an impulse. Intelligent activity involves contemplation of long-range goals, organizing and planning routes to these goals, and persisting toward one's goals in the face of short-lived impulses to the contrary. The idea that intelligence involves impulse control is nicely captured by the term prudence, an alternative label for the Conscientiousness domain. Prudent means both wise and cautious. Persons who score high on the Conscientiousness scale are, in fact, perceived by others as intelligent.
The benefits of high conscientiousness are obvious. Conscientious individuals avoid trouble and achieve high levels of success through purposeful planning and persistence. They are also positively regarded by others as intelligent and reliable. On the negative side, they can be compulsive perfectionists and workaholics. Furthermore, extremely conscientious individuals might be regarded as stuffy and boring. Unconscientious people may be criticized for their unreliability, lack of ambition, and failure to stay within the lines, but they will experience many short-lived pleasures and they will never be called stuffy.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS..........9 *********
..Self-Efficacy............89 *****************************************************************************************
..Orderliness..............0
..Dutifulness..............11 ***********
..Achievement-Striving.....16 ****************
..Self-Discipline..........13 *************
..Cautiousness.............17 *****************
Your score on Conscientiousness is low, indicating you like to live for the moment and do what feels good now. Your work tends to be careless and disorganized.
Conscientiousness Facets
· Self-Efficacy. Self-Efficacy describes confidence in one's ability to accomplish things. High scorers believe they have the intelligence (common sense), drive, and self-control necessary for achieving success. Low scorers do not feel effective, and may have a sense that they are not in control of their lives. Your level of self-efficacy is high.
· Orderliness. Persons with high scores on orderliness are well-organized. They like to live according to routines and schedules. They keep lists and make plans. Low scorers tend to be disorganized and scattered. Your level of orderliness is low.
· Dutifulness. This scale reflects the strength of a person's sense of duty and obligation. Those who score high on this scale have a strong sense of moral obligation. Low scorers find contracts, rules, and regulations overly confining. They are likely to be seen as unreliable or even irresponsible. Your level of dutifulness is low.
· Achievement-Striving. Individuals who score high on this scale strive hard to achieve excellence. Their drive to be recognized as successful keeps them on track toward their lofty goals. They often have a strong sense of direction in life, but extremely high scores may be too single-minded and obsessed with their work. Low scorers are content to get by with a minimal amount of work, and might be seen by others as lazy. Your level of achievement striving is low.
· Self-Discipline. Self-discipline-what many people call will-power-refers to the ability to persist at difficult or unpleasant tasks until they are completed. People who possess high self-discipline are able to overcome reluctance to begin tasks and stay on track despite distractions. Those with low self-discipline procrastinate and show poor follow-through, often failing to complete tasks-even tasks they want very much to complete. Your level of self-discipline is low.
· Cautiousness. Cautiousness describes the disposition to think through possibilities before acting. High scorers on the Cautiousness scale take their time when making decisions. Low scorers often say or do first thing that comes to mind without deliberating alternatives and the probable consequences of those alternatives. Your level of cautiousness is low.
Neuroticism
Freud originally used the term neurosis to describe a condition marked by mental distress, emotional suffering, and an inability to cope effectively with the normal demands of life. He suggested that everyone shows some signs of neurosis, but that we differ in our degree of suffering and our specific symptoms of distress. Today neuroticism refers to the tendency to experience negative feelings. Those who score high on Neuroticism may experience primarily one specific negative feeling such as anxiety, anger, or depression, but are likely to experience several of these emotions. People high in neuroticism are emotionally reactive. They respond emotionally to events that would not affect most people, and their reactions tend to be more intense than normal. They are more likely to interpret ordinary situations as threatening, and minor frustrations as hopelessly difficult. Their negative emotional reactions tend to persist for unusually long periods of time, which means they are often in a bad mood. These problems in emotional regulation can diminish a neurotic's ability to think clearly, make decisions, and cope effectively with stress.
At the other end of the scale, individuals who score low in neuroticism are less easily upset and are less emotionally reactive. They tend to be calm, emotionally stable, and free from persistent negative feelings. Freedom from negative feelings does not mean that low scorers experience a lot of positive feelings; frequency of positive emotions is a component of the Extraversion domain.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
NEUROTICISM................40 ****************************************
..Anxiety..................33 *********************************
..Anger....................74 **************************************************************************
..Depression...............26 **************************
..Self-Consciousness.......18 ******************
..Immoderation.............77 *****************************************************************************
..Vulnerability............34 **********************************
Your score on Neuroticism is average, indicating that your level of emotional reactivity is typical of the general population. Stressful and frustrating situations are somewhat upsetting to you, but you are generally able to get over these feelings and cope with these situations.
Neuroticism Facets
· Anxiety. The "fight-or-flight" system of the brain of anxious individuals is too easily and too often engaged. Therefore, people who are high in anxiety often feel like something dangerous is about to happen. They may be afraid of specific situations or be just generally fearful. They feel tense, jittery, and nervous. Persons low in Anxiety are generally calm and fearless. Your level of anxiety is average.
· Anger. Persons who score high in Anger feel enraged when things do not go their way. They are sensitive about being treated fairly and feel resentful and bitter when they feel they are being cheated. This scale measures the tendency to feel angry; whether or not the person expresses annoyance and hostility depends on the individual's level on Agreeableness. Low scorers do not get angry often or easily. Your level of anger is high.
· Depression. This scale measures the tendency to feel sad, dejected, and discouraged. High scorers lack energy and have difficult initiating activities. Low scorers tend to be free from these depressive feelings. Your level of depression is low.
· Self-Consciousness. Self-conscious individuals are sensitive about what others think of them. Their concern about rejection and ridicule cause them to feel shy and uncomfortable abound others. They are easily embarrassed and often feel ashamed. Their fears that others will criticize or make fun of them are exaggerated and unrealistic, but their awkwardness and discomfort may make these fears a self-fulfilling prophecy. Low scorers, in contrast, do not suffer from the mistaken impression that everyone is watching and judging them. They do not feel nervous in social situations. Your level or self-consciousness is low.
· Immoderation. Immoderate individuals feel strong cravings and urges that they have have difficulty resisting. They tend to be oriented toward short-term pleasures and rewards rather than long- term consequences. Low scorers do not experience strong, irresistible cravings and consequently do not find themselves tempted to overindulge. Your level of immoderation is high.
· Vulnerability. High scorers on Vulnerability experience panic, confusion, and helplessness when under pressure or stress. Low scorers feel more poised, confident, and clear-thinking when stressed. Your level of vulnerability is average.
Openness to Experience
Openness to Experience describes a dimension of cognitive style that distinguishes imaginative, creative people from down-to-earth, conventional people. Open people are intellectually curious, appreciative of art, and sensitive to beauty. They tend to be, compared to closed people, more aware of their feelings. They tend to think and act in individualistic and nonconforming ways. Intellectuals typically score high on Openness to Experience; consequently, this factor has also been called Culture or Intellect. Nonetheless, Intellect is probably best regarded as one aspect of openness to experience. Scores on Openness to Experience are only modestly related to years of education and scores on standard intelligent tests.
Another characteristic of the open cognitive style is a facility for thinking in symbols and abstractions far removed from concrete experience. Depending on the individual's specific intellectual abilities, this symbolic cognition may take the form of mathematical, logical, or geometric thinking, artistic and metaphorical use of language, music composition or performance, or one of the many visual or performing arts. People with low scores on openness to experience tend to have narrow, common interests. They prefer the plain, straightforward, and obvious over the complex, ambiguous, and subtle. They may regard the arts and sciences with suspicion, regarding these endeavors as abstruse or of no practical use. Closed people prefer familiarity over novelty; they are conservative and resistant to change.
Openness is often presented as healthier or more mature by psychologists, who are often themselves open to experience. However, open and closed styles of thinking are useful in different environments. The intellectual style of the open person may serve a professor well, but research has shown that closed thinking is related to superior job performance in police work, sales, and a number of service occupations.
Domain/Facet........... Score 0--------10--------20--------30--------40--------50--------60--------70--------80--------90--------99
OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE.....98 **************************************************************************************************
..Imagination..............95 ***********************************************************************************************
..Artistic Interests.......54 ******************************************************
..Emotionality.............97 *************************************************************************************************
..Adventurousness..........96 ************************************************************************************************
..Intellect................79 *******************************************************************************
..Liberalism...............83 ***********************************************************************************
Your score on Openness to Experience is high, indicating you enjoy novelty, variety, and change. You are curious, imaginative, and creative.
Openness Facets
· Imagination. To imaginative individuals, the real world is often too plain and ordinary. High scorers on this scale use fantasy as a way of creating a richer, more interesting world. Low scorers are on this scale are more oriented to facts than fantasy. Your level of imagination is high.
· Artistic Interests. High scorers on this scale love beauty, both in art and in nature. They become easily involved and absorbed in artistic and natural events. They are not necessarily artistically trained nor talented, although many will be. The defining features of this scale are interest in, and appreciation of natural and artificial beauty. Low scorers lack aesthetic sensitivity and interest in the arts. Your level of artistic interests is average.
· Emotionality. Persons high on Emotionality have good access to and awareness of their own feelings. Low scorers are less aware of their feelings and tend not to express their emotions openly. Your level of emotionality is high.
· Adventurousness. High scorers on adventurousness are eager to try new activities, travel to foreign lands, and experience different things. They find familiarity and routine boring, and will take a new route home just because it is different. Low scorers tend to feel uncomfortable with change and prefer familiar routines. Your level of adventurousness is high.
· Intellect. Intellect and artistic interests are the two most important, central aspects of openness to experience. High scorers on Intellect love to play with ideas. They are open-minded to new and unusual ideas, and like to debate intellectual issues. They enjoy riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers. Low scorers on Intellect prefer dealing with either people or things rather than ideas. They regard intellectual exercises as a waste of time. Intellect should not be equated with intelligence. Intellect is an intellectual style, not an intellectual ability, although high scorers on Intellect score slightly higher than low-Intellect individuals on standardized intelligence tests. Your level of intellect is high.
· Liberalism. Psychological liberalism refers to a readiness to challenge authority, convention, and traditional values. In its most extreme form, psychological liberalism can even represent outright hostility toward rules, sympathy for law-breakers, and love of ambiguity, chaos, and disorder. Psychological conservatives prefer the security and stability brought by conformity to tradition. Psychological liberalism and conservatism are not identical to political affiliation, but certainly incline individuals toward certain political parties. Your level of liberalism is high.

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog (seeing your interested in cultural stuff means I'll probably be contributing something here). Interesting stuff. Ok, here goes:

EXTRAVERSION...............5
..Friendliness.............8
..Gregariousness...........7
..Assertiveness............0 (0?! Huh!)
..Activity Level...........6
..Excitement-Seeking.......46
..Cheerfulness.............42

AGREEABLENESS..............98
..Trust....................85
..Morality.................98
..Altruism.................82
..Cooperation..............76
..Modesty..................67
..Sympathy.................99

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS..........43
..Self-Efficacy............64
..Orderliness..............36
..Dutifulness..............57
..Achievement-Striving.....38
..Self-Discipline..........24
..Cautiousness.............62

NEUROTICISM................41
..Anxiety..................38
..Anger....................34
..Depression...............40
..Self-Consciousness.......73
..Immoderation.............49
..Vulnerability............28

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE.....95
..Imagination..............91
..Artistic Interests.......63
..Emotionality.............86
..Adventurousness..........61
..Intellect................91
..Liberalism...............94

Yep, some of the questions were weird. Like of course I don't like big concerts, I'm an introvert (duh!). Or maybe it tested both. Hmm. I'm also curious how does the test figure out the the score in broader categories, might be weighted average or something like that. Or some questions do weight more on the total categories like EXTRAVERSION. Pretty "radical" score overall, I figured out a bit closer to average results, but that's fine.
Again, I have to wonder how much does the cultural background really affect this, as I'm not really that atypical for a Finn with rural background. Probably less conservative, though. I guess american/british young men on the average are more extraverted and disageeable (the brash yankee stereotype, if you will).

Cassandra Says said...

I'd expect most Scandinavians to score low on extraversion (especially the Finns) and high on agreeableness. I am a little hurt that it rated me so lacking in conscientiousness though - aren't Scots supposed to be blunt and honest to a fault? Maybe I've been in the States for too long...
I found my 99 for excitement seeking (do they just refuse to give out 100% scores?) and 0 for orderliness to be quite amusing.

Anonymous said...

Maybe your Scot spirit is showing in your very low modesty and cooperation scores (though you don't come across that way). That is both blunt and honest at least. (Now leaving for summer cottage, no internet til monday)

FoolishOwl said...

This sounds more or less right. Overall, I come off sounding like the hapless "straight man" from a Monty Python sketch.

EXTRAVERSION...............1
..Friendliness.............5
..Gregariousness...........16
..Assertiveness............28
..Activity Level...........0
..Excitement-Seeking.......4
..Cheerfulness.............3

AGREEABLENESS..............71
..Trust....................61
..Morality.................59
..Altruism.................41
..Modesty..................67
..Sympathy.................99

CONSCIENTIOUSNESS..........26
..Self-Efficacy............12
..Orderliness..............36
..Dutifulness..............57
..Achievement-Striving.....8
..Self-Discipline..........11
..Cautiousness.............80

NEUROTICISM................95
..Anxiety..................98
..Anger....................72
..Depression...............99
..Self-Consciousness.......98
..Immoderation.............26
..Vulnerability............96

FoolishOwl said...

Oops. Missed a bit.

OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE.....88
..Imagination..............54
..Artistic Interests.......48
..Emotionality.............93
..Adventurousness..........25
..Intellect................80
..Liberalism...............99

Cassandra Says said...

Interesting that the only area in which we all have similar scores is Openess to Experience. I do pretty much consider that a prerequisite for anyone I want to be around, actually. I'm guessing that anyone who scores low on that vector would bore the crap out of me.
Tuomas, I think that the Scottish tendency towards bloody-minded stubborness may well be coming into play here. It's not that I'm mean exactly, but I'm definately uncooperative in the sense that if I sense anyone trying to push or manipulate me into something I tend to push back back even harder. My Mom used to say that the first phrase I ever uttered was "you can't make me!", and that trying to persuade me to do anything was like trying to herd cats.

Cassandra Says said...

Another thought...I have observed that I tend to end up getting along well with very smart but notably introverted men. My husband is the classic INTP and is most definately more introverted than me, and so are several of my male friends. I have also observed that most of my female friends are considerably less introverted than the male friends. I'm wondering if this is a trend, and why it is that rather introverted men and rather extraverted women seem to get along very well and generally be drawn to each other. Have you guys seen the same pattern? Of course it could just be that two introverts are unlikely to ever talk to each other in the first place and that therefore in order for a friendship to form at least one person would need to be more outgoing. It could also be that I have a soft spot for leftist intellectuals (which I do) and it's likely that smart, somewhat introverted men tend to be a bit overrepresented in that group. Or it could be some particular male/female dynamic going on here. I have noticed that some of my most lasting friendships have been with men who fit this profile, and I'm wondering if it's just me or if this is a more generalised thing, and also what the appeal is from the other side (ie I know what I like about this kind of guy, not so sure what it is they like about me, especially given my tendency to be distinctly disagreeable when vexed).

FoolishOwl said...

Given my sorry relationship history, I couldn't say for certain. But I have wondered whether I'd be better off with a woman who is introverted like me, or if I'd be happier with someone more outgoing. Actually, that's a near direct quote from my latest iteration of my personal ad (having recovered from my last dating debacle, almost).

By the way, did you get my email?

Cassandra Says said...

I wasn't thinking of romantic relationships specifically, more like relationships in general ie friends, co-workers etc.

FoolishOwl said...

Oops. Me and my one-track mind.

Come to think of it, I'll now and then recognize other people as introverts, and we'll often have an immediate sense of sympathy -- but the relationships rarely go anywhere. Sometimes this can be very frustrating. It is pretty much the extroverts I'll end up bonding with.

Anonymous said...

I'll second Brian on the introverts/introverts thing - it just doesn't seem to get anywhere most of the time. All my relationships (not many, not long) have been with extraverted women save one (which didn't work out), and all of my friends are more extraverted than I am.

I think it is easier for extraverted men to deal with introverted women - that goes along with the whole "man active - woman passive" dynamic (*cough* bullshit *cough*). Seems that all my extraverted friends do date more intoroverted people (both men and women) except one woman friend whose fiancee is introverted (too) and one man who goes for extraverted/energetic/partygoing/exterme sports type of women. But then, he is an unabashed feminist and doesn't have problems with active women. (I'm using the Finnish average to split people into extaverts/introverts here)

Could it be that male privilege/male ego puts some extaverted men at odds with extraverted women? And introverted men at least seem more allowing of an active woman, therefore extaverted women naturally gravitate toward them? Hmm.

About the Scot stubborness... Well, that is a Finnish trait too. Come to think of it, I'm somewhat stubborn myself (which does come as a sock to some people at first) and I hate it when people try to order me around or intimidate/manipulate me, but then my response in such situations is usually cutting off and ignoring ("Fuck off", then turning my back on them and ignoring them, basically) . But I usually am pretty "compliant" when people ask nicely or I respect the asker. Goes well with my Briggs-Meyer classification, I suppose (ISFJ).

Anonymous said...

Lol. "Which does does come as a sock to some people at first". Shock, I meant.

Cassandra Says said...

I was kind of picturing you smacking the offending individual in the head with a sock...
I'm in the "really nice until you piss me off" category too. The bst way to piss me off is to make me feel like you're crossing my boundaries. Example - I'm a very cuddly, affectionate kind of person with friends BUT God help anyone who tries to get too touchy-feely who's not my friend. There was once a guy dating my roomate who decided that since it was OK for my other friend (male) to come up behind me and cuddle me it must also be OK for him to come up behind me and grab my breasts. Bad mistake. I poured my (very cold) drink down his pants.
When I think about it every time I've tried to date an extravert it has not ended well. I hate to admit it but I think I often perceive other extraverts as stupid, or at least un-intellectual. I also used to have a very life-of-the-party, swinging from the chandeliers type of guy friend who I no longer see because we seemed to spend all our time arguing. In that case I think that the fact that there was significant underlying attraction that there was no possibility of acting on was a complicating factor, and that the arguing may have been a kind of foreplay, but there's a limit to how much arguing is healthy. It did feel like he got a kick out of my assertiveness but at the same time felt the need to try to gain the upper hand for some reason. I could actually see him fighting with himself over it, which was very strange. I've often had that feeling with very macho-type guys, as if they actually like more assertive women but feel as if they shouldn't.

Cassandra Says said...

Interesting observation...we all have remarkably high sympathy scores.

Anonymous said...

If I remember correctly, there were assertations like "I hate weak people" to which the response "Strongly disagree" probably got the the sympathy score up and high. Anyone who would agree to such statement I would classify as a complete jerk, really.

Cassandra Says said...

RE "I hate weak people"...I see whoever designed this survey has been reading their Ayn Rand.
Personally I think anyone who answers "strongly agree" to that question may well meet the DSM-IV definition of a sociopath.

Anonymous said...

Brr. Ayn Rand. Blech. Yep, sociopath it is, that's why I thought the whole question was kind of no-brainer.
I think the whole having exact numbers about a persons personality traits is kind of scetchy, I prefer the wider categories offered by Briggs-Meyer (which to my knowledge isn't even supposed to exact, as it would be quite remarkeable if the actual number of personalities that exist would be 16).

The shock first, then the sock to add more shock if necessary. Altough I suppose socking someone is a shocking experience, for both the socker and the sockee.

Cassandra Says said...

I'm an ENTP according to Briggs Meyers, by the way.
I'm still laughing at your 0 for assertiveness though. Wouldn't that mean that you were unconscious?

Anonymous said...

Great. I can operate a computer while asleep (I was pretty tired...). But seriously, 0 is weird.

Cassandra Says said...

So is 99 for risk taking. If that's true shouldn't I be dead by now?
As a side note the overly macho friend with the need to push me into the little woman role I mentioned above loves Ayn Rand. No wonder we fell out.

Anonymous said...

Hmm. Your score is like something one would except from a person who's high on amphetamine, and my score is like I've smoked a joint. And Brian's score is like someone with a pretty bad hangover (sorry, Brian). No malice intended in any of this, of course, and I'm only familiar with the hangover myself.

Perhaps the 0 assertiveness is a reflection on my beliefs on leadership: I don't think there are "strong leaders" per se, I think strong leadership is only a reflection on how much someone in leadership position is respected. Or feared. Usually, I've noticed that people who fancy themselves as "strong leaders" make bad leaders, as leadership is formed by two-way respect. That's what bugs me about Ayn Rand and Randian beliefs - complete disregard for interaction in favor of a copletely fucked up strong-weak dichotomy, as if some mystical willpower could actually shape the reality like magic, without actual effort (oh, and I love fantasy/magic genre, but not when it seeps into politics, like the recent "The EU needs a strong leader similar to Reagan or Thatcher", thanks, but no thanks.)

Anonymous said...

One more thing about Briggs Meyers and myself: I tend to get the result INFJ sometimes too (I've done various such tests, maybe 4-5 times in the internet) So I'll have to conclude I, F, and J parts are constant/strong and it's 50-50(or 60-40, or something) between S and N. Nice test, but when it is used to box people it's rather annoying.

Anonymous said...

Oy,I hope my joke on #21 really doen't get taken in the wrong way, it was directed at the (IMO) silliness of the study, and the radical scores we all got.

Just to make sure once again...

FoolishOwl said...

I don't feel much better or worse about this test than I did about the Meyers-Briggs -- on which I usually came out INTX. That is, evenly split between INTP and INTJ, which was a common result. (I was on an email list for INTPs for a while.)

Anyway, speaking of my last dating debacle, I was reading up on shyness, which is a bit different from introversion. In my case, I'm generally introverted, but in specific situations, I'm painfully shy: speaking in front of a crowd, going on a date, going to a partner with a lot of people I don't know, etc.

One interesting thing I was reading about shyness was that extroverts generally start to emulate the mood of the person they're with. So if they're with someone who's shy, they start to feel uncomfortable and awkward themselves.

It would make sense that introverts are much more emotionally autonomous, and so are less likely to be made uncomfortable in that situation.

So, in general, I think introverts get along better with extroverts, UNLESS the introvert is feeling shy, in which case it's a bit of a disaster. That sounds like my social life in a nutshell.

It also explains why I spend a lot of time with outgoing, assertive political activists, but don't get that close to them.

Anonymous said...

I'm INFP from Myers-Briggs.

EXTRAVERSION....50
AGREEABLENESS...77 <- And because I'm an INFP, I find it interesting that I got 97 on Sympathy. INFP's all about sympathy.
CONSCIENTIOUSNESS...62
NEUROTICISM...27 <- I'm feeling particularly relaxed right now. I think it shows.
OPENNESS TO EXPERIENCE...96

Cassandra Says said...

One more for the high in sympathy and openess to experience file. I'm beginning to think that these may in fact be my pre-requisites in terms of people I can get only with.
Wierd fact - I score right on the borderline of being an introvert on Briggs/Meyers when I'm depressed. I'm wondering if it works that way for other people too.

FoolishOwl said...

Effective introversion would be an aspect of depression, wouldn't it?

Cassandra Says said...

It seems to be. Withdrawing from activities which one previously enjoyed (which is what an extravert would be doing by avoiding people) is a classic sign of depression. I think that some extraverts "read" introverts as depressed for that reason (and then try to "cheer them up", which must be very annoying for the introvert).

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