The Michael Caloz Cognitive Functions Test

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The Michael Caloz Cognitive Functions Test

(Want to take my test in a different language? I recommend the Google Translate extension.)

Your personality type shapes your reality

There's an amazing word called sonder.

It's the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own. That every single person you see has their own goals, strengths, and struggles.

We can't help but imagine that everyone else sees the world pretty much like we do. But the truth is that most of those minds in the crowd would be utterly alien to you.

If you're detail-oriented, does it blow your mind that other people can submit a resume full of spelling mistakes? If you're a lover of beauty, how can other people ignore a gorgeous sunset? If you're focused on innovation, why are other people so stuck on tradition?

People's minds are structured very differently, and that's why it feels like we're talking past each other so often.

What if there were a better way?

Learning to speak the secret language

Think about your group of friends or co-workers. Who's the planner? The crazy idea person? The cheerleader?

We don't want to box people in, but some natural archetypes do emerge in terms of how people's minds are organized. The problem is that it can take a while to understand which archetype fits other people and even ourselves.

Imagine if you could quickly exchange a single code word when you met someone: the name of your archetype. With this one word, you'd immediately understand what energizes them, how they absorb new information, and how they make decisions.

Think about how much that would transform your ability to communicate with your colleagues, friends, and romantic partners.

Good news: There are in fact 16 code words, and you're about to learn them.

(Note: Much of the theory behind this test is influenced by the work of Myers, Briggs, Jung, and others. However, this is not a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI®) assessment test. That is a trademarked tool developed by the Myers-Briggs Company, with whom I have no affiliation… tap for more on this …My test uses a four-letter acronym format to describe 16 types, which is shared by a number of typology frameworks such as Jung-Myers, Socionics, and Keirsey. But this test is entirely my own, using my questions, model, and algorithm to calculate your results. All type descriptions are my own writing influenced by the work of Myers, Briggs, Jung, and many others, as well as my own observations after coaching many people of various types. If you're interested in the MBTI® Instrument, you can read more about it here.)


Links & Updates

Thanks so much for taking my test. If you appreciate the way I explore nuances and explain complex information, please consider checking out my other projects:

YouTube Channel: Full-Stack Human

I speak at the intersection of typology, psychology, deep personal growth, and existential questioning. (It's also available in YouTube Podcast format.)

Blog: Synthesizing & Symplifying Complexity

As an ENTP, one of my greatest gifts is synthesizing, categorizing, and simplifying information. I write about topics like personal growth, motivation, feelings, group dynamics, and personality typing.

Introduction to Race in the United States for White People (by a white person)

My goal is to guide you through the complex subject of race and racism with gentleness and without judgment or shaming. It's ok to have a lot of questions. If you're looking for Race 101, this is a great place to start. I'll go through it all step-by-step in a way that's non-political and approachable to anyone.

Coaching & Counseling (customized for your personality type)

I've spent over a decade working with leaders and teams at some of the top companies in the world. Do you struggle with decision-making, procrastination and motivation, social anxiety and confidence, fully feeling your feelings, or worrying that you're on the wrong life path? That's exactly where I was several years ago, and I believe I can help you.

November 29, 2024 Update: Three updates today:

1) Based on some feedback from Reddit, I removed the “title card” at the beginning of every section of the test that used to tell you which functions are about to be compared (e.g., Ti versus Te) as well as the “summary card” at the end of that section that tells you how you scored in each function. People felt like it might bias the user to know in advance which functions are about to be compared, so now the test is organized as more of a continuous flow of questions through different sets of cognitive functions. Don’t worry, though: You can still see exactly how you scored for each cognitive function by tapping "Want to see your raw test results?” on the results page.

2) I also improved the wording of a few examples and made some minor wording improvements to the results page.

3) Per some feedback, I changed the name “Marie Curie” in the INTP example section to “Marie Skłodowska Curie.”

October 3, 2024 Update: Oops, looks like that last update broke the test. Sorry about that, and thanks to the people who contacted me to point it out. It should be all fixed now!

September 26, 2024 Update: Major updates to the results page: After a lot of thought, I decided to completely remove the charts. They've been there for years, but I realized they offered more confusion than clarity. The scores listed next to each type offer a much more streamlined experience. But, if you want more detail, you can still tap the button at the top of the Results section to see your raw results. Additionally, I simplified and improved a lot of the copy on the results page to offer a more efficient, cohesive user experience.

August 1, 2024 Update: Improved some of the new cognitive function icons on the results page based on some helpful feedback, thank you!

July 22, 2024 Update: On the results page, added a representative icon for every cognitive function and type family. Plus, I made a few minor visual improvements to the mobile version of the test.

July 13, 2024 Update: 1) Added some info on how neurodiversity and trauma might relate to type.

2) Refined some of the wording on various test questions to make them even more clear.

3) Added some clarifications to the instructions as well as to the language on the results page.

4) Clarified that the neutral option can mean either “neither” or “both”.

June 24, 2024 Update: Some small adjustments to the results page.

April 25, 2024 Update: Minor improvements to some of the wording on the intro pages and to one of the Fi vs. Fe questions.

June 30, 2023 Update: On the final results page, I added some more information on how neurotype (i.e., autism) and culture can influence type. To read it, head to the results page, and hit the "+" box after "And here are some important things to keep in mind..."

June 21, 2023 Update: I finished the tailored results page for ENTJ's, including my two top tips for that type, which means all the 'N' types are now complete. I also went back and improved the pages for ENTP's, INTP's, INTJ's, and ENFP's to make them all consistent with strengths, challenges, and tips.

June 17, 2023 Update: I finished the tailored results page for INFP's, including my two top tips for that type.

June 14, 2023 Update: Minor usability updates to the homepage and elsewhere.

June 13, 2023 Update: I finished the tailored results page for ENFJ's, including my two top tips for that type.

March 12, 2023 Update: Biggest update in a while: I completely rewrote the strengths & weaknesses for every single type on the results page. Those hadn't changed substantially since I created this test many years ago, so these new descriptions better reflect the more mature, nuanced understanding of typology that I have today (though I'm still learning every day, so I'm always open to feedback: michael@michaelcaloz.com).

November 21, 2022 Update: 1) I'm happy to report that my test has become increasingly popular all over the world, and I've had many offers to help me translate it into various languages. I appreciate the passion I've felt from everyone, but it's quite a large undertaking to translate a website like this. So, for now at least, I've added a link on the homepage to the Google Translate browser extension, which seems to do a pretty good job.

2) I adjusted some of the wording for the instructions on the results page. And, I reworded some of the Si function questions.

3) I've begun adding two of my top tips for each type. So far I've finished ENTP, INTP, and INTJ.

July 4, 2022 Update: In addition to a few small stylistic updates, I added a way to view your raw results after you finish the test. It'll tell you your exact numbers in each area. I know a lot of you like to share screenshots of your chart results on Reddit (and other personality typing communities), so I packed all the raw data into a small enough area that you should be able to easily screenshot this new section instead to share (since it's more precise than the charts). You can find it on the final results page at the bottom of the "Your Results: Cognitive Functions" section, just above the area where all the types are listed. Have fun! 🙂

January 2, 2022 Update: I updated the questions in the Se vs. Si portion of the test (as an ENTP with Si as my fourth function, I recognize that I sometimes have a blind spot around that function). Thanks to a visitor for inspiring this!

September 13, 2021 Update: Since I haven't heard about any more bugs, the main test is now what had been the beta described below. The old version of the test is still available here.

September 1, 2021 Update:

Please see my explanation of the beta below. Thanks for your feedback! I believe I've addressed the bug that many of you emailed me about where it would keep adding more points if you used the back button after completing one of the cognitive function sections.

This is the beta. Click here to return to the regular non-beta site.

Thanks!

August 15, 2021 Update:

Exciting news: I've implemented the two biggest requests I receive for this test.

1) I completely redesigned the interface on mobile for selecting between two choices. Instead of having to tap one of the five small dots to indicate "definitely A," "slightly B," etc., there are now larger buttons right under the choices A and B.

2) I added a "back" button so you can return to the previous question if you made a mistake or changed your mind. If you're on desktop, you can also use the left-arrow and right-arrow keys to navigate forward and backward (but please keep in mind that when you go back—whether with the button or the arrow key—you'll reset whatever you'd previously selected for that question).

These were some technically-complex changes, so I'll leave this as the "beta version" for a while in case you discover any issues. Please leave a comment here if anything looks off with the scoring, you notice any other problems, or you have any other feedback.

This is the beta. Click here to return to the regular non-beta site.

Thanks!

June 23, 2021 Update:

I revamped the detailed results page for ENFP's.

March 4, 2021 Update:

Three updates today:

First, on the final page of instructions in the intro, I wrote about some of the ways your type can be skewed by your life circumstances, and I made the suggestion to answer the questionnaire as your child or teenage self might have.

Second, I added a big new section to the top textbox on the results page (at the bottom of it). It has info about: using typology for good reasons rather than boxing people in, immature and mature versions of types, and whether or not your type can change over time.

Third, I completely revamped the detailed results page for INFJ's.

February 7, 2021 Update:

Exciting news: I added a brand new section to the test with four new questions (screens 29 and 30). Before this, the test only asked you questions comparing Te to Ti, Fe to Fi, Se to Si, and Ne to Ni. To be more thorough, the new page has a question each for comparing Te to Fe, Ti to Fi, Se to Ne, and Si to Ni. This should add even more precision to your results, and your old bookmarked results URL's should still work fine with the new version. If anything feels off with this new update, you can access the previous version here. Please email me at personality@michaelcaloz.com if you have any feedback or notice any problems.

I also made a few small tweaks to hopefully decrease the page load time slightly. And, I added some links above to my other projects. Thanks again for visiting, and I hope you're doing ok with everything going on in the world!

October 1, 2020 Update:

I've updated the results algorithm for the first time in a few years. This is based on a combination of feedback from visitors (thank you!) and my own evolving opinions about the relative importance of each piece when calculating a person's most likely types.

The algorithm change isn't dramatic; but, among several changes, the most significant one is reducing the importance placed on the "type families" question toward the end (by the way, I also updated the descriptions of each of those families).

Any saved results URLs you have from the previous algorithm will automatically update to use the new one. And if you'd prefer to use the old version of the test, you can access it here.

P.S., Pro-tip for desktop users: you can use the right-arrow key on your keyboard to quickly advance through the instruction screens at the beginning of the test.

June 8, 2020 Update: Thanks for visiting. Do you have questions about race, racism, or the protests happening right now? If so, I'd like to humbly suggest another website I created that's dedicated to explaining race in America in an approachable, step-by-step way without judgment or politics. Thank you, and I hope you stay safe with everything going on.

April 26, 2020 Update: Redesigned the mobile version of this site. Thanks for sticking with it earlier when it wasn't as easy to use.

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So what exactly are we talking about here?

Carl Jung—one of the most renowned psychologists in history—discovered patterns for how people take in new information and make decisions. He called these 8 patterns cognitive functions, and groupings of those functions became what we now refer to as the 16 types.

Everyone is unique. But Jung's research revealed some clear correlations between personality attributes. For example, most people who speak quickly and "think out loud" tend to also recharge their energy by being around people. And most people who prefer step-by-step procedures also tend to be more oriented toward the tangible past or present than the future or the abstract.

By mastering type dynamics, you'll be able to answer questions like... (TIP: Throughout the site, you'll see these buttons when more information is available. Tap once to expand and again to collapse.)

Beyond your average personality test

Ever take an online quiz with questions like, "Would you rather stay home and read a book or go to a party?" How are you supposed to answer that? The only reasonable response is, "It depends."

Don't worry: This test is different. I've very carefully written my questions to get to the heart of what makes you tick.

So what can you expect? Well, the 16-types personality system is popular everywhere from Fortune 500 companies to online dating websites. So instead of introducing new terms, we'll be using the same four-letter personality types you've probably already heard of (things like ISTJ and ENFP).

But, nearly every other personality test stops with those four letters. We'll be going a step further by breaking those four-letter types down into their Jungian cognitive functions (things like Ti and Se).

So guess what? Contrary to what those other overly-simplistic personality tests would tell you, it's perfectly normal if you like partying one night but feel like staying home alone to read the next. Because the truth is: No one is 100% an extrovert or 100% an introvert. We're all a bit of both, and your type's cognitive functions will explain why.

Skeptical? You should be

Like I said, there are a lot of bad personality tests out there, and I'm promising a lot.

But, personality typing is all about understanding differences. And different communication styles work best for different types of people. So, let's put that concept to work. If you're a skeptic, click the + button for an alternative introduction to this subject.

Snake oil for sale

You're skeptical, and reasonably so. How is this 16-types stuff any different from fortune-telling?

You're probably thinking that each of these personality types will be generic enough that anyone can be made to believe that each one applies to them.

Fair concern, but here are three reasons why this system is different:

  1. There's no way that all of the types will fit you. If you're dubious, you can quickly skip to the results page and you'll see that each type is quite distinct. Once you really understand the types, there should be no doubt about which one you are, and there's no way to be half way in between two types. Many personality websites get this part wrong. They make it seem, for example, that an INTJ and an INTP are pretty similar because they have three letters in common. In reality, they're completely different because they have none of the same cognitive functions.
  2. Indeed, the professional psychology community does have very legitimate concerns with how the 16 types are often tested for and portrayed online. I share their critique that many of the interpretations you'll find out there are shallow and lack nuance. That's why my test goes way beyond that kind of overly-simplistic thinking (you're either 100% Extrovert or 100% Introvert!). It focuses instead on the cognitive functions developed by the highly-celebrated psychologist Carl Jung, and it incorporates many other ideas that have been added on since his time by experts all over the world, as well as my own original research working with hundreds of clients.
  3. This is not simply one of those internet quizzes where you answer some questions and you're told your type. Rather, you'll be given a list of roughly ranked potential results with information about each. Then it's up to you—the true expert on yourself—to decide which one makes the most sense.

How to trick people

The Barnum Effect is a technique used by self-proclaimed magicians and psychics. They might promise a hapless victim that they've seen into their mind and written something very specifically tailored to them. In reality, the charlatan simply wrote something vague and general enough that anyone would find some truth in it. Here's a short example:

  1. You like when people admire you, but you can be a little critical of yourself. You sometimes second guess your decisions and are less confident inside than you appear. You're an independent thinker who is at times sociable and at times reserved. You have some weaknesses that you've learned to overcome but you might not yet be living up to your full potential.

Getting it right

In contrast, take a look at these three Jungian personality type summaries:

  1. You've always been a dreamer, and you feel like you can do anything if you put your mind to it. You constantly have new ideas, and you love connecting the dots in your mind. Traditions are overrated. Who cares how things have always been done if there's a better way? You're energized by the unknown, and you're curious about everything. You have some trouble balancing social niceties with telling the hard truth, and you think about past mistakes you've made a lot. You're not necessarily the life of the party, but you get energized by selling your ideas to a group.
  2. You'd consider yourself a very down-to-earth and reliable person. You don't have your head in the clouds, and you like focusing on what's going on around you. You highly value someone's personal experiences, and you trust what you can see and touch, not vague concepts and ideas that have never been tested in reality. It's important to build upon sound traditions and to leave behind a legacy based on a strong work ethic. Why reinvent the wheel if we already have something that works just fine? You're a bit on the quiet side, but you get along well with people as long as they have manners and treat you with respect.
  3. You're an idealist with a very finely defined internal value system. To you, a life well lived means being authentic to yourself. You have strong convictions, and you have trouble with conflict. It can be hard for you to lead others to take on your cause, and you need time alone to recharge. You have ideas you believe in, but it can be difficult to actually act on them and make something happen. You have rich internal worlds of fantasy and imagination that you like to retreat to, and you might be very interested in an art like music or writing.

Sure, we all act a bit differently in different situations, but those are three fundamentally different ways of looking at the world. There are 16 types, and they all take in, process, and act on information differently.

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Personality Type Theory 101

There are 16 personality types, each made up of 4 letters called dimensions.

There are a lot of common misconceptions about this kind of personality typing...

If you've read anything about the 16 types, you've probably seen descriptors like "Feeler" and "Thinker." The logic behind these ideas is reasonable, but some of the words they've traditionally stood for can be confusing. Being a Thinker doesn't mean you're a robot incapable of feeling feelings, and being a Feeler doesn't mean you're overly emotional and unable to use logic.

Even worse are "Perceiver" and "Judger," which really are not very representative at all of what those letters actually mean. So, forget all those words and just remember the letters instead.

Also, remember that your type simply reveals your preferences for how you take in information and make decisions. You probably use all of the letters every day, but your four-letter type combination reveals which ones come most naturally to you.

Here's a short overview of the 4 dimensions (to avoid confusion, we'll ignore the badly-chosen words they stand for and just look at the letters):

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Is it really so black and white?

People in the psychology community often look down on the 16 types, calling them too simplistic. For example, what if you feel like you're in between a T and an F? Or, just because you're an S, does that mean you have no N whatsoever? What if you're a bit of everything?

That's where Jungian type dynamics come in. The truth is that a T does indeed have some F in them, an N has some S in them as well, and everyone is part I and part E.

The T/F and N/S dimensions actually have "sub-types" called cognitive functions. T splits into Ti and Te, N splits into Ni and Ne, etc. The 'i' stands for introverted and the 'e' for extroverted, so that Ti refers to a T facing inward and Te refers to a T facing outward. As you can see, even though two types might have a letter like T in common, each type's version of T might manifest very differently.

All 16 types have four cognitive functions (each of which can be Ti, Te, Fi, Fe, Si, Se, Ni, or Ne), and they're in a very specific order:

  1. Primary: the function you use the most and are most comfortable with (it's unconscious because it comes so naturally to you)
  2. Auxiliary: complements your primary and is used quite often as well (this one requires conscious thought until you truly master it later in life)
  3. Tertiary: less developed and takes longer to mature (you begin life fairly weak in this area, but through conscious effort you can become skilled in it)
  4. Inferior: matures latest in life, and it can be thought of as your biggest weakness (unconscious, and it can be especially troublesome because you might be less aware of it or have trouble understanding how it works)

To recap, every type has 4 dimensions and 4 cognitive functions. For example, an ENTP has the dimensions E, N, T, and P, and it has the cognitive functions Ne, Ti, Fe, and Si. Notice how even though there's no F in ENTP, they actually still do use an F-based cognitive function. Figuring out a type's cognitive functions can be a little tricky, but here's how to do it if you're interested (otherwise, the final page of the test will list them all)...

  1. First, some context: The second dimension is known as the information-gathering dimension, and it's always N or S. The third dimension is known as the decision-making dimension, and it's always T or F. The fourth dimension, P or J, determines if the primary cognitive function is an information-gathering one or a decision-making one. Finally, two of the cognitive functions are always introverted and two are always extroverted.
  2. Ok, check the type's fourth dimension, either P or J. If it's a J, it means that their decision-making function (which is always either T or F) will be extroverted, so Te or Fe. If it's a P, it means that their decision-making function will be introverted, so Ti or Fi.
  3. In the case of ISFJ, the fourth dimension is a J and the decision-making function is an F. Therefore, the F will become an Fe.
  4. Next, check the type's first dimension, either E or I. The primary cognitive function will always follow the type's first dimension. So since ISFJ starts with an I, it means that the primary function will have an i. Now, look back to the function we already decided for the ISFJ: Fe. Since it has an e, that means it can't be the primary function, so it must be the secondary one. Therefore, the information-gathering function (always S or N) must be the primary. So since the ISFJ has an S, it has to be Si.
  5. That's actually everything we need. The third function is always the opposite of the second function. So in this case the opposite of Fe is Ti. And, the fourth function is always the opposite of the first function. So in this case, the opposite of Si is Ne (because i is the opposite of e and N is the opposite of S — "opposite" in the sense that they're the two choices in their dimensions: I/E and N/S).
  6. So, for ISFJs, the functions are Si, Fe, Ti, Ne.
  7. One more example: Let's do ESTP.
  8. It ends with P, so we know that their T/F will be introverted. ESTP contains T, so it will be Ti.
  9. Since we already found Ti, we know that the S/N will have to be an e. ESTP contains S, so it will be Se. And since ESTP starts with an E, we know that the Se will be the primary function because of its e.
  10. That's all we need. We know that the third will be the opposite of the second (Ti), so Fe. And the fourth will be the opposite of the first (Se), so Ni.
  11. So, ESTP breaks down into Se Ti Fe Ni.

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Keep in mind as you take the test

Each section will help you decide which of the cognitive function variants you're most comfortable with (e.g., Fi or Fe, Si or Se, etc.). Don't worry: I'll explain what those mean on the final results page.

Everyone uses all of the cognitive functions throughout their lives, but some should seem far more familiar/natural than others. That's why it's important to indicate how strongly you identify with each one.

Choose the "neutral" option if you feel that both choices apply equally well, if you can't decide, or if you don't particularly identify with either one. (P.S. The two choices won't always be opposites. They might just represent two potential approaches or perspectives.)

To get the best results...

  • Be honest and answer what feels most like who you truly are, not who you wish you were or who you feel forced to be by external pressures like work or family.
  • Each of us has led a complex life full of all sorts of influences: how you were raised, the society and culture you were born into, what you were told a "good person" looks like, what you saw on TV, how you were incentivized to act at work, what you were told someone of your gender is supposed to be like, and so much more.
  • It can be hard to find your true personality type underneath all that baggage and all those layers of armor you might have had to put on.

    So, as you answer the questionnaire, try to think about how your truest, most authentic self would answer. If you can, imagine how you might have answered as a kid or a teenager (or, if your childhood was full of trauma, perhaps try to consider how a child version of you might have acted who was well supported and accepted as your truest self).

    Notice which answer you would feel most pulled toward if no one was watching or judging you.
  • Remember too that personality types apply to your whole life, so think in broad terms about the words used (e.g., "project" could mean either a task at work or a hobby at home).
  • It can be helpful to compare yourself to other people you know (or even to characters in movies or books).

    For example, if a question asks whether you like group brainstorming, consider where you fall on the spectrum at work — when brainstorming time comes around, are you one of the most excited or least excited of your colleagues?

    Similarly, if the question asks about your relationship with the physical world, do you tend to be clumsier than your friends, or are you the person constantly pointing out beautiful or interesting things around you?

    Often, when we're especially gifted at something, we can set our standards too high for ourselves. So, if you're, say, highly imaginative, you might think of yourself as only average since you're comparing yourself to your favorite world-class author or poet. But if you instead were to compare yourself to the average person, you'd realize that you're in fact quite skilled in this regard.

P.S. Curious about how neurodiversity and/or trauma might factor in? I write about that here and offer some tips to keep in mind as you answer the questions in my test.

The test should take 15-20 minutes. Let's get started.

You're all done! 🎉

Below, you'll find all 16 types ranked from most to least likely for you.

The scores listed on each type are just a general guide. You are the only one who knows how your mind truly works, so read through the top few results and pick the one you think is the best match.

By the way, hi, I'm Michael (an ENTP). Thanks for taking my test 🙂

As a transformation coach & existential counselor, I specialize in helping 'N' types unlock their potential (e.g., overcoming procrastination & finding motivation · improving relationships & making deep friends · designing life purpose, finding your dream career, & making a substantial impact).

Did you like the way I explained typology? Then I invite you to…

Here are some tips and reminders for interpreting your test results:

  • The scores next to each type below are based on an algorithm I developed that applies various weights to each set of questions you answered (e.g., the cognitive function questions versus the type family ones). The scores are not a percentile or out of 100. They're most useful simply for comparing your type results against each other.
  • There's no such thing as a complete extrovert or a complete introvert. Instead, each of the 16 types is composed of two introverted cognitive functions and two extroverted ones. We're all a little extroverted sometimes and introverted other times. The trick is that true extroverts will have an extroverted function as their primary function (look for an 'e' as in 'Te'), and true introverts will have an introverted one (look for an 'i' as in 'Ti').

    (The reason we call some types extroverted or introverted overall is because the primary function is the most influential. So, E (extroverted) types like ESFP's have extroverted primary functions (like Se) and I (introverted) types like INTJ's have introverted primary functions (like Ni.)
  • Remember, each type has four cognitive functions. Introverted functions are more oriented toward the self or internal world, and extroverted functions are more oriented toward the environment or outside world.

    For example, the Extroverted Feeling function (Fe) is all about feelings related to the external world: using empathy to understand others, building group harmony, understanding social conventions, etc.

    In contrast, the Introverted Feeling function (Fi) is concerned with feelings related to the internal self: being authentic to your values, doing what feels right, making art to express your inner emotions, etc.
  • To understand this stuff more deeply, pay more attention to the four functions (like 'Ne' and 'Ti') than to the four-letter combinations (like 'ENTP'). And remember that just because two types have three out of the four letters in common does not necessarily mean they're almost the same.

    For example, an INTP is very different from an INTJ — they have completely opposite-facing cognitive functions (i.e., all the introverted functions of one are extroverted in the other).

    In contrast, an INTP and ENTP have the exact same cognitive functions, just in a different order. That's why understanding the functions of each gives you a lot more information than just knowing the four letters.
  • The primary function is most important. It should seem like second nature to you — something you use so often that it's mostly unconscious. Reading its description should almost feel like someone has read your mind.
  • The auxiliary (secondary) function should feel familiar too, but it might require more conscious thought to use.
  • The tertiary function is less developed. It's still a big part of you, but you probably struggle with it a bit sometimes (it might get you into trouble). This one takes years to master, so you'll feel more or less comfortable with it depending on your age and how hard you've worked on this part of you.
  • The inferior function is your weakness. This should be something you often have trouble with, and you might have a lot of difficulty understanding how other people do it because it seems so unintuitive to you. But, it's also a part of you, so under stress or in certain situations you might actually recognize yourself strangely leaning in that direction.
  • The "internal conflict" represents the two different directions you often feel yourself pulled in for how to approach a situation.

    For example, an ENTP struggles between Ti (logic, accuracy) and Fe (harmony, social conventions). So, she might be conflicted between telling a friend a hard truth versus softening the blow; or, between doing what seems logically correct versus following what society says is appropriate.

    Another example: An ENFP struggles between Fi (authenticity) and Te (efficiency), so he might be conflicted between taking control of a situation to get results and staying true to the internal values he's set for himself.
  • Did you find yourself over-thinking everything on the test and arguing with the wording of many of the questions ("What do they mean by 'objective facts'? Is it even possible for facts to be truly objective???")? Great, you're most likely an 'N' and quite possibly an NTP 🙂
  • There's so much more to explore from here. This page is simply meant to help you identify your type. Once you've done that, take a look at the links after each type for more complete profiles. Beyond those links, another excellent resource for personality information is Personality Hacker.
  • Here's my webpage explaining why a lot of people get their types wrong and how typology is a lot more complex than most people realize. I cover: tips for finding your type, what can get in the way, neurodivergence & trauma, how to put type knowledge to use, and more.
  • You might have noticed that, when you click the "This is me - learn more" links under each type, all the 'N' types have a custom page with more specific details about that type, whereas all the 'S' types take you to the same more generic page. That's because, as a coach and counselor, I specialize in 'N' types. Perhaps someday I'll build out a custom page for each 'S' type too, but for now (since building each custom page is a significant amount of work) I've aimed to share my more in-depth knowledge only about the types I work with most often.

And here are some important things to keep in mind about type (using it for good vs. boxing people in, immature & mature versions of types, and more):

  • Each of us is a complex human with many identities, unique life experiences, and levels of maturity in different aspects of personal development.
  • Your type is just one part of who you are. It doesn't define everything about you. Fundamentally, the 16 types can tell you things like: how you take in and process information, how you make decisions, what energizes and drains you, and where you tend to get stuck. But it can't tell you things like: what kind of music you love, whether or not you're religious, or how wise you are. (You might find yourself disagreeing, but I know plenty of people who don't fall into the stereotypes—for example, xNTx's who are highly spiritual and deeply feel their feelings.)
  • There's variation within each type. Please don't box people in. When you meet someone of a certain type, try to practice curiosity about them instead of automatically assuming you know everything you need to know. This very much applies to dating too—if you decide that you're only willing to date a certain type, you're robbing yourself of the opportunity to be pleasantly surprised. Humans are notoriously bad at predicting what we actually need to be happy. You have to experiment and experience things first-hand to know for sure.
  • Don't box yourself in either. Being a certain type is a starting point, not an ending point. It's very possible to improve at your type's natural weaknesses and to practice skills that don't come as naturally to you.
  • Remember that other factors might be at play that make you seem like a type you're not. For example, autism is a heavily under-diagnosed neurotype. It can look totally different than the stereotypes you might imagine of a quiet, socially awkward person obsessed with a weird hobby (especially in women). Two traits commonly experienced by autistic people are (1) wanting to get away from their body and live in their head, and (2) having trouble identifying their feelings. As you can imagine, autistic people might therefore test as IxTx types even if they're not. Similarly, someone who grows up in a culture that celebrates any set of qualities might (consciously or unconsciously) emphasize those in themselves and thus test as a different type.
  • Your type says nothing about your level of maturity. An immature version of a type might look very different from a mature version. For example, I'm an ENTP. Every meme and stereotype portrays us as horrible people who mess with others, constantly argue, and don't understand empathy and feelings. Yes, many immature ENTP's have some of those attributes, but I was able to identify my clear weakness around feelings and I spent years working on it. Now, my work around counseling, coaching, and group facilitation is heavily reliant on the strengths I've developed in that area. In other words, I've turned my weakness into an asset because I can understand people struggling in that way and help them through it. You can do the same with your type's weaknesses.
  • Your type doesn't give you permission to be a jerk. It's not a good excuse to say, "I'm allowed to ignore other people's feelings because I'm a xxTJ" or "Sure I don't fulfill my responsibilities, but I'm an xxFP so you just have to accept that's who I am." Again, you can notice that your type tends to have certain weaknesses, and you can choose to either ignore them or do the hard work of addressing them.
  • I don't believe that your type can change over time. However, it is possible to increase your self-awareness and grow your weaknesses to such an extent that it might seem like you've become something else. The new type you arrive at might have actually been your true type all along. Or, maybe you've moved past the "online meme" version of your type to the more mature version that doesn't conform as well to the stereotypes.
  • Curious how neurodiversity and/or trauma might factor into type? I've written about that here.
  • As you can see, getting to the bottom of your type can require a lot of self-awareness and personal growth work. That's why I humbly suggest working with a knowledgeable coach like me.

P.S. You might want to bookmark this page or copy the current URL so you can come back to your results later. (Sorry, but if you contact me, I can't access your results for you.)

Which one sounds most like you?