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I found it to be surprisingly accurate for myself. I never took the official quiz but I usually come out as either an INTP or INTJ. It seems that last slot is a

I found it to be surprisingly accurate for myself. I never took the official quiz but I usually come out as either an INTP or INTJ. It seems that last slot is a close call for me. After reading over both types, INTP is the most accurate. I think it's up to most people to find where they best "fit" and that will be more difficult for each "category" for lack of a better word if they aren't definitively one way or the other. So knowing that, now what? Well, I've tried using it to understand the general process of how others think and better understand how I myself think. I'm prone to introspection and I do find that many of the attributes of the INTP match my own personality. It gives me a handle on what sorts of things I should watch out for and helps me to recognize why I tend to do better in some areas. I think like any tool it's success will depend largely on how it's used.

hop 17y ago
Well said. There was a poll here a while ago, something like 75% of the people that responded on HN had NT in commmon - it can obviously help identify technical people. 90% of CS majors at my college were intj. From a sky high view, it's been very good to help see how other people think - especially emotionally vs logically and organized vs disorganized. And every other ENTP I've met had damn similar thinking and habits as myself.
- tokenadult 17y ago
  it can obviously help identify technical people I would rather have my son, an aspiring programmer, be identified by his coding skills. EDIT TO REPLY TO BELOW: My son got into programming by programming. In that sense, I am NOT technical (as my HN profile should make sufficiently clear). I'm a lot more learned in psychology than in computer science, and that is precisely why I distrust the Myers-Briggs, because it has never been properly validated.
  - deleted 17y ago
    [deleted]
  - ryanelkins 17y ago
    Coming from a technical family (as I assume you are technical) it's probably easier to get him in to some of those things. For younger people who perhaps don't have the same level of guidance from an adult it can be useful to identify areas or professions that they may not have considered or even been aware of. I remember when I first started programming - I tried it out because it seemed interesting. I realized something was different when I was completing week long assignments in 20 minutes and watched everyone else really struggle. Sometimes people need whatever help they can get in finding some direction. If they aren't fortunate to have a person or environment to guide them something like a website with information about the MBTI can be a rough substitute.
mturmon 17y ago
Related: "Caring for Your Introvert" http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch

hop 17y ago

Well said. There was a poll here a while ago, something like 75% of the people that responded on HN had NT in commmon - it can obviously help identify technical people. 90% of CS majors at my college were intj. From a sky high view, it's been very good to help see how other people think - especially emotionally vs logically and organized vs disorganized. And every other ENTP I've met had damn similar thinking and habits as myself.

tokenadult 17y ago
it can obviously help identify technical people I would rather have my son, an aspiring programmer, be identified by his coding skills. EDIT TO REPLY TO BELOW: My son got into programming by programming. In that sense, I am NOT technical (as my HN profile should make sufficiently clear). I'm a lot more learned in psychology than in computer science, and that is precisely why I distrust the Myers-Briggs, because it has never been properly validated.
- deleted 17y ago
  [deleted]
- ryanelkins 17y ago
  Coming from a technical family (as I assume you are technical) it's probably easier to get him in to some of those things. For younger people who perhaps don't have the same level of guidance from an adult it can be useful to identify areas or professions that they may not have considered or even been aware of. I remember when I first started programming - I tried it out because it seemed interesting. I realized something was different when I was completing week long assignments in 20 minutes and watched everyone else really struggle. Sometimes people need whatever help they can get in finding some direction. If they aren't fortunate to have a person or environment to guide them something like a website with information about the MBTI can be a rough substitute.

mturmon 17y ago

Related: "Caring for Your Introvert" http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200303/rauch