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My True Type: Clarifying Your Personality Type, Preferences & Functions
[Alternate cover edition for ASIN: B00LKRXH8E]
It is hard to overstate the value and importance of knowing who you are. After all, who you understand yourself to be, your sense of self and identity, influences everything; it is the compass we use to navigate life. Your personality type is an integral part of who you are. Knowing and understanding your type (e.g., INFP) can bring confidence and direction in your life's path. But like countless others, you may be unsure of your true type, perhaps feeling “stuck in the middle” between two or three types.
My True Type was carefully researched and written to address these issues. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to clarify and better understand your personality type, preferences, and functions. If you really want to know yourself better and gain clarity in your life, this book is for you. Some of its main features include:
• Type Clarifier Assessment. This brand new personality inventory is composed of two parts. Part I is designed to clarify your personality preferences (E, I, S, N, T, F, J, P) , while Part II focuses on clarifying your functions (Se, Si, Ne, Ni, Te, Ti, Fe, Fi). Instructions are then provided for integrating these results in order to identify your true type.
• Numerous tips and strategies for identifying and clarifying your type
• In-depth analyses of each of the personality preferences and functions
• Identification of and explanations for common “mistypings” (e.g., introverts mistyping as extraverts, etc.)
• Clear explanations of type theory, including the nuts and bolts of the functional stack and how the preferences link up with the functions
The book also addresses a number of “frequently asked questions” such as:
• Can my personality type change over time?
• Is it possible to be an “x-type,” to have no true preference at all (e.g., ExFP)?
• Are some types (or functions) more “right-brained” or “left-brained?”
• How does gender affect personality type, especially T-F differences?
It is hard to overstate the value and importance of knowing who you are. After all, who you understand yourself to be, your sense of self and identity, influences everything; it is the compass we use to navigate life. Your personality type is an integral part of who you are. Knowing and understanding your type (e.g., INFP) can bring confidence and direction in your life's path. But like countless others, you may be unsure of your true type, perhaps feeling “stuck in the middle” between two or three types.
My True Type was carefully researched and written to address these issues. It will equip you with the knowledge and skills required to clarify and better understand your personality type, preferences, and functions. If you really want to know yourself better and gain clarity in your life, this book is for you. Some of its main features include:
• Type Clarifier Assessment. This brand new personality inventory is composed of two parts. Part I is designed to clarify your personality preferences (E, I, S, N, T, F, J, P) , while Part II focuses on clarifying your functions (Se, Si, Ne, Ni, Te, Ti, Fe, Fi). Instructions are then provided for integrating these results in order to identify your true type.
• Numerous tips and strategies for identifying and clarifying your type
• In-depth analyses of each of the personality preferences and functions
• Identification of and explanations for common “mistypings” (e.g., introverts mistyping as extraverts, etc.)
• Clear explanations of type theory, including the nuts and bolts of the functional stack and how the preferences link up with the functions
The book also addresses a number of “frequently asked questions” such as:
• Can my personality type change over time?
• Is it possible to be an “x-type,” to have no true preference at all (e.g., ExFP)?
• Are some types (or functions) more “right-brained” or “left-brained?”
• How does gender affect personality type, especially T-F differences?
175 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 5, 2014
123 people are currently reading
726 people want to read
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August 17, 2018
This is the most helpful book I've read about personality types, with clear, accessible explanations of each letter of the MBTI. It also helped me understand the "functional stack" for the first time.
Read
August 4, 2019It's hard to know where to start with this book, loaned to me by a colleague trained in the MBTI, who dabbles in visiting websites that purport to say something about personality type, usually an umbrella term for Jung's theory of psychological types, the theory's interpreter and measurer in Isabel Briggs Myers, and associated though non-Jungian ideas such as David Keirsey's temperaments or models like the ones proposed by Harold Grant and John Beebe, the last two's order of type preferences being a core part of this text, although neither appear referenced.
I should state at this point that I taught authorised courses on the MBTI and the MajorsPTi over a 20 year period and have researched written and presented in this area for over 25 years. This probably excludes me from the market for this book, which will become apparent anyway.
The author, who claims a doctorate without indicating the specialty, operates out of a site called personalityJunkie.com, where you can also compare INFJ with INFP, and INTJ with INTP, both of which i have looked at (my colleague prefers INFP). These comparisons have done the rounds with a selected very few people in a local type group, all formally qualified in type, to general astonishment and bewilderment i.e. much didn't make sense and much was simply incorrect, at least for this group. What I mean by that is that the presumptions of these documents may actually be compatible with a particular age and social group and particular behaviours, which are linked to those parameters. I couldn't find anyone of these 4 types to remotely agree with what was suggested, but maybe we're too old.
The above is intended as background to engaging with this book.
"Personality Type" for want of a better term, is one of those things where the basics appear very simple and so various kinds of people go online or get into print, so you can find the right type partner for a relationship for instance, a somewhat dubious activity which treats type labels as determinant of specific behaviours, not Jung's idea, or Isabel Myers, for that matter. Of course if you're writing a book on type, you don't necessarily have to be guided by the past.
Drenth gives some indication that the past has been consulted, with some interesting texts referenced, albeit a little scattered. Robert Kagan is listed as an author of a book by Jerome Kagan, unfortunately. There's a paragraph that comes from Jung, but otherwise what he says doesn't really make an appearance.
The author tells us that he was conflicted in his type until it was clarified for him and that he identifies as a writer, an important part of his life. This is obviously a good thing, but regrettably I found his style hard going which may be because there was much to disagree with, with particular behaviour claims and theoretical statements.
For instance he doesn't think Feeling has anything to do with values, notwithstanding the labelling system he's using claims that as a distinction between feeling-states (emotions) and feeling judgement. The book has a questionnaire at the end, notwithstanding he decries instruments and questionnaires (Jerome Kagan has a good argument on this and David Keirsey was also opposed, for different reasons, although he made up his own questionnaire to get his book published).
Looking at type questionnaires is an excellent way to find out how accurate they are. The Humanmetrics questionnaire for instance has clear biases that, if you know what you're looking for, exclude it as an accurate measure. The questionnaire in this book (also online) mentions emotion in more than one place, which on its own excludes it from credibility, at least as far as Jung, Myers and others are concerned. It's a fundamental. Some of the questions appear lifted from the MBTI, although they're general statements. To me hardly any of the statements are answerable. This may relate to a limited understanding of English, or that the sample group use this language. Introversion is also presented as pathological, which is interesting.
As I mentioned earlier, Drenth uses the order of functions introduced separately by Grant and Beebe, for their separate reasons. To me, an ourcome of using this model, which I don't think is the aim of the latter person is that personality is concretised and every function is conscious. This may not have been the intention of this author, but to me it comes out clearly in the text, making it more a behaviourist tome than anything else. The nuance of Jung and even Myers in her unpublished writing in particular is missed.
At this point I should acknowledge that I couldn't bring myself to finish the book: it became too stressful. Not only was my own type misrepresented (INTP) but the descriptions of the other types were mostly dubious and didn't reflect by any means the people I'd encountered and taught over the years in several countries and a broad range of ages and educational and work achievements. Of course I may be living in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I can't give this book a rating, sorry. I think it's misleading and inaccurate and should be rethought for the benefit of those who read such things. I'm sure the author and his entourage are not intending to deceive anyone and are honest in their enterprise, as they see it, but maybe they should use different labels and not claim to be associated with Jung, Myers et al.
It's several months since I looked at this book, but I dd look at it again for this review on the date indicated.
I should state at this point that I taught authorised courses on the MBTI and the MajorsPTi over a 20 year period and have researched written and presented in this area for over 25 years. This probably excludes me from the market for this book, which will become apparent anyway.
The author, who claims a doctorate without indicating the specialty, operates out of a site called personalityJunkie.com, where you can also compare INFJ with INFP, and INTJ with INTP, both of which i have looked at (my colleague prefers INFP). These comparisons have done the rounds with a selected very few people in a local type group, all formally qualified in type, to general astonishment and bewilderment i.e. much didn't make sense and much was simply incorrect, at least for this group. What I mean by that is that the presumptions of these documents may actually be compatible with a particular age and social group and particular behaviours, which are linked to those parameters. I couldn't find anyone of these 4 types to remotely agree with what was suggested, but maybe we're too old.
The above is intended as background to engaging with this book.
"Personality Type" for want of a better term, is one of those things where the basics appear very simple and so various kinds of people go online or get into print, so you can find the right type partner for a relationship for instance, a somewhat dubious activity which treats type labels as determinant of specific behaviours, not Jung's idea, or Isabel Myers, for that matter. Of course if you're writing a book on type, you don't necessarily have to be guided by the past.
Drenth gives some indication that the past has been consulted, with some interesting texts referenced, albeit a little scattered. Robert Kagan is listed as an author of a book by Jerome Kagan, unfortunately. There's a paragraph that comes from Jung, but otherwise what he says doesn't really make an appearance.
The author tells us that he was conflicted in his type until it was clarified for him and that he identifies as a writer, an important part of his life. This is obviously a good thing, but regrettably I found his style hard going which may be because there was much to disagree with, with particular behaviour claims and theoretical statements.
For instance he doesn't think Feeling has anything to do with values, notwithstanding the labelling system he's using claims that as a distinction between feeling-states (emotions) and feeling judgement. The book has a questionnaire at the end, notwithstanding he decries instruments and questionnaires (Jerome Kagan has a good argument on this and David Keirsey was also opposed, for different reasons, although he made up his own questionnaire to get his book published).
Looking at type questionnaires is an excellent way to find out how accurate they are. The Humanmetrics questionnaire for instance has clear biases that, if you know what you're looking for, exclude it as an accurate measure. The questionnaire in this book (also online) mentions emotion in more than one place, which on its own excludes it from credibility, at least as far as Jung, Myers and others are concerned. It's a fundamental. Some of the questions appear lifted from the MBTI, although they're general statements. To me hardly any of the statements are answerable. This may relate to a limited understanding of English, or that the sample group use this language. Introversion is also presented as pathological, which is interesting.
As I mentioned earlier, Drenth uses the order of functions introduced separately by Grant and Beebe, for their separate reasons. To me, an ourcome of using this model, which I don't think is the aim of the latter person is that personality is concretised and every function is conscious. This may not have been the intention of this author, but to me it comes out clearly in the text, making it more a behaviourist tome than anything else. The nuance of Jung and even Myers in her unpublished writing in particular is missed.
At this point I should acknowledge that I couldn't bring myself to finish the book: it became too stressful. Not only was my own type misrepresented (INTP) but the descriptions of the other types were mostly dubious and didn't reflect by any means the people I'd encountered and taught over the years in several countries and a broad range of ages and educational and work achievements. Of course I may be living in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I can't give this book a rating, sorry. I think it's misleading and inaccurate and should be rethought for the benefit of those who read such things. I'm sure the author and his entourage are not intending to deceive anyone and are honest in their enterprise, as they see it, but maybe they should use different labels and not claim to be associated with Jung, Myers et al.
It's several months since I looked at this book, but I dd look at it again for this review on the date indicated.
February 8, 2021
This book perfectly summarizes everything I’ve ever known about MBTI. I honestly wish someone has handed me this 6 years ago before I went down the rabbit hole. I can’t explain how much youth, time, and energy of mine has been wasted in the process of finding the correct information online.
Extrovert vs. Introvert:
I like how the author explains the way Extroverts differs from Introverts in the first stage of life. Extroverts would look elsewhere, interact with other people and work on public projects to find who they are, aka find their dominant function (since their dominant function is extroverted). While introverts would look inside themselves first, work on personal projects and hobbies (due to introverted dominant functions). The exception would be ENXPs (Ne-doms) since Ne is related to ideas, thus need less interaction with people and more with their subconscious mind. Another exception is ISXJs (Si-doms) since Si is related to cultural traditions and authorities, which needed more interaction with others to keep up with those values. To sum up, it means ENXPs are the most independent extroverts and ISXJs are the least independent introverts.
Book Review:
I would definitely pick this one up for a re-read every time I forget what’s the difference between Fi and Ni. The functions are very well-explained in this book with specific real-life examples (but I wish there are even more EXAMPLES!). Basically, this book provides one of the most detailed explanations I’ve ever read on cognitive functions and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning typology.
However, I still can’t completely grasp all the information yet. I honestly need a solution on how to stop my Ne mind from wandering when I’m reading. I find that I can never seem to remember how Fi and Ni exactly work due to the fact that I don’t possess those functions in my stacks. I find them so hard to understand that I would just skim right through them when I’m reading.
Ideal-day Theory:
Besides the amazing summary and explanation, there are quite a few bits of new and interesting information I learned in this book. One of the things I found most fascinating is the theory on how each type functions throughout the day. A colleague of the author theorizes that each type would move from its dominant function and eventually down to the inferior function throughout an ideal day. For me, as an INTP, I should engage in activities that activate my Ti and Ne in the morning. And then, eventually, wind down in the evening with Si and Fe activities like yoga, meditation and journaling. It explains so much why I feel exhausted when I exercise first thing in the morning (I’m not a Se-dom). According to this book, it works well that way because you are allowed to feed on your most important functions first. That would be a perfect day for each type if they get to function in that order.
As I’m still a high school student, I don’t get to move through my day as I wanted to (I have to stick to a strict schedule). I find subjects at school so boring and I never really learn anything. That’s why, I work on my Ti first thing after I went home in the evening (I do lots of researching on random subjects 🤧), to make up for the energy I lost at school. I rarely got time to move down to Ne on a regular day. I think I even use Si and Fe more than Ne, to perform routine tasks and to socialize at school. I’ve never really discovered what would constitute a perfect day for me. Even though I usually regard myself as a very self-aware person, there’s still so much I don’t know about myself. At this moment, I’m currently on holiday break and I’m trying to schedule my day as this book suggested. (Yes, I finished this book and I’m writing this review first thing in the morning.) I can tell you that this day is going great.
Life Update:
I can’t wait to go to university next year, where I’ll spend the majority of my time researching and developing ideas, which is basically Ti-ing and Ne-ing all day all year long. I’m going to major in Multimedia yum yum for those of you who are wondering. 😋 I’m still mad at the school system for providing general education that hampers individual growth. That’s 12 years of my life dude. Meanwhile, my Te-dom mom and her love for the orderly system still argue with me: “Those are basic knowledge you have to learn dear.” Yeah right, so basic that I still don’t even know how to build proper relationships with people and I’m turning 18. Guess where I have to learn that. Yup, with BOOKS!!! I learned how to socialize with books and YouTube videos, dear mummy. And also, how to read other’s emotions and body language with YouTube videos. 🤦🏿♀️ I realize I don’t even know how to open up to people and “vulnerability” is not even a word in my dictionary. I honestly fear for my future with those 12 years of education. I guess I’m lucky cause I haven’t ended up in therapy like some of my friends did. 🤷🏻♀️ I know some people are gifted enough to know how to form meaningful relationships on their own, but I’m just not one of them.
*still jealous of ESFJ and ESTJ for how their functions are so perfectly wired up for the school system* 🥲
*sometimes, I miss my old blog way too much. it's definitely dead now since I've abandoned it so long ago. I honestly want to return to blogging huhu. however, I'm lazy to start a new one since I have to attract followers from the beginning and start everything from scratch all over again :<*
Extrovert vs. Introvert:
I like how the author explains the way Extroverts differs from Introverts in the first stage of life. Extroverts would look elsewhere, interact with other people and work on public projects to find who they are, aka find their dominant function (since their dominant function is extroverted). While introverts would look inside themselves first, work on personal projects and hobbies (due to introverted dominant functions). The exception would be ENXPs (Ne-doms) since Ne is related to ideas, thus need less interaction with people and more with their subconscious mind. Another exception is ISXJs (Si-doms) since Si is related to cultural traditions and authorities, which needed more interaction with others to keep up with those values. To sum up, it means ENXPs are the most independent extroverts and ISXJs are the least independent introverts.
Book Review:
I would definitely pick this one up for a re-read every time I forget what’s the difference between Fi and Ni. The functions are very well-explained in this book with specific real-life examples (but I wish there are even more EXAMPLES!). Basically, this book provides one of the most detailed explanations I’ve ever read on cognitive functions and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in learning typology.
However, I still can’t completely grasp all the information yet. I honestly need a solution on how to stop my Ne mind from wandering when I’m reading. I find that I can never seem to remember how Fi and Ni exactly work due to the fact that I don’t possess those functions in my stacks. I find them so hard to understand that I would just skim right through them when I’m reading.
Ideal-day Theory:
Besides the amazing summary and explanation, there are quite a few bits of new and interesting information I learned in this book. One of the things I found most fascinating is the theory on how each type functions throughout the day. A colleague of the author theorizes that each type would move from its dominant function and eventually down to the inferior function throughout an ideal day. For me, as an INTP, I should engage in activities that activate my Ti and Ne in the morning. And then, eventually, wind down in the evening with Si and Fe activities like yoga, meditation and journaling. It explains so much why I feel exhausted when I exercise first thing in the morning (I’m not a Se-dom). According to this book, it works well that way because you are allowed to feed on your most important functions first. That would be a perfect day for each type if they get to function in that order.
As I’m still a high school student, I don’t get to move through my day as I wanted to (I have to stick to a strict schedule). I find subjects at school so boring and I never really learn anything. That’s why, I work on my Ti first thing after I went home in the evening (I do lots of researching on random subjects 🤧), to make up for the energy I lost at school. I rarely got time to move down to Ne on a regular day. I think I even use Si and Fe more than Ne, to perform routine tasks and to socialize at school. I’ve never really discovered what would constitute a perfect day for me. Even though I usually regard myself as a very self-aware person, there’s still so much I don’t know about myself. At this moment, I’m currently on holiday break and I’m trying to schedule my day as this book suggested. (Yes, I finished this book and I’m writing this review first thing in the morning.) I can tell you that this day is going great.
Life Update:
I can’t wait to go to university next year, where I’ll spend the majority of my time researching and developing ideas, which is basically Ti-ing and Ne-ing all day all year long. I’m going to major in Multimedia yum yum for those of you who are wondering. 😋 I’m still mad at the school system for providing general education that hampers individual growth. That’s 12 years of my life dude. Meanwhile, my Te-dom mom and her love for the orderly system still argue with me: “Those are basic knowledge you have to learn dear.” Yeah right, so basic that I still don’t even know how to build proper relationships with people and I’m turning 18. Guess where I have to learn that. Yup, with BOOKS!!! I learned how to socialize with books and YouTube videos, dear mummy. And also, how to read other’s emotions and body language with YouTube videos. 🤦🏿♀️ I realize I don’t even know how to open up to people and “vulnerability” is not even a word in my dictionary. I honestly fear for my future with those 12 years of education. I guess I’m lucky cause I haven’t ended up in therapy like some of my friends did. 🤷🏻♀️ I know some people are gifted enough to know how to form meaningful relationships on their own, but I’m just not one of them.
*still jealous of ESFJ and ESTJ for how their functions are so perfectly wired up for the school system* 🥲
*sometimes, I miss my old blog way too much. it's definitely dead now since I've abandoned it so long ago. I honestly want to return to blogging huhu. however, I'm lazy to start a new one since I have to attract followers from the beginning and start everything from scratch all over again :<*
August 15, 2014
This book was absolutely excellent. Really drills down into detailed explanations and helps you better clarify your MBTI type and your cognitive functions.
December 30, 2014
best book ever on clarifying Myers Briggs to a deeper level. not for utter beginners though.
full review to follow
full review to follow
February 2, 2015
excellent book covering the 8 jungian functions.
however, as English is not my native language, I struggled translating words.
however, as English is not my native language, I struggled translating words.
December 4, 2017
The sections explaining common mistyping errors are particularly useful.
Read
April 4, 2017Nice read to dig deeper beyond the basic 16 personalities according to Meyer-Briggs, understanding yourself even more by digging into the functional stacks.
June 5, 2018
It took me a long time to read this book, but you have to be in a certain frame of mind to absorb information--it's a more difficult place to get to than novel reading, at least for me.
I've always loved Myers-Briggs, objections be damned, and wrote a 30-page paper for my undergrad History of Psych class on Jungian personality typing.
I can't begin to say I've memorized all the info from this book even in a broad format, but I took a lot of notes and hopefully can look over things again sometime (the book, I got from the library). It was nice to examine the functions which is something I hadn't really looked into before. It was also fun to do the clarifier quizzes at the back--though I've known my type for years and years and always get the same result (ISTJ), I love doing questionnaires and examining myself for the questions they ask.
I've always loved Myers-Briggs, objections be damned, and wrote a 30-page paper for my undergrad History of Psych class on Jungian personality typing.
I can't begin to say I've memorized all the info from this book even in a broad format, but I took a lot of notes and hopefully can look over things again sometime (the book, I got from the library). It was nice to examine the functions which is something I hadn't really looked into before. It was also fun to do the clarifier quizzes at the back--though I've known my type for years and years and always get the same result (ISTJ), I love doing questionnaires and examining myself for the questions they ask.
June 29, 2018
This is an excellently written book.
Main stream media has picked up personality typing and unfortunately, has oversimplified it. I, for one, did not know about the orientation of functions. How, for example, feelers can differ greatly in how they experience feeling based on the stack position and orientation. Perhaps this is why I always have been uncomfortable about typing.
This book has made it easy to understand MBTI without compromising its nuances.
Great book for people who have little prior knowledge about typing like me.
Main stream media has picked up personality typing and unfortunately, has oversimplified it. I, for one, did not know about the orientation of functions. How, for example, feelers can differ greatly in how they experience feeling based on the stack position and orientation. Perhaps this is why I always have been uncomfortable about typing.
This book has made it easy to understand MBTI without compromising its nuances.
Great book for people who have little prior knowledge about typing like me.
July 27, 2018
Excellent summary of MBTI and the functional stack. Easy to read and sheds light on lots of nuances around personality typing. Must read if you want to understand yourself and/or others better.
February 20, 2019
I’ve read many books on MBTI, taken multiple typing tests, listened to podcasts that deep dive on personality type, spent hours browsing personality sites online, and yet I still questioned my type... until I found this book.
The author does a fantastic job of explaining why it is often difficult to type people correctly and offers multiple, clear strategies for accurate typing. Entire chapters are devoted to deep dives of each of the 4 dichotomies and 8 cognitive functions where the author provides not only the different elements and characteristics of each but also the reasons behind the most common mistypings and real life examples of how they present themselves in the world. Despite all of my previous research there was a lot of new information here.
When I first started learning about MBTI I knew nothing about the 8 cognitive functions but they are an incredibly important part of understanding the personality types. Understanding them helped me realize why I strongly relate to both sides of the N/S and T/F dichotomies. This book does a wonderful job of explaining them.
Included are two assessments: the Preference Clarifier (do you prefer E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P?) and the Function Clarifier (rank orders all 8 cognitive functions: Te, Ti, Fe, Fi, Ne, Ni, Se, Si). The author explains how to use the results of both assessments to clarify your MBTI type and does a fantastic job of explaining why they may not match up and why your preferred function order may not align with your cognitive function stack... an area that regularly tripped me up.
As an example, my function rankings from the assessment were Fi, Si, Ti, Ni, Te, Ne, Fe, Se... no wonder why traditional tests gave me even scores for N/S and F/T, each pair has the same average ranking! My extreme introversion also made it hard to recognize any of the extroverted traits in myself. From these results and the rest of the book I was able to piece together my type: ISTJ (Si, Te, Fi, Ne).
This book is my #1 resource and top recommendation for personality enthusiasts looking for clarification of their type and an explanation of the preferences and functions!
The author does a fantastic job of explaining why it is often difficult to type people correctly and offers multiple, clear strategies for accurate typing. Entire chapters are devoted to deep dives of each of the 4 dichotomies and 8 cognitive functions where the author provides not only the different elements and characteristics of each but also the reasons behind the most common mistypings and real life examples of how they present themselves in the world. Despite all of my previous research there was a lot of new information here.
When I first started learning about MBTI I knew nothing about the 8 cognitive functions but they are an incredibly important part of understanding the personality types. Understanding them helped me realize why I strongly relate to both sides of the N/S and T/F dichotomies. This book does a wonderful job of explaining them.
Included are two assessments: the Preference Clarifier (do you prefer E/I, S/N, T/F, J/P?) and the Function Clarifier (rank orders all 8 cognitive functions: Te, Ti, Fe, Fi, Ne, Ni, Se, Si). The author explains how to use the results of both assessments to clarify your MBTI type and does a fantastic job of explaining why they may not match up and why your preferred function order may not align with your cognitive function stack... an area that regularly tripped me up.
As an example, my function rankings from the assessment were Fi, Si, Ti, Ni, Te, Ne, Fe, Se... no wonder why traditional tests gave me even scores for N/S and F/T, each pair has the same average ranking! My extreme introversion also made it hard to recognize any of the extroverted traits in myself. From these results and the rest of the book I was able to piece together my type: ISTJ (Si, Te, Fi, Ne).
This book is my #1 resource and top recommendation for personality enthusiasts looking for clarification of their type and an explanation of the preferences and functions!
January 23, 2018
Summary: Guess what? not everyone thinks and behaves like you!!! :D ...After reading this i'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the MBTI/Jungian typology theories. I do however think there is some accuracy and that the theories are approaching an interesting model that is somewhat accurate. There is, in my opinion no denying the idea that different cognitive faculties exist that are aimed at perceiving, sensation, intuition, logical atunement, emotional atunement and such and there is also a layer of convergent vs divergent properties (introversion or extraversion) to some of the modalities. The part that I am highly skeptical about is the model that having a particular MBTI 4 letter configuration means that you have a set in stone cognitive stack that manifests itself only in that configuration. This assumes that one cognitive faculty shuts off the other which does make sense on the surface but also assumes that the repressed function is one you're doomed to never develop or it's one that is intrinsically "weaker" or underdeveloped. Also the interplay between all the different cognitive modes allows for a whole slew of interpretational bias ALONG with the fact that confirmation identity bias may occur when one identifies as an "INTP" as starts looking for evidence to back that up. It's a good theory nonetheless and it approaches personality in a much better fashion than do other tests like "the big 5" (IMO). Still worth looking into this as most people have noooo idea why other people don't think or act like them. It's actually pretty damn accurate I'm nitpicking a lot of the finer details and nuances but google MBTI!!
October 9, 2015
My True Type by A. J. Drenth is a solid explanation of Jungian typology.
The Good: This is the first book that makes personality typology stacks make sense to my brain! Good job, Drenth!
The Bad: I want to see how the functions function in auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior roles. I think that will be covered in his follow up, the 16 Types.
The Ugly: Myers-Briggs, after reading Jungian theory.
Love it. Will recommend it to friends interested in personality theory.
The Good: This is the first book that makes personality typology stacks make sense to my brain! Good job, Drenth!
The Bad: I want to see how the functions function in auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior roles. I think that will be covered in his follow up, the 16 Types.
The Ugly: Myers-Briggs, after reading Jungian theory.
Love it. Will recommend it to friends interested in personality theory.
June 25, 2016
Finally know my type!
I have taken the MBTI at least 10 times over the past 30 years. I have received results as diverse as INFP and ENFJ. None of the explanations and descriptions have ever rung true with me. Until now. After studying the functions, I understand myself! I took a comprehensive test to confirm what I discovered while studying. I am an ENFP. Thank you!
I have taken the MBTI at least 10 times over the past 30 years. I have received results as diverse as INFP and ENFJ. None of the explanations and descriptions have ever rung true with me. Until now. After studying the functions, I understand myself! I took a comprehensive test to confirm what I discovered while studying. I am an ENFP. Thank you!
March 7, 2018
Some people collect kitschy religious objects and use them to connect to a spiritual realm. Some people read self-help books and use them to convince themselves that they're going to turn their lives around. I read about personality type. What can I say: it's a sickness.
But in all seriousness, for some of us the Jungian/MBTI concept of personality is a revelation that on some level explains pretty much all of human behavior. I used to puzzled by why I loved to spend hours walking or doing simple manual labor in order to daydream--I mean develop my ideas--or why I could read "literature" and understand or excel at college testing it but fall apart at the DMV (my personal idea of hell, right up there with filling out forms will sitting at the hospital). But no more! All has been revealed to me, and it could be to you if you would just accept the True Teachings.
Funnily enough, those of us who feel that way seem to be of the same personality types as the people who created the idea, namely, INFPs, INFJs, and the occasional (but influential) INTP. Which suggests that the tests and the concepts behind them are describing something real, however skeptical those who are of the types who are predicted not to believe in the idea--and who often don't--might be.
Anyway, "My True Type" is aimed at people who already have a basic concept of the MBTI types, and want to dig a little deeper into the functions. Like a lot of books of its type (haha), namely, the popular non-fiction/self-help genre, it's short and simple and easy to read. Jung was a thinker of astonishing depth and erudition who synthesized massive amounts of information to create a theory that is almost as impenetrable to the casual reader as it is enlightening to the determined reader who wishes to wade through it. Those who have followed in his footsteps in order to create and refine the MBTI have taken his complex theories and adapted them for popular consumption, and this book is no different. As an introduction and discussion to the functions it's simple yet comprehensive, although it may seem a little light for the reader hungering for meatier fare.
However, it's a very enjoyable read (if you like that kind of thing), and it includes what for me were some genuinely fascinating insights. It focuses a lot on the dominant-inferior function struggle, something that interests me greatly and that once again I am using to gain a greater understanding of my authors and the inherent tensions in their works. Are they Fi types struggling to resolve the conflict between Fi (internal, personal morals and values) and Te (external, impersonal systems and rules), like, I would argue, Politkovskaya and Alexievich? Or are they Ni (symbolic vision and deep insights) types trying to embody their visions in an Se (physical reality) medium, like, I submit, Prilepin? "My True Type" goes into a fair amount of detail about those kinds of conflicts, which is helpful if you are struggling to grasp your real type. Because let's face it, the critics of the MBTI are absolutely in saying that a yes-no questionnaire is not an infallible instrument for capturing who YOU really are. But thinking about the central conflicts and tensions of your inner self probably is.
The book also contains some interesting insights about the work processes and behaviors of some of the different basic divisions, dividing them into EJ and IP, who (much as they might hate to admit it) have much in common, and EP and IJ (ditto). There's a short but interesting discussion about how EJ/IP types, as dominant Judging types, tend to not have a problem starting projects, but then have to work in a diffuse, seemingly random style as they take their basic idea through their Perceiving functions, which can derail them, while EP and IJ types can have trouble sorting through all their dominant Perceiving options and getting started on projects (I know that's a problem for me), but then once they begin, they tend to finish their projects swiftly and decisively (also true for me). A very helpful thing to know when trying to do projects either on your own or with other people, and important to keep in mind when giving other people suggestions or directions on how to work. I know my IP colleagues, who are legion (universities are full of them) are always in a sweat to get started on projects and have badgered me in the past about my foot-dragging to get started, while I as an IJ struggle to keep from screaming, "JUST FINISH THE DANG THING! JUST FINISH IT!!!!! WHY DID YOU START IF YOU WEREN'T READY TO FINISH IT????? AGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"
Okay, venting session over :) But you see my point: a knowledge of type can be very useful for starting and completing projects. All the advice about working creatively that is obviously generated by and for NP and EF types (brainstorming, outlining, collaboration, reworking and revising, etc. etc.) seems anathema to me, while my IJ work process (think, think, think, worry, stress, feel like a failure, think some more, then JUST DO IT!!!!!) is apparently not as universally applicable as I used to think.
So in short, if you're interested in personality type and especially in the functions, this is a nice, readable, interesting addition to the genre.
But in all seriousness, for some of us the Jungian/MBTI concept of personality is a revelation that on some level explains pretty much all of human behavior. I used to puzzled by why I loved to spend hours walking or doing simple manual labor in order to daydream--I mean develop my ideas--or why I could read "literature" and understand or excel at college testing it but fall apart at the DMV (my personal idea of hell, right up there with filling out forms will sitting at the hospital). But no more! All has been revealed to me, and it could be to you if you would just accept the True Teachings.
Funnily enough, those of us who feel that way seem to be of the same personality types as the people who created the idea, namely, INFPs, INFJs, and the occasional (but influential) INTP. Which suggests that the tests and the concepts behind them are describing something real, however skeptical those who are of the types who are predicted not to believe in the idea--and who often don't--might be.
Anyway, "My True Type" is aimed at people who already have a basic concept of the MBTI types, and want to dig a little deeper into the functions. Like a lot of books of its type (haha), namely, the popular non-fiction/self-help genre, it's short and simple and easy to read. Jung was a thinker of astonishing depth and erudition who synthesized massive amounts of information to create a theory that is almost as impenetrable to the casual reader as it is enlightening to the determined reader who wishes to wade through it. Those who have followed in his footsteps in order to create and refine the MBTI have taken his complex theories and adapted them for popular consumption, and this book is no different. As an introduction and discussion to the functions it's simple yet comprehensive, although it may seem a little light for the reader hungering for meatier fare.
However, it's a very enjoyable read (if you like that kind of thing), and it includes what for me were some genuinely fascinating insights. It focuses a lot on the dominant-inferior function struggle, something that interests me greatly and that once again I am using to gain a greater understanding of my authors and the inherent tensions in their works. Are they Fi types struggling to resolve the conflict between Fi (internal, personal morals and values) and Te (external, impersonal systems and rules), like, I would argue, Politkovskaya and Alexievich? Or are they Ni (symbolic vision and deep insights) types trying to embody their visions in an Se (physical reality) medium, like, I submit, Prilepin? "My True Type" goes into a fair amount of detail about those kinds of conflicts, which is helpful if you are struggling to grasp your real type. Because let's face it, the critics of the MBTI are absolutely in saying that a yes-no questionnaire is not an infallible instrument for capturing who YOU really are. But thinking about the central conflicts and tensions of your inner self probably is.
The book also contains some interesting insights about the work processes and behaviors of some of the different basic divisions, dividing them into EJ and IP, who (much as they might hate to admit it) have much in common, and EP and IJ (ditto). There's a short but interesting discussion about how EJ/IP types, as dominant Judging types, tend to not have a problem starting projects, but then have to work in a diffuse, seemingly random style as they take their basic idea through their Perceiving functions, which can derail them, while EP and IJ types can have trouble sorting through all their dominant Perceiving options and getting started on projects (I know that's a problem for me), but then once they begin, they tend to finish their projects swiftly and decisively (also true for me). A very helpful thing to know when trying to do projects either on your own or with other people, and important to keep in mind when giving other people suggestions or directions on how to work. I know my IP colleagues, who are legion (universities are full of them) are always in a sweat to get started on projects and have badgered me in the past about my foot-dragging to get started, while I as an IJ struggle to keep from screaming, "JUST FINISH THE DANG THING! JUST FINISH IT!!!!! WHY DID YOU START IF YOU WEREN'T READY TO FINISH IT????? AGGGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"
Okay, venting session over :) But you see my point: a knowledge of type can be very useful for starting and completing projects. All the advice about working creatively that is obviously generated by and for NP and EF types (brainstorming, outlining, collaboration, reworking and revising, etc. etc.) seems anathema to me, while my IJ work process (think, think, think, worry, stress, feel like a failure, think some more, then JUST DO IT!!!!!) is apparently not as universally applicable as I used to think.
So in short, if you're interested in personality type and especially in the functions, this is a nice, readable, interesting addition to the genre.
September 3, 2014
Very helpful in helping me understand some things about the MBTI I was uncertain about.
September 22, 2014
Anyone unsure of his or her MBTI type or just interested in typology in general should consider reading this.
November 24, 2019
An interesting speculative work on MBTI psychology. It doesn't come remotely close to delivering on the promise of the title, but Drenth's writing on the different functions and preferences outlined in Myers-Briggs is illuminating. More of an intermediate introduction to the topic than a self-typing book.
Implicit in the text of the book is the idea that we should be coming to understand our types through introspection, using tests only as a supplementary tool. This is probably true, but it's also an admission of the weakness of MBTI tests. To the extent that introspection is a better tool than testing, it's highly dependent on the interest, intelligence, and self-awareness of those doing the introspection. As a result, this will probably be less helpful than a standard test for the majority of potential readers.
Recommended for people trying to get clarification on what the MBTI function assignments mean, or INTPs who like Drenth's other work. Others would be better off just taking a Buzzfeed quiz.
Implicit in the text of the book is the idea that we should be coming to understand our types through introspection, using tests only as a supplementary tool. This is probably true, but it's also an admission of the weakness of MBTI tests. To the extent that introspection is a better tool than testing, it's highly dependent on the interest, intelligence, and self-awareness of those doing the introspection. As a result, this will probably be less helpful than a standard test for the majority of potential readers.
Recommended for people trying to get clarification on what the MBTI function assignments mean, or INTPs who like Drenth's other work. Others would be better off just taking a Buzzfeed quiz.
January 24, 2022
Well, it made me realize that my Ne is higher than my Si. Actually, everything that this book said about Ne made me feel embarrassed because I related painfully to it.
However, I'm still unsure about if I'm in the Fe-Ti axis or the Fi-Te axis since I can relate to both, Fe and Fi (tho maybe after this book I relate more to Fi), and then I relate to Ti.
But anyway, it was good because it explained well the 8 cognitive functions without stereotypes, although I didn't like two things about this book:
1) That link together genders with cognitive functions as if genders weren't a social construction.
2) Its mini test to figure out our 4 letters because it basically ignores cognitive functions and tells you a MBTI based on dichotomies that it's most likely to not to match with your actual type. For example, it gave me INFJ (aka an Ni dom with inf Se) and I've known for long that I'm in the Ne-Si axis rather than the Ni-Se axis, so I can't be an INFJ.
However, I'm still unsure about if I'm in the Fe-Ti axis or the Fi-Te axis since I can relate to both, Fe and Fi (tho maybe after this book I relate more to Fi), and then I relate to Ti.
But anyway, it was good because it explained well the 8 cognitive functions without stereotypes, although I didn't like two things about this book:
1) That link together genders with cognitive functions as if genders weren't a social construction.
2) Its mini test to figure out our 4 letters because it basically ignores cognitive functions and tells you a MBTI based on dichotomies that it's most likely to not to match with your actual type. For example, it gave me INFJ (aka an Ni dom with inf Se) and I've known for long that I'm in the Ne-Si axis rather than the Ni-Se axis, so I can't be an INFJ.
November 11, 2022
This was amazing, I definitely learned a lot with this book and deepened my knowledge of what I already knew. I don't have much to say, but as an INTP it felt nice reading all the characteristics from the perspective of another INTP, and I can say I will be reading his others books. This really helped me understand the things I was still confused about and I'm glad I started with this book.
While reading I related to most INTP characteristics and even compared the other types' characteristics to my friends, trying to see where they fit the best and it was very fun.
And also both tests at the end giving me INTP and Ti-Ne-Si-Fe, with Ti as 1, Ne as 2, Si as 5 and Fe as 8 made me really happy and glad that I'm finally starting to understand my self better and have some random letters to prove it.
While reading I related to most INTP characteristics and even compared the other types' characteristics to my friends, trying to see where they fit the best and it was very fun.
And also both tests at the end giving me INTP and Ti-Ne-Si-Fe, with Ti as 1, Ne as 2, Si as 5 and Fe as 8 made me really happy and glad that I'm finally starting to understand my self better and have some random letters to prove it.
November 26, 2021
My Mbti Letters make sense now
This book was a great way to understand what I scored on the official test. It is very interesting and down to Earth. You do not need a Psych Degree to understand it. Great work!
This book was a great way to understand what I scored on the official test. It is very interesting and down to Earth. You do not need a Psych Degree to understand it. Great work!
October 17, 2022
I'm trying desperately to keep up with my 16yo who has become quite the armchair expert on MBTI and the Jung functions etc in the last 12 months. I'm still not fluent in all this stuff but I can keep up a little bitter now after reading this book.
January 7, 2020
It does not present a novel ideal and instead summarizes the previous research.
June 5, 2020
Excellent book.
July 28, 2020
refunded it on Amazon after I saw how shallow the cognitive function descriptions were, like from a bad website on the Internet
July 26, 2021
I'm giving this book 5 stars for keeping me engaged THROUGHOUT and for the plethora of information shared, especially for a beginner to MBTI like me. Love me a value-packed book.
December 13, 2021
I thought it would have more details, but it was just a review for the theory.
February 7, 2022
Wow, this is a game-changer! I like how Jung's theory and the Myers-Brigg combine to clarify what my personality type means. It clarifies my strengths and weakness. Love!
September 6, 2022
This book has a clear breakdown of N vs S and P vs J, the two more confusing dichotomies of the four. The breakdown of the 8 functions is also helpful.
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