' IDRlabs – Page 23 – Individual Differences Research

Articles

Why Steve Jobs is ISTP

By Guilherme Varela with additions by Ryan Smith When assessing someone’s type we must be vigilant not to mistake the contents of their psychic functions for the psychic functions themselves. That is probably the number one mistake that is made by people who attempt to type by the functions. They view them as behavioral traits,[…] Continue Reading

Jung in Plain Language, Part 1: Te and Ti

By Ryan Smith As with all functions, there are two types of Thinking: Te and Ti. One is fed from unconscious premises, governed by what is important to the individual (Ti), and one is fed from external data and direct sense-perception (Te). Extroverted functions are oriented to external data and to cognizing external data objectively,[…] Continue Reading

Three Reasons Slavoj Zizek Is Not INTJ

Email: I noticed you listed Zizek as ENTP but he seems much more INTJ. First, his prime function is overwhelmingly Ni. Ni starts with a goal or problem in mind and then works backwards to determine the most effective way to unite all the different interpretations of that problem into the most effective plan of[…] Continue Reading

Te, Fi, and Fe as Social Functions

Jesse Gerroir is contributing guest writer for CelebrityTypes. As always with guest writers on the site, Gerroir’s piece represents his own insights and type assessments and not necessarily those of the site. Still, we very much enjoy his work and are pleased to be able to share it with our visitors. By Jesse Gerroir Fe is often[…] Continue Reading

Feeling as a Rational Function

By Jesse Gerroir Within the field of Jungian typology, Feeling and emotion are often thought to be same thing. While the best literature is careful not to confuse the two, I find that a lot of beginners, and even those more read, tend to be confused about what exactly is meant by Feeling within the[…] Continue Reading

Review of ‘Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy’ by Antoine Panaioti

Antoine Panaioti: Nietzsche and Buddhist Philosophy Cambridge University Press, 2013 Review by Ryan Smith  “I could become the Buddha of Europe … though frankly, I would be the antipode of the Indian Buddha.” – Nietzsche Inquiries aiming to compare Buddhism to Nietzsche’s thought have for some time abounded on the fringes of the academic landscape,[…] Continue Reading

Why Bill Clinton is ESFP (and not ENFP)

We recently received an email suggesting that Bill Clinton is ENFP, rather than ESFP. Our correspondent submitted the following  arguments to us: The ESFP was called “the Performer” by Myers, and ESFPs often play the clown. Clinton has a stellar academic record and is very intelligent. Clinton cares about the world, and such global consideration[…] Continue Reading

Why Aristotle Is ENTJ

“With Aristotle … a new cultural type was born, a model of the wise man different from that of his predecessors, and especially different from the sages.” – Carlo Natali: Aristotle: His Life and School, Princeton University Press 2013 ed., p. 2 By Ryan Smith To our knowledge, we were the first to assess Aristotle[…] Continue Reading

Did Keirsey Understand Plato?

“Plato had written in The Republic of four kinds of character which clearly corresponded with the four temperaments.” – David Keirsey, Please Understand Me II, Prometheus 1998 ed., p. 23 In Please Understand Me II, David Keirsey posits that Plato had four personality types in his Republic, each corresponding to a ‘temperament’: Artisans (SP), Guardians[…] Continue Reading