Clues regarding my type/SEI-Fe, ESE, IEI-Fe, EIE, EII, or other)

[mikesilb]

Clues regarding my type (SEI-Fe, ESE, IEI-Fe, EIE, EII, or other?)

1. I most likely favor . (I care very much over the general moods, happiness, satisfaction of others. I tend to people-please [but not necessarily in a giver/subservient kind of way])

2. I most likely have in either the leading position or the creative position. (I tend to adapt to the moods/feelings/statements of others, rather than try to modify others' emotions [unless they are pissed off at me and I want to make up with them]. I accommodate the general mood of the environment/surroundings rather than proactively setting the emotional tone. Hence, I think that I am likely -creative.)

3. Most likely an introverted type (albeit a more expressive introverted type)

4. I tend to think that I fit under the alpha quadra most easily. I try to keep things friendly, cordial, positive, dynamic, etc. If I was a betting man, I would probably say either alpha or delta (with alpha having the edge).

5. I considered myself an Myers-Briggs INFP. I definitely fit the NF temperament (at least Myers Briggs-Keirsey-wise).

6. I am very comfy in the world, and as a scientist/science teacher, I can totally understand the theorizing of and types. However, I am too feeling-based to pass into the NT domain.

7. I have a funny relationship with . On one hand, I love to indulge in areas of pleasure and enjoyment that involve the senses (and hence, I probably value over the more take-charge ). I also like an environment that is very relaxing and laid back in general. On the other hand, I always thought of myself as being more N-like and in the world of theories and ideas rather than the senses. I also do not feel as in touch moment-to-moment with the needs of my body, as I'd rather remain 'in my head' regarding whatever interesting is captivating my attention. If I had a better relationship to , I would obviously say that I am an SEI, but I find this point to be the tricky one in terms of having me pin down SEI.

8. The beta quadra (in terms of testing IEI or EIE) appears to be more focused on groups and on really dramatic behavior. While I can have a flair for the dramatic, I tend to focus more on friendliness, and being accommodating/receptive/sensitive to others. So this is why I thought SEI over IEI.

9. Regarding /, I definitely do not favor the 'get moving' flavor of . I don't like to dominate others (unless I am forced to or have to), and I'd rather keep things respectful and free-flowing. I also feel that there is an imaginative, passive, dreamy side to /the IEI that doesn't fit me that well. I would likely favor / over /.

10. While I can relate to , I tend to think that this people-pleasing/accommodating nature that I have is speaking more from an angle. I also feel that I am more emotionally open person in the sense that my emotional reactions to things are easily apparent. I would make a terrible poker player (in terms of reading my facial reactions) and I feel that to be really authentic, I need to let people know where I am generally coming from and how I genuinely feel.

11. I feel like a pseudo-LII or a pseudo-ILE in the sense that I want to be a top notch thinker and scientist. However, again, in my case feeling trumps thinking (even though I have a Ph.D. in bioinformatics/biochemistry) and I tend to think that I am too emotive to be an alpha-NT type. However, I love the type of thinking, experimenting, researching, and theorizing that these types like to do.

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What's your best guess for my type?

1) SEI with a subtype
2) IEI with a subtype
3) ESE
4) EIE
5) EII with a likely subtype?
6) IEE
7) LII
8) ILE

Looking forward to your feedback!

[willekeurig]

I suck at online typing, but..

Do you think IEE would be completely unlikely? Quite a few IEEs I know are very curious people and have the sort of researcher mentality you described - I happen to know two that are studying science in university, and two that aren't but are definitely interested and read a lot of books/articles on the topic and like to discuss them etc. Most IEEs are also very people-oriented and pay great attention to the moods of others and like to help them out (e.g. by making up new ideas, talking about potentials, showing empathy, etc..) I don't think having apparent emotional reactions to things or clear facial expressions or whatever is necessarily exclusively a Fe thing. A lot of EP people are like that imo, especially EXFp:s.

My other guess would be EII-Ne, mainly because I can relate to a lot of what you said. The "paying great attention on general moods" is the only one that doesn't quite fit, but then again I'm so-last and a social phobic and not every EII is like that. I know one that was such a people person and had so many Fe like traits/habits that I mistyped him as ESE for quite a while.. He's also a scientist, btw. Ne-EIIs are supposed to be better at Ti and therefore closer to LIIs/NT club than Fi-EIIs, so that could maybe explain the "pseudo-LII" feeling?

[Radio]

I feel kind of bad that your thread only has one response so here's another one.

If everything about Alpha + SEI fits then what's wrong with that typing?

[mikesilb]

I feel kind of bad that your thread only has one response so here's another one.

If everything about Alpha + SEI fits then what's wrong with that typing?

The thing that seems fishy is point #7 in the post above. I have some degree of doubts that is high enough to be part of my Ego Block.

Yes, everything fits very well, and I might just have to chalk it up to the fact that I am the subtype of SEI. However there is something about the relationship to that I question whether it is sufficient enough to clinch SEI.

Likewise, I feel similarly about that I am not sure if IEI or the beta quadra style is correct either.

Hence, unless I can be convinced that I have enough of a relationship to (in terms of health, body-based stuff, in sort of the manner that the self-preservation instinct [Enneagram] describes [in which I am an so/sx, and hence self-pres issues are focused on the least], I wonder if SEI is not right).

This is the reason why I started this topic. Hope this helps clarify things.

[Cuddly McFluffles]

The thing that seems fishy is point #7 in the post above. I have some degree of doubts that is high enough to be part of my Ego Block.

Yes, everything fits very well, and I might just have to chalk it up to the fact that I am the subtype of SEI. However there is something about the relationship to that I question whether it is sufficient enough to clinch SEI.

Likewise, I feel similarly about that I am not sure if IEI or the beta quadra style is correct either.

Hence, unless I can be convinced that I have enough of a relationship to (in terms of health, body-based stuff, in sort of the manner that the self-preservation instinct [Enneagram] describes [in which I am an so/sx, and hence self-pres issues are focused on the least], I wonder if SEI is not right).

This is the reason why I started this topic. Hope this helps clarify things.

Could you expand upon your relationship to ? Valuing rest and relaxation doesn't have to mean you're ego. My understanding of is that it knows how it feels and what causes it, and it moves to correct those imbalances.

To give a personal example, I am probably hypoglycemic, of the non-diabetic variety; I haven't done the fasting test, but I have been diagnosed, and the symptoms are there. I've actually had the symptoms for years, but the diagnosis helps me put a name to some of these reactions (ie I now know that feeling crappy and unfocused is due to my blood sugar dropping). Anyway... With years of experience, I have been able to understand that certain sensations (feeling weak), certain moods (being irritable and lacking the will to focus), even certain cravings (especially sugar) are signs of my needing food. I also know that I will usually regret consuming high amounts of concentrated sugar, especially on an empty stomach. I'm still learning some of those signals; for example, I can be very tired and then eat something, only to feel much better and realize that it was probably my blood sugar. (I'm still amazed, amused, and irritated by this.)

With all of this said, I still may put off eating when my blood sugar is low. I still have more sugar than I should, even when I know I'll regret it later. I don't attempt to preserve my health when I know it's going downhill (unless I have to work, in which case I can't afford to be sick). To me, this is a good example of weak . I have some grasp on what my body's doing and why, but that doesn't mean I will move to fix it, especially in a timely fashion. There are other examples I could use, but I won't clog your thread.

[mikesilb]

I suck at online typing, but..

Do you think IEE would be completely unlikely? Quite a few IEEs I know are very curious people and have the sort of researcher mentality you described - I happen to know two that are studying science in university, and two that aren't but are definitely interested and read a lot of books/articles on the topic and like to discuss them etc. Most IEEs are also very people-oriented and pay great attention to the moods of others and like to help them out (e.g. by making up new ideas, talking about potentials, showing empathy, etc..) I don't think having apparent emotional reactions to things or clear facial expressions or whatever is necessarily exclusively a Fe thing. A lot of EP people are like that imo, especially EXFp:s.

My other guess would be EII-Ne, mainly because I can relate to a lot of what you said. The "paying great attention on general moods" is the only one that doesn't quite fit, but then again I'm so-last and a social phobic and not every EII is like that. I know one that was such a people person and had so many Fe like traits/habits that I mistyped him as ESE for quite a while.. He's also a scientist, btw. Ne-EIIs are supposed to be better at Ti and therefore closer to LIIs/NT club than Fi-EIIs, so that could maybe explain the "pseudo-LII" feeling?

Thank you for such an interesting set of possibilities (no pun intended even though is the focus of these two types). I definitely think that if it turns out that > , then I have to shift to the delta-NF types.

Ironically, the EII- type was the type that I kinda left as my most likely type (and took a two yr hiatus from Socionics). The problem that I still see is that I feel more expressive than what is all about. While I care big time about loyalty and other concerns, I think that my more typical interaction each day involves ways to create an -resonance between the signals that I am receiving from other people and how I adapt to emit a counter-signal that is in harmony with the initial signal. Sometimes, I actually think that I am too emotionally weak (i.e., lacking a backbone) to stand up to injustices and to do the kind of stuff that 's can do. I tend to go with the flow (of my environment) a bit too much to step back and fight for the type of injustice that might go on around me (or might directly happen to me). This is why there is a part of me that thinks that is not right for me...that I am too much affected and swayed by what another person does and that I need to adapt to that more than anything else. This is why even though I am an MBTI INFP and even though in the past I thought of myself as an EII, somewhere...somehow, I feel a bit different in perhaps an IP'ish kind of way. (While my internal work ethic might be IJ-ish, the way that I use the Feeling function is more adaptive than steady/strong).

In the same light, I have to look at IEE, and here, I almost face the exact opposite scenario as I felt about the EII description. Here I feel that I am less prone to constantly look at every option and opportunity that is out there (in true fashion). In fact, I almost feel that I can only go so far in using and then I actually burn out. It is hard for me to think of 5-10 alternative options and possibilities. While I can certainly think of new ideas, I have trouble keeping that idea-generating phase up for an extended amount of time. I love the world of the -dominant in that I love the act of brainstorming and looking for novel connections. The problem is that I don't think that I do this as sharply as other people might do. A part of me would love to be kinda like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, or some other idea generator. The problem is that I feel almost overwhelmed by the sheer speed by which other people can think of new ideas on the fly...much faster than I could ever do it. If anything, I feel more capable of being the supporter of such an idea generator. I can hear that person's idea out and say that the idea is cool, etc. It is almost as if I can be a 'Robin' for their 'Batman'. I can certainly play the role of a loyal sidekick.

I really want to look objectively at the two delta NF types, and I find it kinda tricky to see enough of a connection to pick those types. Maybe there are parts of the EII and IEE that I am not getting clearly...and if I did get them, I could leverage my way to see myself as that type. Right now, I am finding it a bit challenging to see.

Again, the way to bring me more towards this pattern is to make me realize that I am actually more dominantly than . But right now, there is something about and more specifically, the adaptive, accommodating nature of an -creative that still sounds quite right to me.

I have to thank you for such an interesting possibility, however. If SEI or IEI does not pass the litmus test in the next few days, I will have to definitely revisit the delta-NF road.

[mikesilb]

Could you expand upon your relationship to ? Valuing rest and relaxation doesn't have to mean you're ego. My understanding of is that it knows how it feels and what causes it, and it moves to correct those imbalances.

I think that this question that you wrote above is certainly the key question that I need to reckon with in terms of figuring out whether SEI makes sense or does not make sense.

I think that to address this, I should as a question of clarification. (Anyone can answer this one...):

Is loving/craving or hating/avoiding a sensory-based activity or sensation an appropriate usage of ??

Here's an example: Spicy food.

I love spicy food. I crave spicy food. I love the sensations that take me to my absolute sensory limits. I relish/anticipate the activity of going to a nice Indian or Thai restaurant and totally indulging my senses with a spicy dish. In fact, to expand on this, I love Indian restaurants because I feel that my palate is going to be filled with every possible sensation and type of food...sweet, spicy, soothing, etc. To me, the concept of indulging with purely awesome food (however subjectively I define it) is something that excites me. I don't care if people think that I am eating food that may not be ideal for my health..I'd rather savor the moment and love the food and the experience that I am immersed in.

I am also the same about a lot of other sensory activities - a hot tub experience, a nice massage, a relaxing nature hike, aromatherapy-based bubble baths, hearing my favorite Rock band play the most amazing music (Note those three guys to the left of this post! ), the whiff of a coffee cup filled with an amazing coffee, a light-flavored Pinot Noir, even a very sensual sexual/erotic experience. All this is something that I can enjoy and savor. This is how works for me.


Now, the way that does not work for me is a bit different:
While at times, I might try to conserve my energy or seek some solitude so that I have more of relaxing space to do whatever I might want/need to do, the truth of the matter is that I do not tend to think initially about how a certain activity would or would not affect my health or my body. I also am more about engaging with the sensory experience rather than being more self-contained in fear that my body would be adversely affected by the experience.

A great example (of the above): Temperature.
My wife will report tomorrow's weather every night to me. I listen but almost half-heartedly since I almost feel that I could cope with whatever temperature it happens to be and that I can simply adapt to the conditions outside as necessary. She, on the other hand, needs to prepare for the weather by preparing the appropriate clothes, etc. I play a much more spontaneous role with regards to the temperature outside.

I also am not a huge health freak (You could probably tell from above!). I do not take vitamins regularly (SHAME ON ME!!! ), and I probably need to be warned about certain self-care aspects (like flossing every day).

In terms of the Instinctual Subtypes/Variants, I am definitely self-preservation last. Taking care of my personal body needs play a lesser role than people-oriented needs. However, does being self-preservation last preclude having a strong (i.e., an affinity/avoidance to flavors, scents, touches, appealing music, or generally anything appealing to the five senses)???

If anyone who has a better sense of and its boundaries (than I do) could explain to me whether or not what I am writing here fits as an SEI or does not, I would certainly appreciate your feedback.

(Keep in mind that if I am an SEI, I am undoubtedly an subtype since everything that I have described above still is somewhat less pronounced than the type of that I consistently do).

Looking forward to hearing from some of you.

[mikesilb]

Hi everyone,

I understand that I have not been around here for a few years, nor am I well known here, but I really would like to have some feedback on this particular thread.

Many of you know Socionics (i.e., the theory behind it) in greater detail than I do. Thus, I wrote here in the hopes of resolving some internal confusion about my type (and especially how it pertains to the IEs, most notably , so that I can either confirm or refute SEI).

Is there any way that someone can help me resolve these confusions? If any of my posts were unclear or too wordy, I am totally willing to restate everything. If you want a video of me, I can make one as well. Whatever works best.

Thanks, and I would certainly value your unique insights here!

[mikesilb]

As a quick update, I now realize that ESE/alpha is most likely my type/quadra. Feel free to browse this particular thread in light of this new information.