hmm, well, when I found out about MBTI I got pretty much my whole family and close friends to take the online tests, then to read through descriptions and see if they match and if not then to look for some that do match. There were a few (I think two) people who didn't take tests and only read through the descriptions and chose. Then when I got into socionics I cross-checked their typings whether they transfer or not (basically along the "leading" and "creative" transfer).

Once I had that, I felt like they are my "base" for comparisons. Then I started learning more about how particular traits manifest irl and started questioning their typings in my mind (some I questioned irl discussing them with some of the people mentioned above, which led to some interesting discussions and learning, but all in all their typings didn't change except for one person from EIE to ESE, but I'm still hesitant on this one tbqh) and figuring out whether they use Ne, Ni, Fe, Fi, Te, Ti, etc. and whether the way these are used indicates their subtype.
So... that's my "base", which I periodically question - which then prompts me into reading more about particular traits manifestations depending on whether it's leading, creative, in which type and quadra... I also cross-check with VI examples that can be found in this forum, especially with the video material, as I feel mannerisms are the most important in VI if it's to be of any value.

Having said that, the people I was trying to recently type are my students and their parents or people I know but not too well cause they are a friend of a friend or sth and I find it's easiest to figure out the Fe/Ti divide and then go from that (nothing that hasn't been said in this forum, so I won't ramble even longer here). So depending on situation I go with it like this or listen to what my gut feeling is and then work my way backwards to see whether sth contradicts it.
I guess that's pretty much it.

Typing in this forum is like going into a zoo with lights off, some things shine through the writing, some things don't and going through any person's or celebrity's typing thread pretty much shows this, with results often akin to...
 

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