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Post by erasmus on Apr 24, 2016 5:08:23 GMT
I'm wondering if there has been any research into possible relationships between attachment styles and personality types, specifically the Myers-Briggs types. The friend I mentioned in my first post here, the much younger woman with whom I'm trying to transition from a rather strong and mutual attraction to a platonic friendship, has told me she's an INTJ, which fits with what I know of her. She also behaves in a kind of avoidant way with me. She'll be friendly, communicative, even flirtatious for a few weeks, then gets cool and distant for a week or so. But I'm not so sure she has a fixed avoidant attachment style, as she has been with her boyfriend for five years and says their relationship is basically good; I'm more inclined to think she may have a tendency that way that is brought out by the ambiguities of our friendship, her fears and ambivalence about her feelings for me, and doubts about how our friendship might affect her relationship. And from what I've heard of her boyfriend, I think he may be more secure and more comfortable with a certain distance than I am.
For my part, I'm anxious and preoccupied, at least in this friendship as I often have been in past relationships ... and when I take the various versions of the test, I consistently come out INFP. I think the way the two of us tend to behave with each other is congruent with our personality types. Has anyone else noticed such correspondences?
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Post by Jaeger on May 10, 2016 11:57:31 GMT
Hi Erasmus, I have wondered the same thing (ENTP here  ). From what I've seen, MBTI results don't seem to show a predisposition to a certain attachment style. I haven't actually read the following academic journal, but this would seem to give some insights in the matter: The article examines the association between the attachment styles of adults and the Myers-Briggs Temperament Indicator (MBTI). It points out that, aside from the companionship and affection they offer, close relationships encourage physical health and emotional well-being. Information about the methodology, results and discussions of the study is further presented. connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/27019754/relationship-between-mbti-personality-types-attachment-styles-adults |
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Post by Jeb Kinnison on May 10, 2016 21:07:06 GMT
There isn't a lot of real research on the MBTI because most of the early research didn't find the test all that valid. Except for the I-E axis, there's not much support for all the interpretations surrounding the resulting typology. That said, it's useful in the projective sense -- getting people to look at their behavior on a scale with others to think about it more clearly. I test as INTJ, and the "INTJ Community" sees some similarity with typical Dismissive styles, but it's just suggestive. I am not Dismissive as a type, though I can certainly *feel* dismissive around the dull and cloudy thinkers. :-)
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katy
Sticky Post Powers
Posts: 147 
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Post by katy on May 10, 2016 22:57:13 GMT
Jeb,
In one of your books or on your Web site I believe I read that you've got a very high IQ. My IQ is not that high, but I tested in the top 2% and was labeled gifted.
I've never remained too locked in on parts of the Myers-Briggs tests. I think I test as:
I or E (depending on the day) I often call myself a situational extrovert N - very solid F - pretty solid P or J (again depending on the day) I wish in my soul I could be organized but I have too lively and curious a mind
I definitely tend toward feeling very bonded with people whom I bond with, but there is a whole world of people whom I'm pleasant with, but who mean almost nothing to me. I'm never overtly cruel to them and they never make me feel threatened, but I never seek them out and I don't get much satisfaction from being in groups of people who all seem to assess me as being an egg-head. There always feels like a wall - if I allow myself to be my true self, it's clear that I think very differently and that's too different for many people to feel comfortable with.
My husband is very gifted verbally and emotionally and he and I have never been at a loss for words since 1987. The avoidant whom I dealt with is also highly gifted and I know that's one of the real ties that I felt to him - here was somebody who "got" me and I could feel myself with.
Along with feeling very rejected when his avoidant side kicked in because I don't bond easily with people, one thing I did glean out of the relationship with him was some more up-to-date info about how gifted people don't always have such an easy time fitting into the regular world. I'd always blamed my isolated side on myself because I felt as though I didn't try hard enough. After I did some research, I realized that my life, as it unfolded, is probably very normal.
I guess my point is, I'm not dismissive, but there is a whole world of people who probably see me as somewhat cold and remote because I don't fit in to how they think and act.
Thanks again for a great forum.
Katy
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Post by leavethelighton on Oct 12, 2017 0:39:56 GMT
I would love to see research on this. I can see how INTJs could overlap a bit with avoidant because they may struggle to talk about emotions, be okay with lots of solitude, and want things to be done in particular ways. Not that every INTJ is avoidant, but maybe lots of avoidants are INTJs or something similar.
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Post by gaynxious on Oct 20, 2017 17:46:12 GMT
I thought someone did this research and found little to no correlation between attachment styles and mbt.
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Post by squirrelkitty on Mar 4, 2018 16:03:34 GMT
I hope it's OK to reply to an old thread.
I'm not sure whether it's possible to find any valid correlations between MBTI and attachment style, as I see MBTI as innate whereas attachment styles are clearly caused by your upbringing.
I'm INTJ and somewhat anxious-preoccupied myself. To be honest, I think the stereotype that INTJs are dismissive is a bit silly. I think it's rooted in INTJs publicly ridiculing ideas like romantic love etc. Their inner life might be very different. It's not unheard-of for INTJs to reject something as a concept but to still have feelings that are quite the opposite. My INTJ friend says that he was a love addict when he was younger, although the ideological opinions he expresses sound more fearful avoidant, sometimes dismissive (however, these opinions are directed at concepts, not individuals). When I was young and immature, I had many negative and 'dismissive' opinions about romance and relationships, but when I was in my first relationship (with a DA), it turned out that I can be massively anxious-preoccupied. I'm also very anxious-preoccupied at the beginning of a new friendship, I just don't show it outwardly as much as other people do.
So far, each and every ENTP and ESTP I've come across has been avoidant, most of them very clearly dismissive avoidant. But that's the only trend I've noticed so far, since I don't know large numbers of every type... I suppose most ISFJs I've come across have been very anxious-preoccupied. INFPs would seem 50/50 between anxious-preoccupied or fearful avoidant and secure and the same goes for INFJs. INTPs probably mainly fearful avoidant.
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Post by goldilocks on Mar 4, 2018 23:44:47 GMT
I'm ENFP, used to be DA, now mostly secure. I used to test very close to I and T, but am always clearly intuitive.
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Post by leavethelighton on Mar 8, 2018 0:25:19 GMT
Oh but I wonder if with the same upbringing, some people might be more prone to turn one "attachment style" over another, and in that sense maybe there is some biological component somehow-- something about how our brains work, level of resiliency, etc. Also some people think MBTI can change in one's lifetime too...
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Post by gaynxious on Mar 8, 2018 3:49:58 GMT
I thought someone did this research and found little to no correlation between attachment styles and mbt. I read that somewhere as well. Also ditto what jeb said, the Myers Briggs system other than the introvert extrovert dimension really haven't stood up to scrutiny. The rest is basically modern horoscopes. |
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). From what I've seen, MBTI results don't seem to show a predisposition to a certain attachment style. I haven't actually read the following academic journal, but this would seem to give some insights in the matter:
