Volume 1, Number 1                                                                                                                                                           June 1998


 
MYERS-BRIGGS TYPE INDICATOR
16 PERSONALITY TYPES

 
ESTJ
ISTJ
ESFJ
ISFJ
ENTJ
INTJ
ENFJ
INFJ

 
ESTP
ISTP
ESFP
ISFP
ENTP
INTP
ENFP
INFP


ISTJ

introverted-sensing-thinking-judging

Quiet
Serious
Practical
Dependable
Loyal
Steadfast
Responsible
Sensible
Patient
Conservative
Values hard work and honesty
 

                ISTJs, like their ESTJ counterparts,  are known as the upholders of the traditional institutions in the community.  They reinforce the authority of  local and national institutions of the schools, churches, banks, law enforcement agencies, the military and other governmental agencies and regard them as the backbone and the very fabric by which  civil societies stand.

Responsible, conservative, quiet and unassuming, they consider law and order as one of the foremost tenets of any civil society and, therefore, regard as necessary election of good and upright persons to insure that that civil society and all its attendant liberties remain for all civilized citizens to enjoy without anarchy.

"Right and wrong" guide their thoughts, their principles, their behaviours.  And they have the great ability to perceive and record numerous facts which serve as the reservoir from which they draw the standards necessary for "right" thinking and "right behaviour" .  Like the ESTJs, they also have a strong preference for an orderly process, proceeding from step a to b to c and on to d.  This makes them resistant to change and innovation, ideating and brainstorming.  In that many are drawn to accounting and banking professions, facts are what are meaningful and not similes, metaphors or symbolism.  They may, in fact, be somewhat suspicious of the abstract realm - if, indeed, to them,  such a realm exists.

  Emotion or tactfulness are not necessarily compatible with the ISTJ nature.  They are, in fact, more apt to be considered to be methodical, cool and uninvolved emotionally.  Their more sensitive mates or friends may feel unsupported in times of personal crises that call for more than the provision of material needs.  In fact, their lack of tactfulness may even exacerbate the situation.  It may help mates and friends to understand that SJs are themselves uncomfortable when emotional response is called for as they simply do not know what to do.

Hardworking and accommodating of "the system", ISTJs are prone to overwork in an effort to uphold their end of the work relationship and to provide materially for their loved ones.  Fear of losing what they have worked so diligently to accumulate weighs heavily upon them.

ISTJs are serious, deliberate, steadfast, loyal and true:  the "boy scouts" of the community of man.  Their word is their bond and, generally,  they would be apt to be the ones for whom a handshake would be enough to seal any contract.


Fannie R. Linder, Psy.D.