Modeling My Personality (LJ 2/24)

Lately, I feel like I am burned out of ideas. Another learning journal to write? But about what? So I snooped around fellow London-bound students' blogs and gleaned a few ideas. First off, I took the Myers-Briggs personality test. Or some form of it, anyway. As I thought Kayla had a fantastic blog on this, I am going to complete a similar analysis.

Taking the test, I realized there were many principles I wish I could answer "no" to but honor-bounded to the truth, I had to answer "yes." For example, "When solving a problem, you would rather follow a familiar approach than seek a new one. " I study statistics; I should be actively seeking new approaches to solving problems. New ideas and approaches are what drives statistics forward. But I love knowing one approach will work. On the flip side, there were questions I had to answer "no," with "You have good control over your desires and temptations." There is a scrumptious, delicious Ghirardelli brownie in my pantry right now, and I do not think I can hold out much longer.

Enough confessions. My profile from two different tests was surprisingly similar. One stated I was

1. Very expressed introvert (surprise!)
2. Slightly  expressed sensing 
3. Slightly expressed thinking
4. Slightly expressed judging

The other was claimed I was

1. 71.43% introverted
2. 52.94% sensing
3. 66.67% thinking
4. 76.92% judging 

Introverted

Though not a deal breaker, being an introvert will complicate my project a wee bit. Fortunately, I am not formally interviewing people, but I still will need to talk with people as I do my participating-observing. However, I will be solely in an academic setting, i .e. working with very few people at a time. Therefore, establishing relationships with my fellow studiers will be slow but doable. Also, being an introvert will be helpful in the statistics half of my project. I will have to work alone (excluding my computer) for hours. In fact, on the careers that matched my profile, statistician was number four. According to myersbriggs.org, I have the capability to "decide logically what should be done and work toward it steadily, regardless of distractions." Sounds brilliant for working on statistics.

Sensing/ Intuition (because I basically was fifty-fifty, and I liked the description of both) 

The combination of these two personality traits is basically the definition of statistics. Statisticians focus on the fundamental information and then they interpret the results to add meaning to numbers. In regards to the communication portion, it will be helpful to have the basic definitions and theories of communication and then apply and observe (or not) them in the academic world of establishing collaboration. 

Thinking

Of course I think: "logic and consistency" is all I am about. Not really one for special cases; they always make proofs and theorems ugly and messy. So again, this is advantageous for the statistics portion of my project. As horrible as it is to admit, academic relations are not really about genuine liking, though it does help. Instead, they are formed for the purpose of academic collaboration, so it is helpful to be thorough and dependable in collaborations. My tendency to look at facts first not people may be a stumbling-block in creating rapport with my host family, but the English like their privacy so by the time I am ready to look at the people, they will be willing to open up as well. Hopefully. 

Judging

Specifically, myersbriggs.org determines structure by asking, "In dealing with the outside world, do you prefer to get things decided or do you prefer to stay open to new information and options?" Honestly, if I stayed open to new information, I would never complete another proof. And yes, my outside world is still statistics, in case you were wondering. Of the four categories, I think this one will be the most difficult in adapting myself to England and different situations. If I am not open to new information or options, it could make the idea of a field study obsolete. Not to mention awkward if I become that horrible, America is the greatest sort of international student. However, I do not think I am like that; I just prefer to have decisions made. I am not necessarily closed to new options, ideas, or information. To be on the safe side, I will take extra care to NOT be closed minded in England. If that is indeed my default, I should be able to override it with a conscious effort to be open minded.