I can’t stop.
Making and discussing the Downton Abbey MBTI Chart was so much fun that I decided to give my other favorite television show a try, The Big Bang Theory.
(Despite my fears that there wouldn’t be enough introverted types to go around for such a geekfest of a show.)
(But in fact, there were just enough.)
There are a few things I have discovered from the feedback on my last chart:
1. There are zero ESTPs (“The Doer”) on social media. They’re all way too busy for such things, AS THEY SHOULD BE.
2. Personality typing television characters is a subjective science. There will be disagreements, and I’m cool with that.
3. INTJs are very sensitive about the fact that they’re always represented with villains (it was unfortunately true with Downton Abbey, Star Wars, and Harry Potter.) So I was drenched in overflowing joy when I discovered that one of the most lovable characters of The Big Bang Theory was the INTJ. You’re welcome, INTJs of the internet.
If you need a personality type refresher, here’s an explanation of the letters in the terms of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator:
First Letter: E or I – Extroversion/Introversion – Are you stimulated and refreshed by being with other people, or by being alone?
Second Letter: S or N – Sensing/Intuition – Do you use your five senses to interpret the world and prefer facts, or do you rely on your instincts and prefer hunches?
Third Letter: T or F – Thinking/Feeling – Do you lean towards using logic and objective criteria, or values and subjective ideas?
Fourth Letter: J or P – Judging/Perceiving – Are you purposeful, liking structure, plans, rules, and organization, or are you laid-back and flexible, open to change, and explorative?
And so, enjoy:
Which character are you? I NEED to find that elusive internet-using ESTP.
So I’m somewhere between Amy and Priya. I can live with that! Somedays I am more Amyish, somedays more Priyaish. When I’m in an introvert mood, I get a lot of “What’s wrong? You’re acting different.!” and my introvert self says “That’s nice. I really don’t care what you think. Can you please leave? Otherwise something WILL be wrong!”
I think people that can switch back and forth between introvert and extrovert are the most well-balanced. Some people call it moody, but let’s call it well-balanced. :-)
yooooo im the elusive internet-usin ESTP :b
LOVE it! BBT is one of my favorite shows :)
Sorry I am not your elusive ESTP. I am an ISF (I can’t remember is I am a p or a j) so I am either Leonard (which I can so see) or Stuart the comic book store owner.
Let’s go with Leonard. He’s a much better choice.
I’m Mrs. Cooper and I was not expecting that, but it makes sense.
Jarrod’s a mix of Raj and Sheldon which made me laugh.
That IS quite a combination!
ESTJ Mrs. Wolowitz, lol.
I guess I’ll never know what you look like, then…
Yeah, I’m Wil Wheaton – I love Wil Wheaton, in fact I’m reading his autobiography at the moment! Also, Bloglovin showed me this blogpost right above Wil Wheaton’s new post about… The Big Bang Theory! Coincidence? I think not! ;-)
Hooray! That is an extra-special coincidence. I really love him as well.
Love it. I am a corporate trainer and recently attended a session where the facilitator used the four main characters from TBBT to profile the different type of adult learners. Your analysis of Leonard, Sheldon, Raj and Howard are spot on to what we learned in that session. :o)
Awesome! I’m glad I’m not too far off base. I wasn’t sure!
Looks like I’m Mrs Cooper ;) at least most of the time…
Then again, we’ve already established that you’re quite the personality-shifter. :-)
Seems like you have changed some letters :)
I do not agree., Sheldon prefer Hunches and is Perceiving? Please :)
In my opinion
Sheldon is ISTJ
Loenard is ISFP
Howard is ENTP
Rajesh is INFJ
I am an INTP who gets compared to Sheldon a lot and you are totally wrong on all four points. I’m also married to an ISTP, who is NOTHING like me nor Sheldon (and also a really bad match). Seriously, guy, you are WAY off base. You clearly need to study your types more.
I am INTP and was expecting to see that result, however I could see him being a J because of his rules, but most of them are his rules and I think that makes a difference.
OMG I’m either Howard or Mrs Wolowitz!!!!
No way Sheldon is a Perceiving type.
This is the first one of these I’ve done so I didn’t realize I was a villainous character but Any is my favorite so yay! She cracks me up and is definitely the best part of the show in my opinion!
Okay – so I totally don’t watch any of these shows, but I’m a almost always an ENTJ (I’m lowest on E, so I have come in at an INTJ before) – guess that makes me Amy or Priya? Now I’ll have to watch to see who I am . . .
You won’t regret it. The Big Bang Theory is genius.
IMHO I’d switch Sheldon and Leslie Winkle. She obviously has the Intuition that Sheldon, obviously lacks. He’s for sure a sensor.
I have to say, when it comes to these posters that Type fictional characters, I am a pretty tough critic because of all the “close enough” retrofitting that goes on to fill 16 boxes from a single cast of characters. That said, I thought these were SPOT ON (despite the incorrect attempt to offer correction). And as an INTJ (especially a female INTJ) I DO thank you for for a poster that does not depict INTJs as the stereotypical villain. This is great. Thank you!
Thanks! Yes, there seems to be the most disagreement about Sheldon’s personality type, but I still think he’s INTP because he is much more theoretical and non-interpersonal than an INTJ.
AGREED! And agreed. I think you nailed it. What type are you?
I’m an ESTP! Who uses the internet semi regularly to read blogs like yours and learn about the nutritional values of produce and grains (depending on what’s for dinner) and check out reviews and swatches of the latest makeup collections…Spring 2014, here I come
As an INTP, I completely agree with your casting of Sheldon. I’m glad I’m not the only person in the world who was thinking that. Great post, fun show!
Sheldon’s character seems to be a combination of nerd stereotypes that wouldn’t actually appear in the same nerd, in reality, lol.
Nerds are usually IXTX. Sheldon has the aversion to change and obsession with rules of an ISTJ, the love of games, theoretical way of learning, and lack of social graces of an INTP, the ability to predict what will happen based on current data of an INTJ, and the quick hands-on way of learning of an ISTP (how good was he with that loom?)
I love the show and Sheldon is responsible for many of its funnier moments. But he’s not realistic. Thats why it’s hard to type him. :)
-Liz (INTP)
All valid surface observations, but come on, the average of his character clearly falls into the INTP category. Many Aspies (extreme INTPs) also have an obsession with symmetry and perfection, which comes across as a J type but internally their minds are full of infinite possibilities and grand complex interconnected theories. So…. no. Then there’s the predictions – yes, that’s based on pattern associations, but again, not the same as the clear-headed long-range perspectives as the INTJ. The INTJ is also a lot drier and more calm emotionally than the immature INTP (raw undifferentiated emotions of a 3 year old). The ISTP bit I will most agree with as a valid observation, however the most unrealistic, we don’t know how he learned the loom. I bet he learned it through analysis and theoretical abstraction, rather than simply jumping in and tinkering with it. He likely formed a rule set first, to understand the underlying principles and mechanical associations before experimenting hands-on using his 10 year old extroverted sensing function. I think ISTPs are just right-brained answers to INTPs, who are so caught in the now, that their introverted thinking doesn’t have enough lateral parameters to process. They are like a circumscribed, truncated version of an INTP. That makes sense in my own head if it doesn’t come out right to you. Sorry.
-fellow INTP (Aspie)
Internet using ESTP here! I love these MBTI assessments, so interesting!
As an INTJ, I, too, simpky do not see Sheldon as having P characteristics. Yes, he’s a fictional character that seems to be a shape-changer, but P just isn’t generalky a good fit for him.
I agree that it’s a difficult task to type fictional characters, so good job. Although I also agree with a comment above that Sheldon isn’t a perceiving type. For me, he is an INTJ.
As an ENTP, I also disagree with the choice for Alex. I don’t really know enough about the character to suggest what she is, but her ability to deal (to an extent!) with Sheldon isn’t in line with this type. Howard’s relationship with Sheldon is more in line with an ENTP than Alex, but I do agree that Howard is an ESTP.
No, no, no, this won’t do! This won’t do at all. I simply cannot accept this chart due to the fact that you would put Sheldon among the Ps as opposed to the Js. Sheldon is the exact opposite of a P. He’s as J as a J can get. He even schedules his bowel movements.
Go look at the types some more. Really examine them. No, REALLY.
Sheldon an Perceiver????!!! He has a bathroom schedule! I’m an INTJ and I don’t even plan my trips at at certain time of day.
He is more like a ISTJ since he takes order to the extreme.
Mine is the same as Amy. No wonder I like her so much. :)
I only have one problem with this chart: Sheldon is not at all okay with criticism, and INTPs are known to face criticism in a quite objective manner, so that’s… I don’t know, a bit off.
Other than that, the rest of the list is pretty spot on.
I am always an ENFJ. :) And I asked my boyfriend without him looking at the chart if he could pick which big bang character would he say I’m most like.. And He was right! Bernadette! I completely agree
I am the female INTJ and I feel related most with Sheldon! I have theories about everything and I only tell them to those I am close to. I lack in emotion, I always think everyone ‘feel’ the same way like I do (I don’t normally ‘feel’, I think!) I can die not thinking, thinking is what I find enjoyable haha. I may not appear to be normal to many people, I am always socially awkward, and keep my thoughts in categories. lol
Sorry, Sheldon is an INTP??? Everything he does is planned and organised. He is most certainly not a P. I am certain he is an INTJ.
I disagree with the above post.
Regarding Sheldon being an intp.
I’m an intp.
As we know it is a possibility that Sheldon actually copies some of his personality or how he grasp things in his daily life from other people that he may find remarkable.
One other possibility is that he follows what his mother taught him when he was young but also according to his style.
From my observation, he is likely to be an istj. But, to put it open minded.. he might also be an intj but absolutely not an intp.
I am more positive that he is an istj thought. I trust my abilities but we never know what will happen.. or what the result might be.
Overall, my thoughts- istj it is.
From an intp.
You’re not an INTP, otherwise your analysis wouldn’t be so wrong. Whatever test you took, don’t trust it. Learn for yourself. You aren’t an INTP. Only an INTX would identify with Sheldon. I think a LOT of people don’t get the difference between INTP and INTJ. It may seem subtle at first, but it’s very distinct. It’s not just about 4 letters, it’s about the FUNCTIONS underlying them, and how they relate to one another. It has a biological and neurological basis. C’mon, any INTP worth their salt would have studied MBTI in enough depth to really know what they are talking about before offering whacked-out way off deductions. Whatever evidence you are basing your INTP “diagnosis” on, is wrong.
@SmaryPants you’re an asshole. On so many of these posts you’ve gone around…well, basically fulfilling what your username insists. Though, “smarty pants” seems like a nice way of putting, “arrogant pseudo-knowledgable pain in the ass.” Please, stop pretending as if you understand MBTI better than anyone else just because you’re dead set on typing Sheldon as an INTP (Most likely for, “I relate to him hence he must be my type!!!” related-reasons.) “Specialist” can still be an INTP regardless of if you’re pleased with his/her analysis. MBTI is much more complicated than, “Your typing of this character is wrong because I say you are, you lying-unknowledgable halfwit.” For someone who goes around preaching how much more experienced they are in the field of mbti than anyone who dares disagree with them, you could at least understand the basics of it. So on behalf of just about everyone, get off your high horse.
P.S. Sheldon isn’t an INTP anyway, so.
Absolutely correct not to mention the fact that and INTP would probably realize this is a show so writers could change the characters from time to time and it’s not true to life. People are just analyzing based on what they see is the most prominent depiction of the character. Smarty pants sucks is what I got out of this.
Intp
What?! Eh…I guess….I can see myself being Bernadette’s dad. I thought i was more like Amy……this pretty much explains how I get either INTJ or ISTJ depending on the test.
Sheldon. That’s how I know he’s an INTP. I live it.
I’m an INFP –
Which is again why I identify Amy as an INFP. She perceives herself as different from others, and of course she isn’t all that different – its her perceptions/actions which put up walls (which with time come down, as in her relationships with Penny and Bernadette). Were she a T I doubt she would have the sensitivity to handle Sheldon the way she does. Like INFPs, she puts up with a lot of crap until she’s had enough, then draws a line, surprising everyone with how stubborn she can be.
And again I argue Penny is an ESTP. She is rather insensitive – remember she has mentioned several times she used to be, if not a mean girl, but close and used to be in on the cruelty. She is also unmoved by feeler/heart arguments. She tends to be the catalyst/doer in the girls group.
In the girls you have
ESTP/INFP/ENFJ which seems like a good mix
In the boys you have
ENFP (Raj)/INFJ (L)/INTJ (S)/ENTP (H)
I like your observations of the characters, but I think you need to review the theory.
F and T are decision-making processes. A feeler makes decisions according to the parameters of the culture/group whereas a thinking type uses objective criteria. Both are rational. A J type will make decisions based on the external world whereas a P type will decide internally.
Penny obviously has social skills whereas Amy is clueless. This is one of the main contrasts between the two characters. The reason for this, is that Amy cannot use social norms to guide her decisions. Her attempts to fit in are based on what logically seems right to her, and she is completely clueless as to what is socially appropriate. She tries to approbate social norms based on her knowledge of human biology.
Penny might have a mean streak, but this is not to do with F/T. When she is mean, she does it in a socially skilled manner. Sheldon, a T type, often comes off a bit mean but he doesn’t intend to be tactless, it is from lack of social skills, whereas if Penny is mean it is quite deliberate.
I’m Amy. INTJ. Although I’m more like Sheldon when it comes to intimacy issues.
I’m an INTP. I’m living it as well.
Good work, I think you missed the mark on a couple:
Raj: ENFP – He is clearly an extrovert = also is easily distracted/unfocused at times.
Howard: ENTP – Likes jokes/puns, is quite intuitive and clever at problem-solving,
Leonard: INFJ – Again, I think the mark is missed on the S/N – its hard with the genius-level personalities portrayed, but he is also reliably intuitive.
Penny: ESTP – Penny is not very sensitive. A true ESFP would be much more empathetic – she completely stomps on Leonard’s heart, especially early on, and displays faux sympathy. She is also the “doer”/catalyst. Also makes sense she is his complete opposite.
Sheldon: INTJ – he is clearly a J, with his love of routine and inflexibility. His arrogant “I know I’m right” attitude is very consisted with the INTJ. I know a few INTPs – they are usually quite gentle/harmless/make very few waves, unlike Sheldon.
Amy: She is the INFP here. Note she is fairly pliable/willing to go along, until one of her core values are compromised – then she can be surprisingly strong and stubborn. She also handles Sheldon with grace and sensitivity.
Bernadette: ENFJ – you are right on there.
Stuart: ISFP – correct.
There are plenty of ESTP’s on social media. They tend to be the ones that can not take enough pictures of themselves and tag most of their friends for approvals.
Sheldon is more similar to certain ENTJ’s and ENTP’s, he’s not an INTP nor some sort of INTJ. He’s very open and speaks his mind with random people, has no problem with people either. Sheldon believes he’s the best and therefor most people do not deserve to be friends with him. It wouldn’t surprise me if Sheldon happened to be ENTP with OCD, they tend to be very stubborn and find it difficult to say sorry, usually want to be the best and will come up with whatever bullshit argument they can think of. The reason Sheldon couldn’t make any friends earlier would have to be he thought he was much better than most, didn’t feel understood by most people. Sheldon is too proud to admit he’s wrong, he’s not closed minded but proud. Sheldon is not an introvert, he is just some selective extrovert, with the god complex (happens to ENTJ’s quite often).
Penny is more ENFP, not really a sensor nor a thinker. I think it’s obvious, guess you haven’t met any ENFP’s or just simply mistyped yourself if you couldn’t notice her type.
Leonard is stereotypical INTP, look at his characteristics. He has the struggles of the common INTP, easily misunderstood and is usually lost in his own mind.
Raj is INFP it hurts.
Amy is more J than P, but definitely introvert and intuitive.
Sheldon is by far an INTJ. He’s the most obsessive character on the show and plans constantly. INTP makes sense for Amy, but not Sheldon.
Sheldon is by far an INTJ. He’s the most obsessive character on the show and plans constantly. INTP makes sense for Amy, but definitely not Sheldon.
Sheldon and Amy should switch. I identify deeply with Amy’s experimental free-spirit (P!), which Sheldon deeply lacks. His rigidity, love of rules, and aversion to change is very J.
Then again, these are fictional characters, all of whom exhibit inconsistencies, but Sheldon most of all. He is not a fully-developed person, but a caricature of an aspie nerd who makes physicists look bad. I’m not saying he isn’t likeable, just that no real person I’ve worked with in physics has been less than uncomfortable with being associated with him.
-An INTP
Shouldn’t Sheldon be an intj
I am such an INTP!!! Coincidence that I love Sheldon cooper!!!
I am such a INTP. Coincidentally,my fav chracter is sheldon,
Sheldon Cooper is an INTJ with OCD, OCPD, as well as Aspergers. These other disorders are what make him difficult to type accurately as they adjust certain aspects of what is type-typical. If you all thoroughly research each of those items, watch a bunch of episodes after gaining your new understanding and then observe his behaviour you’ll then see it. Not everyone has the ability to properly type individuals regardless of how knowledgeable they believe they are. I could be wrong (I say that because I am intelligent enough to realize the possibility) but that is how I see it. Do not comment on my post without ample research into each of the disorders I’ve mentioned followed by updated study of his character. I am interested in your informed thoughts on the matter, not your ignorant opinions.
Sheldon is an INTJ, Amy an INTP.
Sheldon’s brilliant mind and way of thinking is dominated by introverted intuition (Ni). Sheldon has leaps of thought and often has brilliant ‘aha!’ moments characteristic of Ni.
Ni is supportedby auxiliary extraverted thinking (Te) by which he interacts with the world and takes in information. He is insensitive, logical, and bossy. He focuses on external data sources as evidence which is also characteristic of Te, not Ti as in an INTP.
As many people have already pointed out, Sheldon orders his life to the extreme, a very strong J.
Whereas Amy is driven by an internal logical process, Ti. She does not think like Sheldon. She orders her internal world logically (Ti), she does not order the external world logically like Sheldon; rather she is externally intuitively perceptive (Ne).
Sheldon is not a P, he likes structure, plans, and rules.
Well, I can’t say I totally agree with every one of these types for the characters. Although I gotta say the INFJ (me) is typed pretty well with Lucy. Every time I would see her on the screen I would feel kinda happy and sad at the same time because well….when an INFJ (rarest personality type in the world) sees even a single INFJ character in a sitcom – it’s actually downright uplifting because those types of characters are kinda rare in sitcoms.
All I remember from Lucy’s role is 1) she barely has screen time, and 2) I fell in love with her character right away because it’s basically me in real life. Although, I never climbed out a window before, but I have felt like doing that or just walking out of an event or room when there’s too much tension. INFJ types don’t like conflict with anybody. So yeah I see that Lucy wouldn’t wanna send her food back at a restaurant, I’ve never even done that one time myself (and I’ve worked in food service so I know how it is).
By the way guys, social anxiety is a real problem, it’s actually classified as a mental illness and it’s not that uncommon – 1 in about 15 people have it.