A Quick Guide to Visual Identification

I. INTRODUCTION

For the past few months I've been visually typing friends, acquaintances, colleagues and celebrities using Rod Novichkov's method, as outlined in How to Find Yourself and Your Best Match: Socionics: The Modern Approach to Psychological Types (2007). As stated before at this blog, this book isn't highly regarded in the 'Socionics community', but I've found that the method works. I took an MBTI ä test a long time ago, found my type and settled upon in it (I didn't change my mind) and, on picking up Novichkov's book, discovered that Novichkov's visual description matched me to a tee. I'm sure others who are interested in Myers-Briggs and Socionics will have the same experience - unless they've mistyped themselves badly. (Usually the mistypers only get it wrong by one letter. For instance, an INTP on YouTube became convinced - in the past couple of months or so - that he's now an ISTP; but take it from me (and Novichkov), the man's an Intuitive, not a Sensor. Besides which, he behaves like an INTP). Generally, most people on YouTube with a serious interest in Socionics and Myers-Briggs type themselves correctly, and I've found that, more often than not, they physically match Novichkov's descriptions. Take a look at popular channels such as MBTV (ENTJ host), Talking with Famous People (ENTP host), INFJ: BelowtheRadar (INFJ host), Michael Pierce (INFJ host)...

Novichkov's book contains large lists of celebrities he's typed. These lists serve as representative samples of celebrity-dom c. 2007, when the book was published, and surprisingly enough, some types are more represented than others. Looking it over, I see more of what Kersey calls 'Guardians' and 'Artisans' than 'Rationals' and 'Idealists'. (The 'Guardians' are Si and Te or Si and Fe types, the 'Artisans' Se and Ti or Se and Fi types). INFJs, INFPs, ENFJs and the rest don't show up much in celebrity land. I'm sure that statistical surveys will show that these types are rare in the general population as well. I for one have met very few ENFJs and INFJs, and have yet to meet an INTP or INFP.

II. EXTRAVERT AND INTROVERT

Extraverts look at the outside world, Introverts at the inner, and this 'directedness' shows in their facial expressions. Novichkov compares Extraverts to reflector mirrors: their facial expressions reflect what's going on around them and generally seem more animated - or tense and irritable - than introverts. When there's nothing going on around them, Extraverts tend to shut down and switch off. Introverts, on the other hand, will appear withdrawn, distant, and even melancholic and apathetic. Their inner attention or concentration or focus doesn't show up in their facial expression and seems far removed - like a distant train's headlight in a tunnel... Unlike Extraverts, Introverts will always be cool and relaxed.

Below we see Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright. Spacey looks tense, irritable and scowling (but he may break into a smile); Wright looks very withdrawn.

Here's young Harrison Ford, an Introvert, who in photographs rarely smiles. He attempts to smile, but always looks uncomfortable doing so, and often his smile turns into a scowl:

As an example of a female Extravert, we have the lovely Reece Witherspoon:

III. INTUITIVES

The typical intuitive is a) skinny, b) gangly, c) thin-lipped; he also skinny, unshapely, knuckled hands - hands like those of Louisiana governor and Republican primary contender Bobby Jindal:

Sitting or standing, the Intuitive assumes 'uncomfortable, fancy, unstable or unusual' positions. I can't think of a better example of this than Miles Davis, who, more often than not, tends to elongate his body like a caterpillar:

As an example of the female Intuitive, we have Megyn Kelly:

IV. SENSORS

The typical Sensor has a full figure and full lips. This isn't the case every time, but the exception proves the rule. I've noticed that Sensors tend to stack on weight more easily.

We find that, unlike the Intuitive, the Sensor has 'thicker, stockier hands'. I take as the prime example of this Donald Trump's hands:

The sensor will sit or stand in a 'comfortable, generic position'. Unlike the fluid Intuitive, the Sensor seems to be somewhat more block-y and rigid. Compare the below pictures of Tom Cruise to those of Miles Davis above:

And Princess Diana:

V. INTROVERTED AND EXTRAVERTED SENSING AND INTUITING

Extraverted or introverted Sensor? Introverted or extraverted Intuitive? How can we can tell? According to Novichkov, it's all in the gaze.

The extraverted Intuitive gaze will bore through you. I call it an armour piercing gaze.

Extraverted Intuitives can seem a little crazy-eyed. Let's take a look at Russell Brand:

Now on to the introverted Sensors. They have, according to Novichkov, 'Floating eyes... [The] Introverted Sensory type looks at you as if he... is scanning the background... Introverted Sensory eyes are slowly moving, either relaxed or squinted, as if adjusting focus'. I think the best way to describe it is that introverted Sensors tend not look at the object but around it. They look around you, not at you. See Richard Burton:

For a female example, there is Julianne Moore. Compare the intensity (or lack of it) of her gaze with Jane Fonda's above:

The extraverted Sensors, in contrast, have 'Running eyes... These eyes examine you from head to toes... They don't miss a single detail... Very energetic, clear eyes... You have no doubt that the person sees you. On a photograph, these eyes express [a] plain, open look... Not wide open or squinted'. I would sum up the extraverted-sensing gaze as watchful and observant. Below we have photos of Brad Pitt and Elizabeth Taylor:

Finally we come to the introverted Intuitives, who have 'Wide open, yet absent eyes... These people are as far from... reality as possible... They tend to live in their own world, and stick to their own understanding of things... This very feature is reflected in their eyes... Their wide open eyes, devoid of any squint, look into eternity, and don't pause on... material objects... These eyes make [the] impression that they don't see at all'.

I've put pictures of Julia Roberts, Adrien Brody and Ronald Reagan below:

VI. THINKERS

The Thinker or Intellectual type differs greatly in his appearance from the Feeler or Emotional. Below I have two Thinkers, side by side: Hugh Jackman and Clint Eastwood. Both show the facial characteristics of the Thinking type: flat, relatively large and expressive forehead (all the expressiveness of the Thinking type is in the forehead); strongly pronounced superciliary arches (that, is the bone underneath the eyebrows sticks out); angular bridge of nose dip, or no dip at all; deep eye sockets; sharp, aquiline nose; narrower and inexpressive lower face:

Here's another side by side example: George Clooney and Bill Clinton:

Finally, female examples: Paris Hilton, Kristen Stewart, Courteney Cox and Gillian Anderson:

VII. FEELERS

The Feeler or Emotional facial type stands in complete contrast to that of the Thinker: rounded, smaller and inexpressive forehead; smoothed out superciliary arches; rounded dip of nose; shallow eye sockets; rounded, pug-shaped nose; wide lower face which is very expressive. Below are Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslet - Jolie, in one photo, is with Brad Pitt, a male Feeler:

Another male Feeler is Hayden Christensen. In the second photo, he's with Natalie Portman, another Feeler:

For a picture of a Thinker and a Feeler standing side by side, we have this still of Zachary Quinto and Penn Badgley from the 2011 movie Margin Call. See if you can tell who's the Thinker and who's the Feeler:

And here's another Thinker and Feeler pair - Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud:

VIII. JUDGING OR PERCEIVING?

In Socionics, a Judger (or Conceiving, as Novichkov calls it) type has a Judging or Rational function as his dominant function; a Perceiver has a Perceiving or Irrational function as his dominant. In Myers Briggs, confusingly enough, a 'Judger' is a type whose Judging function is extraverted; the Perceiver, on the other hand, is the type with an extraverted Perceiving function. So an INTp in Socionics becomes an INTJ in Myers Briggs because the Judging function of this type is extraverted Thinking, Te.

This brings us to perhaps the most controversial part of Novichkov's book. The neck of the Judging type goes straight through the middle of the head, like a bolt, whereas the heading of the Perceiving type seems to hang off the side of the neck slightly. See the below scan:

A side-on profile photograph usually makes this clear. Below we have Nancy Reagan, Mark Zuckerberg and George Harrison, all Judgers:

For Perceivers, Cate Blanchett, Mick Jagger, and Elvis Presley:

For a photo of a Judger and Perceiver side by side, here is a still of Rami Malek and Christian Slater from the TV series Mr Robot. Novichkov types Slater as a Perceiver, I type Malek as a Judger:

IX. PROBLEMS

I don't detect any inconsistencies in Novichkov's system: it fits together perfectly. I will say, though, it can be extremely difficult to use when typing people using photographs (it's much easier to use on people you've met in person). Celebrities, like most of us, put on weight as they get older and develop jowls; they also tend to stoop more. I find it hard to determine if an old or obese celebrity is a Judger or Perceiver, which is why I've encountered more than a little difficulty in typing the Republican and Democrat presidential nominees for 2016. (Typing Chris Christie, for example, presents a few obstacles).

What's more, celebrities - like most of us - have a bad posture and slouch a lot. The Beatles have three Judgers and one Perceiver (according to Novichkov) but it's hard to determine this, seeing as most of the photographs show them slouching and stooping.

Intuitives, in Novichkov, generally have long and spindly fingers with prominent knuckles. But most women have small hands - and some women, fat little hands (e.g., Hilary Clinton); so how can you distinguish the hands of an Intuitive from a Sensor? The answer I came up with is to look at photos of the person when they were younger (and slimmer).

The other to remember is that, when it comes to the perceiving function, a person doesn't always stay consistent. An extraverted Intuitive, for instance, may lapse into the opposite of extraverted intuition - introverted sensing -  now and then: which explains why that the extraverted Intuitive may, in the odd photo here and there, look like an introverted Sensor.  Generally, though, people stay true to their type when being photographed.

Mark Hootsen signing off.