Friday, November 18, 2016

Real World: Jenna Thomason (INFP)

(Photo: CarterMatt)

Jenna likes to sing and do outdoor activities. She had a sheltered childhood, guided by Mormonism, in rural South Carolina. Jenna’s conservative views cause tension within the house. She makes several racist and anti-LGBT comments that get her excluded from social events. One roommate, CeeJai, vows to educate Jenna throughout the season. This plan goes awry; the two women fistfight and are sent home early. To watch clips and learn more about Real World: Go Big or Go Home, visit the season's website.

Jenna’s actions and relationships align with the personality type INFP. Highlighted below are the cognitive functions related to this type. An evaluation of those functions in action follows.


Cognitive Functions of the Personality Types


Dominant
How you think
Auxiliary
How you act
Tertiary
How you justify
Inferior
How you cope
ENFJ
Fe
Ni
Se
Ti
ENFP
Ne
Fi
Te
Si
ENTJ
Te
Ni
Se
Fi
ENTP
Ne
Ti
Fe
Si
ESFJ
Fe
Si
Ne
Ti
ESFP
Se
Fi
Te
Ni
ESTJ
Te
Si
Ne
Fi
ESTP
Se
Ti
Fe
Ni
INFJ
Ni
Fe
Ti
Se
INFP
Fi
Ne
Si
Te
INTJ
Ni
Te
Fi
Se
INTP
Ti
Ne
Si
Fe
ISFJ
Si
Fe
Ti
Ne
ISFP
Fi
Se
Ni
Te
ISTJ
Si
Te
Fi
Ne
ISTP
Ti
Se
Ni
Fe

Key:
Ne            extroverted intuition
Ni             introverted intuition
Se             extroverted sensing
Si              introverted sensing
Fe             extroverted feeling
Fi              introverted feeling
Te             extroverted thinking
Ti              introverted thinking


Dominant Fi

Dominant Fi types (INFP, ISFP) have individual moral codes that influence their decisions. They’re highly self-aware and firm in their beliefs (Personality Growth).

During the show, Jenna truly doesn’t believe her off-color comments are offensive. She uses her Southern upbringing as an excuse to speak her mind. But Jenna said in a post-season interview, “I've been learning how to keep my mouth shut and be more sensitive.” She adjusted her moral code after this negative experience. And when Dylan tries to kiss Jenna, she can’t continue despite her on-the-rocks relationship. She “could never live with herself” if she chose someone she barely knew over someone to whom she’s committed.


Auxiliary Ne

Auxiliary Ne types (INFP, INTP) see all the possible applications of their ideas. They take a thought and expand on it until they’re satisfied (Thought Catalog).

Jenna and her roommate Sabrina are asked to write and record a song together. She writes most of the lyrics since her thoughts can easily fill a page. And Jenna doesn’t like when the producer makes changes to her lyrics. She says that sometimes people don’t get her songwriting because it’s “too sophisticated.”


Tertiary Si

Tertiary Si types (INFP, INTP) compare the present situation to the past. They feel most comfortable in familiar surroundings, which can come across as stubbornness (Funky MBTI in Fiction).

Jenna refuses to end her long-distance relationship with Austin, one of her few connections to home. She doesn’t mind his overprotective tendencies because it lets her stay in her comfort zone. This season's roommates must compete to stay in the house. After challenges, which mostly require external energy, Jenna spends the nights either talking to her family or reading.


Inferior Te

Inferior Te types (INFP, ISFP) struggle to balance their individual standards and life's expectations. They may respond to stress with self-deprecation or sarcasm (Cognitive Function Theory).

People shame Jenna on the internet for her comments. She cries about the situation at first, and then gets angry at herself for crying. These actions exemplify self-deprecation. But when CeeJai yells at her for the same comments, Jenna calmly says that she’ll pray for her. Here she uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism.

I hate this show, and I hate my life right now.

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