Glad to meet another INFP, Elfiea! Y'all are so creative. (Welcome to NarniaWeb, btw!! )

Lol, I've had trouble with those cognitive functions quizzes as well. They rarely give me INFJ as a result. If you want to read about the differences between INFP and INFJ sometime, this is a good article. I used to wonder if I might be an INFP because of inconclusive testing, and articles like that were a big help in determining that I am an INFJ.

SL, that's a good question. There's quite a bit of stuff like that geared towards romantic relationships, such as this graph, but things like general compatibility can be a little more difficult to find.

One site that offers some information is TypeLogic. If you scroll down to the bottom of one of their personality type pages (here's ISTJ as an example), you'll see a list of links regarding that type's relationships with the rest of the MBTI type spectrum. Clicking on the link underneath for more information shows the definitions for each of those relationship types. (Advisor, Cohort, Companion, et cetera.) For example, the ISTJ's "Pal" type is ESTJ, which means that you work well and play well together with minimal natural type conflict.

If I run across any other helpful articles or graphs, I'll be back with more links.

Lol, I've had trouble with those cognitive functions quizzes as well. They rarely give me INFJ as a result. If you want to read about the differences between INFP and INFJ sometime, this is a good article. I used to wonder if I might be an INFP because of inconclusive testing, and articles like that were a big help in determining that I am an INFJ.

Thanks for the link! After reading that, I'm definitely sure I'm an INFP. I'm definitely more analytical than some INFPs, but I think that's more of a who-I-grew-up-with thing. People you know can rub off a lot on you!

It's also interesting how different situations can cause you to act or feel more one type or the other. When I'm around people I'm comfortable with, I act and feel a lot more ENFP, but at the core I'm definitely INFP. People tire me out.

I've been wondering if my group alignment is fully accurate or not. I have so much of the ISTJ and yet there have been some inconsistencies too. I was just meandering around the net today and poked around a bit and figured I may be more ISFJ - the "Protector/Defender" in some regards. Kinda strange because I feel I straddle the fence between the two. Especially regarding my kid:

As parents, people with the ISTJ personality type are often the most comfortable. Their sense of responsibility and honor blends well with a tradition that has been in place since time immemorial: to raise one's children to be respected, contributing members of home and society. As with most commitments, ISTJs do not take their roles as parents lightly, and will make it their work to ensure that this tradition is upheld to the highest standard.

This doesn't always come easily for their children though, as ISTJs tend to be strict, with high standards and expectations. ISTJ personalities establish stable, clearly structured environments for their children, always with an eye on helping them to develop a sense of place in society, and to fulfill useful roles.

See...that's not really me. At all. I shower my daughter with affection and am prepared to spoil her rotten. Yet I feel many of the above items too, especially with regards to teaching her tradition, honor, and integrity. I hate saying "no" to her though I know that sometimes it has to be said.

ISFJs' warmth and care make parenting something that often comes naturally to them. Many people with this personality type feel like parenting is the task they were born for, taking no small pleasure in the sense of personal importance and responsibility they feel in ensuring that their children grow up to be healthy, confident and successful. At the same time, ISFJs are anything but arrogant, and will hardly take their natural skill in this department for granted.

From the start, ISFJs' altruism is apparent in their approach towards their children, ensuring that they have a safe, stable environment filled with love, care and support. In their children's younger years, ISFJs' patience comes in very handy as well, as their children learn to become more independent and self-deterministic, testing any limit they can find.

This is much more accurate of how I feel being a dad.

ISTJ also tends to portray a person who is quiet and aloof and not able to mesh socially well with others...but that's not really me either. I've always been very shy and introverted yet I'm able to have really good rapport with most people, and my boss has told me my customer service skills are second to none. Which fits the ISFJ personality to a T:

Whether subordinate, colleague or manager, ISFJs share the goal of putting good service and dedication above all else. Whether helping customers directly, helping coworkers get projects finished on time or helping teams keep organized and productive, people with the ISFJ personality type can always be relied on for their kindness and ability to listen to concerns, and to find ways to resolve them. Win-win situations are ISFJs' bread and butter, and no one takes quite the same pleasure in finding satisfying resolutions to day-to-day challenges.

There's irony because ISFJ's tend to be non-confrontational, and for the most part I am, but when I sense or feel a line is crossed somewhere (especially with politics or religion) I dig in and get really vocal and loud. I could never be a particularly good police officer (due to being non-confrontational and having the need for people to "like me") except when I was really irate, and then I'm like a Sherman tank throwing a tantrum I also, in most cases, will go full on ISTJ with regards to news and current events and will revert to judging these things based on facts and my sense of right and wrong, as opposed to appeasing others.

Strange, eh?

Hmm... I'm intrigued, SL.

Seeing some similarities between ISTJ and ISFJ isn't unusual, since they're "sister types"—they both use introverted sensing, or Si, as their dominant function.

If you are sure that you're a Si-dominant, then you should be able to tell if you're an ISTJ or an ISFJ by looking at extroverted thinking (Te) and extroverted feeling (Fe) and seeing which one you use. (For some reason, there are several typos listening Fe as Ne in the extroverted feeling link, but the info is still accurate.) Te is the auxiliary function in the ISTJ function stack and Fe is the auxiliary function for ISFJ.

In MBTI function stacks, the dominant function is a little like the captain of a ship, while the auxiliary function serves as first mate. Or, the primary function is the superhero and the secondary function is the sidekick: together they're a powerful team. There are also two other functions in each type, the tertiary function and inferior function, but I won't get into explaining that at the moment or else this post will be a mile long. For anyone who wants more info on the whole cognitive function thing, this blog post is a pretty quick read and does a good job explaining them. (Not sure if I agree with the author's opinion that Harry Potter is an ISFP, but that's beside the point... )

It's possible that you're not an ISTJ or an ISFJ, so if you look at those links and feel like something isn't right, let me know and I might be able to help put you on the right track. I've found that looking at the cognitive functions is pretty much the only way to figure out a person's type for sure... most type descriptions tend to describe stereotypical type behavior rather than how a person's brain actually works, and that's the meat and potatoes of MBTI.

I get lost in the individual "functions". I love driving the car, but you guys like tinkering with the engine specifics . Interesting observation: the ISFJ category lines up really, really, really nicely with my Spiritual Gifts, namely Teaching and Exhortation. Have you, or anyone else for that matter, noticed anything like that with your categories? I didn't put one and one together until yesterday.

I get lost in the individual "functions". I love driving the car, but you guys like tinkering with the engine specifics .

Lol, I resisted learning about them for a really long time because they seemed like they might be confusing. Ironically, learning about them was the only thing that put an end to my confusion with Myers-Briggs typology. Hmmm, let me see if I can streamline this for you...

If you have auxiliary Fe, you have a natural ability to understand other people's feelings, even if you haven't personally experienced what is grieving them. You are very attentive and pick up on a person's emotional state quickly. You can easily assess the mood when walking into a room full of people. In social settings, you deeply desire harmony and for everyone to be getting along. You like helping other people and being nurturing and encouraging. If someone is upset, you may even "feel" what they are feeling, absorbing their emotions. You are great at listening to people talk about their feelings and giving them compassionate feedback.

If you have auxiliary Te, you have a natural aptitude for ordering your external world and understanding it in an objective way. You want everything to make logical sense, and you really don't like wasting time on unproductive ventures. You're great at organizing tasks in a logical way, and easily identify the necessary steps to accomplish a goal. If someone is hurting emotionally, you have a tendency to look for a tangible solution rather than empathize with their feelings. You make decisions quickly and logically, are very good with deadlines and self-discipline, and like to be in control of your environment.

If the Fe description resonates with you, you're an ISFJ. If the Te description does, then you're an ISTJ. If neither do, then we may be barking up the wrong tree entirely.

Interesting observation: the ISFJ category lines up really, really, really nicely with my Spiritual Gifts, namely Teaching and Exhortation. Have you, or anyone else for that matter, noticed anything like that with your categories? I didn't put one and one together until yesterday.

That's an interesting question. Off the top of my head, I can't remember anything along those lines, but I did run across this article today, which discusses the roles that MBTI types tend to play in a church environment. I don't think it discusses association between gift and type, but there might be some general insight in there.

Humorous B-M related link. Mine is accurate.

Haha mine is too @Shadowlander.

Haha though more recently I have got over my dislike for unnecessary hugs.

What a fascinating discussion thread. Several years ago I read a book on this topic (Speed Reading People). I remember being shocked when I tallied up my results: INFP. I told my family the test was wrong because the description didn’t fit me. I proceeded to read it, probably with a mocking tone. To my astonishment my mom and brothers were nodding vigorously with each point I read. Their conclusion? INFP is me to a tee!

I think the description as an artist and a dreamer kind of threw me. As does the suggestion of the sorts of jobs INFPs have: counselors, psychologists, etc. I shy away from those suggestions. Now I kind of understand why… I long for the ideal in relationships (interpersonal and intrapersonal). Couple that with a hyperactive sense of empathy and working with emotionally confused and hurting people for a living… well the thought of it makes me want to curl up in the fetal position. I am frustrated with just trying to fix/better myself much of the time. It reminds me of a quote from the Muppet Movie… Fozzie Bear: “... I won’t be able to live with myself!” Bunsen Honeydew: “Well then, you'll have to get another apartment, won’t you?” If only it were that easy! My friends and coworkers do come to me to talk about their frustrations from time to time. I like to help them by listening as they vent, and I feel honored that they trust me with their feelings. But the nature of my job is that I am not around or in communication with my coworkers much so I am not overwhelmed by their emotions.

Interestingly, at a large meeting where I work (in a scientific field, by the way) the HR person had the entire group of 80+ people take personality tests. It was based on a 4 color designation and I haven’t yet associated with how it lines up with the Myers-Briggs. At any rate, the room was split pretty evenly between Gold (they like structure and to be on time) and Greens (they like information and to fix problems), with a much smaller group of Oranges (hams who are easily bored). I had the hardest time finding the other Blues, until I realized, there was only one other one in the room, a good friend/mentor of mine. Oh, and the HR person herself as she later divulged. Figures.

But I suppose my dream job is to be a writer. I dabble now, just for personal recreation. I’d love to write the screenplay for the next big summer blockbuster, or pen the next New York Times bestselling novel. These outcomes are rather unlikely however. The INFP prayer is definitely mine: God, help me to finish everything I sta

Hey, welcome to the discussion, the4signs[repeat]! Isn't it crazy when you read one of those descriptions for the first time and it feels like the writer actually knows you?

As an INFJ, counselor or psychologist often come up as career suggestions for my type as well, but like you, I would find it pretty draining. INFJs often play a counseling role in their personal relationships, so it can seem kind of like working 24/7, I suppose. I am definitely drawn to some sort of career where I feel like I am bettering people's lives, though. I haven't crossed off the possibility of ever getting into counseling, but I'd want to cultivate stronger emotional barriers before thinking about pursuing that. I remember listening to a podcast that suggested that INFJs view themselves more like conduits instead of reservoirs for other people's emotions—go ahead and feel other people's feelings and use that ability to help them, but let those feelings pass through you rather than take them on. I'm not sure if that advice would apply to INFPs as well, but it seems like a good idea for anyone who is very emotionally sensitive to others.

I've sometimes seen people reference their MBTI type with a color—such as "blue INFJ"—but I'm not very familiar with those typologies yet. I did just run across this article talking about how the True Colors system corresponds with (or tends to correspond with) MBTI.

In other MBTI-related news, lately I've been reading a book called Was That Really Me? How Everyday Stress Brings Out Our Hidden Personality by Naomi Quenk. It talks about how different types can find themselves "in the grip" of their inferior function when they're under stress and has a lot of anecdotes from people describing times when they were out of character. For instance, it was interesting to me to see INFJs and INTJs (who both have the inferior function Se) talk about having trouble with things like binging on food when under stress. Usually I don't have much trouble sticking to a healthy diet, but when I'm under stress, I either lose my appetite completely or I eat everything. What I'm liking best about the book, though, is that it offers advice on how to deal with these out of character episodes and return to a state of equilibrium. From what I've read so far, I think I would recommend it to anyone who wants to use MBTI as a self-help tool.

So according to the test in the OP, today at least, I am labled as I (72%) N (50%) F (31%) J (19%)

I will say I am definitely an introvert... I start getting a little nuts when everyone wants me to help out or hang out at the same time (problem is I feel terrible if I say no). And I definitely get recharged by doing things on my own. (A solo hike or a book read is so lovely.)

I don't really know much about the others... Other than I always get typed as an IN something

I will say I tend to get very passionate about issues, like the description says, and I always yern to help those in need (probably why I can't say no to people). While, I am freindly with everyone, I only feel close with a certain few, but those bonds can be even stronger than family. I also express myself better through writing, and I tend to get a bit philisophical mentally - a lot of people probably don't realize that about me, but I am constantly daydreaming, asking questions, finding answers, pondering life.

As for my carreer strengths I seem to be a "dual sided brain user" I am strong in the sciences, especially biology and geology, but I have a strong creative side, I am a natural writer, and singer, and I often dabble in various other forms of art although I only consider myself a beginner at it. I have a hobby of making new hobbies as I like to say. I love exploring and trying different things and researching different subjects. I am a beginning gardener, an outdoorsy girl, and a bit of a treehugger. Also as is written in the description learning languages comes easy to me... English is my native language, but I am strong in Spanish. I know basic German. I also plan on expanding into other languages as I brush up on what I do know. It is so fun to figure out what languages are similar in certain aspects to others. I could expand this and say I am a bit of an animal whisperer as well... understanding their body language and moods and what they are thinking is something that is as natural to me as English.

All that seems pretty much in line with what the description says. I need to read up descriptions on the others though and see if I relate to any aspects of them though since I haven't got much of a baseline. It is something I would like to know more about though.

EDIT: After doing more research I'd say I'm a pretty solid N as well as I... but after those two the lines get really fuzzy So I'm INsomething

Hey Wolfy!

One quiz I really like for offering a deeper look is the Keys 2 Cognition quiz, which was developed by a UCLA professor who specializes in the neuroscience of personality. Besides the benefit of having more variation in the kinds of answers you can give, it also gives you the cognitive function breakdown of your results (very helpful for typing) and a couple of other personality possibilities if the first result isn't quite right. It might help point you in the right direction! If you want, you can copy/paste your results and I can give you my thoughts on how to interpret them as well.

I honestly wouldn't be surprised if you're an INFJ based on what you're describing, but I'm hesitant to say for sure because types can seem similar at times. I went back and forth looking at different descriptions for INFJ and INFP years ago when I was caught between the two, and I was never able to resolve that confusion until I read up on the cognitive functions. Probably the best article I've found for easily getting a grasp of how they work is this webpage.

Good luck with the hunt and let me know if you have any questions or need a second opinion on something!

Ladders!

Sorry. I haven't posted in here -- or, anywhere really -- in a while, and i felt like i should say something before launching into what i'm here to say.

Anyway.

So i started watching the TV show Chuck on Netflix recently, and i've been mentally combining and comparing the characters and situations from it with characters and situations from other fictional things i've liked. This isn't anything new for me, i do it all the time.

All. The. Time.

It's fun, but a little annoying at times.

I bring this up because i think it's part of being an INTP -- i look for patterns and connections in things, even if those patterns or connections are in how Character A from B series is similar or dissimilar to Character C from D series.

I was wondering if anyone else had similar experiences. It's always easier for me to find something someone else has said to interpret my thoughts or feelings on something than to put it into words for myself.

Hey there, Arwenel!

I think what you're describing is definitely associated with being an INTP. You might like this article over on CelebrityTypes by Michael Pierce; it touches upon this INTP trait. I'd always kind of ignored CelebrityTypes in years past because the site name sounded kind of clickbait-y, but they've actually got some very good articles. Michael Pierce's series is very good; he also has a Youtube channel where he shares videos about Jungian typology.

Here's a relevant excerpt from the INTP article linked above:

The word I like to use to describe the INTP nature is “abstracting.” Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of the INTP nature is their great interest in getting to the bottom of things, stripping away all the accidental traits and getting at the underlying, bare, mathematical framework of a system or idea. For the INTP, this is the great search for truth, the search for the underlying principles of the universe.

This process results from the combined efforts of Ti and Ne. Ne observes objects through a fuzzy lens, so that it’s easier to imagine what other things the object could be and to associate the object with other objects. In exchange for clear facts it obtains possibilities and connections. This is combined with Ti, which tries to organize its impressions of objects into a perfect architectural system. Thus, the INTP looks at a fuzzy, interpretative image of objects, discovers the logical framework behind that interpretive image, and the resulting framework is something that can be applied to many other objects. In other words, if you had an animatronic bear, and you stripped away the outside suit and all of its outwards artistic appearance and skin covering and laid bare the undecorated, cold, but essential mechanics, then you could redress the robot in whatever skin you wanted: bunny, duck, fox, crocodile, human. The underlying mechanics would be the same. The INTP is not just looking for the underlying logical structure of things, but is looking for logical principles that are applicable to a multitude of appearances or circumstances.

One quiz I really like for offering a deeper look is the Keys 2 Cognition quiz, which was developed by a UCLA professor who specializes in the neuroscience of personality. Besides the benefit of having more variation in the kinds of answers you can give, it also gives you the cognitive function breakdown of your results (very helpful for typing) and a couple of other personality possibilities if the first result isn't quite right. It might help point you in the right direction!

I already know my type (INTP) but decided to take this quiz just for kicks. Here's what it told me:

Your Cognitive Development Profile

Cognitive Process Level of Development (Preference, Skill and Frequency of Use) –
Se: 9.7. Unused
Si: 9.1. Unused
Ne: 57.5. Excellent use.
Ni: 35.7. Good use.
Te: 23.6. Limited use.
Ti: 34.1. Good use.
Fe: 18.2. Limited use
Fi: 52.1. Excellent use

Summary Analysis of Profile

By focusing on the strongest configuration of cognitive processes, your pattern of responses most closely matches individuals of this type: INFP

Lead (Dominant) Process
Introverted Feeling (Fi): Staying true to who you really are. Paying close attention to your personal identity, values and beliefs. Checking with your conscience. Choosing behavior congruent with what is important to you.

Support (Auxilliary) Process
Extraverted Intuiting (Ne): Exploring the emerging patterns. Wondering about patterns of interaction across various situations. Checking what hypotheses and meanings fit best. Trusting what emerges as you shift a situation’s dynamics.

If these cognitive processes don't fit well then consider these types: ENFP, or INTP

Well, it got it on the third try, at least. My high level of Ne doesn't surprise me at all. It amuses me that it registers my Fi so highly. I wonder why it thinks Ti – my actual dominant function – is so low.