[morningglory010]

I'm just trying to figure out which MBTI type I belong in.... I have gotten both ISFJ and INFJ, and I identify with the descriptions of both. Are there any very distinguishing characteristics between the two?



Thanks for any help you can give me. :)

[krwheel]

INFJs pretty much don't exist. So you're probably an ISFJ. I have the same issue. I often come up as INFJ, but you have to understand that the introverted sensing function comes across as intuition. It's not. So if you have a rich inner world that is composed of sensory detail and you can remember sensory details years after the fact, you're likely an ISFJ.

[Razare]

krwheel is right.

That is one key difference, I am terrible at remembering the details of something years after the fact. My ISFJ friend was telling me the plot-line from the original Star Craft the other day, because he actually remembered it!

There are actually a lot more INFJ's out there; we're probably not that rare, just we often test as something else. See, with introverted sensing, which is what the ISFJ's have, you have to build your inner world on facts. With the INFJ, you don't have to use facts to build your inner world, you can build WHATEVER you want. This results in INFJ's being highly diverse individuals who usually do not see eye-to-eye on things. ISFJ's are very likely to see eye-to-eye on things, unless their inner world of sensory details leads them to different conclusions. Even then, it's really just a matter of reconciling facts with each other, and at the very least they could relate to each other's point of view after doing that.

An INFJ's inner world is unique, and it's doubtful anyone else could relate to it. Often, we may not even know why we think what we think because we came to a conclusion about it already, and the details that led us to that conclusion are irrelevant. It is the opposite for the ISFJ, the details that caused them to reach the conclusion are very important, and they'll remember them.

[Gildar]

krwheel is right.

That is one key difference, I am terrible at remembering the details of something years after the fact. My ISFJ friend was telling me the plot-line from the original Star Craft the other day, because he actually remembered it!

There are actually a lot more INFJ's out there; we're probably not that rare, just we often test as something else. See, with introverted sensing, which is what the ISFJ's have, you have to build your inner world on facts. With the INFJ, you don't have to use facts to build your inner world, you can build WHATEVER you want. This results in INFJ's being highly diverse individuals who usually do not see eye-to-eye on things. ISFJ's are very likely to see eye-to-eye on things, unless their inner world of sensory details leads them to different conclusions. Even then, it's really just a matter of reconciling facts with each other, and at the very least they could relate to each other's point of view after doing that.

An INFJ's inner world is unique, and it's doubtful anyone else could relate to it. Often, we may not even know why we think what we think because we came to a conclusion about it already, and the details that led us to that conclusion are irrelevant. It is the opposite for the ISFJ, the details that caused them to reach the conclusion are very important, and they'll remember them.

I could tell tell people the entire plot line of some games i haven't played in years.

Before knew i was an ISFJ i was perplexed when people couldn't remember conversations i had months ago with them. This next thing scares some people my mind burns in personal information of my friends if i'm told something from one of them. I had a friend i knew for 8 day and he was curious about this so i wrote everything about him i had learned in the last 8 days. I wanted to take it back so bad after i gave it to him and starting apologizing for it. he said this is pretty cool and asked me somethings about himself and i knew the answer of those on the spot.

[morningglory010]

I could tell tell people the entire plot line of some games i haven't played in years.

I tend to have more vague memories of feelings and impressions, and actually, my family is often surprised by how little I tend to recall exact details.

But, I can sometimes be excruciatingly exact and practical, like an SJ is known to be. I don't mind routine, either. Other times I am super imaginative and emotional, and I have always been a creative, artsy person.

Is it possible that I could be "borderline"?

[Razare]

Let's see...

INFJ's find truths by thinking about things. We may space out for ten minutes to think over something, and draw a very insightful conclusion from our thoughts that we apply in our life going forward.

We get upset when there is a law that is unfair or unjust. We want everyone treated fairly and similarly. When things don't work this way, we'll get far more upset than any other personality type.

See an ISFJ is likely to take a law at face value. This is the law, it has been around for a 100 years, everyone knows about it, it's set in stone. Considering that it should be changed may never cross their mind.

An INFJ would analyze the law and how it affected society, they would then compare this law against an ideal of how things should be. If it doesn't meet the ideal, then it's a bad law and we want it changed. Just as an example, I'm utterly disenfranchised with the way the US government operates because of the pervasive corruption that now exists. Other people see this as the way things have always been, but I don't care how it was, I look at it today and it's corrupt, and getting worse every year. Rules that were long-held to be essential to the operation of the congress are being ignored because parties in charge bend the rules to favor themselves. Corporations now get to fund political campaigns....

You see how much this bothers me? I almost turned the entire post into this.

See an ISFJ is less likely to concern themselves with fairness as far as the law is concerned. Their dominant Si generally leads them to accept what is; they're not constantly imagining how things could be improved. If I point out to my ISFJ friend, why the government is corrupt and unfair, he likely agrees with me and then digs up a few details that support my claim. Suggesting how to change it, and how it should operate is a bit out of his league. He could do it if he really thought about it, but he isn't going to trouble himself with that. As an INFJ, I can't help but trouble myself with it.

Of course INFJ's pick their battles when it comes to fairness and justice. We all get worked up over different topics, but that gives you an idea of what having a strong Ni does when paired with Fe and Ti.

[morningglory010]

All right, thanks very much! Sounds like I am an INFJ. :)

[Trigun64]

Let's see...

INFJ's find truths by thinking about things. We may space out for ten minutes to think over something, and draw a very insightful conclusion from our thoughts that we apply in our life going forward.

We get upset when there is a law that is unfair or unjust. We want everyone treated fairly and similarly. When things don't work this way, we'll get far more upset than any other personality type.

See an ISFJ is likely to take a law at face value. This is the law, it has been around for a 100 years, everyone knows about it, it's set in stone. Considering that it should be changed may never cross their mind.

An INFJ would analyze the law and how it affected society, they would then compare this law against an ideal of how things should be. If it doesn't meet the ideal, then it's a bad law and we want it changed. Just as an example, I'm utterly disenfranchised with the way the US government operates because of the pervasive corruption that now exists. Other people see this as the way things have always been, but I don't care how it was, I look at it today and it's corrupt, and getting worse every year. Rules that were long-held to be essential to the operation of the congress are being ignored because parties in charge bend the rules to favor themselves. Corporations now get to fund political campaigns....

You see how much this bothers me? I almost turned the entire post into this.

See an ISFJ is less likely to concern themselves with fairness as far as the law is concerned. Their dominant Si generally leads them to accept what is; they're not constantly imagining how things could be improved. If I point out to my ISFJ friend, why the government is corrupt and unfair, he likely agrees with me and then digs up a few details that support my claim. Suggesting how to change it, and how it should operate is a bit out of his league. He could do it if he really thought about it, but he isn't going to trouble himself with that. As an INFJ, I can't help but trouble myself with it.

Of course INFJ's pick their battles when it comes to fairness and justice. We all get worked up over different topics, but that gives you an idea of what having a strong Ni does when paired with Fe and Ti.

This seems to be plagued with ISFJ stereo typing that is mostly not true. I could see an ISTJ maybe falling under these definitions, however this is not the greatest separation of ISFJ's and INFJ's.

ISFJ's are often thinking as well, and we often see the value in laws, but if we see a law as harmful, then we are not going to just step in line, just because its been around for a period of time. We are not mindless automatons. Si is a judging function. We are constantly taking in the details of things and comparing them with past experiences. We definitely care about what is fair and what is not, but what we see as fair might not coincide with what you see as fair. The underling principles are often important to us.

ISFJ's are just as likely to get fired up over a subject that resonates with them, yet they also pick and chose their battles because they we also value harmony. Just because an ISFJ does not disagree with you on the surface, does not mean they agree with you. They just want to spare your feelings and avoid unnecessary conflict. Likewise, if an ISFJ is quite capable of understanding the nuances of how a government should run, but it does not mean they are going to force their views of how things should run on others.

You can generally tell the difference between an ISFJ and an INFJ buy their speech and their mannerisms. Its hard not having a person face to face to type them properly. The best thing, I would suggest is to type a essay, of a descent length. Have others go over it and see what conclusions they draw and why.

[morningglory010]

I just identify with both so much, for different reasons....maybe I am over-thinking this. I will try the writing the essay and having someone more knowledgeable look at it. This is so important to me because I'm trying to make a career change right now. Of course, MBTI type can't just tell me what to do, but I know it'll help me narrow it down a little. :)

[floryshe]

I was very confused as to what my type was when I first got into MBTI. Originally I thought I was an INTP.

I suppose I thought I was intuitive because, like krwheel said, introverted sensing comes off as an intuitive function. We really do live in our own little world and have our own little value system, which, if you're anything like me, you're constantly striving to perfect it. I thought I was a thinker because I'm emotionally unexpressive and have always tended to value logic and reasoning.
The P and J could have gone either way though.

Eventually I narrowed it down that I was a Sensor because I've always been very grounded to reality. Even when I think about the big picture and how we all fit into it my reasoning is tied to known facts and don't deviate much from them. And even when they do, my pattern of thinking is still very linear. I eventually realized I was a feeler because I've always been very aware of how others were feeling and never wanted to be the cause of any negative emotions. The P and J was a little harder to define, I suppose I eventually came to the conclusion I was a J when I started thinking about how much of a finisher I've always been; rarely starting new projects, always finishing current ones. Yes, the house can look like train ran through it but so long as my responsibilities are taken care of, I'm content.

anywayy.. maybe this will help some, maybe not..