# ISFP, INFP or INFJ? Possibly INTJ. Someone Please Help Me Stop the Insanity!!



## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

ISFP, INFP, INFJ or maybe INTJ
I've taken so many tests and read so many papers that I can't absorb any more right now. 
This is the form suggested to help determine my Type. 


0. Is there anything that may affect the way you answer the questions? For example, a stressful time, mental illness, medications, special life circumstances? Other useful information includes sex, age, and current state of mind.
----I'm in my 40's and have probably developed some coping strategies to compensate for my weaknesses. 
I'm female, I live in the U.S. and in the Deep South. I grew up in a very conservative and traditional area and don't feel like I fit in here. 
Also I am very frustrated with all the online tests that give me different results. 

1. Click on this link: Flickr: Explore! Look at the random photo for about 30 seconds. Copy and paste it here, and write about your impression of it.








----I have no idea if this is the right picture, because there were many on that page. I chose this one because I love nature, I love to hike and camp and be outdoors. Discovering tiny treasures like this is one of the reasons I hike. 

2. You are with a group of people in a car, heading to a different town to see your favourite band/artist/musician. Suddenly, the car breaks down for an unknown reason in the middle of nowhere. What are your initial thoughts? What are your outward reactions? 
----Inward:Oh crap! I can't believe this is happening. Wonder if we're out of gas. Oh yeah! I have towing insurance. I hope I have a phone signal out here..
----Outward: Lighthearted humorous complaint- Seriously? Tonight??! Do you want me to call a tow truck? We're going to miss the concert, right..?

3. You somehow make it to the concert. The driver wants to go to the afterparty that was announced (and assure you they won't drink so they can drive back later). How do you feel about this party? What do you do? 
----I hate parties, I don't want to go, and I'd try to catch another ride home or call someone to come and get me. I'd PAY someone to take me home. I'd find some way out of it and possibly not be very nice. 

4. On the drive back, your friends are talking. A friend makes a claim that clashes with your current beliefs. What is your inward reaction? What do you outwardly say? 
----Inward: Oh God! He believes that?!
----Outward: Ask a question that puts him on the spot, but I'd keep it light & not make a big deal of it. 

5. What would you do if you actually saw/experienced something that clashes with your previous beliefs, experiences, and habits? 
---- I am very open to change in habits and point of view if I understand and agree with the reasoning behind it. I'd welcome it if I saw it as an improvement, even if it was a challenge. 

6. What are some of your most important values? How did you come about determining them? How can they change?
----I value my free time, happiness and adventure. I've valued them since I was a child. Life wouldn't be worth living without them. I can't see that changing. Ever. 
----I value my children because I love them. No change there either. Ever. 
----I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person! 

7. a) What about your personality most distinguishes you from everyone else? 
----I'm female, but love to hike and camp. I am curious, adventurous and a little rebellious. Most people say I'm impulsive. 
b) If you could change one thing about you personality, what would it be? 
----I wish I could stay out of my own head and be fully present in every moment. I wish I could keep my head "out of the clouds". Why? I'm much happier living in the present than staying in my own thoughts. 
-----I also wish I liked people more and genuinely liked/wanted to help them. I wish I had more (or some) empathy. 

8. How do you treat hunches or gut feelings? In what situations are they most often triggered? 
----I examine them for truth- is it just emotion, or is their truth behind it. If I believe it's more than just emotion I go with it. 
----I usually get gut feelings about what kind if person someone is or their motives, if they are being genuine and/or honest. Also about plans I've made- particularly if they involve other people. 

9. a) What activities energize you most? 
----Being outdoors by myself- running, hiking, camping, walking my dogs. Working on a project I enjoy at my job. Alone. 
b) What activities drain you most? 
----Socializing, parties, being expected to mingle and converse with people. Running errands, making phone calls. Why? I don't know. Talking with people drains my energy. Being alone, particularly outdoors replenishes it. 


10. What do you repress about your outward behavior or internal thought process when around others?
---- I don't really like to make plans with people or commit my free time to do something with them. I feel put out if anyone wants me to do something for them in my free time. I don't feel much empathy for people but I try not to make it obvious. 
Why? 
----Because it's not socially acceptable to be as selfish with my time as I am. I don't repress it completely though. People who know me well know how I am. That goes back to being authentic/true to myself.


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## Canon (Mar 2, 2014)

Strong Fi traits:
----Inward: Oh God! He believes that?!
----Outward: Ask a question that puts him on the spot
----I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person! 
----Because it's not socially acceptable to be as selfish with my time as I am. I don't repress it completely though. People who know me well know how I am. That goes back to being authentic/true to myself.

Since Fi is your primary function, you are a IXFP

To explain the alternatives: 
Regardless of the use of their dominant function, Ni, you do not use the secondary functions for either of these types.
INFJs use Fe - Fi users focus on staying true to themselves and their personal beliefs, whereas Fe users will sacrifice these for the sake of others / social acceptance.
INTJ uses Te - Te users are interested in external organization of their physical surroundings, controlling others and efficiency, none of which you have mentioned.

As for sensing vs intuition, I couldn't figure this one out as easily.

Se traits: Love of nature, appreciation for your surroundings, adventure, the outdoors
However you also said you wished you lived in the present more, implying that you struggled with it despite having a preference for it. Still, your hobbies are more appreciated by sensor-types, and there are few intuitive behaviors mentioned.

I would guess you are a ISFP.


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## Chest (Apr 14, 2014)

well I can tell by your answers that you are not INFJ, so let's scratch that one out for now

"I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person!"

that answer is too heavy on values, it's unlikely for an INTJ to give out their opinions of attachment like that


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

Chest said:


> well I can tell by your answers that you are not INFJ, so let's scratch that one out for now
> 
> "I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person!"
> 
> that answer is too heavy on values, it's unlikely for an INTJ to give out their opinions of attachment like that





Canon said:


> Strong Fi traits:
> ----Inward: Oh God! He believes that?!
> ----Outward: Ask a question that puts him on the spot
> ----I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person!
> ...


Thank you very much!


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

Chest said:


> well I can tell by your answers that you are not INFJ, so let's scratch that one out for now
> 
> "I value my integrity and staying true to myself. Maybe it's because I've been in relationships in which the person tried to change who I was and I was miserable. I believe everyone has a right to be their true self. I dislike being fake in any form. I can't imagine that changing either. I hope I never become a fake person!"
> 
> that answer is too heavy on values, it's unlikely for an INTJ to give out their opinions of attachment like that


Thank you- that really helps!


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## hanzer (Mar 20, 2014)

suzypike said:


> 0. Is there anything that may affect the way you answer the questions? For example, a stressful time, mental illness, medications, special life circumstances? Other useful information includes sex, age, and current state of mind.


Definitely! I find the questions on these tests require a great deal of humor, patience and interpretation. My general reaction to many/most of the questions is that they are poorly formed and there isn't any answer available (multiple choice) that I might consider as being a reasonable response to the question. For example, if a Rorschach inkblot were presented to me and the tester asks "Does this look like a bird or a bat?" I would struggle with that. (It looks to me like an asshole holding an inkblot). Of course, at this point my mood is colored by the frustration of the testing method and that certainly affects the outcome. In the end, it's just a game.


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

hanzer said:


> Definitely! I find the questions on these tests require a great deal of humor, patience and interpretation. My general reaction to many/most of the questions is that they are poorly formed and there isn't any answer available (multiple choice) that I might consider as being a reasonable response to the question. For example, if a Rorschach inkblot were presented to me and the tester asks "Does this look like a bird or a bat?" I would struggle with that. (It looks to me like an asshole holding an inkblot). Of course, at this point my mood is colored by the frustration of the testing method and that certainly affects the outcome. In the end, it's just a game.


Oh, I can so relate!!


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

If it matters, on my cognitive functions I score high in Ne and Ni (yes, both) and Fi. 
I score low on Fe and Te. 
I wish this was on my original post.


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## Valtire (Jan 1, 2014)

suzypike said:


> If it matters, on my cognitive functions I score high in Ne and Ni (yes, both) and Fi.
> I score low on Fe and Te.
> I wish this was on my original post.


It's slight evidence that you have either Te or Fe as your inferior function. I'm hoping you don't take those tests too seriously; they are hopelessly inaccurate.


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

Fried Eggz said:


> It's slight evidence that you have either Te or Fe as your inferior function. I'm hoping you don't take those tests too seriously; they are hopelessly inaccurate.


What is accurate? I personally believe I'm an INTJ, but there's been so much data that it would be hard to explain why (and it's not worth it to me to try. roud:

And thank you- that simply has to be true, because I've gotten so many different answers.


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## Valtire (Jan 1, 2014)

@suzypike

I've yet to come across a test that is remotely accurate unless you're a teenager. Teenagers don't use their lower two functions very often, so they often come out well defined.

Points I think need to be shared:
-You don't show signs of Te. This would be extremely unusual if you were an INTJ.
-The enneagrams 5 & 4 combined are statistically most common in INTPs.

That said, you seem more like an unusual ISFP to me.


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

Fried Eggz said:


> @suzypike
> 
> I've yet to come across a test that is remotely accurate unless you're a teenager. Teenagers don't use their lower two functions very often, so they often come out well defined.
> 
> ...


Thank you very much. I like your perspective and I also believe my age (40s) is a factor in my mixed results. When I did a cognitive functions test- which I thought was a pretty good test, my Ne and Ni were both very high and so close that I can't call it. 
Ne is a little bit higher and my gut tells me Ne is dominant.


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## -Alpha- (Dec 30, 2013)

You give me an INFP vibe. It could be supported by the fact that you mistyped yourself as INTP previously, and if you're 100% positive that Ne is high on your stack, it would fit. Additionally, I didn't detect Ni at all in your post, but when I read your impression of the picture, you seemed to be reliving it like it was something special to you. Something people might note is that though that seems sensory, an ISFP has Se as an aux function. INFP, however, have Si which allows them to reminisce about these things. All the evidence pints to INFP for me.


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## Valtire (Jan 1, 2014)

suzypike said:


> Thank you very much. I like your perspective and I also believe my age (40s) is a factor in my mixed results. When I did a cognitive functions test- which I thought was a pretty good test, my Ne and Ni were both very high and so close that I can't call it.
> Ne is a little bit higher and my gut tells me Ne is dominant.


You will only use one of them. Hence why INTJs are Ni-Te-Fi-Se and INTPs are Ti-Ne-Si-Fe. If you used both, there would be no noticeable difference between the types.

E.G. whenever I take a cognitive function test, I score Ti-Ni-Te, but I've studied Ti, and I know for a fact that I don't use it. This is the problem with cognitive function tests; Te feigns Si because they both like facts; Ni-Te feigns Ti because Ti is logically analytical, and Ni's insight and Te's logic working together can come across as an analytical process. There are a heck of a lot of function combinations that can feign another function entirely.


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

I don't remember all of my Cognitive Functions results, and they may be a load of bull hockey, but here's what I wrote down:
High: Ne and Ni and Fi
Lowest (almost nonexistent) Fe and Te


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## suzypike (Mar 30, 2014)

Fried Eggz said:


> @suzypike
> 
> I've yet to come across a test that is remotely accurate unless you're a teenager. Teenagers don't use their lower two functions very often, so they often come out well defined.
> 
> ...


I do believe you were right! It took some time and lurking on different subforums, but that's where I fit.


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