# ISFP or INFP?



## everywhereis (Feb 26, 2012)

So I was on a trip to San Francisco with a friend and we got to talking MBTI. I was wondering (as was she) what type she is. I couldn’t remember the full questionnaire, so I just asked her what I could remember and typed notes. My guess was ISFP or INFP but can’t really decide. What do you think?


1) What do you yearn for in life? Why?
Freedom. To live as I want and how I want. I want to stay connected to that true place inside of me anyway I can. I seem to be able to stay in this place by being out in nature, listening to music or just being silent. 

2) Think about a time where you felt like you were at your finest. Tell us what made you feel that way.
Might sound funny, but I feel at my best when I’m just “being”, not “doing”. I usually do that through being out in nature, listening to music or working with my hands (my mind just goes really quiet and i feel like i'm in a listening place). I also have an appreciation practice I’ve done for several years and I always feel really good when I’m doing that.

(What do you think about when you're out in nature) Hah! nothing if I can help it. I just like the colors, the feel of the sun on my face, the light.... I don't know, that's about it. I kind of need to be out in nature a couple of times a day to feel well. Once in the early morning as the sun is rising and in twilight. The light is the best at these times.

3) What makes you feel inferior? 
I guess, that I don’t seem to be like other people, or rather I don’t fit in very well, but I can’t seem to adjust myself to fit in. I guess I also feel inferior when everyone talks about their goals in life, but I never seem to have any, I like taking things day-to-day. They look at me like I’m a freak for not being more motivated.

4) When working on a project what is normally your emphasis? Do you like to have control of the outcome?
Well, I like to sketch art pieces or decorating projects. I always see images in my mind of what I want to create and I sketch it out. I love working with textiles, texture and color (I think I have a sort of fetish for fabrics J) The only thing is I have tons of ideas of art projects, or decorating projects, but once the initial sketch is done, I kind of lose interest. I have tons of half done crafts projects around the house. But it’s not so bad, I just pick them back up when I feel inspired and most of them eventually will get done.

5) When you want to learn something new, what feels more natural for you? (Are you more prone to be hands on, to theorize, to memorize, etc)
Hands on for sure. I feel like I don’t really know something until I’ve gotten my hands on it. 

6) How organized do you to think of yourself as?
I’m OK at work because I have to be, but definitely not at home. It's just not that important to me. 

7) How do you act when you're stressed out? 
Impatient, frustrated, feel like I can’t do anything right. I actually don’t like to be comforted or touched by other people, I just need to be by myself to destress.

8) What kind of things do you pay the least attention to in your life
Well my house is messy and I’m terrible with paying bills on time or taking care of things like filing taxes. But these things don’t bother or stress me out though. 

Other things she talked about. I generally don’t have role models, but I found a strong connection to Mary Oliver (poet). If I could have any day-to-day life it would be hers. (What do you mean by that?) Well, she sets her own schedule, she spends her days in nature, listening, she seems very spiritual. She’s paying attention to what’s meaningful in her life. I never really enjoyed poetry until i read hers. The only thing is I suck at writing. I’m actually much better at making things for people to let them know how I felt about them (cooking, crafts, sewing). I’d prefer doing that kind of stuff than sharing my feelings with someone.

What were you like as a child? I loved to read, read, read (adventure stories, Nancy Drew, anything with animals, Little House on the Prairie, Anne of Green Gables), and if I wasn’t reading I was out exploring on my bike or swimming in the ocean. Being in the water always calmed me. I associate freedom with all these things. I was also (still am) really good with animals. For some reason I always had people bring me sick birds or abandoned dogs because I could make them well again. I’m probably way better with animals than people. For a long time, I thought I wanted to be a vet or live on a farm and was lucky to work in a zoo for awhile. Around 17 or 18, I got really interested in metaphysics (meditation, energy healing, alternative medicine). I even joined a meditation group and was a part of that for a very long time. I’ve always been really drawn to the mysterious, unknown side of life.

(She's 33 now if that helps any.)


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

Hmmm... @everywhereis - If you want my opinion, I'd say she seems more like an ISFP. And that's awesome. ^^ Best way to confirm what type she is now, though, is to start looking at the functions. Perhaps to use to cognitive functions tests as a guide (only as a guide! They're not going to be 100% accurate). And only if you can. Let's see...

The functions of ISFP: 

Dominant: Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Auxiliary: Extraverted Sensing (Se)
Tertiary: Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Inferior: Extraverted Thinking (Te) 

So, for ISFP, she would lead with Fi, and her Se backs it up.  Remember, the tertiary and inferior functions are usually going to be the weakest and will be the ones you develop later in life. 

I find this to be a fairly accurate cognitive functions test.  Here's the link: Keys 2 Cognition - Cognitive Processes

Functions of INFP: 

Dominant: Introverted Feeling (Fi)
Auxiliary: Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
Tertiary: Introverted Sensing (Si)
Inferior: Extraverted Thinking (Te)

I hope that helps. ^^


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## everywhereis (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks @Julia Bell - She’s seen the cognitive functions test before but didn’t like it as she said she needed more real life examples to really decide. 

My first guess for her was INFP because she talks and has such a big focus towards metaphysical/ spiritual topics in her life. She and I have talked a lot about these things (I’m an NFP) and she tracks along well (no obvious boredom) and seems to have a more analytical approach to the discussions so I thought that seemed more “Ne”. I suppose she could have a very well developed tertiary Ni as an ISFP though?


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

@everywhereis - Hmm... Well, Sensory types can have a big focus towards metaphysical and spiritual topics as well.  Se is very hard to differentiate between Ne. But for the moment, I shall try to explain it. You can ask her which she most relates to. Here's me trying very hard to explain Ne: 



> But the moments where your thoughts are racing very quickly, swinging from tangent to tangent to something completely different, and then successfully connecting them all together in such a way that makes sense where you feel you're touching on a large, big picture... as though you're suddenly standing on top of a hill looking down on things in such a way that everything has fallen into place....


A little later I tried to explain even further:



> Well, ideas however separate tend to be interconnected. I take one thought and I keep on taking a step backwards until it is so broad I feel like it encompasses everything. And I feel like that's when I can see the threads that connect things to each other. Or that's how I feel whenever I'm thinking.


If she can relate at _all_ to what I was trying to get at, or can even understand what I'm talking about, she possibly uses Ne more. XD 

Here's a much better way of explaining the difference: 



> Se sees everything in the present moment as it is. The big picture is how all the sensory elements tie together in that moment.
> Ne sees everything in the present moment as it could be. The big picture is how all the implied ideas tie together in that moment.


I'm afraid I can't help too much. She's going to have to decide for herself in the end. I would highly suggest the cognitive functions test. But, y'know, the best way of finding your type is to simply self reflect, gather information, occasionally ask for an outsider's opinion... 

I hope I've been helpful.


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## Hycocritical truth teller (Aug 29, 2011)

everywhereis said:


> So I was on a trip to San Francisco with a friend and we got to talking MBTI. I was wondering (as was she) what type she is. I couldn’t remember the full questionnaire, so I just asked her what I could remember and typed notes. My guess was ISFP or INFP but can’t really decide. What do you think?
> 
> 
> 1) What do you yearn for in life? Why?
> ...



My bestie is an ISFP
Ok - her house is never messy but mine for sure is. She is not too much into reading since she always says that the paper is withdrawning her attention. She focuses on a physical object. I have a different problem for example - my thoughts are smth i can't control so i fly away into daydreaming whiel reading.
Also she is P but she is neat cuz she is very visually focused. She very much enjoys paying attention on details and talking care of things. I admire her patience sometimes really. I would never have enough of it to finish decorating table...i used to have to make myself do thing to the end - but i usually do finish after all.


> well now on the other hand, hands on is also what my ISFP friend likes...but it's what i like as well and i am N! But it's the reason why she does it. For example - this improves my concentration, if i am hands on...i can't fly away, but she just hates theories and big texts.
> I guess, that I don’t seem to be like other people, or rather I don’t fit in very well, but I can’t seem to adjust myself to fit in. I guess I also feel inferior when everyone talks about their goals in life, but I never seem to have any, I like taking things day-to-day. They look at me like I’m a freak for not being more motivated.


This is smth my ISFP friend would probably say 

Also ISFP friend was mistyped as INFP and she said that seemed kinda awkward to her reading descriptions. She is with developed Ni which resulted in being introspective and self searching...it's a good trait 
but this: "I like to sketch art pieces or decorating projects. I always see images in my mind of what I want to create and I sketch it out." sounds very ISFP-ish to me


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## WarriorDreamer (Dec 14, 2011)

Yeah she seems and sounds like she is an ISFP. I can see where you think she is 'INFP-ish' but the fact she takes things 'day by day' and is 'very hands on' about things, liking to create things with her hands gives me the impression she is an ISFP. 

Although it's not always the case, INFP's normally tend to be more metaphorical about things rather than literal. They would rather do painting or writing than working with textiles.

She sounds cool.


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## everywhereis (Feb 26, 2012)

Thanks @WarriorDreamer. Yes, she's very cool and quite frankly is the only other IFP I've met in quite a long time (I think I'm surrounded by SJs  She did mention to me once that although she has to be more abstract/analytical for her work, she feels the need to either cook or create something with her hands when she gets home just so she can feel grounded again, otherwise she feels too spacey. Sounds ISFP.

Thanks for your feedback.


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