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[INFP] INFPs And Intelligence

Liquid Swordz

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I've read several articles that say that INFP's are intelligent types. Which almost seems contradicting seeing as how we deal mostly with our feelings, but not so much when you really delve deep into it. Feelings can lead to thought and they can also be analyzed and broken down themselves, plus I wouldn't be surprised if many INFP's intense feelings on subjects stems from their thinking on them, or vice versa.

The main point of this thread is that there's a Facebook INFP group who posted a thread about IQ, based off of most the members post there their IQ's seemed to average around 130 so the question was brought up whether INFP's seem to gravitate towards having above average IQs.

I don't know the exact number of my IQ but I was always labeled "smart" in High School even though I didn't take primary school seriously and prefered to be a class clown. I can also retain a large amount of information and analyze abstract concepts and possess an extremely high Verbal IQ as I was considered capable of reading on a College level in 8th grade.

So do INFPs really average around having a bit of a higher Intelligence Quotient than other types?
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
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I think the way INFPs see the world needs a lot of processing. Maybe that's it. My IQ is usually somewhere between 130 and 140, if I test it with English IQ tests (english is not my language so it might be a bit higher than that in reality). I would assume, though, that almost all intuitive introverts get high IQs due to the nature of the test.
 

BlahBlahNounBlah

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I think I.Q. is a load of dung. If someone has a high IQ but fails in every way that matters, then how much were those test results worth? The history of the test itself (not to mention alternate methods of ranking human beings) disturbs me too.


The pool of intelligent, innovative, insightful people consists of any type we can name, though they vary in their focus.


Speaking of my favorite INFPs, I have noticed a perfectionist streak that can lead to spectacular results in their work. It seems difficult to be one, but their contribution to the world seems a fair exchange.
 

Liquid Swordz

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I agree that IQ testing is a flawed system. A person could be a genius in American society but also be considered stupid amongst a tribal people because he doesn't know how to build a straw hut or something.

One could also be extremely intelligent in all fields except for one because of a learning disability, so despite having a high IQ this wouldn't show up in test results because of their disability.

But I'd also like to point out that IQ and success actually have no correlation, the supposedly smartest man in the world works as a Bouncer.
 

nolla

Senor Membrane
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But I'd also like to point out that IQ and success actually have no correlation, the supposedly smartest man in the world works as a Bouncer.

That might be a smart move from him. There was this really smart kid on our class when I was in high school. Everyone thought he would be a scientist or something. He left to become a regular electrician. The point is, who determines the "success", is it you or is it the others? You could be a success even if you drive the carbage truck, if that is what you want.
 

Snuggletron

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INFPs aren't any smarter than any other type. Maybe they tend to be more curious and creative though, which makes them look smarter.
 

Seymour

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INFPs aren't any smarter than any other type. Maybe they tend to be more curious and creative though, which makes them look smarter.

I think I disgree. There are statistical studies like the one referred to here: Liberty Corner: IQ and Personality

I think it's more accurate to say that I.Q. tests measure a very specific, very narrow band of intelligence. I.Q. clearly tests measure something (which has been proven time and time again) and you can read up about what it's been shown to be correlated with on the wikipedia page on I.Q. I like the quote from the wikipedia page: "in economic terms it appears that the IQ score measures something with decreasing marginal value. It is important to have enough of it, but having lots and lots does not buy you that much."

Since the early 1900s (with the first Stanford Binet test was developed) we have come to the understanding that there are other forms of intelligence (musical, kinesthetic, emotional, etc), and that some of those have an equal or greater effect on quality of life.

It makes sense that aspects of the MBTI would be correlated with I.Q. but you can't say that proves that a person (or a type) is practically smarter, wiser and more successful.

Personally, I tend to subjectively feel that NTs, especially INTXs, are generally smarter than I am (although I'm sure I sometimes feel that way about other types, too). My INTP older brother's Christmas wish-list looks a professor's (scholarly works in religion, history and psychology, books in Greek and German) while mine still resembles that of a 15 year-old (computer/console games, Joss Whedon series DVDs, fantasy novels, etc.). It's embarrassing!
 

Snuggletron

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yeah but the gifts he wants are boring, and yours are awesome. So who really is the smarter one? ;)
 

Soar337

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Perhaps, perhaps not. I know my IQ is between 130-140 from the IQ tests I have taken.
 

runvardh

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I think someone posted a list of IQs by type but I forget where it is. INs tended to top out the chart, but those tests seem to be somewhat set up to pick out our thinking processes. That said, I tend to test around 125.
 

the state i am in

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too much iq talk reeks of feeling embarrassed and wanting to feel appreciated/smart. i agree with blahblahnounblah, that most types have their own forms of intelligence. with that said, Ne is a great plug-and-play function, it is like a cat that almost always lands on its feet. the only infps i know who seem really fucking stupid are the ones who completely refuse to play the game, refuse to learn, develop, advance their natural abilities in any way shape and form. total value fixation and closed vision. with all of that said, most of the infps i do know are fucking smart and get their shit together quite well. the more Ne they develop the more they become flexible, creative, problem-solving, and forward thinking.

also, enneagram types greatly impact where a person will direct his or her intelligence.

i imagine in tests the most successful types are intj, infj, and intp. entp, enfp, and infp are probably right up there too, altho i think the skillset for a closed game benefits Ni and Ti more so than Fi. intj is the best bc its Ni is hierarchically organized by default, promoting easier access and quicker recognition of objectives, goals, sub-goals, etc. but Ti is a sneaky fucker. Fi is far better at grasping overall significance.

life, however, has its closed games and its wide open games. this is where Ne comes into play as a form of cognitive intelligence.
 

OrangeAppled

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I've always been book smart. School was a breeze. I was absent half the time, but I still managed to graduate with a 4.0+. College was even better, because it had less menial tasks, and I was more at ease socially.

People talk about how emotional intelligence is the area that Feelers excel in, but socially, I'm kind of stupid. Fi is narrow and deep, and it comes out unexpectedly to heal, but not necessarily to network and connect to others. In life, that is possibly the most important skill, or one of them. I notice that ESxx types do very well there, and even though some I know are not particularly book smart, they have the social smarts that gets them where they want to go.

Thinkers don't have a monopoly on critical thinking skills either. All judging functions evaluate and are capable of critical thinking. I also wouldn't undervalue the importance of perceiving functions in academic intelligence.

Personally, I think it's my Ne-aux that really aided me in math in school. I've always been good at it (despite INFP stereotypes), and I've analyzed it in regards to MBTI and decided that it likely boils down to my ability to recognize and apply patterns very easily. In school, I'd study the example problems, quickly see the pattern in solving them, and then apply it to all the problems in my homework. I felt like a well-oiled machine at times - just going through the repeat motions. I have would have my homework done before the teacher had finished explaining how to do it. As far as IQ tests go, I do rather well on them because of how quickly I note patterns. I think that particular form of intelligence is easiest to measure, which is why there are tests for it, and why it may be overvalued.

Feelers still think - it's not as if we are all emotion and instinct driven. We're human beings, and we are all capable of rational thought, just as Thinkers experience emotion. Feeling IS a rational process in MBTI, even if it is value-driven, deals heavily with emotions, and often brings original ideas to us in forms of images, atmosphere, and mood. That just makes us artistically inclined, and we could get into a discussion on how that shows a form of intelligence also....

Oh, and I will add that people often are surprised to learn I am quite book smart when they meet me. Apparently, I look like a girl who just likes to shop and talk about makeup :D. Add to that the way an INFP can seem rather silly and random like airheads when extroverting through Ne, and I imagine people often underestimate our intellectual abilities. Being introverts, we can also seem "slow" to people, because we might not react immediately, and we often take time to think before speaking.
 

WoodsWoman

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For this INFP it's got a lot to do with that tendency to self perfectionism - I doubt if I know any subject well unless I could teach a college level course on it... and am self taught. Even at this point I will be unsure of my grasp of whatever subject is at hand.
 

chickpea

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i have a really high verbal iq, and i skipped a grade in school.

i've always been a shitty student though because of lack of motivation. and i'm really awful at math/science
 

bighairything

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The main point of this thread is that there's a Facebook INFP group who posted a thread about IQ, based off of most the members post there their IQ's seemed to average around 130 so the question was brought up whether INFP's seem to gravitate towards having above average IQs.

Well, I'm not really a fan of IQ, but... if you take an IQ test and score 80, you're not exactly going to tell everyone on Facebook, are you?
 

INTPness

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Correct me if I'm wrong, but IQ tests are simply meant to measure one's "ability to learn" or I've even heard that they measure ability to learn quickly - to "pick things up" so to speak. I used to dismiss the results of IQ tests as well when I thought they measured "how smart someone is" (and I'll definitely admit that one's score should not determine success in life), but if you understand that it's just measuring the ability to learn (or to learn quickly) - then it's perfectly understandable to have some score in the 130's and others much less. Think about a person who is mentally retarded. I've read that this is usually below 70. 60's being a mild case of retardation and it gets more severe the lower the score. Being "smart" and a success in life (whatever that means) is not what these tests measure, contrary to popular belief.

I don't think those that are mentally retarded are necessarily stupid. I've talked with a few who are and thought, "aha...he knows his stuff!". They just maybe don't learn as quickly. It would be like if there was a test that measured how hard one swings a hammer when framing a house. Of course, some would score high and some would score low. IQ tests only measure one tiny aspect of life - how quickly we learn - it means nothing outside of this. Success in life has to do with so much more. IQ tests cannot account for other success factors such as motivation, people skills, a good work ethic, passion, the necessity or drive that comes with having to put food on the table for your children, how hard you swing a hammer, how fast you run, if you have the looks of a supermodel, great leadership skills (whether learned or inherited), and the list goes on.

With that said, I think most IN's tend to score high on these tests. I know INFP's who are great in math and I know NT's that can write extremely well, but I would assume (and could be wrong) that generally speaking NT's are going to score higher in the math/hard sciences while NF's score higher in the verbal areas of tests like SAT/GRE/GMAT, etc.
 

Seymour

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So here's what that article I linked to earlier claimed:
Moreover, if you encounter an INTJ (Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging), there is a 37% probability that his IQ places him in the top 2 percent of the population. The probability is 20% for an INTP, 15% for an INFJ, and 8% for an INFP. These four types account for 66% of the high-IQ population but only 6% of the total population.

I, too, would expect that INFXs do better on the verbal portion, and INTXs do better on the math/hard science part. Personally, I always did very well in hard science and math courses (better in the more conceptually taught math courses, like geometry & calculus, rather than the more "do this 50 times" approach of my algebra and statistics courses). However, I discovered I just lost interest after a certain level of abstraction.

Even with computer programming (my career), I find motivation by thinking about actual people benefiting from my work (coworkers and customers). Graduate level computer science and mathematics always struck me as so much intellectual wanking. While it may be personally gratifying, it fails to connect. I both respect and am intimidated by many INTXs clarity of thought and stamina in pursuit of the logically abstract. I just lack that stamina once the subject matter becomes many levels removed from actual people.
 

Southern Kross

Away with the fairies
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I've read several articles that say that INFP's are intelligent types. Which almost seems contradicting seeing as how we deal mostly with our feelings, but not so much when you really delve deep into it. Feelings can lead to thought and they can also be analyzed and broken down themselves, plus I wouldn't be surprised if many INFP's intense feelings on subjects stems from their thinking on them, or vice versa.

The main point of this thread is that there's a Facebook INFP group who posted a thread about IQ, based off of most the members post there their IQ's seemed to average around 130 so the question was brought up whether INFP's seem to gravitate towards having above average IQs.

I don't know the exact number of my IQ but I was always labeled "smart" in High School even though I didn't take primary school seriously and prefered to be a class clown. I can also retain a large amount of information and analyze abstract concepts and possess an extremely high Verbal IQ as I was considered capable of reading on a College level in 8th grade.

So do INFPs really average around having a bit of a higher Intelligence Quotient than other types?
Actually many INFP traits match up quite well with high intelligence. There are certain behavioural traits gifted people tend to have. In psychology these are known as overexcitabilities. The degree of giftedness alters the prevelance of these overexcitabilities. The IQ categories for giftedness seem to vary but here is a common one:

Gifted or moderately gifted 120-129
Highly gifted 125-135
Exceptionally gifted 130-140
Profoundly gifted 135-141+

Read more about these categories here

Anyway here is a summary of the overexcitabilities. A gifted person may not possess all of these traits but will have a strong majority of them.

PSYCHOMOTOR
- impulsive
- competitive
- verbose
- compulsive organizing
- nervous habits and tics
- preference for fast action and sports
- insomnia

SENSUAL
- heightened senses (eg. sensitive to loud noises etc)
- increased interest and appreciation for beauty and aesthetics (art, literature, music etc)
- can become over-stimulated - may need periods of contemplation, solitude
- craving for pleasure
- need or desire for comfort

INTELLECTUAL
- curiousity and insatiable desire for knowledge
- avid reader, fascination with words
- high concentration levels, ability to maintain intellectual effort
- rapid thinker and learner
- easily grasps scientific and mathematical concepts
- strong memory skills
- high problem solving skills, analytical/theoretical thinking and reasoning abilities
- complex thinking, interest in ambiguity, asks probing questions - insightful
- philosophical - search for truths, patterns, meaning
- extensive vocabulary
- perfectionistic
- independent thinking, questions authority, non-conforming, opinionated

IMAGINATIONAL
- rich imagination, daydreaming, love of fantasy
- creative
- original, unusual ideas, tangental thinking
- detailed visualization, vivid dreams

EMOTIONAL
- perceptive, observant
- passionate, intense feelings and complex emotions
- compassionate, sensitive and empathetic
- emotional self-awareness
- strong moral convictions - heightened sense right and wrong, of injustice and hypocrisy
- sense of alienation, feels different, out of sync, lonely
- strong/unusual sense of humour
- Anxious, timid, shy, introverted
- Strong memory for feelings
- Problems adjusting to change
- Depression
- Physical response to emotions (stomach aches caused by anxiety, for example)

There's lots of interesting information out there on these. Check out these articles:

Dabrowski - Dabrowski's Overexcitabilities in Gifted Children
http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/papers/GiftedProblems.pdf
SENG: Articles & Resources - Overexcitability and the gifted
 

Scott N Denver

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I've always been book smart. School was a breeze. I was absent half the time, but I still managed to graduate with a 4.0+. College was even better, because it had less menial tasks, and I was more at ease socially.

People talk about how emotional intelligence is the area that Feelers excel in, but socially, I'm kind of stupid. Fi is narrow and deep, and it comes out unexpectedly to heal, but not necessarily to network and connect to others. In life, that is possibly the most important skill, or one of them. I notice that ESxx types do very well there, and even though some I know are not particularly book smart, they have the social smarts that gets them where they want to go.

Thinkers don't have a monopoly on critical thinking skills either. All judging functions evaluate and are capable of critical thinking. I also wouldn't undervalue the importance of perceiving functions in academic intelligence.

Personally, I think it's my Ne-aux that really aided me in math in school. I've always been good at it (despite INFP stereotypes), and I've analyzed it in regards to MBTI and decided that it likely boils down to my ability to recognize and apply patterns very easily. In school, I'd study the example problems, quickly see the pattern in solving them, and then apply it to all the problems in my homework. I felt like a well-oiled machine at times - just going through the repeat motions. I have would have my homework done before the teacher had finished explaining how to do it. As far as IQ tests go, I do rather well on them because of how quickly I note patterns. I think that particular form of intelligence is easiest to measure, which is why there are tests for it, and why it may be overvalued.

Feelers still think - it's not as if we are all emotion and instinct driven. We're human beings, and we are all capable of rational thought, just as Thinkers experience emotion. Feeling IS a rational process in MBTI, even if it is value-driven, deals heavily with emotions, and often brings original ideas to us in forms of images, atmosphere, and mood. That just makes us artistically inclined, and we could get into a discussion on how that shows a form of intelligence also....

Oh, and I will add that people often are surprised to learn I am quite book smart when they meet me. Apparently, I look like a girl who just likes to shop and talk about makeup :D. Add to that the way an INFP can seem rather silly and random like airheads when extroverting through Ne, and I imagine people often underestimate our intellectual abilities. Being introverts, we can also seem "slow" to people, because we might not react immediately, and we often take time to think before speaking.

As I recall, all N_P's are seen as adaptable and flexible in learning and outlook, its the Ne at work. We can think outside the box, and some seem to unaware that there even is a box. S's, and SJ's in particular, seem quite smitten, or alternately massively annoyed with this.

Personally I think its all about Ne. We sort of meta-analyze things. "If they are looking at this trait then the answer is A, if they are linking these items for this other reason the answer is B. Now, self, which way are they more likely employing????" I always hated "which of these items don't belong" type tests. Anyways, we see different ways of looking at things, and generally aren't tied down to any specific one of them. None of this "do this because someone important came up with it" ES(F)J kinda attitude.

Being an NFP who has spent GOBS of time around NTJ's, I can relate to much of what I bolded in OA's post above. Its almost like you can see NTJ people be like "Scott, you seem so calm and non-assertive, and you don't talk much, so we just kinda figured you weren't paying attention and/or were stupid, but apparently not. But your still not pushy and assertive enough for us to listen to or include in our conversations, and unlike us you don't regularly go around calling other people stupid so bye. [walks away]." :steam: :steam: :steam:
 
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