Thoughts on typing my friend (IXFP)

[greenfairy]

He's kind of hard to type. I gave him an online test and it said INFP. He wasn't sure on most of the questions, though. He doesn't really seem like INFP in a lot of ways, and he really doesn't seem like INTP. I'm thinking ISFP, but I'm not sure. Here are some things about him:

He's an artist and musician. He's going to college for an art degree, plays guitar, and sings and writes music. He cares about fashion and is kind of a hipster, but doesn't really take himself seriously.

He doesn't really seem to care about much of anything. He cares about making art and music, his friends, and a few social issues really bother him. He likes being politically incorrect though, and gets annoyed with people on both sides of the political spectrum. He's kind of a conspiracy theorist (and so am I, so we get along). He's a really good friend and generous person.

He's really silly and ridiculous. I like that he's fun.

He likes saying outrageous things just to see what response he'll get. He likes playing the devil's advocate, but not really in an NT way it seems. Like I don't see him trying to organize information into any kind of a system or make logical arguments. A lot of times he says critical things when he's in a bad mood. Not to the people he's with, but about society or other people. In an inferior Te way I think. He's never been judgmental towards me.

He has trouble expressing his feelings in words sometimes, and is kind of private.

He says negative feelings stimulate his creativity. He doesn't seem to mind feeling any certain way.

He used to drink a lot and use drugs, and now he only drinks and uses marijuana socially.

On the N/S I don't really know, maybe you can think of some follow up questions.

 

[Mal12345]

He's kind of hard to type. I gave him an online test and it said INFP. He wasn't sure on most of the questions, though. He doesn't really seem like INFP in a lot of ways, and he really doesn't seem like INTP. I'm thinking ISFP, but I'm not sure. Here are some things about him:

He's an artist and musician. He's going to college for an art degree, plays guitar, and sings and writes music. He cares about fashion and is kind of a hipster, but doesn't really take himself seriously.

He doesn't really seem to care about much of anything. He cares about making art and music, his friends, and a few social issues really bother him. He likes being politically incorrect though, and gets annoyed with people on both sides of the political spectrum. He's kind of a conspiracy theorist (and so am I, so we get along). He's a really good friend and generous person.

He's really silly and ridiculous. I like that he's fun.

He likes saying outrageous things just to see what response he'll get. He likes playing the devil's advocate, but not really in an NT way it seems. Like I don't see him trying to organize information into any kind of a system or make logical arguments. A lot of times he says critical things when he's in a bad mood. Not to the people he's with, but about society or other people. In an inferior Te way I think. He's never been judgmental towards me.

He has trouble expressing his feelings in words sometimes, and is kind of private.

He says negative feelings stimulate his creativity. He doesn't seem to mind feeling any certain way.

He used to drink a lot and use drugs, and now he only drinks and uses marijuana socially.

On the N/S I don't really know, maybe you can think of some follow up questions.

I agree with inferior Te. I think ISFP because he seems to be more into his senses, or at least he used to be.

 

[Totenkindly]

Based on what you've provided so far, my first guess would be the same as Mal+'s ... ISFP.

(Then again, i just noticed it's what you've thought he was; and you would have provided what you consider the "relevant parts" of his personality, which of course would add up to what you think he is; so.... again, as long as there's no crucial info missing, probably ISFP but observation is probably necessary to confirm anything.)

I find INFP guys to be more articulate (they live more in the head by nature and so are usually used to the world of ideas and putting together their thoughts), whereas ISFP guys usually express themselves better through things they do and have trouble finding words sometimes.

 

[greenfairy]

Cool. Any tricky questions to determine a fine distinction between Ne and Se in regard to him, or distinctions between the types? He's really random, which is more like Ne, but seems to think more concretely which is more Se. I agree with S, just wanting to make sure.

 

[Totenkindly]

Cool. Any tricky questions to determine a fine distinction between Ne and Se in regard to him, or distinctions between the types? He's really random, which is more like Ne, but seems to think more concretely which is more Se. I agree with S, just wanting to make sure.

Well, there is a reason that there is typically an issue with SFP's mistaking themselves for N -- the patterns kind of resemble each other. However, with N, you see the forest and don't always see the specific trees unless you're making an effort; with SFP you're seeing all the trees in the forest but the focus still tends to be on the trees.

So I don't think the "random" thing is as big a deal as the "concrete" thing. SFP and N can both seem random, but S is definitely more concrete. I consider my ISFP guy friends to be somewhat earthy, tangible, concrete. They tend to be pretty loyal friends, sympathetic, good-natured (aside from periodic lapses into undirected cynical spark-throwing, which they tend to get over quickly).

I have a lot of trouble putting S/N differences into words because I don't think it's something that can tangibly and easily be described. For me, I can tell MOST people within a minute of meeting them; the Sensors are typically very tangible and locked onto things they can get their hands on, while the iNtuitives are kind of seeing things that aren't there (the connections between things, not the things themselves) and are more ethereal. It's a matter of natural focus and interest. Both are positive things.

 

[greenfairy]

Cool. He's good at interpreting song lyrics which confuse me. S's can be good at that, I guess.

Oh yeah and he's a self proclaimed hedonist. Which basically nails it as S. Right?

 

[Ism]

Cool. He's good at interpreting song lyrics which confuse me. S's can be good at that, I guess.

Oh yeah and he's a self proclaimed hedonist. Which basically nails it as S. Right?

If you think about it, it's not out of the question that he would be able to interpret song lyrics well. A lot of artists are S's, so he could be able to connect with the way in which the song writers communicate their thoughts/feelings, and, in turn, interpret its meaning.

And hedonism sounds pretty S to me.

 

[greenfairy]

True, that makes sense.