INFP or ISFP?

[Sunshine]

The consensus seems to be that I'm an IXFP. I'm leaning more towards ISFP than INFP but I'd like your guys' input. I put my reasoning for why I think I'm probably an ISFP instead of an INFP but perhaps I'm emphasising the wrong details or there's more I should take into consideration. I don't know. Your comments and feed back are greatly appreciated.

S vs. N:

Theoretical and philosophical discussions do interest me occasionally, especially philisophical discussions of morality, however most of the time the interest is not in it simply for the sake of it but for some purpose. Most of the time I will enter a philosophical debate/discussion because I know that there will be a practical application for what I take away from the debate/discussion.

I am in my head a lot and most definitely spacey although I wasn't born that way. In fact it's really only the past few years that I've been this way. Being in my head is my remedy for boredom (and trust me if anyone has a wild imagination full of tons of potential entertainment I do). Well actually, the thing is I am prone to fantasizing and that's something that's been true of me since I was little, however the bit where I'm so in my head and absent minded that I leave the car in reverse instead of park is something that has developed recently, like over the last two years.

When learning I love clarity. I love concrete, simple, easy to understand explanations and to be given at least one actual example of what is being talked about. Abstractions and vagueness irritate me although if I want to understand them I usually use logic to figure out what was meant by them. I just think of all the possible meanings and then from there look at which ones are most probable and usually that leads my down the right track. When it comes to seeing the big picture I like to build from the bottom up, gather details and then put them together to get an idea of the big picture.

When I'm not in my head I'm pretty good at noticing details in my environment. I notice a lot of little things that most people don't pick up on. It's not intentional, it just happens.

One other thing:

I'm either an ISFP perfectionist or an INFP idealist. With this I think I'm probably more of a perfectionist than an idealist becasue usually when people are talking about NF idealism it has to do with changing the world (or simply one's environment) and aligning it to one's inner vision of what's best and although I do indeed want to make a positive impact on the world, I don't come at it from an angle of trying to align it to my inner vision of what's best. Perfectionism has more to do with performance (performance that doens't necessarily contribute to some cause or changing the world or what not) and when it comes to my performance I often feel the need to make it completely flawless. If what I'm doing is something I care about I want it to be PERFECT.

A question:

On the personality page website (is that a good website?) the INFP description talked about needing meaning and purpose in life and that it's a strong drive. Personally, I think that everyone probably needs a purpose in life even if they're not aware that they do. Anyway, I've always felt like I needed a purpose in life to be truly happy and experience has only confirmed this. Can ISFPs also be very aware of their need for purpose in life?

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

[heart]

Have you taken this yet?

Understanding the Eight Jungian Cognitive Processes / Eight Functions Attitudes

Originally Posted by Sunshine

. Anyway, I've always felt like I needed a purpose in life to be truly happy and experience has only confirmed this. Can ISFPs also be very aware of their need for purpose in life?

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think!

Introverted Feeling needs a higher purpose or it may become narcissistic. Would as true for ISFP as INFP I would think. My ISFP friend has a strong sense of her purpose in life, which is to be a good mother and wife. It shimmers through every move she makes.

"So long as the ego feels subordinate to the unconscious subject, and the feeling is aware of something higher and mightier than the ego, the type (Fi) is normal. Although the thinking type is archaic, its reductive tendencies help to compensate the occasional fits of trying to exalt the ego of the subject."

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The Psychological Types --- by Carl Gustav Jung
(complete online book)

When learning I love clarity. I love concrete, simple, easy to understand explanations and to be given at least one actual example of what is being talked about. Abstractions and vagueness irritate me although if I want to understand them I usually use logic to figure out what was meant by them. I just think of all the possible meanings and then from there look at which ones are most probable and usually that leads my down the right track. When it comes to seeing the big picture I like to build from the bottom up, gather details and then put them together to get an idea of the big picture.

This sounds more like my ISFP friend than me.

[Sunshine]

Interesting how it said I have an NF temperment but my type is ISFP.

[Mondo]

Personally, I think that everyone probably needs a purpose in life even if they're not aware that they do. Anyway, I've always felt like I needed a purpose in life to be truly happy and experience has only confirmed this.

This is true for all types. From what you have written, I would say ISFP.
The temperament of the person (according to Keirsey theory) often affects what that person feels his or her purpose is.

[heart]

Originally Posted by Sunshine

Interesting how it said I have an NF temperment but my type is ISFP.

How close was it between the Se and Ne?

[heart]

Originally Posted by Sunshine

Interesting how it said I have an NF temperment but my type is ISFP.

How close was it between the Se and Ne?

On mine I get Se "unused" and Si "limited Use"

[Sunshine]

[alicia91]

I've taken that test 3 times and each time I came out a different type (and 2/3 times I was an E, which can't be true) so I'm not sure how reliable it is.

Anyhow, from reading your description I'd say we are very similar. The first couple of times I did these MBTI tests, I was also an N, but it didn't quite fit. But I'm not a textbook ISFP either so I'm living as an ISFP borderline IXFP for now.

I'm either an ISFP perfectionist or an INFP idealist. With this I think I'm probably more of a perfectionist than an idealist becasue usually when people are talking about NF idealism it has to do with changing the world (or simply one's environment) and aligning it to one's inner vision of what's best and although I do indeed want to make a positive impact on the world, I don't come at it from an angle of trying to align it to my inner vision of what's best. Perfectionism has more to do with performance (performance that doens't necessarily contribute to some cause or changing the world or what not) and when it comes to my performance I often feel the need to make it completely flawless. If what I'm doing is something I care about I want it to be PERFECT.

I could have written that. I'm a huge perfectionist in terms of my own performance so I can totally relate.

Theoretical and philosophical discussions do interest me occasionally, especially philisophical discussions of morality, however most of the time the interest is not in it simply for the sake of it but for some purpose. Most of the time I will enter a philosophical debate/discussion because I know that there will be a practical application for what I take away from the debate/discussion.

I'm the same way. In my case I tend to want to come away from a philosophical or theoretical discussion with some nugget of wisdom that can be applied to life or some purpose. What's the point of just discussing it just to talk?

I am in my head a lot and most definitely spacey although I wasn't born that way. In fact it's really only the past few years that I've been this way. Being in my head is my remedy for boredom (and trust me if anyone has a wild imagination full of tons of potential entertainment I do). Well actually, the thing is I am prone to fantasizing and that's something that's been true of me since I was little, however the bit where I'm so in my head and absent minded that I leave the car in reverse instead of park is something that has developed recently, like over the last two years.

You are probably quite creative. Creative introverted types tend to fantazise a lot in their own heads. In my case, the absent mindedness creeps in when I'm stressed or overloaded but I wouldn't say it's my normal self.

Interesting how it said I have an NF temperment but my type is ISFP

That's interesting. On one I took, I got NT followed by SP? They never seem to agree for me.

Have you looked at the Interaction styles here:

Interaction Styles

I'm actually Chart-the-Course which doesn't line up with ISFP but perhaps it will for you?

Sorry, I'm not helping - am I?

[pocket lint]

Do you like to read/interpret literature or poems?

I don't know if other ISFPs are the same way, but I struggled in English literature class because most of the time I would just read the text or poem and actually get in trouble for interpreting things literally. I get very uncomfortable when I have to figure out possible "hidden meanings" because not everything has to have an explanation... *shrugs*.

This is from a thread set up by Rivercrow that helped me see the difference between what S and N pick up on: Record what you notice, as you notice it. Try to capture your first impressions.

[nightwatcher]

Finding out your Enneagram type might help to tip the scales one way or the other. According to statistics used in Ranee Baron’s “What Type am I?”, as an IXFP you are most likely a 2, 4 or 9. If you’re a 2, you are more likely an ISFP than INFP; if you’re a 4, you’re more likely an INFP than ISFP, and if you’re a 9 it doesn’t help you; you have about an even chance of being
ISFP or INFP.

In a nutshell, 2’s, “the Helpers” (and most likely co-dependents of the 9 types) are "motivated by the need to be loved and appreciated, and to avoid being seen as needy.” 4’s “the Romantics” (the identity-seeking artistic tempermants, who are mostly INFPs and INFJs) are “motivated by the need to understand your feelings and be understood, to search for the meaning of life, and to avoid being ordinary.” 9’s, “the Peacemakers”, are “motivated by the need to keep the peace, merge with others and avoid conflict.”