[NF] Differences between INFJs and INFPs?

[Forever]

These are gross generalizations, but are some of the trends that I've observed. For the INFPs, I don't know for sure because I'm not inside their heads, but this is how it looks to me:

INFJs are more likely to care about getting their message out or have an agenda for where they want a conversation to go or what they have to say. INFPs are more open to listening first without processing it all right away.

INFJs have an internal structure for measuring everything against. INFPs are have very passionately held feelings about some things, but are less likely to have strong feelings immediately about whether something is good or bad.

INFJs need several go arounds before conflict is completely resolved. Kind of like having a bunch of junk that needs to have places found for it. Nearly always there are a couple of stray items that are found later. INFPs are likely to take a final stance on something and expect it to be done with.

INFJs tend to be more directive when giving instructions while INFPs tend to describe the situation and expect the hearer will infer what needs to be done.

INFJs are more likely to try to influence other's behaviour, particularly if they care about them and it is destructive. INFPs are more likely to let them learn for themselves and not want to influence the process as much.

INFJs are curious to know how people work and ask questions to flesh out their understanding of a person so they can better prepare for how to deal with them. INFPs tend to take things in as they come without trying to direct the interaction or plug the new details into a preexisting structure in their minds. They are more likely to filter things through the lens of their own personal experiences.

INFPs have strongly held views, but they are based on a personal criteria more than one decided by external factors. Therefore they can be quite unconventional, compared to INFJs.

INFPs have a goofier and very imaginative sense of humour and are more likely to have more gears in between serious and joking modes of communication.

INFPs are often less practical in every day matters and sometimes have a tendancy to avoid dealing with problems. INFJs do that when they are overwhelmed by details, but generally like to face problems more directly.

INFPs are less emotive and appear dispassionate compared to INFJs. However, they are much more passionate under the surface in some regards. INFJs are more emotive, and given the right circumstances passionate express it. While they have layers, they are likely to want someone to understand everything about them inside out. INFPs seem to like some privacy and operate more internally. INFJs need to discuss things with people to organize them in their own minds, while INFPs take in information but do not need people's input the same way to decide how they feel about something.

There's a bunch of others, but these are the ones that come to mind right now.

Not always, but INFPs tend to be the stereotypical emo kids at school who also like anime. INFJs would be the ones who are friends with a variety of fringe groups, but are not part of them themselves. They're more anthropologists.

I highly agree with the curiousity of understanding others to better deal with them (Sensors don't like it as much I learned) and the variety of fringe groups. I tend to be an anthropologist and want to study that field in depth someday more. Thanks for saying this stuff, I do feel like I am confirming that I am more of an INFJ.

 

[Stansmith]

Make a decent politically incorrect or raunchy joke and an INFJ will either pretend it didn't happen, laugh with an "omg, did he just say that" face, give you a polite chuckle, or give you a quick heads up; while an INFP will either laugh, lash out, or internalize their contempt for you or people like you. INFJs are easier to offend in little incriments (often based on issues of courtesy, social decorum or undermining general societal issues), while INFPs get more intensely offended when you do offend them (usually over something specific that they relate to, associate themselves with, or feel sympathy towards).

 

[Stansmith]

INFJ goes:

That's Rude - that's Rude - Rude - haha, that was okay - rude - rude - Maybe I should have a talk with him.

INFP goes:

Lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - Grrrrrrrr.

 

[Avocado]

INFJ goes:

That's Rude - that's Rude - Rude - haha, that was okay - rude - rude - Maybe I should have a talk with him.

INFP goes:

Lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - Grrrrrrrr.

Lol

 

[Forever]

Make a decent politically incorrect or raunchy joke and an INFJ will either pretend it didn't happen, laugh with an "omg, did he just say that" face, give you a polite chuckle, or give you a quick heads up; while an INFP will either laugh, lash out, or internalize their contempt for you or people like you. INFJs are easier to offend in little incriments (often based on issues of courtesy, social decorum or undermining general societal issues), while INFPs get more intensely offended when you do offend them (usually over something specific that they relate to, associate themselves with, or feel sympathy towards).

INFJ goes:

That's Rude - that's Rude - Rude - haha, that was okay - rude - rude - Maybe I should have a talk with him.

INFP goes:

Lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - lol - Grrrrrrrr.

I tend to say "that's bad" :} But if it starts to really directed towards me, if it can be avoided I leave. If not, I let them know. :O

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Those INFJ descriptions about reactions to dirty jokes and whatnot better describe me.

I still think I'm an INFP.

Like, my old high school friend that always told n-word jokes, this was usually my response to him: that's bad, man. Don't get my throat slit for being seen with your bigoted ass. LOL.

The jokes bothered me a bit, but i never lost sleep over them. I don't think this is INFJ-exclusive.

 

[Stansmith]

Those INFJ descriptions about reactions to dirty jokes and whatnot better describe me.

I still think I'm an INFP.

Like, my old high school friend that always told n-word jokes, this was usually my response to him: that's bad, man. Don't get my throat slit for being seen with your bigoted ass. LOL.

The jokes bothered me a bit, but i never lost sleep over them. I don't think this is INFJ-exclusive.

Fi types will internalize certain societal values and decorum (naturally), but there's more of a filter in regards to what they'll respond to or feel insulted by. An INFJ's stance is going to be a bit more automatic and indiscriminate.

Even in your example, you seem to be more concerned with how the joke affects you, instead of the objective 'magnitude' of the offense.

 

[Doctor Cringelord]

Yep. common sense, courtesy. That's me. Always worried about the comfort of people around me. No joke. Still don't think I'm an INFJ though. The cog functions don't quite sound like my brain's way of working.

 

[iNtrovert]

^

Determining if you use Fe (extroverted feeling) or Fi (introverted feeling) seems to be the easiest way to tell, IMO.
Read more about the functions and take a cognitive function test, if you haven't yet.

This^

 

[WALMART]

Fe is like shaking a soda bottle with the cap off. Fi is like shaking it with the cap on.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Make a decent politically incorrect or raunchy joke and an INFJ will either pretend it didn't happen, laugh with an "omg, did he just say that" face, give you a polite chuckle, or give you a quick heads up; while an INFP will either laugh, lash out, or internalize their contempt for you or people like you. INFJs are easier to offend in little incriments (often based on issues of courtesy, social decorum or undermining general societal issues), while INFPs get more intensely offended when you do offend them (usually over something specific that they relate to, associate themselves with, or feel sympathy towards).

No offense to your ideas or to you personally, but this is just generalized nonsense.

 

[Julius_Van_Der_Beak]

Yep. common sense, courtesy. That's me. Always worried about the comfort of people around me. No joke. Still don't think I'm an INFJ though. The cog functions don't quite sound like my brain's way of working.

Not always, but INFPs tend to be the stereotypical emo kids at school who also like anime. INFJs would be the ones who are friends with a variety of fringe groups, but are not part of them themselves. They're more anthropologists.

Interesting. According to celebritytypes.com, Ti-Fe types are more universalists... that is, they think people are more or less the same on some level. Te-Fi types think everyone is different and unique. I can see that tying in with the "anthroplogist" thing, and also why my INFP mom somehow thinks I'm a social butterfly. Yeah, I don't see it either.

 

[Ene]

I think, INFJs come out on the stage and pour themselves into creating a better world for others, they smile, they greet, they entertain, they sincerely interact, they say the right things, they show the proper faces, they want to make everyone feel like they are a special person, and then, they pull the curtains and find a quiet place to re-center themselves and prioritize their lives. And when they do this, they only need one thing in return from the rest of the world, enough time alone to recuperate from the energy-giving.

INFPs come quietly into your life and test the waters of your personality to see if you are a real person or a fake one. If you are real, then they invite you into their world when you've shown that you won't belittle them or trivialize the things they hold dear. They share their rich inner selves with you and their playful notions, their wonderlands and they hope that you will be a trustworthy friend. They will do the little things for you that you didn't even know needed to be done and all they usually want in return is to be valued and listened to.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Yep. common sense, courtesy. That's me. Always worried about the comfort of people around me. No joke. Still don't think I'm an INFJ though. The cog functions don't quite sound like my brain's way of working.

Don't buy into the idea that Fi types lack awareness of others, easy manners, common courtesy or social graces ... eyeroll x1000 every time I see folks espousing such nonsense.

 

[WALMART]

Don't buy into the idea that Fi types lack awareness of others, easy manners, common courtesy or social graces ... eyeroll x1000 every time I see folks espousing such nonsense.

Jung thought Fi was pretty cold to stuff like that. I think typology has gotten a lot more "I wanna identify with this" and less "let's fix your problems."

 

[PeaceBaby]

I think, INFJs come out on the stage and pour themselves into creating a better world for others, they smile, they greet, they entertain, they sincerely interact, they say the right things, they show the proper faces, they want to make everyone feel like they are a special person, and then, they pull the curtains and find a quiet place to re-center themselves and prioritize their lives. And when they do this, they only need one thing in return from the rest of the world, enough time alone to recuperate from the energy-giving.

So, since this is how I 'look' to the world, and act in the world, you would call me INFJ? @bold: I 'do' all of these things, yet I am an INFP. Imagine that.

You seem like a powerful, thoughtful, conscientious young woman and I suspect you're not interested in hurting anyone here, yet this kind of post really does do damage to anyone trying to figure out their type. Fi doms can value many things, from individuals to groups to causes ... these passions enable them to outwardly manifest in a myriad of ways in service to the world. Please don't perpetuate the myth that outer behaviour is reflective of inner wiring, it's misleading at best.

 

[PeaceBaby]

Jung thought Fi was pretty cold to stuff like that. I think typology has gotten a lot more "I wanna identify with this" and less "let's fix your problems."

Well then, perhaps Jung would have thought me an Fe type. If you can't make type conform to the person, conform the person to type.

 

[Ene]

So, since this is how I 'look' to the world, and act in the world, you would call me INFJ? @bold: I 'do' all of these things, yet I am an INFP. Imagine that.

You seem like a powerful, thoughtful, conscientious young woman and I suspect you're not interested in hurting anyone here, yet this kind of post really does do damage to anyone trying to figure out their type. Fi doms can value many things, from individuals to groups to causes ... these passions enable them to outwardly manifest in a myriad of ways in service to the world. Please don't perpetuate the myth that outer behaviour is reflective of inner wiring, it's misleading at best.

I have no idea what type you are. I really don't know you. I'm only speaking from experiences that I have had with INFPs in my own life. While I'm certain that many may come across as different than what I ascribed to them and that one size never fits all, I can think of five INFPs that I have been or still am close to, and it is only what I see in them that I speak from and the above statements hold true for them. I have no intentions of offending or misleading anyone. I am no expert. I'm just learning. I only offer an opinion, and nothing I have said is fact. So, take it as that, an opinion. Agree or disagree. It doesn't matter. It's only a record of my own observations. For the five INFPs in my life, they all fit the description with similar outward behaviors. You may be an exception to it.

 

[Stansmith]

So, since this is how I 'look' to the world, and act in the world, you would call me INFJ? @bold: I 'do' all of these things, yet I am an INFP. Imagine that.

You seem like a powerful, thoughtful, conscientious young woman and I suspect you're not interested in hurting anyone here, yet this kind of post really does do damage to anyone trying to figure out their type. Fi doms can value many things, from individuals to groups to causes ... these passions enable them to outwardly manifest in a myriad of ways in service to the world. Please don't perpetuate the myth that outer behaviour is reflective of inner wiring, it's misleading at best.

How would you describe your brand of Fi?

 

[PeaceBaby]

I have no idea who or what you are. I'm only speaking from experiences that I have had with INFPs in my own life. I can think of five INFPs that I have been or still am close to, and it is only what I see in them that I speak from. I have no intentions of offending or misleading. I offer an opinion, and nothing I have said is fact. So, take it as that, an opinion. Agree or disagree. It doesn't matter. It's only a record of my own observations. For the five INFPs in my life, they all fit the description. You may be an exception to it.

You are entitled to share your opinion of course. However, your generalized opinion is inaccurate from my vantage point, and I feel it's something worth pointing out. Additionally, it's a generalization I've simply grown weary of. Honestly, I know no INFP's here on the forum who fit your description of testing people to gain access to the inner realm or sorting them into buckets of 'real' or 'fake' people (plus, I hardly know any IRL INFP's at all, but they don't feel like that to me either.) I do recognize that maybe you simply cannot express how you feel in a way I will find accurate or satisfying. This, I can appreciate and understand.

Any annoyance you may read into my post is not directed towards you personally nor do I wish for you to do anything about that. It's about ... how typology fails us. Too bad my post evoked a defensive reaction from you. I was hoping you'd see the point despite being singled out here.