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[INFJ] Are INFJ's a mixed bag?

Lux

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I've heard that INFJ's are the most T of the F's, the most E of the introverts, and the most P of the Judgers.

Do you think that's true or is it that no one really understands the type?

INFJ's do you think this of yourselves? If so, is it something that comes naturally to you or have you worked on becoming more T, E, or P?

I welcome thoughts from everyone.
 

BlackCat

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Every type is a mixed bag. What makes INFJs so special in this regard? The "most T of the Fs" could also apply to EFPs and ISFJs along with INFJs due to relief T, and I'm pretty sure an ISFJ would be more "E" than an INFJ. INFJs are always stuck in their heads, and ISFJs lead with Si, and S functions are entirely based outwardly in reality. But I can see your reasoning behind it, with the whole Fe thing.
 

Lux

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Every type is a mixed bag. What makes INFJs so special in this regard? The "most T of the Fs" could also apply to EFPs and ISFJs along with INFJs due to relief T, and I'm pretty sure an ISFJ would be more "E" than an INFJ. INFJs are always stuck in their heads, and ISFJs lead with Si, and S functions are entirely based outwardly in reality. But I can see your reasoning behind it, with the whole Fe thing.

Thanks for this ^. I realize that every person is a mixed bag. I'm still new to the type stuff and I keep coming across statements like 'the most T of the F's etc. I'm just trying to figure it out.

I wondered how people saw INFJ's and how they thought it about for themselves.
 

Sarcasticus

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That said I think there is wide latitude in the INFJ type. More so than in other types. Some are vivacious and engaging (high Fe), some are more moody and withdrawn (high Fi), some are more practical and determined (Ghandi-esque), others are more dreamy and INFP-ish (enneagram 9s). I know a couple of each.
 

ajblaise

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The INF softens up the Jness, the NJ toughens up the Fness, and the FJ makes the Iness more socially assertive.

Boom. Puzzle solved.
 

Lauren Ashley

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INFJ's do you think this of yourselves? If so, is it something that comes naturally to you or have you worked on becoming more T, E, or P?

I welcome thoughts from everyone.

I don't think anyone would confuse me for an extravert in real life; I can talk a lot when I'm interested in a topic and I can be somewhat outgoing, but I'm fundamentally a very reserved person. I'm confused for a thinking type online and irl because I keep the vast majority of my emotions inside and I try to approach discussions from an Ni-Ti standpoint. As for Perceiving, only if you think that P=disorganized, scatterbrained, and indecisive. Otherwise, I don't resemble a P.

That said I think there is wide latitude in the INFJ type. More so than in other types. Some are vivacious and engaging (high Fe), some are more moody and withdrawn (high Fi), some are more practical and determined (Ghandi-esque), others are more dreamy and INFP-ish (enneagram 9s). I know a couple of each.

I'll second this. I'm the moody and withdrawn type, but I can fake a high Fe type (at a very high cost...).
 

Wyst

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That said I think there is wide latitude in the INFJ type. More so than in other types. Some are vivacious and engaging (high Fe), some are more moody and withdrawn (high Fi), some are more practical and determined (Ghandi-esque), others are more dreamy and INFP-ish (enneagram 9s). I know a couple of each.

True story. You've also got immature and mature INFJs - those who haven't grown up a lot in their MBTI and those who have - this also adds a new level of diversity within the INFJ type.

I think most of the disparity between INFJs can be summed up by a combination of 1) is the INFJ comfortable in their own skin 2) is the INFJ continually holding people at arm's length.

In my case, that has a lot to do with it.
 

Lux

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That said I think there is wide latitude in the INFJ type. More so than in other types. Some are vivacious and engaging (high Fe), some are more moody and withdrawn (high Fi), some are more practical and determined (Ghandi-esque), others are more dreamy and INFP-ish (enneagram 9s). I know a couple of each.

^ Is this why people are mistyped as INFJ or why actual INFJ's mistype as something else?

The INF softens up the Jness, the NJ toughens up the Fness, and the FJ makes the Iness more socially assertive.

Boom. Puzzle solved.

Concise. I like it :)
 

Sarcasticus

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True story. You've also got immature and mature INFJs - those who haven't grown up a lot in their MBTI and those who have - this also adds a new level of diversity within the INFJ type.

What does immaturity look like in an INFJ?
 

kyuuei

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In my experience.. INFJs have been the most 100% of their types. ENFPs seem to be the ones lately having trouble typing themselves. INFJs seem pretty settled into their types, I haven't seen them waver here nearly as much as other types on the forum.
 

Sarcasticus

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^ Is this why people are mistyped as INFJ or why actual INFJ's mistype as something else?

I've known a couple that seemed to have a hard time answering the questions and ended up second-guessing themselves right into frustration with the test. Must be all that Ni ;)

They'd test ISFJ most of the time when it was apparent they were no S.
 

The Outsider

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I don't think there's more variety in INFJs than in other types. Haven't observed it, and neither would there be a theoretical reason for it.
 

Wyst

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What does immaturity look like in an INFJ?

1) Being incredibly uncomfortable in their own skin
2) Continually holding people at arm's length

I think most of the disparity between INFJs can be summed up by a combination of 1) is the INFJ comfortable in their own skin 2) is the INFJ continually holding people at arm's length.
 

Lauren Ashley

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1) Being incredibly uncomfortable in their own skin
2) Continually holding people at arm's length

Hey, I hold people at arm's length (people I don't know well). And I'm not immature. :tongue:
I think it's probably better this way; I can Ni-Ti analyze them instead of jumping in headfirst and ending up disappointed.
 

Wyst

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Hey, I hold people at arm's length (people I don't well). And I'm not immature. :tongue:
I think it's probably better this way; I can Ni-Ti analyze them instead of jumping in headfirst and ending up disappointed.

How can you say you're not immature and then stick your tongue out at me....

I think there are good reasons and bad reasons for holding people at arm's length. Bad ones, indicating immaturity, would be if an INFJ doesn't know how to deal with people and different situations/circumstance and they don't want to. Or perhaps they chronically turn people down for hanging out even though it's what they really want to do for fear that they will be disappointed.

That's the kind of immaturity that I'm talking about.
 

Wyst

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Seems more like a sign of extreme introversion to me.

Yeh - I'm saying that when an INFJ decideds to be introverted when they actually want closer friends and intimacy with people, they're being immature and need to grow up in their type.
 

Lauren Ashley

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How can you say you're not immature and then stick your tongue out at me....

:tongue10:

;)

I think there are good reasons and bad reasons for holding people at arm's length. Bad ones, indicating immaturity, would be if an INFJ doesn't know how to deal with people and different situations/circumstance and they don't want to. Or perhaps they chronically turn people down for hanging out even though it's what they really want to do for fear that they will be disappointed.

That's the kind of immaturity that I'm talking about.
Ah, okay. I don't do that. When I was less confident, I was guilty of that, however. So I see what you're saying.
 

Z Buck McFate

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True story. You've also got immature and mature INFJs - those who haven't grown up a lot in their MBTI and those who have - this also adds a new level of diversity within the INFJ type.

I think most of the disparity between INFJs can be summed up by a combination of 1) is the INFJ comfortable in their own skin 2) is the INFJ continually holding people at arm's length.

What does immaturity look like in an INFJ?

I’m inclined to think it’s more a matter of being secure/insecure. To me, the term ‘maturity’ denotes growth that doesn’t easily retrograde. Feelings of security (or insecurity) are more transient and fluctuate differently according to different environments.

In insecure situations, I am far less in touch with my cognitive process and/or my own personal strengths (where functions are concerned). In such scenarios I find myself trying to be as invisible as possible- if only in attempt to ‘observe’ without my thought process being interrupted. Whenever I’m not feeling particularly secure, yet it isn’t quite available to be ‘invisible’- my behavior is kind of ‘all over the place’ because I’m basically just blindly ‘mirroring’ whoever I’m interacting with (until the first moment I can get away).

In environments where I feel more secure my behavior is much more grounded and consistent.

It is related to maturity, however, in this sense: the more mature I get, the less I generally experience insecurity.

Edit: another way to define 'insecure environment' is to call it 'foreign environment'. I don't feel (like Wyst said) 'comfortable in my own skin' in a foreign environment.
 

Lauren Ashley

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I’m inclined to think it’s more a matter of being secure/insecure. To me, the term ‘maturity’ denotes growth that doesn’t easily retrograde. Feelings of security (or insecurity) are more transient and fluctuate differently according to different environments.

In insecure situations, I am far less in touch with my cognitive process and/or my own personal strengths (where functions are concerned). In such scenarios I find myself trying to be as invisible as possible- if only in attempt to ‘observe’ without my thought process being interrupted. Whenever I’m not feeling particularly secure, yet it isn’t quite available to be ‘invisible’- my behavior is kind of ‘all over the place’ because I’m just basically just blindly ‘mirroring’ whoever I’m interacting with (until the first moment I can get away).

In environments where I feel more secure my behavior is much more grounded and consistent.

It is related to maturity, however, in this sense: the more mature I get, the less I generally experience insecurity.

...Exactly. I think that's what Wyst was trying to say, but I think you nailed it with insecure/secure.
 
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