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[INFP] Flavors of INFP: Enneagram

fetus

New member
Joined
Mar 22, 2015
Messages
2,575
Enneagram
6w7
How does Enneagram flavor the INFP? There are obviously many variations between type, and I think Enneagram can contribute to this. How would an INFP 4w5 differ from a 9w1, a 5w4, a 2w1, etc. How could one describe each "flavor?"

You can contrast two INFP members with different Enneagrams if it would help.
 

GreatBigCranberries

New member
Joined
May 1, 2013
Messages
35
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w5
The clearest description I've seen was from the Common INFP Issues thread here:

Enneagram types and INFPs:

Type 4 INFPs - Many INFPs may be enneagram type 4s. INFP type 4s may tend to:
*Appear more idiosyncratic/quirky than INFPs of other types. The Type 4 need to be true to oneself combines well with the type 4 need to be unique.
*Have more issues with over-idealizing in relationships, especially romantic ones. Fi can tend toward idealism inherently, and the type 4 yearning for the perfect (and unattainable) relationship meshes well with that.
*Spend more time stuck processing an emotional issue, just running in circles and experiencing the associated intensely (the Fi/Si loop) as a result of the type 4 love of emotional intensity. The ability of Fi to regulate emotional state is used here to intensify emotions.


Type 9 INFPs - The next most likely enneatype for INFPs is type 9. INFP type 9s may tend to:
*Be more flexible and willing to meet the needs of others. The emotional awareness of Fi may be turned towards meeting the needs of others, sometimes to the point of not meeting one's own needs. This may also cause INFP 9s to appear particularly wishy-washy about subjects that don't intersect with core values.
*Have difficulties setting/keeping boundaries, especially when young. The wish to meet the need of others may result in others taking advantage of one's willingness to be flexible, sometimes to the detriment of other relationships in our life.
*May "fall asleep" to their own needs and keep busy instead. For INFP type 9s, fantasizing is likely included in the ways of keeping "busy".


Type 5 INFPs - Some INFPs identify as Type 5s. These may be INFPs who test close to the F/T border. INFP type 5s may tend to:
*Fall easily into being a detached observer, rather than a participant. While many INFPs have this quality (as it is common for all introverts), it is often more pronounced in type 5 INFPs.
*Feel torn between engagement and withdrawing. Fi tends to concern itself with people and harmonizing values, while type 5s fear being overwhelmed by others. This can leads to type 5 INFPs feeling particularly torn when trying to begin or maintain relationships with others.
*Like type 4 INFPs, come across as weird/crazy.
*Appear to be more even keeled/flatter emotionally than other INFPs. The ability of Fi to regulate emotional state is used here to moderate emotional intensity. *May have a hard time dealing with intense emotions when they arise (may attempt to flee into rationalizing and intellectualizing).
 

Gawain

New member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Messages
76
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
^ This.

Also, as a tritype 417, I'm not the stereotypical depressed crybaby. Humans are complex creatures, and the more bits and pieces you find to the puzzle, the more complete the picture. I'm INFP, and I'm 4w5. Based on that, someone might think I'm shy and withdrawn all the time, and very easily depressed. But thanks to the 1 and 7 in my tritype, I'm a very hardheaded idealist. (417s are called the triple idealist.) I can be surprisingly outgoing in my quest for self, because I don't want to let my fear or discomfort to hold me back from experiencing all the things I decided are important to me. This sometimes means I overtax myself as an introvert, though.

I know that wasn't quite the question, and I hope it isn't overwhelming to throw in tritypes. Just something to look forward to if you're trying to learn more about whole personalities.
 

HongDou

navigating
Joined
Nov 23, 2012
Messages
5,191
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
[MENTION=23222]senza tema[/MENTION] [MENTION=7991]chickpea[/MENTION] [MENTION=2]Ivy[/MENTION] [MENTION=5999]PeaceBaby[/MENTION] :D
 

Ivy

Strongly Ambivalent
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
23,989
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6
I'm an Enneagram 6 INFP, and I think I'm sort of a Piglet, whereas an Enneagram 9 INFP would be more of a Pooh.
 

HongDou

navigating
Joined
Nov 23, 2012
Messages
5,191
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
I'm an Enneagram 6 INFP, and I think I'm sort of a Piglet, whereas an Enneagram 9 INFP would be more of a Pooh.

Is an Enneagram 4 INFP Eeyore? :D
 

Gawain

New member
Joined
May 16, 2015
Messages
76
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sx/so
And 2 is Kanga. :)
 

Dr Mobius

Biting Shards
Joined
Jul 13, 2010
Messages
872
MBTI Type
ENTP
Enneagram
7w8
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
INFP 6w5 sp/sx/so = Deathclaw
 

uumlau

Happy Dancer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
5,517
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
953
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I know INFP 9s, INFP 4s and INFP 5s. Oh, and lots of INFPs have the 4-5-9 tritype, the most withdrawn of the tritypes, as each of those Enneagram types is withdrawn.

The INFP 4 would appear to be the most common type of INFP (about 1/3, by some statistics I'm not going to bother referencing here). This INFP is very romantically inclined, but is remarkably skittish and shy, not bothering to maintain contact with people and even actually pushing them away (in a passive-aggressive way). They have their ideal of the perfect partner and even when they find someone who is close to that ideal, can't find the courage to take things to the next level. This is the type most likely to become a cat lady or crazy aunt.

The INFP 5 is rather interesting, as this is an extremely intellectual INFP, and can easily be mistaken for an INTP. The difference, especially when young, is that real INTP 5s don't give a shit about anything other than their particular specialty(ies). An INFP 5, instead, has very particular feelings, very particular tastes, and is quite adamant about it, up to a point. The INFP 5 I best know (a PhD computer scientist who models car engines for a living) is a dance partner of mine. One dislike of hers is that she refuses to pay for parking, and when she was driving us to a dance, she would park blocks away to park for free. But, here's the thing, INFPs respect others' preferences: if I was driving us, she wouldn't object to MY payinig $5 to park next to the club. Similarly, we were practicing one time and I put on a song and she said, "I hate songs like that, that take pop songs and turn them into salsa." I looked at her sadly, and then she said, "But I know this song means a lot to you, so let's dance it." INTPs don't reason that way.

INFP 9s and 5s are about equally common at 13% of INFPs.

The INFP 9s are perhaps the most social of these three types, as type 9s, while withdrawn, are the "go with the flow" and "go along to get along" types. INFP 9s, while very emotionally focused, are much more aware of the emotions of people around them than the INFP 4s and 5s. The 9s see all of the cross-talk, all of the needless conflict, and feel driven to fix it, often very passive-aggressively. (They're 9s, after all.) This kind of INFP, by virtue of being aware of others, is more drawn to be involved with them, if not very outspoken. (At least until the anger arises!) They have the same emotional nitpickiness that other INFPs have, but due to their more extensive interactions with people, it's a bit more obvious than with the other two INFPs.
 

Arctic Hysteria

an abyss of Nothingness
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
655
MBTI Type
IxFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
INFP 4w3 can appear much more social than INFP 4w5 actually.
INFP 9 makes me think of an ISFJ. They're just generally sweet, more positive, less sarcastic and morbid than us 4.
 

Julius_Van_Der_Beak

Up the Wolves
Joined
Jul 24, 2008
Messages
19,645
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
INFP 4w3 can appear much more social than INFP 4w5 actually.
INFP 9 makes me think of an ISFJ. They're just generally sweet, more positive, less sarcastic and morbid than us 4.

INFP9s strike me as being very different from INFP4s.
 

Arctic Hysteria

an abyss of Nothingness
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
655
MBTI Type
IxFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
INFP9s strike me as being very different from INFP4s.

Indeed.

I knew someone who was tested as an INFP 9, but I didn't know he was type 9 at first, so when I was told that he was INFP, I just laughed and said "You're SO not!"
They just seem to have more focus, ease, peace of mind, consistency and contentment than us 4s. They would make better parents than us, I think, for they can provide more stability and positivity.
 

Julius_Van_Der_Beak

Up the Wolves
Joined
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Messages
19,645
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Indeed.

I knew someone who was tested as an INFP 9, but I didn't know he was type 9 at first, so when I was told that he was INFP, I just laughed and said "You're SO not!"
They just seem to have more focus, ease, peace of mind and consistency than us 4s. They would make better parents than us, I think, for they can provide better stability and positivity.

Yeah... they seem a bit more easygoing.
 

Arctic Hysteria

an abyss of Nothingness
Joined
Jun 20, 2014
Messages
655
MBTI Type
IxFP
Enneagram
4w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Yeah... they seem a bit more easygoing.

I think it's because they value agreeableness more than 4s (though they can be stubborn too).
Most 4s believe agreeableness is death sentence to individuality and identity.

Also,
9s would say something like "You should believe that happiness is a choice and it's possible for you too. I can help you.", thinking that 4s are just a bit too negative.
4s would respond, "There's nothing wrong with accepting your darker sides. And no you can't", thinking 9s are too naive to make that statement.
 

Luigi

New member
Joined
Sep 10, 2015
Messages
1,310
MBTI Type
ISFJ
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Look to your left lol
I think people all too often see me as a Thinker. If they only knew.
idea.jpg
 

fetus

New member
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Mar 22, 2015
Messages
2,575
Enneagram
6w7
INFP 4w3 can appear much more social than INFP 4w5 actually.
INFP 9 makes me think of an ISFJ. They're just generally sweet, more positive, less sarcastic and morbid than us 4.

Perhaps why several people here have suggested ISFJ for me...
 

uumlau

Happy Dancer
Joined
Feb 9, 2010
Messages
5,517
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
953
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Perhaps why several people here have suggested ISFJ for me...

Yeah, being type 9 makes ANY MBTI type seem "nice". I'm an INTJ 9, for crying out loud, and I end up having people telling me I must be an INFJ or something because I don't pointlessly argue with people and tell them how stupid they are.

So take the "ISFJ" evaluation as a compliment. :)
 

Frosty

Poking the poodle
Joined
Apr 6, 2015
Messages
12,663
Instinctual Variant
sp
Perhaps why several people here have suggested ISFJ for me...


You solve this just by recognizing that you must be one of those special little swans that just took an extra long time to identify that they- and they alone- are the *transcendent* function users.

Actually though, I would love to crack the transcendent functjon- but I think it might require a masters thesis worth of work so for now I will just make fun of it.
 

Olm the Water King

across the universe
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Aug 12, 2014
Messages
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MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
459
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sx/so
By these definitions, I've been in an Fi-Si loop most of my life lol
 
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