[MBTI General] How to tell the difference between ISFP and INFP?

[sLiPpY]

How would you tell the difference between these two?

Well, it's pretty simple. One simply sets the appropriate snare by subtly placing a bag of open potato chips a few feet away while one or the other isn't paying attention.

Then point and say, "Oh, look! potatoe chips!"

The ISFP will happily move forward toward the bag and begin to munch with a very serene look upon their face.

The INFP will go off on some kind of tangent about how potatoe chips are evil, and bad for you because they are laden with sodium, and pesticide residue.

The INFP would then hike the potatoe chip bag and punt it like Mother Teresa on hydrogenated oil.

*bows*

 

[valentine]

I'm guilty of all sorts of tangents/rants about things like that. Corn syrup is my latest enemy.

 

[OrangeAppled]

I am no expert here, and anyone please feel free to chime in and elaborate/correct where needed.

Cognitively, ISFP's and INFP's share Fi and Te, but differ in their 2 middle attributes.

INFP = Fi Ne Si Te
ISFP = Fi Se Ni Te

Ne - Interested with other perspectives, applying vast insight to see all sides of an object, to understand the object completely.

Se - Interested in the colors, lines, texture, taste, smell of an object. Observing the setting of the object.

Si - Recalling past objects that might relate, facts about similar objects. Memories that link to the object.

Ni - Wondering why the object is there, what is its purpose? Does this object have any potential impact on the future?

Someone asked for a practical example of difference between the two.

So in this scenario a boy is helping his father build a playset. The boy is in charge of providing the tools needed. This contrasts the boy being ISFP vs INFP.

In many cases the ISFP boy has a good idea of where everything is at due to Se but he may become "mesmerized" just studying the objects, not necessarily thinking about them, just looking at the hammer, picking it up and feeling the weight, noticing how cold the metal is, etc. The Ni may cause the ISFP boy wonder why we have playsets, what is the purpose? If I didn't have a playset, would it change me?


The INFP boy might not pay as much attention to how things are laid out and instead get lost in a daydream about who knows what? Some may think about the wood used to create the playset, where did it come from, what trees died? Where did the metal from the screws come from? What would the Native Americans think if they stumbled upon a playset like this before we took their land? Si may compare this playset to his friend's playset, the differences. Then Si may pull the INFP into a recall of fond memories playing at his friend's house.


In both cases, the boy may try to organize the items to make the process more efficient (Te). If the father gets angry at the boy, the boy will be intensely hurt, but most likely will not show it. (Fi)

This is pretty good! However, I don't think an INFP would be so focused on analyzing the physical materials. I think they may see the potential for the playset and quickly make a connection to something else it could be: A spaceship! A fort! A time machine! (etc). Now they will create a whole story around it and be lost in the story, so that the idea more real than the actual playset. Think Calvin from Calvin & Hobbes . A sense of nostalgia can come up strongly though and comparison between past objects experienced, that is true.

When I was a kid, I had an ongoing game with my ENFP best friend that all benches were time/place transporters, and if we were in a boring situation, we could just find a bench and magically be transported to a much more interesting place than reality. Now when I see a bench, I laugh to myself. I still sometimes take that approach to objects and mundane aspects of life; I latch onto something that catches my eye and imagine myself somewhere else, with different people, etc.

I think being an enneagram 4, I am very sensitive to aesthetics & atmosphere too, but they can be a starting point for my imagination to take flight instead of an experience in themselves. I sometimes lament not being able to be absorbed in the moment.

 

[sLiPpY]

I'm guilty of all sorts of tangents/rants about things like that. Corn syrup is my latest enemy.

I'm with you on Corn syrup, that crap is poison.

 

[Icefire]

I just took the briggs test and still an ISFP. Took a free test on 16personalitys.com an got an esfp, which I think I can be one at times. When I was a child I was an all time classic nerd who love to pretend I was an animal 😳. I watched animorphes and xfiles then I got in middle school an transformed into the cooler kids. Leaving all my nerd friends behind. I no longer even wanted to be seen with them bc they were so weird but I was nice. When in high school I was the center of attention but found it very hard to do speeches, I would get in front of the classroom and start laughing uncontrollably bc I was so nervous. Everyone was laughing at me but I couldn't stop laughing an the teacher said "go sit down" all mad and stuff.. I think I have 3 personalities basically bc my introvert won by 4% and my sensual won by 3%.
I see my domanat side an ISFP next personality which seems to describe me more is an INFP and lastly bc of me being able to entertain a group of people would be a ESFP.
I think almost all ISFP struggle finding themselves bc they are in different groups of personalities depending what they feel like that day or time of event..

 

[Forever]

I just took the briggs test and still an ISFP. Took a free test on 16personalitys.com an got an esfp, which I think I can be one at times. When I was a child I was an all time classic nerd who love to pretend I was an animal ������. I watched animorphes and xfiles then I got in middle school an transformed into the cooler kids. Leaving all my nerd friends behind. I no longer even wanted to be seen with them bc they were so weird but I was nice. When in high school I was the center of attention but found it very hard to do speeches, I would get in front of the classroom and start laughing uncontrollably bc I was so nervous. Everyone was laughing at me but I couldn't stop laughing an the teacher said "go sit down" all mad and stuff.. I think I have 3 personalities basically bc my introvert won by 4% and my sensual won by 3%.
I see my domanat side an ISFP next personality which seems to describe me more is an INFP and lastly bc of me being able to entertain a group of people would be a ESFP.
I think almost all ISFP struggle finding themselves bc they are in different groups of personalities depending what they feel like that day or time of event..

The last part you said may actually do more with enneagram type 9 which that is a common type of many ISFP's perhaps you're a 9?

 

[cosmictone]

I like this article, though imo it doesn't explain ne very well.
I still don't really get ne.