[ISFP] ISFP Description

[Sunny Ghost]

Just discovered this one:

WordPress.com

Warning: objects in this picture might be more awesome than a photograph can capture.

Keirsey Description: “The Composer (Artist)”

Honest Description: “The Watchful Observer”

Prototypical Examples: The Dude from the film “The Big Lebowski,” Andy Warhol (often mistyped as INFP), Enya, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Eminem, Prince, Bob Dylan, Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie, Princess Diana (often mistyped as INFP), Leni Riefenstahl, Amélie from the film “Amélie,” Bubbles from “The Powerpuff Girls,” Flounder from the Disney film “The Little Mermaid”

Pros:

- Make great lyricists

- Make for lovely furniture for any social gathering

- Make great friends

- The most easygoing type there is

- Artistic without being annoying

- Are not assholes

- The most idealistic Sensor

- Versatile hobbyists

Cons:

- Are timid to share or live out their passions in life and may lead to them being unfulfilled

- Makes other types jealous that they are not like the ISFP

- Prone to Dependent Personality Disorder

- Might be seen as lazy or unambitious; not likely to climb the social/power hieararchy

- Can be fleeting in their many hobbies or passions, making them seem undedicated to others

Reasoning: ISFP’s are pretty awesome, let me just say that off the bat. They tend to be nice, friendly (esp. in comparison to most Introverts), creative, and have a quirky sense of humor. Although they aren’t the type to come off as idealistic, they appreciate and even admire the abstract, and enjoy literary comparisons and metaphors, much like their iNtuitive counterparts. More than any other type, ISFP’s are relaxed, calm, and non-aggressive. ISFP’s prefer to live in a “live and let live” environment. Unlike most Sensors, they tend to enjoy the obscure and counterculture, and often develop very fine and particular tastes in art, whether it be film, literature, or the visual and performing arts. Although naturally hands-on learners, well-developed ISFP’s tend to process their gained knowledge into bigger picture ideas. ISFP’s are dominantly Introverted Feelers, and have a special rose-tinted lens through which they view everything. Despite being conversationalists, ISFP’s can be very difficult to get to know well, and are often very secretive or timid about sharing the deeper side of themselves with others. ISFP’s enjoy analyzing people and how they function in a very passive way, and may be prone to doing subtle social experiments in groups of friends in order to invoke certain reactions, but even they are usually not conscious of this effort. They are very keen concerning what gets on people’s nerves, mostly because they are so tactful at consciously observing other people and their reactions to each other. Because of this, ISFP’s are masters when it comes to not being a total douchebag or an asshole. ISFP’s, like their INFP counterparts, find beauty in disorganized chaos. What you see as a dilapidated warehouse the ISFP might see as a magical or majestic place to read a book or explore in. For this reason, ISFP’s tend to draw artistic inspiration and even emotional arousal from maintaining a messy lifestyle or living quarters. ISFP’s love getting lost in their memories, subsequently disorienting their sequences, and are prone to losing track of time or chronological concepts altogether. To the ISFP, this is an indicative sign that their lives are going extremely well. ISFP’s love visiting exotic places and experiencing exotic sensations. ISFP’s are surprisingly capable of tremendous acts of evil, in fact more so than any other type, but are incapable of bringing these realities to fruition; this facet of ISFP’s is very difficult to explain in words because it is a total Fi dominant thing, but any ISFP reading this and maybe some INFP’s will know exactly what I am talking about here. Aside from that though, ISFP’s are like the most innocent thing ever. It’s as if they were created to counter all the guilt in the world. David Bowie is a pretty good example of an ISFP. He’s enigmatic, sexy, really nice, and his music and lyrics flow through this inner fantasy world that he keeps locked up from everyone, and hence very little people understand what he’s even talking about (see: “Life on Mars?”). That’s the other cool thing about ISFP’s; that they speak their own language! (This is a little misleading, as all types speak their own internal “language of understanding,” but ISFP’s in a more literal sense). In fact, you can see this lyrical esotericism in many ISFP musicians, Bob Dylan being another good example. If you aren’t another ISFP, you’re probably not going to understand it, or much of what they say, so don’t even try to. Just learn to appreciate the rhythm of their voices and musings, because there’s a lot of rare wisdom in their words. When it comes down to it, ISFP’s are naturally designed observers. ISFP’s live their life always engaged in observation, like their entire existence is a movie and they are the audience behind their eye sockets. Other types might find this to be a horrible existence, never being directly involved in life, but to the ISFP, the best experiences are the ones most people don’t even notice until they take a step back from all the action.

ISFP’s are similar to their Thinking counterpart, the ISTP, in the sense that both are very conscious and observational concerning their surroundings. ISFP’s relish in the simple things in life, more than any other type. They are likely to take up a hobby that requires tactility and strong phenomenological sensations, like gardening, painting, photography, or cooking. ISTP’s also enjoy getting their hands dirty, but in a more…risk-taking sense. Whereas the ISFP enjoys spending time in relaxed environments, the ISTP seeks the thrill and excitement of the rush of action. The ISTP is a daredevil, blowing off their steam through racecar driving, extreme athletics, the martial arts, intensive mediation (whatever that means), bungee jumping, sky diving, etc. While both of these somewhat reclusive types live their lives with the world going by without much care, the ISTP is more action-oriented, while the ISFP is more tranquil.

Compared to ISFJ’s, their Judging counterpart, the two types are similar in the sense that both take immense pleasure in fond memories. Both types are inclined to seek peace and tranquility, without having to force themselves into difficult situations that require intense action-oriented pursuits. Both types are likely to enjoy gardening as well, that is, more likely than any other type. ISFJ’s are usually not as artistic or creative as their Perceptional counterpart is, but still enjoy a good book or film like the ISFP. ISFJ’s are, like ISFP’s, very tactful with people’s emotions. ISFJ’s, however, are more likely to actively take it upon themselves to make people feel even better than they are when the ISFJ finds them. ISFP’s, even though they like to make people feel better (which they often do), it is likely an indirect effort on part of the ISFP, who just happens to be adaptive with people and enjoys doing whatever the crowd is up to.

 

[wolfy]

Some of it is okay but it is a bit flowery. What is with the acts of evil thing? I don't get it? The last part about actively helping people is interesting, because I have noticed that in myself. I don't think I would make a good nurse.

 

[brainheart]

I'm not fond of descriptions like this. All they do is confuse people. For example, a lot of that description could apply to me (while a lot totally doesn't, and probably wouldn't for a lot of ISFPs, either), but if I look at auxiliary cognitive functions, Ne makes way more sense than Se in how I perceive things. And that's how I know I'm INFP rather than ISFP.

For that reason, as far as ISFP goes, I prefer to think in terms of Fi + Se:

Fi:

It is often hard to assign words to the values used to make introverted Feeling judgments since they are often associated with images, feeling tones, and gut reactions more than words.

As a cognitive process, it often serves as a filter for information that matches what is valued, wanted, or worth believing in.


There can be a continual weighing of the situational worth or importance of everything and a patient balancing of the core issues of peace and conflict in life's situations.

We engage in the process of introverted Feeling when a value is compromised and we think, "Sometimes, some things just have to be said."

On the other hand, most of the time this process works "in private" and is expressed through actions.

It helps us know when people are being fake or insincere or if they are basically good. It is like having an internal sense of the "essence" of a person or a project and reading fine distinctions among feeling tones.




Se:

Extraverted Sensing occurs when we become aware of what is in the physical world in rich detail.

We may be drawn to act on what we experience to get an immediate result.


We notice relevant facts and occurrences in a sea of data and experiences, learning all the facts we can about the immediate context or area of focus and what goes on in that context.

An active seeking of more and more input to get the whole picture may occur until all sources of input have been exhausted or something else captures our attention.

Extraverted Sensing is operating when we freely follow exciting physical impulses or instincts as they come up and enjoy the thrill of action in the present moment.

A oneness with the physical world and a total absorption may exist as we move, touch, and sense what is around us.

The process involves instantly reading cues to see how far we can go in a situation and still get the impact we want or respond to the situation with presence.

From http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/Cognitive-Functions/index.cfm

 

[TheStarchDefenders]

Just discovered this one:

http://thephilosophicalboy.wordpres...-honest-look-into-mbti-descriptions-the-isfp/

thank you for posting this.

 

[pjsans]

Just discovered this one:

A More Honest Look into MBTI Descriptions: The ISFP | the philosophical boy

I actually really like this description. And I totally get the "acts of evil" bit, as does my INFP girlfriend. I think this is one of my favorite descriptions that I've read, especially since it covers things that I haven't really seen in other descriptions. Great post.

 

[yeghor]

ISFP: The Crackpot

ISFP personalities are characterized by their impulsiveness, their defiance of conformity and orthodoxy, and their competitive natures. Taken together, these traits make up the ideal crackpot. While an ISFP's personality might seem flighty and their attention span short to an outsider, ISFPs live by the motto "Life is best approach--oh, look, potato chips!"

ISFPs are always on the cutting edge of new trends. Whether it's podcasting, taking up guitar, or running away to a far-off east African compound and joining a doomsday apocalyptic cult, ISFPs are always following their hearts and quickly embracing new ideas. However, they tend to be fleeting in their passions, which means they often may lack the dedication that marks a true cultist. While ISFPs often lack the dedication most people give to careers and family, they can still support themselves in more unorthodox ways, like by selling blood plasma, turning tricks, and mooching off their family.

RECREATION: ISFPs enjoy activities that cater to their emotional passions, and often pursue many hobbies, such as music, painting, sculpting, and running off to Vegas to marry that cute waitress from Mack's Truck Stop over on Route 9. Whenever God speaks to someone, it's usually an ISFP.

COMPATIBILITY: ISFPs do well in relationships with ISFJs and with anyone they meet in Las Vegas.

Famous ISFPs include Joan of Arc and--oh, look, potato chips!

 

[Fun in the Sun]

We will just continue to remain elusive and be speculated about. It's better this way.