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Help me find my type: INFJ? INTP?

JAVO

.
Joined
Apr 24, 2007
Messages
9,178
MBTI Type
eNTP
I see INTP as a likely possibility, but definitely keep considering INFP and INFJ.
 

kav2330

New member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
10
Have you tried cognitive functions? You may be relating to both INFJ and INTP due to Ti and a developed Fe.

Is there a solid online evaluation of functions? I saw one linked to multiple times, but when I went to the site it had been taken down.
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
7,914
MBTI Type
INTP
Are Ts really, truly supposed to be void of any emotions or values?

Nah... for you I'd try to zoom in to how thinking/feeling relates to your decision making processes.

Which side do you relate with more?

From wiki:

Thinking and Feeling are the decision-making (Judging) functions. The Thinking and Feeling functions are both used to make rational decisions, based on the data received from their information-gathering functions (Sensing or iNtuition).

Those who prefer Thinking tend to decide things from a more detached standpoint, measuring the decision by what seems reasonable, logical, causal, consistent and matching a given set of rules.

Those who prefer Feeling tend to come to decisions by associating or empathizing with the situation, looking at it 'from the inside' and weighing the situation to achieve, on balance, the greatest harmony, consensus and fit, considering the needs of the people involved.
 

kav2330

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Nov 10, 2008
Messages
10
Nah... for you I'd try to zoom in to how thinking/feeling relates to your decision making processes.

Which side do you relate with more?

From wiki:

Thinking and Feeling are the decision-making (Judging) functions. The Thinking and Feeling functions are both used to make rational decisions, based on the data received from their information-gathering functions (Sensing or iNtuition).

Those who prefer Thinking tend to decide things from a more detached standpoint, measuring the decision by what seems reasonable, logical, causal, consistent and matching a given set of rules.

Those who prefer Feeling tend to come to decisions by associating or empathizing with the situation, looking at it 'from the inside' and weighing the situation to achieve, on balance, the greatest harmony, consensus and fit, considering the needs of the people involved.

I'm trying to figure this out, I really am.

Okay. When I make a decision, I think that I do make decisions based on what I see as reasonable and practical, but at the same time, the "values" thing is still throwing me off: it is imperative to me that the decision be "right". I'm not going to do something immoral because practically speaking, it's more efficient, and though I try to reach a compromise between people, I fully accept that most practical decisions cannot please anyone, and live with it. In that way I do understand the idea of being detached from the decision-making process.

That said, I also feel like it's impossible to not take people into consideration at all, and that that can very much relate to T-related aspects: knowing how a person might react to the decision could play into the decision itself if a reaction could impede or alter the results... does that make sense?

Another thing that keeps tripping me up from coming down on F is that I don't give compliments or express positive feelings easily or at all. If my friends and family had to complain about me, I'm sure they would say that (1) I can be ridiculously stubborn, (2) I don't directly express affection for them. (This is not a guess; I've had people tell me this directly.) While I sort of feel bad that they feel that way, it's just how I am with that stuff. I hate things that I perceive as overly mushy or sentimental, and can't and won't force myself to partake in them.

Also, outside of my friends and family, I am very short-tempered with people, though I don't outwardly express it. I'll get so annoyed at someone for forgetting to turn off their phone in a theater, or walking too slowly in the middle of the sidewalk, or providing incompetent service, and I have no threshold for that (though I would never say or do anything about it except complain to myself/maybe someone else). One of my biggest frustrations with myself is that I wish I could be more assertive with people. I'll readily argue with friends, but avoid it with strangers unless absolutely necessary because I don't want confrontation, but at the same time I'm endlessly frustrated at myself for not being more able to do that, and somewhat envy those who can. (EDIT: I feel like this is probably a lot more I/E than T/F now that I reread it)

I'm really so torn between these three types.:doh:
 

kav2330

New member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
10
Oh, hey, I don't know if it helps, but I wanted to throw out that in school I majored in Linguistics. I wasn't ever planning on it; I took the intro class on somewhat of a whim and fell in love. I loved the puzzle-ish nature of the subject, and the fact that the answers were all in your own subconscious.

Just a thought. :D
 

iwakar

crush the fences
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,877
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
Oh, hey, I don't know if it helps, but I wanted to throw out that in school I majored in Linguistics. I wasn't ever planning on it; I took the intro class on somewhat of a whim and fell in love. I loved the puzzle-ish nature of the subject, and the fact that the answers were all in your own subconscious.

Just a thought. :D

I was also interested in and took Linguistics in college.

I may be leaping, but I can't help but notice a trend where INFJs aspire to INTPness thereby confusing what IS with what they'd rather BE. It would make sense as we value and respect controlling emotional reactions/expressions. I think being logical, controlled, and flexible are qualities that INFJs admire and struggle to master.
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
Joined
Apr 23, 2007
Messages
3,741
MBTI Type
INfj
INFJ with a strong tertiary Ti

What you've studied in college has very little to do with your type. Why you've studied it might. ;)
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w4
The more I think about it, the more I think that these J elements did appear later. When I was in school, I think I exhibited a lot of P traits that I mentioned before: things like studying, traditional note-taking and memorizing, and outlining papers of presentations would really throw me off and actually make me do worse.

I think I've falsely misinterpreted P to be very... I guess laid-back, but maybe more in a lazy sense? I'm very determined and hard-working when I set my mind to something and it's something I care about, and I can be stubborn beyond reason. The more I read though, the less these things seem J to me after all.

Now I'm actually leaning really heavily towards INFP, haha. Maybe my indecisiveness on this is indicative of a P nature? :blush: Also, would that help explain identifying a bit with both INFJ and INTP? Maybe?

What you said about focusing on younger life is interesting... what does that mean in terms of types? Do people change types throughout their life, or do they just get more balanced and strengthen their "weaker" functions?

(Thanks so much for all the insight; I really appreciate it)
You develop your first two preferences when you are younger, then balance out more later on.

My sister is an INFP.
She is very hard-working and determined.
She does tend to press her deadlines to the very last minute.
P is usually more flexible than J.
Ps can come across as casual and/or playful.

Js need closure.
Ps need openness (opposite of closure).
 

Numbers

New member
Joined
Feb 6, 2008
Messages
104
MBTI Type
INFJ
There is absolutely nothing you have written that doesn't apply to me, it's uncanny really. ;)

Whatever type you are i'm pretty sure we are the same type. I think i'm INFJ with well developed thinking, but i'm not 100% sure.

Some people are just really hard to type.
 

Llewellyn

New member
Joined
Oct 30, 2008
Messages
330
MBTI Type
INtj
Enneagram
9w1
My guess would be INFJ. I read somwhere INFJ's can sometimes be like an INTP.
 

Llewellyn

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Oct 30, 2008
Messages
330
MBTI Type
INtj
Enneagram
9w1
There is absolutely nothing you have written that doesn't apply to me, it's uncanny really. ;)

Whatever type you are i'm pretty sure we are the same type. I think i'm INFJ with well developed thinking, but i'm not 100% sure.

Some people are just really hard to type.

Isn't being hard to type another characteristic of INFJ's?
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
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5w4
Are Ts really, truly supposed to be void of any emotions or values?
No. Ts have emotions. They're just usually not in touch with them, or able to express or describe them.

Ts have values also but what they value tends to be a "standard" apart from people's feelings.

For myself, I prefer to make decisions based on laws and rules and treat everyone equally, regardless of their circumstances. (Or at least that's how I used to be. As I have gotten older, I see the value of mercy more.) I always thought I would have made an excellent judge who treats everyone equally, as with a blindfold on.

Being a T, I have found it quite aggravating in my life for people to complain about how I didn't consider their feelings when making a decision. I consider their feelings to be less than a priority in my decision making process.

Generally speaking, for me at least, dealing with other people's feelings - trying to understand them, not offend them, etc., is downright exhausting for me because I don't feel their feelings, I am thinking about their feelings.
 

wedekit

New member
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Messages
694
MBTI Type
INFJ
Your search for your type reminds me of my search. Here is some advice I would like to offer you:

1) F does not indicate frequent neurotic emotion. Here's a little secret: I would never describe myself as "emotional," which is what some descriptions emphasize. Most people I know peg me as a T, but I'm not. Logic is important to me, and if something seems more logical than my emotional reaction, I'm of course going to choose logic. However, what makes me a F is that I choose people as the end and not the means. I agree with you on immorality. I would never do something immoral in order to attain something that logic would deem as better. There are NO "necessary sacrifices" when it comes to people. Looking at temperament would be helpful to you: Are you an NF or an NT? NFs are affiliative/cooperative (not independent/pragmatic) and interested in motive (the reasons why people do what they do).

2) J's can be just as disorganized or messy as P's. The only distinction between the two is that J's prefer closure and P's prefer openness. If you're a J, then you like to have a game plan when it is possible. You don't wake up every day without having some vague idea of how your day is going to turn out. J's also tend to dislike last minute changes in plans. I'm personally a strong J. At about age 7 I stopped wanting toys and started asking my mom to buy me planners and notebooks (because elementary students have such busy lifestyles!). I was fascinated by them.

3) At least you are sure that you are an introvert. It is notable is that some people want to peg INFJs as extraverts because we can be so sociable at times (extraverted feeling). However, they tend not to notice that we retreat into solitude after long discussions to "recharge." This also seems to designate us as the counselor for our circle of friends, whether we like it or not.

4) Elaborating on the feeling aspect: I relate to the F in INFJ through empathy. I consider myself highly emotionally intelligent. I understand my emotions and the emotions of others. Some descriptions even say that INFJs explore and understand the darker, more sinister aspects of the mind and human nature.

5) I also cannot stand people who fail to turn the cell phones off in the movie theater, and all such things. I would guess that it has to do with being a J in my case and my desire for structure. It's a simple rule that they even spoon feed us with a commercial right before the movie starts, yet some people just don't get it. And don't get me started on people who ANSWER their phone during a movie! My best friend used to live in a very... diverse area. There always seems to be one group of teenagers sitting in the back, having loud conversations and telling less-than-funny jokes. It really makes a vein bulge out of my forehead. It really ruins the atmosphere of going to a movie. Here's a useful couple of paragraphs:

Kathy Myers sparked this one. We were talking about Stonehenge (where I got married), and she related how she was disappointed when she visited Stonehenge because it was so crowded. But she says she shrugged and simply "tuned-out" all the other people so that, in her mind, she had Stonehenge all to herself and enjoyed it that way...

Kathy's preferences are for INFP, and what came up for me is that I don't think INFJs can "tune out" other people in that way. I think it's nearly impossible for INFJs to "disconnect" from the humanity around them. They overhear arguments and crying babies and flirting and all manner of interactions within the slightest earshot. Public transportation and restaurants can be raw experiences, depending on what kind of interactions they "tune" into. (Unless they're trying to solve a problem, of course, at which point INFJs can shut out everything like closing a door!)

6) One final characteristic of the INFJ is how they are very particular about their writing. I started this post at about 8 in the morning, and I'm just now getting to finish it around 4:15. (I of course had classes in between all of this, but I refused to rush this post, or any post.) Some profiles even call the INFJ the "master of the metaphor," in regards to their ability to spew out metaphors and imagery like fortunes in fortune cookies.

Anyways, when reading your very first post I identified with all of what you said. I think you are an INFJ, but that is of course for you to decide. I started out thinking I was an INTJ for about 3 months, and then when I went to career counseling I tested otherwise when they made me take the MBTI. I argued with the counselor, but in the end I admitted to myself that the INFJ profile fit me best.

If I think of anything else that might help you out I'll take the time to come back and post it here. :)

As far as INFJ or INFP, this website is dedicated to helping you pick between the two:

INFJ or INFP? a closer look <--- This website can actually offer you lots of information on type in general, so I recommend visiting it.
 

kav2330

New member
Joined
Nov 10, 2008
Messages
10
Your search for your type reminds me of my search. Here is some advice I would like to offer you:

Pretty much everything you said resonates heavily with me. A lot of what you said about F and J not necessarily having to manifest themselves as their stereotypical extremes makes me a lot more willing to accept that those might be the traits I have.

I've noticed too other posts by INFJs who seem to feel heavily that I am one, and it seems like INFJs might be a good type to trust about instincts like that.

A question I've been thinking about that I don't know enough about to make a guess at: though INFJs might think that they're INTPs, do INTPs ever think they're INFJs?

Another slight point: everything I've read about INFJs makes them seem so rare, and yet I feel like here I've seen a very disproportionate amount of them. Is it because INFJ types tend to be more interested in and drawn to this sort of thing, or is it possible that it's easy to be mistyped as INFJ (my concern)?

EDIT: Oh, also: is it maybe normal in general for INFJs to semi-identify with more types and have trouble identifying themselves because of their very type nature? It seems like INFJs are very understanding of the behaviors and motivations of others, and maybe understand other people more than they understand themselves in some ways (?? please correct me if I'm way off here). So that said, I guess maybe it would stand to reason that INFJs are more likely to feel that they might be other types because they can understand how those people function? Maybe?
 

iwakar

crush the fences
Joined
May 2, 2007
Messages
4,877
Instinctual Variant
sx/sp
A question I've been thinking about that I don't know enough about to make a guess at: though INFJs might think that they're INTPs, do INTPs ever think they're INFJs?

Not to my knowledge.

Another slight point: everything I've read about INFJs makes them seem so rare, and yet I feel like here I've seen a very disproportionate amount of them. Is it because INFJ types tend to be more interested in and drawn to this sort of thing...

YES. You'll also find that iNtuitives in general are disproportionately overrepresented on these types of boards as well as Sensors being drastically underrepresented.

EDIT: Oh, also: is it maybe normal in general for INFJs to semi-identify with more types and have trouble identifying themselves because of their very type nature? It seems like INFJs are very understanding of the behaviors and motivations of others, and maybe understand other people more than they understand themselves in some ways (?? please correct me if I'm way off here). So that said, I guess maybe it would stand to reason that INFJs are more likely to feel that they might be other types because they can understand how those people function? Maybe?

Very possible. INFJs have remarkable chameleonic tendencies/abilities depending on their atmosphere.
 

INTJMom

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 28, 2007
Messages
5,413
MBTI Type
INTJ
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5w4
Pretty much everything you said resonates heavily with me. A lot of what you said about F and J not necessarily having to manifest themselves as their stereotypical extremes makes me a lot more willing to accept that those might be the traits I have.
That's a great point.

I've noticed too other posts by INFJs who seem to feel heavily that I am one, and it seems like INFJs might be a good type to trust about instincts like that.
Yes. INFJs are among the most insightful people.

A question I've been thinking about that I don't know enough about to make a guess at: though INFJs might think that they're INTPs, do INTPs ever think they're INFJs?
I don't know. Maybe the INTPs might be able to say.

Another slight point: everything I've read about INFJs makes them seem so rare, and yet I feel like here I've seen a very disproportionate amount of them. Is it because INFJ types tend to be more interested in and drawn to this sort of thing, or is it possible that it's easy to be mistyped as INFJ (my concern)?
We've been asking ourselves that, too, over the months. It appears that more INxx types tend to use the internet recreationally, frequent forums, and take interest in theories such as MBTI. The great majority of the members here are INxx. The least represented group is the ESxx type. One can only assume that sitting at a computer looking at words on a screen is not their idea of a good time.

EDIT: Oh, also: is it maybe normal in general for INFJs to semi-identify with more types and have trouble identifying themselves because of their very type nature? It seems like INFJs are very understanding of the behaviors and motivations of others, and maybe understand other people more than they understand themselves in some ways (?? please correct me if I'm way off here). So that said, I guess maybe it would stand to reason that INFJs are more likely to feel that they might be other types because they can understand how those people function? Maybe?
It possible. I don't know.

I think that everyone has a little trouble identifying what they are until they learn the language and learn what the functions mean and what they look like in real life. It took me 3 months to figure out my type and I still ended up starting over from square one a couple more times. MBTT is kind of confusing. It's not an exact science.
 

cascadeco

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,083
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Everything you´ve written, including your questions and uncertainties about the functions and dichotomies, as well as seeming contradictions which make you confused about whether you´re P/J, or T/F....mirror what I´ve seen many other INFJ´s on here write about, and mirror probably 500 (at minimum) of my own posts. :smile:
 
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