INTP or INFP?

[SilentStream]

For about a year now I've typed myself as an INTP, but the more I examine my thoughts and actions the more it seems that I have very INFP tendencies.

INTP tendencies:

I love science but I prefer the life sciences rather than the physical sciences, and I'm studying environmental management.

I love to learn and I'm always reading non-fiction books.

I'm often cold towards people but its mainly because I'm often not sure what to do in social situations, so I don't do anything.

I find problems interesting, especially complex global problems, this is one of the reasons why I'm studying environmental management, I find the issue of environmental sustainability extremely interesting. Everything is so connected, and I'm having fun trying to identify the root of the problems and come up with my own solutions.

I get bored easily if I don't have something to stimulate my thinking, but if I have something interesting to think about I can sit for hours in reflection.

I like to design things, like houses, gardens, villages, cities etc in my mind. I wanted to do urban planning/architecture/landscape design at one stage.

I currently in the process of questioning all my religious beliefs, and I have an intuitive feeling that it all exists in our minds. I had very strong beliefs from the age of 12 until I was 20. In order to make the right decision, I have not let my emotions sway me, but I am doing a systematic scholarly type study to get to the truth.

I analyse everything to death .

INFP tendencies:

I spent most of my youth reading novels. My favourites were novelists like George Eliot (I really identified with her biography and characters), Henry James, the Brontes, Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell. I've read lots of literary novels as well as hundreds of books that were forgettable!

I wanted to be a writer (still do) and I would constantly make up characters, but never get round to writing the story.

I've never had any NT or NF friends, mainly SFs with a few STJs, however I prefer the SFs to be honest.

I'm obviously into Psychology...

I was very religious. I would use this as a basis to agonise over decisions. I still agonise over whether I'm doing the right thing from an ethics standpoint but I'm trying to use my own perceptions and reasoning rather than taking the Bible as the authority.

I don't like science on its own, I think we should combine the objective with the subjective, and let our emotions guide us to a certain extent. We don't know everything about life and therefore we cannot make perfectly rational decisions, so I think taking into account our emotions is justifiable.

I hardly ever contradict people because I don't want to hurt people by making them feel stupid. I often assume that I might be wrong if I have a different opinion. I don't think I'm tactless, and I'll try to soften criticism as much as possible. However, in my immediate family I speak my mind and won't hesitate to argue and contradict, in fact I love doing it - I do live my parents though .

I want to make the world a better place, and I don't mind if that involves a little self-sacrifice. I'm attracted to radical sort of environmentalist ideas such as forming self-sustaining intentional communities. I would love to live in a tight-knit community where we solve our problems on a personal level, where its a real democracy.

 

[Triglav]

INFJ

 

[Tyrant]

Those are neither exclusive INTP or INFP tendencies. If you're confused between INTP and INFP, you're obviously misunderstanding something.

Writing a description of yourself with restrictions (what's INTP, what's INFP), we'll get somewhere.

 

[BlackCat]

^What Tyrant said.

How are those traits INTP or INFP traits?

 

[OrangeAppled]

INFJ

This is a possibility. This statement doesn't sound INxP to me:
I often assume that I might be wrong if I have a different opinion.
Although, the rest of that paragraph could be INFP. I get a general feeling of you being a perceiving dominant (Ni-dom) over a judging dominant (Fi or Ti-dom).


Between INTP and INFP though, I'd go with INFP. I hear NF in this more than NT.

 

[SilentStream]

Ok, I know that what I wrote under INTP/INFP tendencies don't correlate exactly with either type in reality. I just used it to brainstorm a list of what I think are my main characteristics. So just ignore the titles and look at the list. I deliberately gave concrete examples of my behaviour and thinking because everyone has a different definition of the functions. In some descriptions I seem more F in others more T.

If we were looking at Keirsey's definition of cooperative vs utilitarian I would be a T, no matter how nice I am to people I will always do what I think works. But then there are the descriptions of F that I really identify with - that Fs make values-based decisions and decide what to do by balancing and prioritising their values-system. All my decisions start with my values but when I move onto implementation I am very utilitarian. But if Fs are meant to be 'people-people,' then I definitely am not an F. I avoid most people as much as I can.

Some people also view the functions differently when it comes to Ni vs Ne etc. I'm inclined to say that this way of viewing the functions is unnecessary. I see it more that your introversion/extroversion is unrelated to your functions and that you decide if someone is a P or J by how open to new information they are and how easy they find it to make decisions. If you are a perceiver you use or are dominant in N/S more than T/F and vice versa.

I'm introverted (I) + Intuitive (N) + Open to new information/Find it hard to make decisions (P) = INXP

But I guess I've got my own theory here so most would disagree with me .

I get a general feeling of you being a perceiving dominant (Ni-dom) over a judging dominant (Fi or Ti-dom).

According to the MBTI theory yes I would be Ni dominant, so perhaps I should type myself as an INXJ. Oh well, I'm some kinda INXX anyhow.

 

[OrangeAppled]

If we were looking at Keirsey's definition of cooperative vs utilitarian I would be a T, no matter how nice I am to people I will always do what I think works. But then there are the descriptions of F that I really identify with - that Fs make values-based decisions and decide what to do by balancing and prioritising their values-system. All my decisions start with my values but when I move onto implementation I am very utilitarian. But if Fs are meant to be 'people-people,' then I definitely am not an F. I avoid most people as much as I can.

I personally really, really, really dislike Keirsey...but that's a side point. Fi is NOT "people-people". The bolded part is not any more Ti than Fi. Have you read Jung's description of Fi? I find it much more accurate, and MBTI is based on his theory.

I am not a people-pleaser or externally a warm person. Being an introvert, I like to be alone a lot and get annoyed quickly by people. Fi is not going to compromise it's core values just to make other people happy. INFPs are easy-going only as long as their values are not violated.

Some people also view the functions differently when it comes to Ni vs Ne etc. I'm inclined to say that this way of viewing the functions is unnecessary. I see it more that your introversion/extroversion is unrelated to your functions and that you decide if someone is a P or J by how open to new information they are and how easy they find it to make decisions. If you are a perceiver you use or are dominant in N/S more than T/F and vice versa.

I'm introverted (I) + Intuitive (N) + Open to new information/Find it hard to make decisions (P) = INXP

But I guess I've got my own theory here so most would disagree with me .

According to the MBTI theory yes I would be Ni dominant, so perhaps I should type myself as an INXJ. Oh well, I'm some kinda INXX anyhow.

Well, the thing is, MBTI classifies you as P or J based on your extroverted function. INFJs are actually dominant perceivers, and INFPs are dominant judgers. (INFJs do have tertiary Ti also, something to consider). You seem very value-driven, but how are those values formed?

Externally, INFJs appear to be more decisive and judging, but internally, they may just receive and recognize ideas and thoughts without evaluating them. The value is determined based on external information.

INFPs judge internally and assign value. They have an innate sense of right and wrong that is separate from their environment. However, they are open to new information externally, because it helps them form their raw, basic values into something expressible.

 

[SilentStream]

I personally really, really, really dislike Keirsey...but that's a side point. Fi is NOT "people-people". The bolded part is not any more Ti than Fi. Have you read Jung's description of Fi? I find it much more accurate, and MBTI is based on his theory.

I am not a people-pleaser or externally a warm person. Being an introvert, I like to be alone a lot and get annoyed quickly by people. Fi is not going to compromise it's core values just to make other people happy. INFPs are easy-going only as long as their values are not violated.

I dislike Keirsey to some extent too, but I dislike all the different versions of the type theory at times. And I've read Psychological Types and all that. Yes, I agree with you that Fi is not a 'people-people' function. That definitely rules out INFJ (Fe=people-person) for me then, people seem to think I'm Ni dominant so I must be an INTJ! (Which is actually what I typed myself when I first learnt about this stuff). However I don't live my 'outer-life' in a J manner, I'm not decisive, I'm fickle, and I spend many hours in 'analysis-paralysis.' Well you could say that "you haven't developed your extroverted function yet." I'm a stunted INTJ then.

Well, the thing is, MBTI classifies you as P or J based on your extroverted function. INFJs are actually dominant perceivers, and INFPs are dominant judgers. (INFJs do have tertiary Ti also, something to consider).

I understand that the J/P refers to the extroverted function but I don't like this system. It's internally consistent but in reality it is not the simplest or most elegant explanation possible. I can use the same building blocks but come up with a much better framework than this.
(By the way I didn't make this up myself - these ideas have floated around the forums before, sorry guys if I've stolen it!).

Under this system an INFJ and an INFP would be very similar. Imagine a seesaw, on one end of the seesaw is Feeling Judgement on the other end is Intuitive Perception. The INFJ has a heavier Feeling Judgement on her seesaw, so her Intuitive Perceiver is up in the air. On the other hand the INFP has a heavier Intuitive Perceiver on her seesaw, while the Feeling Judgement is up in the air. They have different quantities of the same ingredients. (Notice I am taking the P/J letters as literally referring to the dominant function for all types).

Now the difference between INFJs/INFPs and ENFJs/ENFPs is that the ENFJs/ENFPs need greater stimulation from the outside world, while the INFJs/INFPs need to limit stimulation from the outside world.

In this system you don't have 8 functions but only 6 - which is much simpler.

Extroversion, Introversion, Feeling, Thinking, Intuition, Sensing.

You seem very value-driven, but how are those values formed?

Ummm I don't know! Logic? My values are very logically consistent. But since I've started learning about psychology I give a much greater emphasis on emotion than I did before. If someone doesn't feel happy in a situation, no matter how ethically logical it is, I say that situation is wrong. Before that I would've said 'suck it up' but now I assume that I've missed some important information.

All of my values basically come down to this:

1. "Refrain from letting your actions hurt others, no matter far removed the effect of your actions are. This includes the whole person, mentally, emotionally and physically."

2. "If it is in your power to prevent others being hurt, you must exercise it."

3. "Always follow rules 1 & 2 unless doing so will cause greater harm towards self than the harm you want to prevent others experiencing."

 

[Tyrant]

Extraverted Feeling =/= People pleasing. It can be used for malice purposes as much as it can be used for good.

 

[SilentStream]

Extraverted Feeling =/= People pleasing. It can be used for malice purposes as much as it can be used for good.

I didn't say Fe was a people-pleasing function I said that it was a people-person function. It's the interpersonal ability to understand how to interact with people in an effective manner. Fe means that you can manipulate people towards evil ends if you so want to.

 

[BlueScreen]

1. "Refrain from letting your actions hurt others, no matter far removed the effect of your actions are. This includes the whole person, mentally, emotionally and physically."

2. "If it is in your power to prevent others being hurt, you must exercise it."

3. "Always follow rules 1 & 2 unless doing so will cause greater harm towards self than the harm you want to prevent others experiencing."

That's very Fi. ENFP or INFP, that is the question.