The INFP
The Myers-Briggs abbreviation “INFP” stands for:
I = Introverts
Introverts (I) prefer to be alone, and have a lot of depth to their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. They prefer to do one thing at the time. As opposed to many things at the same time (Like Extroverts).
They generally gain energy when by themselves and lose energy when with people (though there are exceptions, like when people find their “soulmate”, that will not drain their energy levels).
N = Intuitives
Intuitives (N) are information processing people. They like to PROCESS information, while Sensors (S) like to STORE information. This is one of the key differences. The processing might comes as research, debates, or some kind of weird project.
Intuitives speak at various speeds, fast and slow, while Sensors speak more mechanically (Think Arnold Schwarzenegger for a clear example, an ISTP 9wing8). Intuitives have a fluid psyche, like moldable clay, while Sensors have a more rigid mindset.
F = Feelers
Although Feelers (F) can have a powerful logical side, they are sensitive, and are high in empathy, humility, and understanding. They are great humanists. They dislike confrontation strongly and are bad at dealing with hostile environments.
P = Perceivers
Perceivers (P) are thrilled by the unknown mysteries of the universe. They are non-judgemental by nature, as they like to PERCEIVE. They can fall into a pit of procrastination and inactivity. Perceivers are drawn to the unknown, while Judgers (J) get anxiety from the unknown.
Perceivers are very uneasy about speaking in definities, while Judgers often do. Every time a Perceiver speaks, they think, is this absolutely 100% true? A Judger thinks — is this generally true? Does it achieve my end goal?
Johnny Depp is typed here as an INFP, but he is really an INFJ, and according to the Google supercomputer and their massive user feedback — I am right! If you Google “Johnny Depp personality type” my site shows up as the nr1 authority. Him and Adolf Hitler are my two top visited pages.
The rare INFJ is very similar to the INFP. The INFJ is a little more troubled, difficult, edgy, and “dark”. The INFJ has the highest level of “marital dissatisfaction” out of all 16 Myers-Briggs types.
The INFP has a positive and forgiving element that the INFJ would do well with copying. Although sensitive, the INFP is not “small minded” or “petty”.
Also, John Kerry is not an INFP (as typed in the green image), I haven’t come across a single politician who was. I cannot imagine an INFP that would go into the lying, deceiving, corrupt, hostile, slimeball world of politics. INFPs are SENSITIVE SNOWFLAKES!
The INFP is most prone to naval-gazing out of any Myers Briggs type. It is not good at getting things done. Not at all. The INFP and the (somewhat similar) INTP has the highest scores of career dissatisfaction out of all 16 types. It has outright bad task execution, and is very idealistic.
The INFP is highly empathetic, sensitive, artistic, emotional, and strongly dislikes disharmony (and suffers under it). The INFP understands people, emotions, intentions, and sarcasm very well. Also humor.
It is very self-conscious, in a crippling way. The writings of Fyodor Dostoevsky (typed below) demonstrates this is a perfect way.
All his protagonists are INFPs. He is my favourite classical author. The INFP is heavily drawn towards the arts, or various forms of unusual subcultures. It has a very rich and active inner emotional life. It also has a vivid imagination.
INFP “Porn”
Check out this INFP “porn” section of personality café, filled with beautful images. This was the first image of the thread.
I also really liked these ones.
INFP: The Spiritual Searcher
INFPs tend to be spiritual and they tend to be searchers. They sincerely do not belive they have the answers. They are the opposite of arrogant, for they are very insecure and self-conscious. They are probably one of the most underrepresented personality types when it comes to violent crimes & and a criminal lifestyle.
The most common type I see when I binge watch prison documentaries, are ISTPs. The majority of criminals & prisoners are ISTPs. A low functioning ISTP does not have the patience to get a good job, and still require that rush that a criminal lifestyle brings. They often have bad impusle control.
This is going to sound bad, but ISTPs are naturally low on empathy. The ISTP is essentially built to be a good hunter, or warrior. Their whole personality centers around that. The legendary Larry Lawton on Youtube is an ISTP 8wing7.
INFP memes
INFP: The Writer
In my experience, INFP are very good at writing characters desriptions and comedy, but lack the mental structures to plan out a hundreds of sequencial events in a book trilogy, or something like that.
I, the maker of this website, am an INFP 4wing5. Some years ago, I made a serious attempt at writing fiction. I would write these stories, upload them, get feedback, give feedback on their stories, and rewrite my story.
Pretty soon I realized I was a good wordsmith and had interesting characters… BUT I didn’t have a story, I had no plot, no structure where the events could take place. This is, I think, why INFPs don’t make it in fiction.
1) Fyodor Dostoevsky: INFP 4wing5
Fyodor Dostoevsky is the only author I’ve been able to find, who writes like… Fyodor Dostoevsky. He has a unique style of writing. His protagonists are so:
- Irrational
- Neurotic
- Frail
- Eccentric
His characters are heavily based on himself, all his protagonists actually resemble himself quite strongly.
Fyodor Dostoevsky was an INFP, and all his protagonists were INFPs, as well. What seperated Fyodor Dostoevsky from eveyone else was his personality type, in that most authors are INTPs. I should add that Dostoevsky was also extremely intelligent.
The INFP generally doesn’t have the mental capacity to develop intricate plotlines over hundreds of pages (let alone thousands, like a book series), it is taxing on the logical system — if it is going to be any good. The INFP is a little too neurotic, irrational, impatient, and emotional to succeed as a writer.
For the reasons outlined above, INFP books are extremely character focused. I am an INFP myself, so I think I can say these “negative” things about INFPs.
I’ve read most of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s books, and you can feel the INFP from the very first page. You can FEEL it.
Check out this opening from Notes from Underground:
I am a sick man… I am a spiteful man. I am an unpleasant man. I think my liver is diseased. However, I don’t know beans about my disease, and I am not sure what is bothering me. I don’t treat it and never have, though I respect medicine and doctors. Besides, I am extremely superstitious, let’s say sufficiently so to respect medicine. (I am educated enough not to be superstitious, but I am.) No, I refuse to treat it out of spite. You probably will not understand that. Well, but I understand it. Of course I can’t explain to you just whom I am annoying in this case by my spite. I am perfectly well aware that I cannot “get even” with the doctors by not consulting them. I know better than anyone that I thereby injure only myself and no one else. But still, if I don’t treat it, its is out of spite. My liver is bad, well then– let it get even worse!
It is not physically possible for an INTP to write a paragraph like this. It would break the laws of physics.
Fyodor Dostoevsky Quotes
2) Neil Strauss: INFP 3wing4
How do I know Neil Strauss is an INFP? He is way too sensitive to be an INTP (to be a Thinker). The INFP has a type of emotional presence/awareness that the INTP — just does not have. There is also a difference in the body language, the INFP is faster and more all over the place.
The INTP has slower, deliberate movements. The emotional state of the INTP is much more stable. Here is a short & undramatic little interview just to get a feeling for what I am saying.
And here is the mostly viewed Neil Strauss clip on Youtube.
The INFP is “faster” and have larger emotional spikes from less stimulation. In most cases, you can tell the difference. Even if an INTP has a strong emotional reaction, it is “delayed” somewhat. The INFP is like a small ship affected by the wind, while the INTP is a large ship that needs more time to be affected the same way. The INFP “superpower” is emotional insight & recognition.
The INFP and the INTP is very difficult to tell apart, they are typed as each other all the time. I have been typed as an INTP in tests, though I am an INFP. The reason for this, is that have a strong secondary Thinking and an Enneagram type that brings out my logical & cerebral side.
Neil Strauss began as a very respected music journalist and became and worldwide sensation when he wrote “The Game“. Since then he has written a myriad of books. Neil Strauss is, in my opinion, one of the best writers of our time.
The INFP has a type of emotional awareness and sensitivity the INTP just doesn’t have. Neil Strauss has been able to convert this “feeling” into his writing, so that the reader feels it, as well.
Neil Strauss is a little too sensitive, too frail, too insecure, too self-conscious to be an INTP (which most writers are). But he comes off as pretty good in the Howard Stern interview above.
The INFP possesses a type of emotional intensity that the INTP cannot generate. The emotional wave of the INFP is much more up and down, and has large spikes from little external stimulation.
Since Neil Strauss is famous for his writing, and most writers are INTPs, let’s examine the differences between the INFP and the INTP. The difference between them is the Thinking/Feeling attribute.
I found this description on the INTP at Personality at Work:
The INTP is deep, private, difficult to know and extremely independent. They focus on things that interest them most putting off completing tasks until the last minute as the routine bores them. INTPs love logic and an indicator of being an INTP is obsession with logical correctness. An INTP will struggle with emotion, great at reading situations but less good at reading people.
And then about the INFP on the same page:
Meaning, harmony and personal values are at the heart of the INFP. It is essential to the INFP that their beliefs and actions are totally in sync. An INFP is unlikely to take any action which they don’t believe in their heart is right. Sensitive, caring and empathetic INFPs are excellent in supporting roles. Deep and private, they do not like being boxed in or constrained by rules.
In essence, the INFP has much more emotional complexity and depth, and the INTP is more logical, cerebral, structured, and system oriented.
The depth of the INFP is geared towards the animate world (world of the living), and the depth of the INTP is geared towards the inanimate world (world of the dead).
But also keep in mind that a lot of psychologists are INTPs. The INTP has a strong desire to absorb information, the INFP has a strong desire to experience culture and stimulate their spirituality.
3) Bob Dylan: INFP 4wing5
Bob Dylan was able to make a new type of song, it was groundbreaking, and they still hold up to this day. The INFP is very common among musicians, along with the ISFP. Especially if you count the ones that are famous, and compose their own songs.
The ISFP and the INFP are both naturally creative, and they have a type of delicate sensitivity that is a huge advantage in music. I would also argue that Bob Dylan, better than anybody else, actually demonstrates this insane human depth in his songs. You can feel it.
Unless stuck in an overly formal conversation, the body language of the INFP is much more jagged than the slower INTP. There are a lot of smaller movements, back and forth, up and down. Their thoughts are also less structured, they can be a little all over the place.
They sometimes, but not always, have a certain emotional inflection in their voice. It’s very subjective and hard to describe, but I believe it is present in the interview below.
I was suprised at the lack of Bob Dylan interviews on Youtube, there weren’t almost any where he goes into his personal life. He’s very private and a little hostile in interviews.
People wanted Bob Dylan to provide answers, but he never had any answers and didn’t want that exposure or responsibility. Still, he’s a clear INFP. A great humanist and anti-war figure in society. He had figured out SOMETHING, it was just very unclear what that was.
Interested in the ISFP? Kanye West, Michael Jackson and Jesus were all ISFPs. The ISFP is the most common trait among musical artists.
Celebrity Personality Types 