Are INFJ's really that rare?

[LucyJr]

Btw @LucyJr , why do you think Winnie the Pooh is an INFJ?? LOL.

His characteristics and (supposedly) mental disorders, ADHD, ADD, and the silliness and imaturity of the character, combined with his thoughtfulness and sometimes brilliant ideas (which are not expected from the poor Winnie), reminds me of the one variants of INFJs I have observed.

 

[barbad0s]

His characteristics and (supposedly) mental disorders, ADHD, ADD, and the silliness and imaturity of the character, combined with his thoughtfulness and sometimes brilliant ideas (which are not expected from the poor Winnie), reminds me of the one variants of INFJs I have observed.

Hahahahaha that's the first time I've heard someone describe Pooh as having a mental disorder.

So to you, do cognitive differences/"disorders" make people more likely to be INFJs? Or is it the other way around?

Usually Pooh is pinned as ESFJ, which I see much more easily.

 

[LucyJr]

Hahahahaha that's the first time I've heard someone describe Pooh as having a mental disorder.

So to you, do cognitive differences/"disorders" make people more likely to be INFJs? Or is it the other way around?

Usually Pooh is pinned as ESFJ, which I see much more easily.

I actualy heard someone describing another INFJ in real life as being "like Winnie the Pooh". And he was somehow very close to it, but he didn't knew the person was INFJ, of course.

What about Shreck? Shreck is another INFJ character (in my opinion)

 

[barbad0s]

I actualy heard someone describing another INFJ in real life as being "like Winnie

 

[Eventhorizon]

Yep, you are correct. Now I feel stupid I said that, because I knew the criticism would be this way.
Looks like I'm a crank...Jung was right.

I think that is being hard on yourself.

The idea is to scrutinize information so that you know the information you end up with is as correct as it can be and that if there are any flaws, you recognize and remove them to the best of your ability.

For my role, I am simply asking questions.

 

[LucyJr]

You didn't answer my questions... which I'm not surprised about due to your history of showing disrespect for mental/emotional struggles on here.

I'm sorry. I didn't realised it was so important, plus I thought you might not like the answer.

So to you, do cognitive differences/"disorders" make people more likely to be INFJs? Or is it the other way around?

I think is the second one, INFJs develop alot of mental disorders (althought I think most of the mental disorders are actualy just behaviour), because of stress factors, feeling alienated and alot of other reasons, which I preffer not to tell.

I can see some INFJ characteristics like the ones you described being Pooh-like. In my opinion those are superficial observations though and not a good representation of the way Pooh thinks and makes decisions, which would be far more revealing of cognitive preference.

Can you explain more?

 

[barbad0s]

Can you explain more?

Being forgetful and sometimes clever in such a way, and a person resembling a cartoon character for it, isn't good enough. Several different types are capable of exhibiting the same behaviour. You can't discern cognitive function style out of that alone.

 

[muir]

Winnie the pooh is not an INFJ. Anyone who thinks winnie the pooh is an INFJ does not understand the INFJ type at all

For a type to feel distinctly different from many other types does not mean they have 'special snowflake syndrome' it means that they do not process information the same way as those types

Everyone is different, everyone has different strengths...the INFJ has a reputation of seeing things that other people don't see because what they bring to the mix is a different way of thinking

Instead of insulting INFJ's for being different and trying to put them down with the whole ''so you think your so special'' school playground childish bullshit why not appreciate what INFJ's bring to the mix the same way you appreciate what other types bring to the mix?

INFJ's are rare.....there are however many people who are in love with the idea of being an INFJ because they are attracted to the mystique that surrounds the type because of its unconventionality so they pretend to be an INFJ

Unconventionality however is a double edged sword....it's bitter sweet...

There are nowhere near as many INFJ's on this forum as there are people claiming that they are INFJ...sorry if that hurts your feelings....but be honest when you take the test otherwise you are only cheating yourself

Don't answer the questions to provide the outcome you desire, answer the questions truthfully and you will get a truthfull outcome

If i had a pound for everytime i've seen a person come onto this forum over the years saying they are an INFJ only to see them change their MBTI type over time i would be a wealthy man

If you are an INFJ YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT IT. If you have any doubt then YOU ARE NOT AN INFJ

Some lie to themselves, some are genuinly confused and some knowingly pretend to be INFJ's as camoflage while they attack the type...i've seen it many times on this forum

 

[ThomasJ79]

I just wanted to mention that is seems all of the intuitive introverts are considered "rare" and while the statistics indicate that INFJs are the most rare, it really depends how one looks at it. Is 1/100 really all that rare? Not really. Lets look at the INTP, which I've read they are "one of the rarest of all types". I typically see estimates from 1-4% of the total population for them. I think someone like Einstein, who is considered by most to have been an INTP, would be rare because of his intelligence combine with his personality in such a unique way that we witnessed in him a level of creative genius not seen in most people. Rareness is relative to one's perspective. Another way to look at it is look at the people you went to high school with(back in the day for me). If you were from a school with about 200 students you should be able to pick out who were the INFJs, INTPs, INTJs, and INFPs. So estimating low here, you may have 2 INFJs, 4 INTJs, 8 INFPs, and 6 INTPs (http://www.capt.org/mbti-assessment/estimated-frequencies.htm). So at least 20/200 are introverted intuitives, and hence as many as 34/200 could be. These were probably a large percentage of the honor students, in accelerated courses, and AP classes. This is not even included the extroverted intuitives!

 

[Keirouen]

Who are more rare in your opinion, INFJs or INTJs?

From my personal experience offline, intjs were more rare. My current technical careerfield is a hotbed of male intjs. I know several female infjs in person and 1 male. But I feel like I've never met another female intj... no wait! I met 1 other female intj in my life -we were best friends! So it's therefor equal! Female intjs are truly hard to find. And male infjs are sort of rare too. But obviously I'm especially interested in female infjs (and enfps, and intjs -infps are okay too)

 

[LucyJr]

Winnie the pooh is not an INFJ. Anyone who thinks winnie the pooh is an INFJ does not understand the INFJ type at all

You know, there are INFJs who don't think they are special...there are many kinds of INFJs. MBTI is wrong.

For a type to feel distinctly different from many other types does not mean they have 'special snowflake syndrome' it means that they do not process information the same way as those types

ok...what about 20 INFJs in the same room, and everyone of them think he is different and special than the other 19 INFJs? Because this usualy happen...

Instead of insulting INFJ's for being different and trying to put them down with the whole ''so you think your so special'' school playground childish bullshit why not appreciate what INFJ's bring to the mix the same way you appreciate what other types bring to the mix?

INFJ's are rare.....there are however many people who are in love with the idea of being an INFJ because they are attracted to the mystique that surrounds the type because of its unconventionality so they pretend to be an INFJ

Agree. But then these stuffs happen on the internet, not in real life. In real life things are a bit...different.

There are nowhere near as many INFJ's on this forum as there are people claiming that they are INFJ...sorry if that hurts your feelings....but be honest when you take the test otherwise you are only cheating yourself

Don't answer the questions to provide the outcome you desire, answer the questions truthfully and you will get a truthfull outcome

Yes. Still I think there are many INFJs who mistype themselfs as other types. The MBTI tests are incredibly simplistic and ambigous.

If i had a pound for everytime i've seen a person come onto this forum over the years saying they are an INFJ only to see them change their MBTI type over time i would be a wealthy man

That might mean something else. Its not because they figured out they are not INFJs or that they are other types...its because they constantly doubt about their type, due to the superficial descriptions and tests of MBTI. Especialy when you type yourself...

If you are an INFJ YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT IT. If you have any doubt then YOU ARE NOT AN INFJ

There is some truth in this, but only for INFJs who are left at their own expense, in their natural development.
If they were raised in a strict family, with strong discipline, they might very easily type themselfs as another type.

Some lie to themselves, some are genuinly confused and some knowingly pretend to be INFJ's as camoflage while they attack the type...i've seen it many times on this forum

I hope you're not suggesting I pretend to be a INFJ to attack INFJs. If that is what you are suggesting based on what I wrotte or 'attacked" in INFJs...then you truly define one of the main essence of INFJ. The good part is that you are a bookish INFJ...

 

[muir]

You know, there are INFJs who don't think they are special...there are many kinds of INFJs. MBTI is wrong.



ok...what about 20 INFJs in the same room, and everyone of them think he is different and special than the other 19 INFJs? Because this usualy happen...


Agree. But then these stuffs happen on the internet, not in real life. In real life things are a bit...different.


Yes. Still I think there are many INFJs who mistype themselfs as other types. The MBTI tests are incredibly simplistic and ambigous.


That might mean something else. Its not because they figured out they are not INFJs or that they are other types...its because they constantly doubt about their type, due to the superficial descriptions and tests of MBTI. Especialy when you type yourself...



There is some truth in this, but only for INFJs who are left at their own expense, in their natural development.
If they were raised in a strict family, with strong discipline, they might very easily type themselfs as another type.



I hope you're not suggesting I pretend to be a INFJ to attack INFJs. If that is what you are suggesting based on what I wrotte or 'attacked" in INFJs...then you truly define one of the main essence of INFJ. The good part is that you are a bookish INFJ...

No

I think the people who hold these misconceptions are people who are not INFJ's trying to pin down the INFJ type

I have seen many people come to this forum and dictate to INFJ's what INFJ's are WRONGLY

if there is something that people don't understand it makes them feel uneasy and they want to try to pin it down...this seems to be a common thing

The INFJ type unsettles many people because it is beyond their comprehension (they don't think the same way)

Cue endless theorising about INFJ's

INFJ's do not endlessly theorise about the INFJ type...they are too busy being

It's a little tiring listening to people (non INFJ's) constantly incorrectly trying to pin down the INFJ type

Winnie the fucking pooh?

Pooh is not an INFJ...pooh is a heavily retarded toy bear animated by the imagination of christopher robin who is fixated purely on honey and the concrete physical sensation of eating honey

***puts head in hands and shakes it***

 

[cvp12gh5]

Winnie the pooh is not an INFJ. Anyone who thinks winnie the pooh is an INFJ does not understand the INFJ type at all

For a type to feel distinctly different from many other types does not mean they have 'special snowflake syndrome' it means that they do not process information the same way as those types

Everyone is different, everyone has different strengths...the INFJ has a reputation of seeing things that other people don't see because what they bring to the mix is a different way of thinking

Instead of insulting INFJ's for being different and trying to put them down with the whole ''so you think your so special'' school playground childish bullshit why not appreciate what INFJ's bring to the mix the same way you appreciate what other types bring to the mix?

INFJ's are rare.....there are however many people who are in love with the idea of being an INFJ because they are attracted to the mystique that surrounds the type because of its unconventionality so they pretend to be an INFJ

Unconventionality however is a double edged sword....it's bitter sweet...

There are nowhere near as many INFJ's on this forum as there are people claiming that they are INFJ...sorry if that hurts your feelings....but be honest when you take the test otherwise you are only cheating yourself

Don't answer the questions to provide the outcome you desire, answer the questions truthfully and you will get a truthfull outcome

If i had a pound for everytime i've seen a person come onto this forum over the years saying they are an INFJ only to see them change their MBTI type over time i would be a wealthy man

If you are an INFJ YOU WILL KNOW ABOUT IT. If you have any doubt then YOU ARE NOT AN INFJ

Some lie to themselves, some are genuinly confused and some knowingly pretend to be INFJ's as camoflage while they attack the type...i've seen it many times on this forum

I don't think there is any way we could possibly know if INFJ's are rare or not. It would be impossible to get an accurate count on something like this. And that goes for any type. So to claim rarity is a bit ridiculous.

I do agree that there are many people that claim to be INFJ but are probably not (this doesn't bother me, just an observation). And I couldn't agree more with you about needing to be honest with yourself when taking these tests. People are cheating themselves if they are only picking answers that they know will produce a certain result. That's silly. But then again, there are a lot of people that would like to be viewed a certain way, so they answer the questions according to how they wish they were. Which goes back to being honest with yourself.

I took the test a couple of months ago and took my time going through every question. I went through situations in my head, how I reacted to them, how I process things, etc. the whole point was to make sure every question was answered with 100% accuracy. I copied the results. I then went back and did it again, but this time with my husband present. He answered the questions on how he saw me and the way I process things, etc. At the end of it all, the results were the same. I think the confusion lies in the fact that my other functions are very highly developed. This could also be an issue others may be having.

And I don't believe that if a person doubts their INFJness, then they are not an INFJ. There could be a number of reasons for the confusion.

Anyhow, my results were INTJ.

Oh, and for the record, Winnie the Pooh is not INFJ or any other type for that matter. He's a cartoon.

 

[muir]

I don't think there is any way we could possibly know if INFJ's are rare or not. It would be impossible to get an accurate count on something like this. And that goes for any type. So to claim rarity is a bit ridiculous.

I do agree that there any many people that claim to be INFJ but are probably not (this doesn't bother me, just an observation). And I couldn't agree more with you about needing to be honest with yourself when taking these tests. People are cheating themselves if they are only picking answers that they know will produce a certain result. That's silly. But then again, there are a lot of people that would like to be viewed a certain way, so they answer the questions according to how they wish they were. Which goes back to being honest with yourself.

I took the test a couple of months ago and took my time going through every question. I went through situations in my head, how I reacted to them, how I process things, etc. the whole point was to make sure every question was answered with 100% accuracy. I then copied the results. Then I went back and did it again with my husband present. He answered the questions on how he saw me and the way I process things, etc. At the end of it all, the results were the same. I think the confusion I lies in the fact that my other functions are very highly developed. This could also be an issue others may be having.

And I don't believe that if a person doubts their INFJness, then they are not an INFJ. There could be a number of reasons for the confusion.

Anyhow, my results were INTJ.

Oh, and for the record, Winnie the Pooh is not INFJ or any other type for that matter. He's a cartoon.

As well as statistical evidence there is anecdotal evidence

There is the testimony of INFJ's that there are not that many INFJ's kicking about out there

If people want to denigrate the INFJ type then of course they can start blowing smoke up peoples asses and they can broaden their criteria to include cartoon bears of below average intelligence, dictators, people they have met and didn't like and any other kind of derogatory insult by association that their mind can conjure

They are rarer than your type...can your ego handle it?

Its not a badge of honour...in fact its a disadvantage and a lot of the time a total nuisance (until a person learns to play to their strengths and/or stops giving a fuck)

 

[LucyJr]

No

I think the people who hold these misconceptions are people who are not INFJ's trying to pin down the INFJ type

I have seen many people come to this forum and dictate to INFJ's what INFJ's are WRONGLY

if there is something that people don't understand it makes them feel uneasy and they want to try to pin it down...this seems to be a common thing

The INFJ type unsettles many people because it is beyond their comprehension (they don't think the same way)

Cue endless theorising about INFJ's

INFJ's do not endlessly theorise about the INFJ type...they are too busy being

It's a little tiring listening to people (non INFJ's) constantly incorrectly trying to pin down the INFJ type

Winnie the fucking pooh?

Pooh is not an INFJ...pooh is a heavily retarded toy bear animated by the imagination of christopher robin who is fixated purely on honey and the concrete physical sensation of eating honey

***puts head in hands and shakes it***

Your whole answer exemplify the classic INFJ special syndrome and victimhood effect...

If you would read more, you will see that INFJs are pretty known in history, under such stereotypes as "the idealist", "the dreamer", "the romantic", "the lyricist", "the seer", "the mystic" "the soothsayer" (this one is used by Aristotle...he makes a difference between two types of melancholics...one is the "hard/hot melancholic" which is the soothsayer, or in our language, INFJ, and the other one is the philosophers, "cold blooded", in our langiage, INTJs; Aristotle said that both are smart and clever, hovewer the second type of melancholics are more strong willed and determined, and thus they manage to do more in life...Aristotle was a INTJ, while Plato was a INFJ).
Pascal, who was a INTP (after my calculations) wrotte about the INFJs, even offered criticism for their lack of logical thinking, and too much rely on "sight"(intuition)...he warned for the dangers of excesive imagination.
INFJs are pretty known in history, together with their great missed potential, due to our inherent laziness. And that's it, I'm done, untill you will not sue me or something...

 

[cvp12gh5]

As well as statistical evidence there is anecdotal evidence

There is the testimony of INFJ's that there are not that many INFJ's kicking about out there

If people want to denigrate the INFJ type then of course they can start blowing smoke up people asses and they can broaden their criteria to include cartoon bears of below average intelligence, dictators, people they have met and didn't like and any other kind of derogatory insult by association that their mind can conjure

They are rarer than your type...can your ego handle it?

Its not a badge of honour...in fact its a disadvantage (until a person learns to play to their strengths)

Haha! . I agree that it's not a badge of honor. The disadvantages are clear in some instances. I get that being rare isn't necessarily a good thing. There are people that have rare types of cancer. I'm sure they don't think of themselves as special snowflakes. What I am saying is that whatever stats you are reading can in no way be 100% accurate, therefore, they can not be used as proof.

I am not looking at this and thinking, "those damn infjs think they are soooo special! Who do they think they are?!" I'm looking at it as "how could you possibly claim such a thing without the proof to back it up? That's impossible." Whether it's a good thing or not doesn't matter to me.

 

[muir]

Your whole answer exemplify the classic INFJ special syndrome and victimhood effect...

And what i'm saying to you is that those terms are attacks on INFJ's

It's like hearing a black person say they are being discriminated against in their job interviews in a certain country and then saying to them....'you have a persecution syndrome'

It's not a 'syndrome' or a brain malfunction if its true

If a person is in a minority type and they say 'we are a minority type' it does not mean they are sayin they are a special snowflake they are just making a statement of fact

If they then say that being in a minority leads to them facing some challenges that does not mean they have a victim syndrome

It would be like me saying you should be kept out of the EU because you are a Romanian and when you then say that it is unfair me then saying to you that you have a victimhood syndrome...it's ridiculous

It's kicking someone and then kicking them again when they are down

If you would read more, you will see that INFJs are pretty known in history, under such stereotypes as "the idealist", "the dreamer", "the romantic", "the lyricist", "the seer", "the mystic" "the soothsayer" (this one is used by Aristotle...he makes a difference between two types of melancholics...one is the "hard/hot melancholic" which is the soothsayer, or in our language, INFJ, and the other one is the philosophers, "cold blooded", in our langiage, INTJs; Aristotle said that both are smart and clever, hovewer the second type of melancholics are more strong willed and determined, and thus they manage to do more in life...Aristotle was a INTJ, while Plato was a INFJ).
Pascal, who was a INTP (after my calculations) wrotte about the INFJs, even offered criticism for their lack of logical thinking, and too much rely on "sight"(intuition)...he warned for the dangers of excesive imagination.
INFJs are pretty known in history, together with their great missed potential, due to our inherent laziness. And that's it, I'm done, untill you will not sue me or something...

I don't agree that INFJ's are 'lazy' i think that is just another untrue attack on INFJ's by someone intent on attacking them

 

[muir]

Haha! . I agree that it's not a badge of honor. The disadvantages are clear in some instances. I get that being rare isn't necessarily a good thing. There are people that have rare types of cancer. I'm sure they don't think of themselves as special snowflakes. What I am saying is that whatever stats you are reading can in no way be 100% accurate, therefore, they can not be used as proof.

I am not looking at this and thinking, "those damn infjs think they are soooo special! Who do they think they are?!" I'm looking at it as "how could you possibly claim such a thing without the proof to back it up? That's impossible." Whether it's a good thing or not doesn't matter to me.

people have gathered stats

Also there is anecdotal evidence from INFJ's...did i not say this already?

people didn't dream up the idea that INFJ's are just 1% of the population they did surveys

Can your ego handle the results of those surveys?

 

[cvp12gh5]

people have gathered stats

Also there is anecdotal evidence from INFJ's...did i not say this already?

people didn't dream up the idea that INFJ's are just 1% of the population they did surveys

Can your ego handle the results of those surveys?

I'm still trying to figure out why you think my ego has anything to do with what I have posted here? I am just pointing out that unless these "stats" include every person on this planet, then they are inaccurate.

Again, there are some pretty significant downfalls to being an INFJ (as you stated) so if you're saying that I am somehow "hating" or "jealous" of the INFJ status, well, that's just absurd, lol. Maybe your ego is the one that needs to be questioned?

For the record, I am very fond of INFJs, and nothing that I have written here says any different. If something offended you it's because you wanted to be offended. Not my problem.

 

[muir]

I'm still trying to figure out why you think my ego has anything to do with what I have posted here? I am just pointing out that unless these "stats" include every person on this planet, then they are inaccurate.

Again, there are some pretty significant downfalls to being an INFJ (as you stated) so if you're saying that I am somehow "hating" or "jealous" of the INFJ status, well, that's just absurd, lol. Maybe your ego is the one that needs to be questioned?

I did not state that

That sounds like a veiled dig at INFJ's there to me....that we are not worthy of your 'jealousy' and that such an idea would be 'absurd' that anyone would be jealous of INFJ's (lol...implying you view us from an elevated position...looking down on us) which gives insight to support my supposition that you are in fact denying INFJ's their rarity due to your ego rather than hard facts (because your veiled insult shows your true colours)

For someone who seems to have a low opinion of INFJ's you sure spend a lot of time on a forum dedicated to them

For the record, I am very fond of INFJs, and nothing that I have written here says any different. If something offended you it's because you wanted to be offended. Not my problem.

I'm not offended just well informed