How do you identity an INFJ?

[subwayrider]

With INFJs and INTJs, you need to listen to what they say using your gut. Their insights only exist in fairytale land.

Per your definition, that is very true, though I might have picked my words more carefully, anyway.

In earlier days, I tended to see INTJs as logically superior to me...until I started picking up on the fact that they have that same awful habit I do: They go on hunches a lot. The tendency in them is more effectively clouded in would-be rationality, because of Te, but someone like an INTP will easily pick up on the inductive leaps.

InvisibleJim would do that a lot, for instance. It cracks me up sometimes -- because they're the Masterminds, but still so similar to myself, and I consider myself logically handicapped.

I would also avoid listening to INTJs half the time because that's their trolling to non-trolling ratio. Half the time listening to them is a very educational experience because they will spout off all these random facts. The other half of the time they are like gleeful nerdtrolls in the candy store of life.

I knew one last year. He just thinks he's always right. They're very cute, though, because I can always pick up on when they're Fi-ing. They'll let slip something mean and then immediately withdraw, seemingly saying to themselves: "Shit, that was an asshole thing to say. Stupid, stupid, stupid!"

ESxx types often make me want to kill myself, though, just for the imbalanced focus on the concrete. I end up listening to talk about what they did yesterday or last week or something. I prefer for there to be a good deal of theory and imagination in my conversations. I hardly ever speak at all, though; it really takes a lot to get me out of my mind. I think that's why my voice has such a tired and low quality to it, like I'm used to only speaking to myself.

 

[barbad0s]

Per your definition, that is very true, though I might have picked my words more car-

stfu

my voice has such a tired and low quality to it, like I'm used to only speaking to myself.

LOL this is a good way of describing it.

Yeah INTJs always have these infantile ego-emotional motivations behind so much of what they say. Only the aesthetic part of what they say looks intellectual.

For example, my dad who is a textbook INTJ will always bring up these random things he's read about at the dinner table about his diabetes and nutrition, and they ALWAYS point to him not being responsible for him getting fat and diabetic. I always have to be like "Wow, you don't even know how nutrients are assimilated by the body, you can't say you know anything about nutrition or about how the human body works or about how what you've read is supposed to fit in with it, and you don't even care about how legitimate the source of this information is. Then you act as if this is the most intelligent thing you've ever heard of and other people should be impressed, when the reality is that you only like the idea because it caters to your feelings and because you want your ego to be stroked."

INTJs are actually very vulnerable. Their vulnerabilities are very out in the open.

 

[Neuro]

ESxx types often make me want to kill myself, though, just for the imbalanced focus on the concrete. I end up listening to talk about what they did yesterday or last week or something. I prefer for there to be a good deal of theory and imagination in my conversations. I hardly ever speak at all, though; it really takes a lot to get me out of my mind. I think that's why my voice has such a tired and low quality to it, like I'm used to only speaking to myself.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who have thought the exact same thing.......

 

[jyrffw54]

Easy, they have a third nipple.

Shhh! They aren't supposed to know that :tape:

 

[technics]

In earlier days, I tended to see INTJs as logically superior to me...until I started picking up on the fact that they have that same awful habit I do: They go on hunches a lot. The tendency in them is more effectively clouded in would-be rationality, because of Te, but someone like an INTP will easily pick up on the inductive leaps.

INTJs don't go on hunches a lot, they are permanently on hunches. It's like constantly scanning a subdued stream of signals and patterns about the world. Most of the time, the signals behave normally, and you can basically follow the degree to which they fluctuate within the normal parameters. But now and then, you come upon a signal that is out of the usual, and that's when you zoom in. This event is what other people call "hunch". And they think it is a singular event, but in reality, it shoots like an iceberg out of the ocean. The difference is that non-Ni people live about the surface and they only see the surfacing of the iceberg (the hunch). Ni people live underwater and have been observing that all along. They knew this was going to happen. Living underwater is what you call INTJ/INFJs having their "insights in fairytale land".

As for INTP or Ti people pointing out inductive leaps. That is so annoying. Everytime my INTP/ENTP friends do that my thought process is like "Aha, okay. So what?". It's like pointing to a tiny black spot on a white wall and then inferring that the whole wall is black. And then they are surprised when things still happen according to how I predicted them.

 

[subwayrider]

INTJs don't go on hunches a lot, they are permanently on hunches. It's like constantly scanning a subdued stream of signals and patterns about the world. Most of the time, the signals behave normally, and you can basically follow the degree to which they fluctuate within the normal parameters. But now and then, you come upon a signal that is out of the usual, and that's when you zoom in. This event is what other people call "hunch". And they think it is a singular event, but in reality, it shoots like an iceberg out of the ocean. The difference is that non-Ni people live about the surface and they only see the surfacing of the iceberg (the hunch). Ni people live underwater and have been observing that all along. They knew this was going to happen. Living underwater is what you call INTJ/INFJs having their "insights in fairytale land".

Firstly, nice to see you back!

Secondly, that is a great metaphor. That's a surefire method for identifying an INJ: everything is a metaphor to them.

As for INTP or Ti people pointing out inductive leaps. That is so annoying. Everytime my INTP/ENTP friends do that my thought process is like "Aha, okay. So what?". It's like pointing to a tiny black spot on a white wall and then inferring that the whole wall is black. And then they are surprised when things still happen according to how I predicted them.

No, that is just elitist. You can't always be right. The INTP approach to problem-solving and to perceiving the world is valuable for its own merits. I like to think INTJ and INTP balance each other out nicely. ENTPs should theoretically follow a more similar process to INTJs than to INTPs, since they lead with iNtuition, back with Thinking.

Actually, the fact that you have the gall to make those impossible claims only highlights my points about INJs. Haha!

 

[honouria]

Pretty much look for the smartest person in the room - it won't be the loudest.

 

[technics]

Look for that one weirdo who is semi-well dressed, [...] not penetrate or fill. That is Ni.

That was a wonderful description of INFJ. How - in the same sense - would you distinguish an INFJ from an INTJ?

 

[barbad0s]

That was a wonderful description of INFJ. How - in the same sense - would you distinguish an INFJ from an INTJ?

Hm idk. Te always tends to give me the feeling that the user wants me to carry out a bunch of orders for them. Te adds a subtle force and concreteness to everything, even though INTJs tend to be subdued and gentle beings in principle. It's much more extreme with ExTJs. Try reading an ENTJ vs. ESTJ thread over on the PersonalityCafe forums lol. Ni + Fe on the other hand, just seems more derpy and silly to me. When INTJs are "acting silly", it's much more of a structured thing.

 

[Nixie]

No, that is just elitist. You can't always be right.

Of course not! I completely agree. It is more important (and easier) to just work on convincing people you are right. Them strong J types can worry about absolutes....

 

[Bikerdelic]

I think some other personalities traits have a rather acidic temperament what I would call bitching. Your not sounding very cool to me as a INFJ dude. If you don't like people with these personality traits then why be on this site? Is it just to wind people up, to make yourselves feel superior, as I have been reading some of these comments and find them edged with some bitterness and disrespect for people. My advise would be, don't go trying to figure people out, until your figured yourself out. Do you really know who you are?, or just depend upon the label you have given yourself for your identity. You want to remember not all INFJ men are gay, nor are we shrinking violets that hide in the corners from the world.
The last point I would like to make clear, is that we don't think ourselves to be special, no we leave that up to all the other egotistical personalities in life to do that, but we do see something you folk don't see, and that's how to think for ourselves whilst perceiving the obscured beauty inherent in our world and each other.

 

[Chalom88]

Thanks bikerdelic for your post. I was noticing the same bitterness laced comments and wondering what posters intents really were for being on here - as they were far from helpful.

I think something that many people tend to look over on personality typing is that even though we fit into a said category, it doesn't mean we fit the bill perfectly and just because you ran across an infj that you didn't like, doesn't mean we all possess the same qualities. Even though I am an infj, my career has forced me to put aside my introverted qualities so that I appear extremely social... For the first hour at a social event... At that point I do run out of energy and withdraw steadily from that point on. I guess my point is, it's hard to identify an infj without getting to know one because I rarely show my true qualities in public.... And we have a tendency to mimic other personality types when we have the energy to do so. Probably not helpful which is why I don't often give my two sense. I think identifying an infj is something that is hard to do without being quite close to the person.

 

[Kgal]

Thanks bikerdelic for your post. I was noticing the same bitterness laced comments and wondering what posters intents really were for being on here - as they were far from helpful.

I think something that many people tend to look over on personality typing is that even though we fit into a said category, it doesn't mean we fit the bill perfectly and just because you ran across an infj that you didn't like, doesn't mean we all possess the same qualities. Even though I am an infj, my career has forced me to put aside my introverted qualities so that I appear extremely social... For the first hour at a social event... At that point I do run out of energy and withdraw steadily from that point on. I guess my point is, it's hard to identify an infj without getting to know one because I rarely show my true qualities in public.... And we have a tendency to mimic other personality types when we have the energy to do so. Probably not helpful which is why I don't often give my two sense. I think identifying an infj is something that is hard to do without being quite close to the person.

This is true...

It causes me problems at times because for a little while I can 'resonate' with another person on their level. Later - when I need to withdraw into my own 'resonance' - they become confused and want me to be who I was - with them.

I recognize other INFJs by their passionate dedication to what is central in their hearts and how they apply their ability to see all perspectives. They usually have a deep emotional core that encompasses a wide range of emotions. While they may be afraid to feel them all - they know they're there and hold them in an honorable space.

 

[Eventhorizon]

I normally only speak up when something needs to be said. Otherwise I say nothing. Seriously. I hear people go on and on about the weather or how someone "is" at work or what movie star married what movie star. The whole time I sit and think, "SO WHAT!?" None of it is important. Why are you not talking about the state of the world and humanity. Why arent you talking about solutions to the problems humanity faces? Who the hell cares about American Idol? Talk about new energy sources and the things that will get us off this planet so the human race can survive if a catastrophic event hits.

So if someone is about to make a bad choice I nudge them in the right direction in a way that makes them think it was their idea to begin with. If that doesnt work depending on the situation Ill just give up and take control for however long I need to get the end result I am expecting. Then, Ill just move on back to the shadows.

 

[Trifoilum]

As for INTP or Ti people pointing out inductive leaps. That is so annoying. Everytime my INTP/ENTP friends do that my thought process is like "Aha, okay. So what?". It's like pointing to a tiny black spot on a white wall and then inferring that the whole wall is black. And then they are surprised when things still happen according to how I predicted them.

I think this is a Ti user's wet dream / modus operandi though; like, to be able to pick a wrong spot and then everything UNRAVELS~~~

 

[passionista]

I have trouble with personality identification when it comes to introverts. The category of I/E is easy and the N/S can be sensed by talking to the person, but what about T/F or J/P? When it comes to introversion, both t and f types like to hide their feelings. The T due to plainly always hiding their feelings, the F due to their sensitivity of being hurt. Also, from what I've read, INFJ can also be disorganized and procrastinate like the INFP's as well due to the fact that their intuition takes over. Even when it comes to the fact that INFJ's tend to be writers - this also applies to INTJ and INFP.

You can say that you can learn to identity T/F by interacting with the person more and learning about their deep side, but from what I learned it usually takes a really long time for F types to open up and trust people. Furthermore, both types are likely to emphasize if I do talk about deeper problems. I am of course, basing these traits solely on stereotypes.

I understand that the ones who are more likely to be involved in social causes are INFJ's, but the same applies to INFP's as well.

I've also read that INFJ's tend to be seen by other people as extroverts. But what exactly does that mean? Are INFP's extroverted when they meet new people, as in they go out of their way to befriend them? Or are they extroverted only when approached by others?

I absolutely need to meet an INFJ! People that share my personality type are much easier to identify. We'll be the ones raising their hand in class several times (to the annoyance of everyone else) to answer and ask questions - however embarrassing they can be haha!

Anywayyy. Just trying to understand Y'all

I think that trying to identify people by type can be difficult, if not, limiting. If you can go out and meet people, really get to know them, you just may find what you're looking for! This is a generalization, but if you're an ENTP, most likely you'll naturally connect with someone who is more dominantly an INFJ type, judging from my own experiences with someone who ended up being an ENTP.

 

[passionista]

Thanks bikerdelic for your post. I was noticing the same bitterness laced comments and wondering what posters intents really were for being on here - as they were far from helpful.

I think something that many people tend to look over on personality typing is that even though we fit into a said category, it doesn't mean we fit the bill perfectly and just because you ran across an infj that you didn't like, doesn't mean we all possess the same qualities. Even though I am an infj, my career has forced me to put aside my introverted qualities so that I appear extremely social... For the first hour at a social event... At that point I do run out of energy and withdraw steadily from that point on. I guess my point is, it's hard to identify an infj without getting to know one because I rarely show my true qualities in public.... And we have a tendency to mimic other personality types when we have the energy to do so. Probably not helpful which is why I don't often give my two sense. I think identifying an infj is something that is hard to do without being quite close to the person.

[MENTION=8523]Chalom88[/MENTION]: I can relate to your post. I easily take up qualities of other personality types, the longer and more frequently I spend time with them... especially in a workplace setting. I would say that I prefer not showing my true self and disclosing my personal life, more so in the workplace, which is counterproductive because I would like to develop stronger relationships in all areas of my life right now.

 

[barbad0s]

Got another one to add to my INFJ description: "the thousand mile stare"

I think this is a Ti user's wet dream / modus operandi though; like, to be able to pick a wrong spot and then everything UNRAVELS~~~

I came.