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Advice appreciated: Am I INTP or INFJ?

867 Views 23 Replies 8 Participants Last post by  leftover crack
Hello everyone!

I hope you're having a great morning afternoon/evening/night.

I read that INFP and INTPs often mistype as each other and I'm curious if I'm a INTP who's been mistyping for an INFP for a while. I've taken many Myers Briggs tests and they all said that I'm INFP, but when I take tests on "how to tell if you INFP or INTP" I get mixed results.

I'm guessing that's because those tests are mainly based on testing how much you value logic, and I love theoretical questions, philosophy, science, and overthinking. It's a bit jarring to read descriptions of INFPs as people who dislike science and organisation (definitely not true for me), but I don't fit the usual description of INTPs either since I try to make everyone happy even if that means hiding what I think the truth is.

I think I've mostly answered my own question. I'm reasonably certain (about 90 percent) that I'm an INFP who has an approach to logic that's typical of INTPs. I could just be an emotional INTP who greatly values making others feel valued however.

Does anyone have advice on how to gain greater clarity? And personality type would you peg me as and why?

Some random facts that I hope will be helpful if you want to accurately type me:

My best subject in school was English, but I also got A's in every single science based subject like Chemistry and Biology. In the fantasy novel I'm writing, I want to create a very detailed conlang that's realistic enough to be a naturally evolved language, make a map complete with tectonic plates, and other assorted sciencey/pedantic-y stuff, but the reason I started writing the novel in the first place was to understand people on a deep level and explore different emotional states and ideas.

Aaaand now I'm uncertain again. Help. At least I know I'm I, N, and P for sure -- it's reassuring to have that certainty.

Thank you for reading all of this. Please enjoy a photo of a sea sheep, an adorable type of nudibranch. (Also you are permitted to enjoy the cute sea sheep even if you did not read all of this and just skimmed straight to the cuteness.)

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INFPs and INTPs are quite different from each other, INFP = Fi-Te axis and INTPs are Ti-Fe axis, they couldn't be further from each other in their judging axis. The part they are similar to each other is their perceiving axis (Ne-Si)

So what you want to look for is whether you're an Fi-Te user or an Ti-Fe user, it's incredibly easy to differentiate coz Fi users get their value judgements, principles, morals etc... from within, this means Fi users don't really care if others feel differently, coz we see ourselves as individuals when it comes to principles, values, morality etc... Fe users kinda have "objective morality" or looks at the group consensus, kinda like taking a group of Fi user's Fis and going off that.

Furthermore, it should be simple to determine whether your dom function is Fi or Ti, they can't be further from each other, Fi is about how you feel about everything, Ti is just logic...

Don't look at shit like N vs S vs P vs J vs I vs E and all that beginner crap, it's all cognitive functions that matter.
Thank you for your advice!

I've been doing research, and my Ti beats my Fi by a landslide. 95 percent versus 65 percent. I find it fascinating that I've consistently typed as INFP on every test that doesn't measure for cognitive functions and get mixed results when I use tests that do account for this. So it seems I'm an INTP who mistyped as INFP because I fit the stereotypes of INFP much more than I fit the stereotypes of INTPs. (I love fantasy novels, doodling, and other forms of creative expression.)

The fact that I related to Data (a mostly emotionless android) more than any other character I'd seen or read about before should have clued me in. He's why my username is Space_Ace_Android, by the way.

Have a great day! Here's a nudibranch for your thoughts/insights.

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I'm kind of getting INFP from this.
Thanks! Could you elaborate a bit more?
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Glad to be of help, heres a cheat sheet which you can refer to from now on, I still use it till this day coz my Si is garbage :D

View attachment 918328

You will see here that if u can identify your dominant function or any function in their correct preference slot, you immediately eliminate 16 types down to 2 ;)
Thank you so much! That looks incredibly useful.

Took a few tests:

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Ti, Ni, then Fe, then Te. Close enough to the INTP on the chart for me to be reasonable certain.

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Pretty consistent results so far!

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Mistype investigator said I was most likely ENTP followed by INTP (and since I'm definitely not an extrovert that means INTP is most likely). Not entirely sure how much I trust this test though since it thinks I'm an extrovert when my ideal life includes being able to write in a cozy place for an entire week without having to speak to anyone.

It's great to get consistent results even though my functions don't match INTP exactly.

Thank you so much for the help! Have another nudibranch. (Closing off with nudibranchs because a) I have no idea how to end messages properly and b) I love these fascinating fellas and am looking for any excuse, no matter how flimsy, to share them with the world)

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See the problem here is both your Ti and Ni are scored highly but if you refer to that diagram I shared earlier, INTPs have Ne not Ni in their top 4 so if you're adamant that you're Ni Ti then you can only be either INFJ or ISTP because they're literally the only types that allows for high Ni AND Ti. (1st and 3rd functions are both favored/used and are both optimistic function slots, 2nd and 4th function slots are pessimistic)
Hmm -- I'll have to do more research and see if I got my functions wrong. I really appreciate your experience and input!

Something that may impact my results/be relevant is that I'm autistic and that has a pretty big impact on the way I think and perceive the world. I was diagnosed about four years ago, and it put so much of my life into context and explained why I felt like an alien for so long. I have a pretty much standard presentation except for having a vivid imagination. Might make typing myself pretty difficult, but I still think it's pretty clear cut INFP/INTP -- the descriptions for these types are both incredibly accurate/relatable.

Unfortunately, the descriptions for ISTP is off by quite bit. I'm not bold or that practical -- I'm very happy to explore ideas that have no utility, form strong emotional attachment to inanimate objects, and struggle to stand up for myself. INFJ is closer, but I still resonate more with INTP or INFP.

This desire to understand yourself is very common in INFPs and the systematic approach I'm taking to understand myself seems to be very common with INTPs.

I think my primary function has to be Ti because I don't trust my emotions and could never believe something simply because it feels right. (Since I'm autistic my instincts for how to interact with others are usually completely wrong.) While my emotions tell me what I need to think about/what's important to analyse, I do need to think before I can be certain of anything. What feels right is important and can be used as a stepping stone to find out what is actually right (and my instincts might be right), but I can't automatically assume I've come to the correct conclusion.

Have some glaucous atlanticus and a wonderful day ^^


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See the problem here is both your Ti and Ni are scored highly but if you refer to that diagram I shared earlier, INTPs have Ne not Ni in their top 4 so if you're adamant that you're Ni Ti then you can only be either INFJ or ISTP because they're literally the only types that allows for high Ni AND Ti. (1st and 3rd functions are both favored/used and are both optimistic function slots, 2nd and 4th function slots are pessimistic)
Thank you so much for helping me figure this out. I greatly appreciate all the time you're spending and all the amazing info you've shared.

Time to do more research on functions.

(Sorry for my late reply -- didn't want my response to be rushed/low quality)

Hold on a second -- I think I figured something out. I can hyper focus on certain things with great intensity for years -- I studied people for a long while. It's possible to become proficient/decent at a skill even if you have no natural talent, you just have to be very stubborn for quite some time. Do you think that artificially bumped up my Fe/Fi Ne/Ni stats? I used to not be able to empathise well because I couldn't understand different perspectives, but that was a problem, so I fixed it. It's difficult but I like the challenge and I like being of service. I also studied people not just to solve problems but also because I hoped to find someone to relate to and because it was reassuring.

I took the test again and spent more time on the questions even if I thought the answer was obvious -- it says most likely INTP instead of inconclusive. Progress!

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I think I'm primarily INTP with a few wonky cognitive functions due to being autistic -- do you agree with this assessment or do you think I should keep looking?

Also, more nudibranchs.

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Your first mistake is assuming a test thats essentially asking you whether you prefer this or that is going to give you accurate results, as soon as I saw your results I knew the test was basically off by a landslide, how can you have Fi and Fe both at 90% lol that says u have the same preference between the 2 which is impossible if we're assuming MBTI is accurate and how can you have 0% Se lol by this logic if you take zero in the moment sensory info, you shouldn't even be able to see or hear :p You see what I'm getting at?

I think whats happening is you're answering these questions with extreme bias, you're not being your natural you or overthinking each question etc... probably better if u just hang around the forums for awhile, reply to posts and how you are naturally over a long period of time is gonna be more accurate than you continuously taking tests again and again with skewed results.
Got it -- will do! It sucks not to have a conclusive answer but it's better than thinking I'm something I'm not.

Here's a link to an eel enjoying pets from a diver.

Thank you again for you input and thoughts
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Okay, having read more (including the info about your functions), I'm leaning toward INTP. I agree with @ENTJudgement . Hang out in different forums for a while, and see how you feel about your interactions and what you learn about those types.

At this point, it's probably useless to take more tests.

And don't worry. Lots of people aren't sure of their type, even after thinking about it for years.
Thank you for helping me out! I've just posted a new question on the forum: I'm wondering how different authors of different Myers Briggs types create their characters.

Nudibranch of appreciation

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What is your current understanding of personality typology? What typing system(s) do you generally follow?
Different systems can have dramatically different answers to your questions. Under those systems, it is likely that your type will be different.

Do you think types are behavioral types or psychic types?


Have you tried self-typing according to letters in dichotomy instead of functions?
Cognitive function-based typing cannot be more confusing IMO.
Do you think you are, as a consistent pattern, (and preferably, since adulthood, so if you are a teenager, it is highly likely that your type is still in formation so you don't have a determined type yet.), E/I, S/N, T/F, and P/J?
When doing self-typing, it is essential to keep in mind that it is not who you want to be but who you actually are.
Not saying that people are being dishonest and tend to intentionally mistype themselves. Rather, their misunderstanding of types leads to mistype.
It has been suggested that the human brain will not be fully developed until 25, so ideally, one's type might become more evident upon reaching that age. The younger you are, the more likely that you don't have a type yet. I'm not in favor of typing children or younger teenagers for this reason. Too early to tell.


Honestly, most, if not all personality tests you can find on the Internet, including the paid ones, are not reliable indicators of your true type. Those tests are generally designed with many misconceptions about E/I, cognitive functions, and types. People are more likely to find out the patterns in those tests and get their desired results, which means, tests may form an unconscious bias toward one's favored types and/or functions.
Although tests are fun, I have stopped using tests in self-typing. Reading more of Jung's works and understanding the theory/theories of types are most helpful.


Please, read Jung's Psychological Types. That's not what introverted thinking or introverted feeling is about.
Feeling, as a rational function, involves judgment according to external (JE) or internal (JI) standards.
Feeling is not emotions. It is the judging function that regularly prioritizes people factors over impersonal factors in decision-making. An example: Feeling types tend to be more interested in society and people whereas Thinking types tend to be more interested in structure and ideas.
F may view someone positively because he/she is a good person.
T may view someone positively because s/he has got some good ideas.
Feeling types use logic as well and can be capable of developing logically compelling arguments.

Also, in typing, look into why you do something [what motivates you and what your goal is] rather than what you do. Any type can do anything.


The desire to understand the self is likely introversion > extroversion, as introverts have a distinct focus on the self over the world.

Allow me to say something you may not want to hear:
Based on this thread alone, I have an impression that you've got conscious Feeling. This, however, is based on very limited knowledge of you as a person, so it could be inaccurate.

Last but not least, if you care,
INTP, in MBTI, has introverted thinking as the dominant function. It roughly corresponds to Jung's "introverted thinking type (the pure type)", such as Kant.
INTP in the Jungian typing system is NiTiFeSe. This type is the introverted intuitive perceiver. Nietzsche was this type (typed by Jung), introverted intuition aided by thinking.
Thank you for your incredibly detailed response! Since I'm eighteen I'm going to postpone trying to finalise an answer and just accept that I don't have all the information yet. (Which sucks but hey at least I know three letters :D)

Will be typing myself and my characters according to internal thought instead of external behaviour from now on -- thank you so much.

Could you explain a bit more by what you mean with Conscious Feeling?
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What is your current understanding of personality typology? What typing system(s) do you generally follow?
Different systems can have dramatically different answers to your questions. Under those systems, it is likely that your type will be different.

Do you think types are behavioral types or psychic types?


Have you tried self-typing according to letters in dichotomy instead of functions?
Cognitive function-based typing cannot be more confusing IMO.
Do you think you are, as a consistent pattern, (and preferably, since adulthood, so if you are a teenager, it is highly likely that your type is still in formation so you don't have a determined type yet.), E/I, S/N, T/F, and P/J?
When doing self-typing, it is essential to keep in mind that it is not who you want to be but who you actually are.
Not saying that people are being dishonest and tend to intentionally mistype themselves. Rather, their misunderstanding of types leads to mistype.
It has been suggested that the human brain will not be fully developed until 25, so ideally, one's type might become more evident upon reaching that age. The younger you are, the more likely that you don't have a type yet. I'm not in favor of typing children or younger teenagers for this reason. Too early to tell.


Honestly, most, if not all personality tests you can find on the Internet, including the paid ones, are not reliable indicators of your true type. Those tests are generally designed with many misconceptions about E/I, cognitive functions, and types. People are more likely to find out the patterns in those tests and get their desired results, which means, tests may form an unconscious bias toward one's favored types and/or functions.
Although tests are fun, I have stopped using tests in self-typing. Reading more of Jung's works and understanding the theory/theories of types are most helpful.


Please, read Jung's Psychological Types. That's not what introverted thinking or introverted feeling is about.
Feeling, as a rational function, involves judgment according to external (JE) or internal (JI) standards.
Feeling is not emotions. It is the judging function that regularly prioritizes people factors over impersonal factors in decision-making. An example: Feeling types tend to be more interested in society and people whereas Thinking types tend to be more interested in structure and ideas.
F may view someone positively because he/she is a good person.
T may view someone positively because s/he has got some good ideas.
Feeling types use logic as well and can be capable of developing logically compelling arguments.

Also, in typing, look into why you do something [what motivates you and what your goal is] rather than what you do. Any type can do anything.


The desire to understand the self is likely introversion > extroversion, as introverts have a distinct focus on the self over the world.

Allow me to say something you may not want to hear:
Based on this thread alone, I have an impression that you've got conscious Feeling. This, however, is based on very limited knowledge of you as a person, so it could be inaccurate.

Last but not least, if you care,
INTP, in MBTI, has introverted thinking as the dominant function. It roughly corresponds to Jung's "introverted thinking type (the pure type)", such as Kant.
INTP in the Jungian typing system is NiTiFeSe. This type is the introverted intuitive perceiver. Nietzsche was this type (typed by Jung), introverted intuition aided by thinking.
Also, have a nudibranch of appreciation.

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What is your enneagram? It was actually through that that I figured out I was an INFJ, not an INTP.

I was clearly a 4 wing 5 on the Enneagram, and then I took to YouTube to find people who were like me: INTP 4w5. I learnt that the typing is actually very rare, AND, I didn’t have much of a stronger similarity, which would’ve stood out, to the person vlogging. I did my research and saw that INFJs were popular 4 wing 5s, which I hadn’t considered before being. I did my research, and wala! It clicked and I knew straight away. MAYBE, learning a bit about the Enneagram is the push in the right direction to know it for sure, like it was for me. Either way, good luck.
Thank you for your input I'll look more into the enneagram and get back to you once I do.

Nudibranch of appreciation. (This adorable creatures are sea sheep, scientific name Costasiella Kuroshimae)

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I think you are INTP.

Please provide nudibranch now.
Thanks for your input! Can you elaborate?

I'm sorry, but I will not give you a nudibranch. I will give you two :D

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