[ishtar]

Hi, I'm an INFP

And I'm not at all an observant person. I go through my days missing things that most people seem to notice. Like this one time I was at a playground and I ran to this swing-like contraption (no idea what they're called) and when I stepped off from the contraption I felt a horrible, sharp pain in my foot. As it turns out there was a whole swarm of wasps beneath me, and one of them angrily stung me. Everyone else noticed this but me

My boyfriend, who is also an INFP, is on the other extreme. He's really observant. He seems to notice just about everything. I really appreciate his observant nature as its been very helpful. He'll notice bugs before I do and take care of them for me (I really don't like bugs).

Anyways I was just wondering about other INFPs and their observant nature. I know there's no set way an INFP or any other personality type is supposed to be, but I'd like to know if others find themselves more or less observant. Thanks.

 

[Lad]

Generally, -most- of us are all people watchers when at rest.
However, when we fixate on something (in your case, the playground thingy) we may become overly complacent and just completely let loose.

Walking contradictions, I swear.

 

[faeriegal713]

I can tell you that there are some things that I will pick up on without realizing I do so, usually regarding people, not objects. I am one of those people that can trip over a crack in the sidewalk if I haven't managed to do so just by tripping over my own feet. I run into objects. A lot. Like I have at least 5 bruises on my legs, arms and hip that I have no idea where they came from because I'm so used to it that I don't pay attention when I've run into something anymore.

Funniest story I have with that is from a few years ago when I was walking from one bus to another on my way to work. I always carry at least one book with me everywhere I go and I have read as I walked for years. Well, I discovered on one particular day in September or October, don't remember which, that one should not read while walking down a sidewalk that has trees down the middle of it. You know that classic cartoon pose where the character runs into a pole or a tree with an arm and leg on each side before falling down? Yeah, I did that. The book and my purse went flying, I went boom, and I had a very funky looking bruise on my collar bone and cheek.

Later that same day though I managed to help a patient talk to her case manager about her new roommate that was giving her a lot of trouble though she didn't want to let anyone know for fear of losing her housing. Don't know how I managed to get her to talk, but it was sorted out and everyone still had places to live. None of the other nurses picked up on anything wrong besides the fact that she was later than usual.

*shrugs* I guess it's just a matter of what is more important to you on a subconscious level.

 

[Isildin]

I only really notice shiny things, moving objects and some girls.
I also have no idea how i get where i am, and no, i cant find my way back using landmarks.

And girls always love this one:
What? your hair changed?

 

[Raichan]

Lad's right, we're walking paradoxes. We love observing and exploring people (to the point of appearing unnecessarily stalkerish lmao) but we tend to not notice some things that everybody else does.

Me observant..Me so observant I can look into Lad's and Isildin's souls at night :crazy: they haunt me :crazy::crazy::crazy:

 

[babblingbrook]

Extraverted sensing, maybe your boyfriend is an ISFP?

 

[Goosefish]

I'm oblivious to the world. I run into trees. I trip on the sidewalk. People used to get mad at me because they would say hi, and I didn't hear them. My roommate freshman year followed me around for half an hour once, and I didn't notice her. It's a little bit of a problem. :laughing:

 

[Raichan]

Yes I observe the colors of their souls..blue, purple, grey, pink, red...Omg I'm cracking myself up laughing to myself HAHAHHAHAHHA

 

[Red Panda]

Most of the times I'm very observant, bumping on things and all that only happen when I'm at home, or at least at a safe environment, where I can be more relaxed. Outside I'm usually kinda tense, I look around constantly and notice things and people and be careful of my environment. That's probably because I'm also shy and don't want to do anything that might embarass me. Of course most of the observations I make are just for my enjoyment.

 

[hasenj]

Yes I think INFPs are observant, we notice all the details, but we don't remember them, we connect them all to each other to form unified theories of things. People may remember where a certain thing was or how a certain person acted on a certain day, we on the other hand, come up with insights about people or situations. It's kind of funny when we can't justify our insights to others: we've forgotten all the details that helped shaped them, we *feel* like we just *know* something, without understanding why.

I find that trying to write down these insights an some sort of an essay form helps me develop the argument for it; it forces me to think about why I came up with a certain conclusion.

Spending time to think about your ideas and where they came from can take a while, but at the end you will have a well written piece that will sound very profound; I think that sort of explains why many great writers are INFPs.

 

[gloosle]

I'm so good at observing things, The other day I was discussing certain things we notice about our soical group as we walked on campus (there's a HUGE variety of personality types in our group, and me and her love to talk about such things). We both pick up on things the other doesn't. I then proceeded to trip over my own feet and try to push a door that said pull within a matter of seconds. and its not uncommon.

So, just like everyone else, I can be super obersvant, but at other times not at all. Generally, when it comes to things around me, not to so much. when it comes to people ques with me, not so much. When it comes to two or more other people interacting, that's where I shine.

 

[Raichan]

Lad's and Isildin's souls: purple...

*Starts singing again*

Everybody loves kung fu fighting..neh neh neh neh neh

 

[Matchbook]

"Are INFPs supposed to be very observant people?"

Ishtar, welcome to the forum ...The question mostly becomes about what we are observant to. There are different forms of perceptiveness that occur for different reasons. Are you familiar with the 8 cognitive functions? I just wrote an article for the INFP Articles section about INFP observation that answers your question in detail, but because it is long, it probably isn't suitable for this thread, so I would refer you to that article. The key points, though, are that INFPs tend to be triggered into keen observation based on the things in our environment that correspond to our Fi interests, priorities, and values. If we do not relate to things in our environment through our Fi, we tend to block it out more often. Ne is responsible for generating ideas and creating novel observations that relate to the interest our Fi has in what we are observing. Also, Si's data-comparison actions in our unconscious are responsible for determining whether something is relevant to our Fi or not.

I explain these things in more detail with examples given in the article, which I wrote for you firstly, and for others who may be interested, also.

 

[behoopd]

I would say I'm not a very observant person; my mother has told me this all my life. My driving is exhibit A, one of the reasons I've switched to public transit (and even then, I still have to pay attention :frustrating. I always notice a haircut, though. I have no idea why. I truly don't notice a lot in my everyday life, unless it's something of interest to me. Active observation is a challenge for me.

 

[PhotoBrew]

In my experience (can't speak for other INFP's), I am very observant most all the time. However, once my wandering mind catches something that really sparks an interest, suddenly I become oblivious to almost everything else. In your example, I would be excited to get to swing, and that would occupy my thoughts. Think of how high I can swing or how awesome it is to relive those childhood memories. Then, you don't notice all the other things... like wasp nets. Ouch. Busted my chin open like that once after tripping on a rock.

 

[SenhorFrio]

i know i am, i see things in people,i see the potential in the overlooked, i make the connections and while i've been wrong enough to doubt it a bit it can be pretty accurate, especially with other INFPs

 

[Roze]

The lowdown:

When it comes to people, the actions they take, the words they speak, I'm incredibly observant. I feel it's because I'm always observing myself and analyzing myself, so much so that I tend to try observe others in the same fashion--Also, by observing others can you learn more about them, about their character, what motivates them to take a certain in particular.

When it comes to objects and stuff, LOL. That's all I have to say. I walked into a van as a child. I tend to focus so much on others, that I forget about objects, I think that's what it is.

So besides all of that, I'd say the majority of INFP's are pretty observant.

 

[MilkyLatte]

I'm a good observer with a very short concentration span, which probably makes me a bad observer.

 

[ishtar]

Thanks everyone I appreciated your responses.
Now that I think about it I am more observant to particular things. I tend to ignore most everything else though lol

 

[ponyjoyride]

I observe people. I seem to be unaware of the whole world around me except other people. I don't notice birds singing or cars running almost over me or the furnitures I always stumble across. However I always notice even the tiniest expressions on people's faces, the most subtle body language and I'm always aware of other people to the point I wish I wasn't so aware of them.