[graciemusic]

I know this sort of thing has probably been posted so much, but I haven't come to any real answer to this question and it bothers me. How can I tell the differences between types? Cognitive functions are really confusing because when focusing on the functions, you miss the personality! And I think a lot of types could SEEM like another type! That's why even though the cognitive functions of INFJ and INFP are completely different, I think I could be either one! How do you tell the types apart, when there is so much overlap! Help!

 

[FabledVisionist]

This might help you. If this does not, maybe I can talk with you about it?

 

[graciemusic]

It helped a little. I do identify with the characters he mentioned as INFP. But sometimes I think I may be failing to distinguish just what is the difference between INFJs and INFPs. I want to see the world through an INFJs eyes. I don't know why, but it bothers me. How exactly do Ni and Fe operate? How do Fi and Ne operate? It just seems to allude me. I keep asking "How am I making decisions?" "How am I perceiving the world?" I just don't understand the INFJ, and I don't understand myself, and this has got me stumped.
I saw a post while researching that said something like this:

"So I am an INFJ, meaning my dominant function is Ni. What it basically means is that I am constantly picking up signs, hints and symbols anywhere I go, and connecting them into this strange map or system I have in my mind. In other words, all these things that my intuition seeks are steps towards one certain goal, and are meant to solve one certain problem.
Ne's usually tend to jump from one idea to another, getting excited about each one separately. But if an idea doesn't fit into my system, and I can't find a place to put it, it really doesn't make me happy- you might say it "throws me off track"."

I feel this way all the time! But I thought it was just my Fi trying to fit the Ne into my value system, or something like that. This is why I'm confused. Ni seems similar to Fi and Ne somehow?

 

[Delilah]

Learn about cognitive functions.

 

[graciemusic]

Learn about cognitive functions.

I have been and will continue to, but thus far all the descriptions for cognitive functions seem very vague. How did you learn about the cognitive functions?

 

[TruthDismantled]

INFJs are more likely to use a lot of facial expressions when they talk and be more affectionate
INFPs are great listeners, brain scans show they're the strongest listeners of all types

INFPs are likely to be quite unique in their style, non-conformists and speak up
INFJs may look into mystical things, tarot cards/horoscopes. Realisations seemingly pop out of nowhere

INFJs are often quite similar to INTPs and can enjoy the sciences
INFPs have a rich inner life, strong appreciation to music, some of which can have a very strong impact on them. Dreamlike, aloof at times. Imagining what the perfect world would be like, always seeing good in people - no matter how bad they seem on the surface

 

[Tridentus]

INFJs are more likely to use a lot of facial expressions when they talk and be more affectionate

really? i always thought it was the other way around. because INFJs have such a heightened sense of other people's body language and thoughts, they tend to turn it around so that others don't know what they're thinking.

it takes years to get an appreciation of how the functions work, and how to separate them away from the rest of what forms a human being.

INFPs lead with their feeling function, and are sparsely in contact with their logical side- they don't do cold reasoning very well, everything usually involves emotions, values and personal feelings on the matter at hand. they do everything based on their personal value system (even if it plays devil's advocate sometimes). Ne means that possibilities play an important part in an INFP's life, and they might feel they are somewhat scattered sometimes with all the directions they're being pulled in- although much less so than as an ENFP of course.

an INFJ leads with acute intuition- they're more focused in their intuition than their feelings, although their feelings and values are obviously important. INFJs embody more "altruistic" values than an INFP (although an INFP's strong personal conscience often leads to them trying extra hard to be altruistic too), however INFJs are a bit more grounded in reasoning than INFPs, with a Ti tertiary being used fairly occasionally.

ask yourself which of these would make you more stressed and depressed- completely ignoring and blanking your intuition or your emotions? your primary function should be your favourite, and if it isn't there's something going wrong.

 

[Cossack]

Watch this

 

[stillakidatheart]

I had that INFJ vs. INFP thing happen to me before. I basically just looked through old forums/websites with other people who were struggling between INFJ vs. INFP or also mentioning the differences (because I myself don't know much about MBTI and personality types)...: (http://personalitycafe.com/infp-forum-idealists/52640-difference-between-infj-infp.html, INFJ-INFP Relationships & Compatibility - Personality Junkie, INFJ vs INFP | Psyphics, INFJ or INFP? a closer look, Difference between INFP and INFJ - INTJ Forum, are a couple of links I've found pretty useful.)

Take a cognitive test (example: Keys 2 Cognition - Cognitive Processes) and look up the cognitive functions of INFP and INFJ. Try to think on the past and how your actions and decisions may have reflected as either type. I finally realized that through some little things in the past, that I seem to be more like an INFJ, but I type myself as an unhealthy one because of personal issues. Good luck!

 

[Snow]

All of thee above

 

[TruthDismantled]

really? i always thought it was the other way around. because INFJs have such a heightened sense of other people's body language and thoughts, they tend to turn it around so that others don't know what they're thinking.

it takes years to get an appreciation of how the functions work, and how to separate them away from the rest of what forms a human being.

INFPs lead with their feeling function, and are sparsely in contact with their logical side- they don't do cold reasoning very well, everything usually involves emotions, values and personal feelings on the matter at hand. they do everything based on their personal value system (even if it plays devil's advocate sometimes). Ne means that possibilities play an important part in an INFP's life, and they might feel they are somewhat scattered sometimes with all the directions they're being pulled in- although much less so than as an ENFP of course.

an INFJ leads with acute intuition- they're more focused in their intuition than their feelings, although their feelings and values are obviously important. INFJs embody more "altruistic" values than an INFP (although an INFP's strong personal conscience often leads to them trying extra hard to be altruistic too), however INFJs are a bit more grounded in reasoning than INFPs, with a Ti tertiary being used fairly occasionally.

ask yourself which of these would make you more stressed and depressed- completely ignoring and blanking your intuition or your emotions? your primary function should be your favourite, and if it isn't there's something going wrong.

INFPs use introverted feeling which is all about keeping your emotions concealed and internalised so although feeling is their dominant function they prefer not to reveal that side to them and can react coldly to the expressions of emotions others make.

INFJs have extroverted feeling as their auxiliary which is still quite regularly used, and this is about body language, exaggeration, facial expressions and being aware of the feelings of those around them. This is why they are good at reading people, their introverted intuition is also very interesting because it gives INFJs and INTJs a sense of what the correct answer is and gives the interesting realisations without them being able to fully explain how they understand something to others.

 

[Tridentus]

INFPs use introverted feeling which is all about keeping your emotions concealed and internalised so although feeling is their dominant function they prefer not to reveal that side to them and can react coldly to the expressions of emotions others make.

INFJs have extroverted feeling as their auxiliary which is still quite regularly used, and this is about body language, exaggeration, facial expressions and being aware of the feelings of those around them. This is why they are good at reading people, their introverted intuition is also very interesting because it gives INFJs and INTJs a sense of what the correct answer is and gives the interesting realisations without them being able to fully explain how they understand something to others.

very true. nice, it's not that often anymore that i get new insights on functions :/..

yes this makes perfect sense- the reason why i'm so much more easily able to see through INFPs is because of our shared functions (honestly i can spot them from a mile away), but they definitely keep their emotions concealed. i don't know if they react "coldly" to expressions of emotion, but it sure can make them uncomfortable, but yeah- it also makes sense that they long to be "understood" because they don't feel ok about expressing their emotions, so someone who can understand them anyway must seem invaluable. i love it when things "click" .

i still maintain INFJs are masters in disguise, but in a different way. INFJs have a deep inner world of intuitive thoughts, and they only share with people they really trust. like us, therefore, they tend to wear masks, but for a different reason. INFJs use masks to protect their inner layers, whereas we use masks to express parts of ourselves. they feel comfortable expressing day to day emotions in a regular manner sure, but as Fe is the more "normal" value function, this is in a very regular, and therefore less personal, way. the combination of these therefore means that INFJs often come off as "blank" to those who are just meeting them, when the opposite could not be more true.

i think though, the reason why INFJs are so much harder to read for me is that i can't see my own functions reflected back to me.

 

[Ballast]

Cognitive functions are really confusing because when focusing on the functions, you miss the personality!

I want to see the world through an INFJs eyes. I don't know why, but it bothers me.

You're an INFP.

Actually, this thread is interesting. I share INJ with INFJs (dominate Ni, and I am definitely Ni dominate) but I share Fi/Te with INFPs.

So, to answer your questions about Fi+Ne vs Ni+Fe:

Fi is a judging process. You start with an internal system of values and then open up to your perceptive process of Ne, which is looking for possibilities and further connections.

Ni is a perceiving process, which then gets funneled into an external, collective judgment system (Fe). What makes a judgment valuable in this case is that it matches up with an external system outside of the individual. Fi users don't need to strictly derive value or truth from an external system when they can generate their values/truth themselves.

One way I go about the process of helping with type confusion is to ask: are you an internal judger or an external one? What makes something "true" to you? Is it when it feels right and fits into your sense of self (introverted judging: Fi)? Or is it when it matches up with a collective set of values and can apply to many others (extroverted judging: Fe)?