So in Socionics there are type relationships dynamics.
I'd thought I'd put together one for INFPs & other types based on my experience &/or my observation of other INFPs dealings with other types. It's pretty rough, but a place to start.
The basic idea here is to define the dynamic according to who holds the "power" in the relationship. Power is not always positive; it just means the person who has less invested, but often more to gain. Power can be maintained passively, without any intent to hold it, but simply to hold it due to the other person investing more, or power can be maintained by some effort. The party not in power does have just as much power to end the relationship; power means who influences how it plays out most.
The most beneficial relationships are those which promote growth via a "power struggle" or those which are power-balanced. The relationships where one has the upper hand often results in some dissatisfaction. There are exceptions to every rule of course.
INFPs & NJs
ENTJ + INFP - Power struggle; tension can become romantic if individuals are mature & can use tension to promote growth.
INTJ + INFP - INFP has upper hand. INTJ is vulnerable to the INFP's relative indifference, shown by inconsistent response & maintaining of distance. INFP is passive/inconsistent in encouraging the INTJ & invests less, which gives INFPs the power. Relationship can be positive if INFP is motivated to invest equally, often through the INTJ maintaining some space.
ENFJ + INFP - ENFJ has upper hand. INFP is vulnerable to the ENFJ's relative indifference. ENFJ is mildly assertive as far as luring the INFP, by seeming to meet the INFP investment at first, but becomes passive, investing less & less over time, giving ENFJs the power. Relationship can be positive if INFP doesn't invest too much too fast, which keeps ENFJ investment equal & steady, creating balance.
INFJ + INFP - Mutual power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. INFP's passive distance-maintaing & INFJs subtle, yet steady pursuing balances the power. This can turn sour if one side becomes unbalanced, but instead of giving one power, the relationship tends to just fizzle out.
INFPs & NPs
ENTP & INFP - ENTP has the upper hand. ENTP agitates INFP more than INFP affects ENTP, so INFP has less power, but neither finds the situation desirable if healthy. Unhealthy INFPs may seek this masochistic position & unhealthy ENTPs may seek to take advantage of the INFP. ENTP is antagonistic in order to maintain power.
INTP & INFP - Power struggle. Tension starts off as subtle & stimulating, then disintegrates into agitation on both sides. Disintegration can be avoided if both are very mature/emotionally healthy.
ENFP + INFP - INFP has the upper hand. Both benefit from the relationship & it's often successful for friendship, but the INFP is more consistent in maintaining distance than the ENFP is in pursuing. ENFP is left wanting more than INFP will give. INFP is less interested in reaching a solution, staying passive, but giving the INFP more power.
INFP + INFP - Mutual power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. Neither threaten the other, but the pairing also doesn't promote much growth. Mutual distance-maintaining balances power, but often makes the relationship stagnant.
INFPs & SPs
ESTP & INFP - ESTP has the upper hand. ESTP influences INFP more than INFP influences ESTP, so the ESTP has less power. ESTP benefits more, using influence for their own gain. Unhealthy INFP may let their values be trampled here, and an unhealthy ESTP will take advantage of it. ESTP is manipulative to maintain power.
ISTP & INFP - Power struggle. Both seek to maintain autonomy & distance & assert superiority, which ends up in a stalemate when seeking to connect. Neither makes concession first. Relationship can become romantic if both begin to concede a bit to the other, but it is rare, as it will have to be even or the one conceding will resent it & then back out anyway.
ESFP + INFP - Mutual Power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. Neither threaten the other, but the pairing also doesn't promote much growth. Mutual pursuing, but little stimulation where each craves it. Relationship often becomes stagnant.
ISFP + INFP - INFP has upper hand. Relationship appears mutual, but INFP often becomes antagonistic when relationship begins to feel stagnant, which happens quickly. INFP discontent & ISFP complacency gives the INFP the power. INFP is aggressive in asserting power & ending/pushing the relationship.
INFPs & SJs
ESTJs & INFPs - Power struggle. Tension can become romantic or seem that way at first, but ESTJ can become critical/controlling in an effort to seek the upper hand & INFP can become rebellious in response or in the same effort, turning the struggle into overt conflict. Conflict can be avoided & growth can occur if both are very mature/healthy.
ISTJs & INFPs - Mutual power share. Relationship either has a buddy-buddy feel or mutual indifference; can be a comfortable romantic pair. They either don't threaten the other or threaten equally & prefer to maintain distance. Healthy/mature types may be able to grow from the relationship equally or it will be a stagnant, shallow match both will seek to escape.
ISFJs + INFPs - INFP has upper hand. INFP maintains distance & puts less effort in & ISFJ bends to meet INFP needs. INFPs is oblivious to ISFJ needs. INFP mostly maintains power passively this way, but occasionally becomes aggressive in criticizing ISFJ to encourage more effort from them.
ESFJs + INFPs - ESFJ has upper hand. ESFJ usually rejects INFP from the get-go, but if a relationship does develop, then its on the ESFJs terms. Healthy INFP usually avoids this relationship & it stays a casual friendship at most. Occasionally, INFP can passively gain power if the INFP avoids the relationship, but the ESFJ is trying to establish terms.
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Anyway, thoughts & personal experiences welcome!
I'd thought I'd put together one for INFPs & other types based on my experience &/or my observation of other INFPs dealings with other types. It's pretty rough, but a place to start.
The basic idea here is to define the dynamic according to who holds the "power" in the relationship. Power is not always positive; it just means the person who has less invested, but often more to gain. Power can be maintained passively, without any intent to hold it, but simply to hold it due to the other person investing more, or power can be maintained by some effort. The party not in power does have just as much power to end the relationship; power means who influences how it plays out most.
The most beneficial relationships are those which promote growth via a "power struggle" or those which are power-balanced. The relationships where one has the upper hand often results in some dissatisfaction. There are exceptions to every rule of course.
INFPs & NJs
ENTJ + INFP - Power struggle; tension can become romantic if individuals are mature & can use tension to promote growth.
INTJ + INFP - INFP has upper hand. INTJ is vulnerable to the INFP's relative indifference, shown by inconsistent response & maintaining of distance. INFP is passive/inconsistent in encouraging the INTJ & invests less, which gives INFPs the power. Relationship can be positive if INFP is motivated to invest equally, often through the INTJ maintaining some space.
ENFJ + INFP - ENFJ has upper hand. INFP is vulnerable to the ENFJ's relative indifference. ENFJ is mildly assertive as far as luring the INFP, by seeming to meet the INFP investment at first, but becomes passive, investing less & less over time, giving ENFJs the power. Relationship can be positive if INFP doesn't invest too much too fast, which keeps ENFJ investment equal & steady, creating balance.
INFJ + INFP - Mutual power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. INFP's passive distance-maintaing & INFJs subtle, yet steady pursuing balances the power. This can turn sour if one side becomes unbalanced, but instead of giving one power, the relationship tends to just fizzle out.
INFPs & NPs
ENTP & INFP - ENTP has the upper hand. ENTP agitates INFP more than INFP affects ENTP, so INFP has less power, but neither finds the situation desirable if healthy. Unhealthy INFPs may seek this masochistic position & unhealthy ENTPs may seek to take advantage of the INFP. ENTP is antagonistic in order to maintain power.
INTP & INFP - Power struggle. Tension starts off as subtle & stimulating, then disintegrates into agitation on both sides. Disintegration can be avoided if both are very mature/emotionally healthy.
ENFP + INFP - INFP has the upper hand. Both benefit from the relationship & it's often successful for friendship, but the INFP is more consistent in maintaining distance than the ENFP is in pursuing. ENFP is left wanting more than INFP will give. INFP is less interested in reaching a solution, staying passive, but giving the INFP more power.
INFP + INFP - Mutual power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. Neither threaten the other, but the pairing also doesn't promote much growth. Mutual distance-maintaining balances power, but often makes the relationship stagnant.
INFPs & SPs
ESTP & INFP - ESTP has the upper hand. ESTP influences INFP more than INFP influences ESTP, so the ESTP has less power. ESTP benefits more, using influence for their own gain. Unhealthy INFP may let their values be trampled here, and an unhealthy ESTP will take advantage of it. ESTP is manipulative to maintain power.
ISTP & INFP - Power struggle. Both seek to maintain autonomy & distance & assert superiority, which ends up in a stalemate when seeking to connect. Neither makes concession first. Relationship can become romantic if both begin to concede a bit to the other, but it is rare, as it will have to be even or the one conceding will resent it & then back out anyway.
ESFP + INFP - Mutual Power share. Relationship often has a buddy-buddy feel, but can be a comfortable romantic pair. Neither threaten the other, but the pairing also doesn't promote much growth. Mutual pursuing, but little stimulation where each craves it. Relationship often becomes stagnant.
ISFP + INFP - INFP has upper hand. Relationship appears mutual, but INFP often becomes antagonistic when relationship begins to feel stagnant, which happens quickly. INFP discontent & ISFP complacency gives the INFP the power. INFP is aggressive in asserting power & ending/pushing the relationship.
INFPs & SJs
ESTJs & INFPs - Power struggle. Tension can become romantic or seem that way at first, but ESTJ can become critical/controlling in an effort to seek the upper hand & INFP can become rebellious in response or in the same effort, turning the struggle into overt conflict. Conflict can be avoided & growth can occur if both are very mature/healthy.
ISTJs & INFPs - Mutual power share. Relationship either has a buddy-buddy feel or mutual indifference; can be a comfortable romantic pair. They either don't threaten the other or threaten equally & prefer to maintain distance. Healthy/mature types may be able to grow from the relationship equally or it will be a stagnant, shallow match both will seek to escape.
ISFJs + INFPs - INFP has upper hand. INFP maintains distance & puts less effort in & ISFJ bends to meet INFP needs. INFPs is oblivious to ISFJ needs. INFP mostly maintains power passively this way, but occasionally becomes aggressive in criticizing ISFJ to encourage more effort from them.
ESFJs + INFPs - ESFJ has upper hand. ESFJ usually rejects INFP from the get-go, but if a relationship does develop, then its on the ESFJs terms. Healthy INFP usually avoids this relationship & it stays a casual friendship at most. Occasionally, INFP can passively gain power if the INFP avoids the relationship, but the ESFJ is trying to establish terms.
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Anyway, thoughts & personal experiences welcome!
