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What Are Your Honest Opinions on INFP's?

22K views 55 replies 42 participants last post by  Ackermach 
#1 ·
I've seen a lot of mixed thoughts on INFP's. Some people claim they have a soft spot for us, or feel compelled to give us a hug. Others complain that we're too emotional or can't put up with us. So. What do you think, and make sure you tell us why. Why do you want to give us a hug? What makes us cause you to have a soft spot? How are we too overly emotional?

I luff details. So the more you can give, the better.
 
#3 ·
I waver between FP and FJ....I think sometimes INFP's are seen as childlike, not in terms of immaturity, but in terms of their recurring sense of wonder at things
 
#6 ·
I can't stand them either. They don't know when to quit asking for huggles and are so persistent that I feel like a horrible person for not giving it to them. So I give a huggle in exchange for long piggy back ride.

INFPs and I have an almost psychic connection, although I can't say I like all of them. Two of them turned out to be creepy stalkers. But as cheesy as it sounds, two years ago I met an INFP at a summer program and it was the first time I think I've ever felt love, and loved in return. We were both painfully shy, and he might not have felt the same way (he certainly seemed like he did!), but I'll never stop wondering what might have been.

Thinking back on those memories I want to cry and laugh at the same time.
 
#5 ·
I admire both Fi dominant types a great deal. In terms of strengths, I admire the intense drive for authenticity. In terms of weaknesses, I would say that some can get so personally absorbed in a "life mission" that they begin to lose an objective stance on it, undermining the mission.
 
#7 ·
i've met four infps in my stay in michigan. and i've come to the conclusion that infps are a lot like cats. territorial, does what they want (for better or worse), and can be incredibly loving/kind when the moment strikes them although it's not to be taken as being cold the other half of the time.

unfortunately, infps can REALLY be flakey, but it's all apart of the package =DD
 
#13 ·
I think we tend to be a bit guarded at times which makes it hard for others to understand us. I know i do it, and the few that i have met have been the same way. There is nothing wrong with this, it just makes things harder. My opinion of myself, thats really all i can expand upon beyond what i have already said, I actually like who i am.
 
#14 ·
I think the cat description is fairly accurate, especially with our tendency to show a lot of affection and then pull away for a while. It's like when you want to pet a cat and they give you an irritated look and go back to licking their crotch, then twenty minutes later they jump right on the book you're reading and remorselessly purr in your face. I like my fellow INFPs a lot, I think they're fascinating people with incredible imaginations. The only gripe I generally have is the flakiness. It's irritating to make plans with someone and have them either show up an hour late or bail at the last minute.

Decision making is always a hilarious loop too.
"Where do you want to eat?"
"I dunno, what are you in the mood for?"
"I'm letting you pick, I'm up for anything."
"Me too, I don't really have a preference."
"You have no preference whatsoever?"
"I'm open..."
On to infinity.
 
#19 ·
Decision making is always a hilarious loop too.
"Where do you want to eat?"
"I dunno, what are you in the mood for?"
"I'm letting you pick, I'm up for anything."
"Me too, I don't really have a preference."
"You have no preference whatsoever?"
"I'm open..."
On to infinity.
Reminds me of this instance with the INFP I had a crush on.

INFP: "Do you want to go to A or B?"
INTJ: "Dunno. You pick. I've been making too many decisions lately"
INFP: "I really don't care."
INTJ: "Flip a coin?"
INFP: "Alright. Heads, we go to A. Tails, we go to B."
INTJ: "Heads."
INFP: "So... Really? A? Can we flip again?"
INTJ: "Screw that. Let's just eat in the dining hall."
 
#15 ·
INFP is actually my favorite type. I have an INFP best friend and an INFP ex-boyfriend whom I completely idealized. I'm an enneagram 4 and Fi issues are often prominent in that type. So I feel a connection to INFP's even though I use Fe more than Fi. I also admire their loyalty to their beliefs and openness to the world. I admire the creativity a lot of INFP's have, and how most don't feel the deep pressure to make immediate decisions the way I do (I'm an INFJ).
 
#16 ·
I agree with the cat theory and it makes me wonder if anybody that I have met that didn't like me at all, was an extreme cat hater. :p I love cats...and it would make sense afterall.

I think that it's funny how I hate myself so much sometimes...because if I was to put myself in someone else's shoes, I would find myself a generally likeable/lovable person.
 
#17 ·
Well I think INFPs are wonderful people who are stepped on and used far too often. That's why they tend to be so depressed. But get to know one and you know that the INFP isn't depressed because they think the world is a horrible place. They're depressed because they simply don't understand why the world has to be so cruel because they sure as heck can't understand the mindset of the cruel people in it. They are so innocent and pure of heart and that's both a huge blessing and a huge curse.

Personally, I've met many other types and I don't think I've ever met anyone who fits that description, other than myself, except my INFP best friend.
 
#18 ·
Ahahaha, @Candid Apple 's description is perfect, I couldn't agree more. Maybe that's why I'm such a cat person :p
But yes, like cats, I think INFP's can be very fickle when it comes to their affection. And also, again like cats, very skittish. We have a tendency to "run away" when we pick up on behavior that frightens us, particularly in romantic relationships. Maybe I'm generalizing, but this is what I've observed. An INFP has a massive capacity for love - We put our all into relationships, we're committed and loyal, and we love passionately. But we are idealists, and that reflects on our relationships. We're also "big picture" people - A sometimes deadly combination. We put our partners up on a pedestal. We love them so much, and think they're just the most wonderful person, and do everything we can to help them and make them happy. That affection can make us blind to their flaws. So when they disappoint us, it impacts us a lot - We lose our image of them and overreact. For example, they tell a lie... so we stop trusting them. They press a particular issue too hard, and it starts an argument. Now, we view them as "pushy", instead of accepting things on a smaller scale and saying "Maybe it was a one-time thing."
Fickle also in a more surface-value sense. One minute we're all smiles and want to snuggle, and the next minute we push people away and "need our space".

The "whats-for-dinner" curse, too. Classic. I'm an INFP, Dad's an ENTP. We're both all about "possibilities". Deciding upon supper is a constant issue :p

I think a lot of INFP's have a hard time with criticism. We ask for it, we're self critical and self aware and we always want to improve. Perfectionistic. Hard on ourselves.
The evidence of this can be found in the fact that this thread even exists at all. xP
So we want criticism, we want to know our flaws, the things people don't like about us so that we can try to fix them, but when someone tells us something we don't expect, we might be prone to getting upset over it or thinking too hard about it.
Thinking too hard. There's another thing we do. Dwell on things. By all means, thinking hard is a good thing. But sometimes we pick things apart when they should really just be taken at face value.

I don't mean to speak badly about INFP's. I'm sure some of these things aren't universal, and a lot of INFP's may have never experienced these things. It's just some issues that I've observed in myself and other INFP's. On the whole, I think we're a pretty likeable type. :) The biggest issue that I hear from non-INFP's is that we're too emotional/sensitive. Cry-babies. Other than that, I haven't heard a whole hell of a lot of complaints. I like being an INFP!
 
#20 ·
I think I can understand why other people would find us irritating. Some of us (or most, including me :p) tend to get into really abstract state of minds, and many of the things we say are completely objective about things that bare no real relevance to life. Well, maybe this is only me, but it can happen sometimes and I understand all the "What the...? o.0" going on about us.

Still, there are some who I would feel could do well in being just a little less judgemental... *cough*
 
#23 ·
LOL... aren't there like a buh-gillion-killion-zillion threads like this that already exist? x) Oh, INFPs, why do you worry so much about what other people think? <3
 
#24 ·
i don't care what people think of me!

*waits to hear criticisms from non-INFPs, prepared to cry in corner*

just kidding. i love that i've genuinely stopped caring about other people's opinions FINALLY. this is a great benefit of getting older: you realize that time is precious, and wasting it on someone's opinion of me is no way to live. especially if that someone doesn't care about me.

yup.
 
#26 ·
i don't care what people think of me!

*waits to hear criticisms from non-INFPs, prepared to cry in corner*

just kidding. i love that i've genuinely stopped caring about other people's opinions FINALLY. this is a great benefit of getting older: you realize that time is precious, and wasting it on someone's opinion of me is no way to live. especially if that someone doesn't care about me.

yup.

:O How cute! I much desire to have one! Pray tell, madaam, where might I find another INFP of this caliber?

Might we have hugs and cuddles together? :)

 
#31 ·
Hahahahaha... the INFP loop. I so want to elaborate on that, because remembering a convo with my ISTJ is making me laugh. I'm sure you all will appreciate it because you've all been there.

ISTJ: I'm starved. Wanna go get some food?
Me: Yeah, I'm really hungry, too.
ISTJ: Where do you want to go?
Me: I don't care.
ISTJ: *sighs... knowing the loop is about to happen* Me neither.
Me: You pick.
ISTJ: No... you pick. I picked the last thousand times.
Me: I really don't care.
ISTJ: I don't either. You're picking this time.
Me: Well, what are you in the mood for?
ISTJ: *in her hysterical high-pitched voice she gets when irritated* I don't care! Just pick a place!
Me: Okay, let's get Chinese.
ISTJ: Yayy! :D Okay! I love Chinese!
Me: *debating whether or not she really wants Chinese or if she is just being accommodating to what I want... and I really want Chinese* No... let's go get Mexican.
ISTJ: Oh my God...

Hahaha... that was the conversation I had with her regarding food when I hung out with her last. We finally pulled in to a Chinese restaurant (like... the parking lot... not IN the restaurant), but at the end, she decided that Mexican sounded awesome. Plus, they have raspberry margaritas. See. We INFPs are psychic.


... is that the flakiness everyone is talking about? Cause, if so, I never realised how flaky I am. :x
 
#36 ·
Haha, I've been there so many times. Most of the times with my INFP friends I end up being the one who picks just because I have no desire to continue the cycle forever. I have one INFP friend though, he is so terrible with picking restaurants. My last apartment was in the arts/LGBT district and it had very literally about 300 restaurants in a mile radius. And my friend would always be like, "uh... um... okay McDonalds." Which would make me facepalm until I just stopped asking him for input. Then our conversations would be more along the lines of "Are you up for Ethiopian?" "Sure." "Great, lets kick it then."
 
#33 ·
Hm, as far as the food thing goes, while I definitely get caught in the indecision-loop with people (and with another P it's REALLY BAD), if/when I do assert my preference, they'll contradict it! I'll be like, "Okay, let's go to Thai Restaurant" and they'll respond, "Nah, I don't feel like that."
 
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#37 ·
Okay, I have a friend and we are becoming closer. I think he's a INFP. I love INFPs. Here's why.
INFPs always have some romantic aura about them. It's beautiful. I can't really describe it.
I like to add that they have a quiet intelligence that many people don't see. They posses a high emotional intelligence as well, which is endearing and often a pleasant surprise. They have a innocence that remains despite this ugly world and it's welcomed in my world. That's why I love INFPs..... I hope I answered your question.
 
#41 ·
Just one more food decision loop, I promise (though I cannot speak for everyone else, which makes that statement useless), :tongue:
Me (INFP), Sister (ENFX), Father (IXTJ):

Dad (while driving): Let's go out to eat somewhere. Where do you guys want to go?
Sister: *talking to me* Uh, where do you want to go?
Me: I don't care, you can choose anything.
Sister: Yeah, but I don't know where, you choose.
Me: But I chose last time, it's your turn...
Sister: Fine, how about 'so-and-so'
Me: Eh......how about something else...
Meanwhile my dad is calmly resisting the urge to kick us both out of the car XD.


Back to the thread,
of the INFPs that I know, I have typed in secret:ninja:,
so I have no idea if I am a reliable source or not.
Now that I remember, there was this one girl who I think was an INFP.
We would have really good conversations online,
But in real life we were a bit too shy to even say hello to each other :laughing:,
or maybe it was just me.

Although I guess an INFP's introversion may be translated as antisocial behavior at times,
I'm always willing to talk if you start the conversation,
Unless I'm not feeling like it.
 
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