Hi i'm stuck between infp and enfp and I wanted ur op on what u think I am? I'm actually kind of shy/quiet/awkward in social situations, but I think it's because I have some social anxiety? Either way, I always have a natural urge/tendency to be around people and try exciting things. I have a lot to say and feel like I only hold back because of my anxiety/fear. In truth, I'm actually quite spontaneous but also deep/internally focused at times. Do u think I might be an infp or enfp??
From that information I can't tell if you are an enfp, infp or other type. First of all you need to know if you are an introvert or an extrovert. There are extroverts who can have social anxiety or be shy and introverts who can be social. There's the stereotype that extroverts equal party animals or people with 100 friends that always have to be socializing, or that being an introvert equals shyness. Those are just confusing stereotypes.
The first letter of a physchological type is I or E , which stands for our primary attitude: Extraversion or Introversion.
Extroverts: emphasize the influence of outward circumstances. They interact with most situations in terms of the satisfactions possible to them—even if those satisfactions have no immediate relationship to their Introverted reflections.
Extraverts are stimulated by the claims, pleasures, and obligations of the outer world. The people, things, and events that constitute the external world.
Do you seek and collect energy from the world outside?
Are you energized by the outside world of people, objects, experiences, etc?
Do you act before reflecting?
Are you influenced by and gauge your worth by the expectations and attention of others?
Are you outgoing and highly expressive, and do you fail to recognize your own needs?
Are you straighforward, understandable, accesible?
Introverts: emphasize the inner viewpoint. They are most comfortable in situations that allow for sustained reflection and a certain amount of privacy. If the satisfactions possible in a situation aren’t well enough related to their needs, they may carve out a space for themselves that allows them to participate on their own terms.
Do you consider your own viewpoint the arbiter of reality and make decisions based on it?
Do you focus on and draw sustenance from a vivid and rich inner world of thoughts, ideas, feelings, impressions, facts?
Do you reflect before you act?
Do you defend yourself against the expectations of others?
Are you self-aware, sometimes passionately intense, but may not realize the effect you have on others?
The key here is to reflect on yourself and think were do you draw sustenance, the inside world or the external world? Extroverts can be reflective at times when they use their introvert functions but they still have the preference for extraversion.
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Also, you need to take into account your cognitive functions to figure out your type accurately. There are 4 functions in each stack of each type, their order vary depending of the type.
It's not the same to have Fi in your dominant function or as the auxiliary function, the dynamic changes. When an INFP is presented with a new situation for example, he or she first needs to reflect on personal feelings or how she feels about the situation. If it aligns with her personal values she then goes for it. On the contrary an ENFP may easily jump to the new experience and seeks to exploit it's potential, and then reflects and internalizes feelings.
INFP: Internalizes feelings, then is open to new experiences.
ENFP: Experiences, then internalizes feelings.
INFP:
(Fi) Introverted Feeling
(Ne) Extraverted Intuition
(Si) Introverted Sensing
(Te) Extraverted Thinking
ENFP:
(Ne) Extraverted Intuition
(Fi) Introverted Feeling
(Te) Extraverted Thinking
(Si) Introverted Sensing
First of all, there are the perceiving functions, which can be iNtuitive (N) or Sensation (S). We use those functions to perceive.
Types who prefer Sensation generally focus on direct sensory experience. They’re aware of appearances, facts, and details, and their surroundings have a direct impact on them.
Types who prefer Intuition generally ignore the material surface of things and consider the larger picture. They’re interested in meaning and future possibility, not facts and details. Intuitives may be so focused on a situation’s potential that they overlook present obstacles. They have great interest in symbols and the unseen, it's natural for them to read between the lines, they see what's behind the physical. Ex: When watching a movie an intutive interprets an old and decrepit manor where a tragic character lives like his underworld, a place of suffering and entrapment. A sensor just sees it as a manor, nothing more.
Then, there are the judging functions: Thinking (T) and Feeling (F). Judging functions prompt us to note how things usually happen and to organize our behaviors accordingly. This is why Thinking and Feeling are considered rational functions. Rational behavior is always based on predictability—things we know to be true because they happen regularly in the same way.
When we use Thinking, we organize our behaviors in terms of general, impersonal predictability: rules, laws, principles, logical or numerical sequence, definition, hierarchy, and so forth.
When we use Feeling, we organize our behaviors in terms of specific, personal criteria: the signs and rituals that convey our shared beliefs, values, moral sensibilities, identification with others, and social relationships.
Lastly, there are the Perceivers (P) or Judgers (J). These do not represent cognitive functions, but preferences.
As the title suggests, those with a J preference pair like to “judge” life’s outcomes. They’re careful calibrators and enjoy setting schedules and making plans. They prefer to know what comes next and like to have a sense of control over their surroundings. Overall, they like things the way they are and aren’t always open to change.
Perceivers see life as a spontaneous opportunity.Those with a P on their personality results are most likely seen as creative, curious, and open-minded. They can easily adapt to almost any situation and prefer flexible schedules. All in all, they come across as procrastinators with an outgoing approach on life.
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I hope I haven't confused you with all of this information. This is the basics of the different type of functions and the difference between introversion and extraversion. There's a lot more to know with the functions, but I didn't wanted to overwhelm you. If you have more questions feel free to send me more messages. 😊 On my taglist I have many post on cognitive functions and typing tips, you can check them out.
I recommend you this test to figure out your type with precision:
https://www.shambhala.com/media/wysiwyg/Personality%20Type_Psychological%20Test.pdf