ISFP is short for “Introverted, Sensing, Feeling and Perceiving”, a Myers-Briggs personality type. About one or two Americans in 20 are ISFPs. Most famous artists are ISFPs.
The Myers-Briggs personality test is the most common one in America. It tells you which of its 16 types you are closest to. It says I am probably an ISFP.
ISFPs are those who tend to be:
- I (Introverted) more than E (Extroverted) – they tend to be quiet and keep to themselves. They find being with other people draining and need to be alone to recharge.
- S (Sensing) more than N (Intuitive) – they prefer facts, what they can see and hear, over abstract ideas or sudden insights that seem to come out of nowhere. They can be very observant, yet miss the big picture.
- F (Feeling) more than T (Thinking) – they process things through their feelings and values rather than through logic and reason.
- P (Perceiving) more than J (Judging) – they take the world as it comes rather than trying to fit everything into boxes and rules.
If you are an ISFP, most of what follows should sound familiar, though not necessarily all of it:
Personal style: They are easygoing – “live and let live”. They are not interested in controlling people – but neither do they want to be controlled. In public they are often quiet and reserved, but in private (or on stage) they can be the complete opposite.
- Time and money: They live in the moment, so much so that they are bad with money and time. That is why they get ready at the last minute and spend too much on gifts.
- Work: They work best when left alone to do their own thing. They can get so caught up in it that they shut out the rest of the world. They are bad at keeping deadlines and following rules.
- Decisions: Are put off. They want to keep things open and see what comes up. They do things out of the blue.
- Values: Strongly held. They see life as serious business, despite how laid-back they seem.
- Their feelings: deeply felt and well guarded. Thus their reserved nature.
Love: Shown through loyalty and action rather than words. They love to help others. But because they tend not to think ahead, their actions often miscarry. They are the sort who screw things up even though their heart was in the right place.
- As children they liked music, drawing, painting and those science kits with the big, square battery.
- Toys: They loved their toys but did not take good care of them. They had a stuffed animal they took with them everywhere. They broke their toys to see how they worked.
- Learning style: They learn best by doing, not by reading it in a book or being taught. They never read the user’s manual.
- School: They thought it was boring, but liked music, art or science.
- As parents they give their children too much freedom and not enough rules.
See also:
- the sixteen types – find out what type you are and more about any of the 16 types
- ISFPs:
- Jimi Hendrix
- Lisa Bonet – or at least her Cosby character, Denise Huxtable
- Michael Jackson
Hmmm? I should take the test, because the description sounds kinda sorta like me, but methinks any broad, vague enough description would “sound like me.” I’m a bit on extroverted side though, any moment of introversion for me is strictly reactionary
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Took the test, answered as honestly as I knew how, came back enfp, the idealist, I’ll type the description when I’m on a computer and not a smartphone
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Abagond is an ISFP.
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Im an enfp. I always get slightly extrovert in these tests even though I consider myself slightly introverted. And by type description by D.Keirsy is very accurate. Interesting..
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This helps to explain why I can relate to your blog/work on so many different levels. : )
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INTP here. I think myers-briggs is pretty accurate at determining key elements of personality.
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I took this test in college (in the US) and apparently I am INFP, though I cannot remember any of the questions, for the life of me. Hasn’t there been quite a bit of criticism surrounding the test’s validity? Also, I wonder how many psych personnel in non-western countries actually find it useful. I’m not a personality psychology expert, but it seems like the human psyche is way too varied and complicated to organize into neat little boxes as these researches have attempted to.
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Fits me totally!!!
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Can you do ISTJ next or in another blog post? I am curious about your interpretation.
Also, Where can you take a good version of this test?
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Interesting. I am usually not sure about personality tests since people change and sometimes it’s hard to answer these questions accurately about oneself. You almost need some close friends or family members to take the test and answer as if they were you. Then you can compare your result with the result they got and see if the “you” that other people know is the same “you” that you know. People who know you well can sometimes discern things about you that you cannot.
INTP – “Architect”. Greatest precision in thought and language. Can readily discern contradictions and inconsistencies. The world exists primarily to be understood. 3.3% of total population.
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@aiych
Yes. Intp in the building. Pointing out inconsistencies= not appreciated on anti- racism blogs let me tell you. 🙂
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Cool, I came out with a mix of INFP and INFJ when I took my tests. Although I think I lean more towards INFJ.
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I usually test as INTP.
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Some of the things that were described in this post definitely matched up with my personality. Where do I go to take this test?
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I’m an ENT(surprisingly)P when I’m drunk… 🙂
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I am an ISTP, I took this years ago. Pretty interesting to say the least
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Very interesting. I’m an INFJ, which is apparently the least common type. I have never really felt as if anyone truly understood me until I met my husband who, coincidentally, is also an INFJ, though with different ratios of each quality from me (he is much less introverted, for example).
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Hello all, I’m back just been away to write an 6 pg essay on the fundamentals of Literature at my college, Hello Abagond
I have a request I need you to blog about this hbder this race baiting racist Anthony Walsh, just goolge him you will know what I am talking about googled its named with the word Anthony Walsh and “liberal” to see what it is all about.
Anthony Walsh claimes tha tblack people are the biggest sireal killers why not citing any sources at all, he also uses canada as an point saying afro canadians commite 20% of all crime http://books.google.com/books?id=vgHgNsmZ3vsC&lpg=PA40&dq=black%20serial%20killers&pg=PA40#v=onepage&q=canada&f=false
yet when I goggled it nothing came up but his book,
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=.2+percent+++2.4++percent+of+crime+++canada#sclient=psy&hl=en&source=hp&q=0.2+percent+++2.4++percent+of+crime+++canada++black&pbx=1&oq=0.2+percent+++2.4++percent+of+crime+++canada++black&aq=f&aqi=&aql=undefined&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=288188l288188l1l1l1l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=e1768da1ce57202d&biw=1356&bih=768
think he is a real schola think again Anthony Walsh has defended J Rushton, another well known racist and bigot, please add it to your list, people need to know about this fake.
here are some links:
http://www.ask.com/wiki/Serial_killer#External_links
https://market.android.com/details?id=book-vgHgNsmZ3vsC&feature=similar_books
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=racist+Anthony+Walsh#q=racist+Anthony+Walsh%22&hl=en&prmd=ivnsob&ei=G9IITobsA8rIgQfkh6TMDQ&start=20&sa=N&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&fp=e1768da1ce57202d&biw=1303&bih=768
and :
http://downloadpolitics.com/showthread.php?7536-Child-Abuse-Maltreatment-by-Race-(a.k.a.-pdf-files-niggers-don-t-like)
http://www.newnation.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=176418
http://iluvsa.blogspot.com/2008/11/child-rape-capitol-of-world_5583.html http://downloadpolitics.com/showthread.php?7762-Niggers-Made-Up-Majority-Of-All-Serial-Killers-Last-Decade!
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btw I’m an
I
N
T
P
Introverted
iNtuition
Thinking
Perceiving
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INTP here…’nuff said! 😎
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I took the test late last year, and I’m an ISFP. Thank you so much for writing this!
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Abagond:
Most human beings are not wired to “Be Still.” Being self-aware is not the norm for most human beings. People who observe and listen to what’s going on around them don’t get caught up in quicksand. The best advice I could give to someone else is, “Shut Up, You Talk Too Much.” Everything is mental black people, It all starts up top!!!
Tyrone
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ENFP right here!!! I’m like the only extrovert. I’m surprised that most Americans are introverted I always thought it was the opposite.
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@ayida, our image is one of assertion, but our suspicious nature drives said introversion
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@ Ayita
I find it hard to believe that most Americans are introverted as well. From my limited experience with Americans, I would say introversion is one of the least valued personality traits and introverted people are generally seen as broken items that must be repaired. Needing to be alone is `weird’ and not loving to be out and about and constantly socialising is `abnormal’. Not being a `spur of the moment’ person and having to think things through before deciding means you’re `paranoid’ and have `no initiative’. You would think that, if introverts were so common, people in general would understand them better!
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INFJ…hmm! No wonder I feel so different all the time! I’m in the one percent of the populace catagory! 🙂
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Most of this seems to apply to me except I’m a punctual person.
My present philosophy is rooted in Voluntarism.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voluntarism_(action)
I didn’t raise my kids with a lot of rules and I don’t want to control people. It’s in part why I oppose state interventions into people lives.
People should be able to persue their dreams without coercion provided that they harm none.
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Enfp? My life changes more than some of those questions could keep up with?
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