INFP Personality Type: Characteristics and Careers

An INFP is one of the sixteen personality types in the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator system. The INFP acronym stands for “introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving.” The INFP personality type is also colloquially known as “the healer,” “the idealist,” or “the mediator.” Famous INFPs include Audrey Hepburn, J.R.R. Tolkien, William Shakespeare, Princess Diana, and Vincent van Gogh.

The dominant cognitive function of the INFP personality type is Introverted Feeling, meaning they process information internally and prefer spending time alone than with others. Extraverted Intuition is the auxiliary cognitive function of INFPS, and so they base decisions and experience the world through intuition. The tertiary cognitive function of INFPs is Introverted Sensing; these personality types are often afraid to step outside their comfort zones and experience new things. Lastly, the inferior cognitive function of INFPs is Extraverted Thinking; INFPs will sometimes use logic to inform decisions.

Like all MBTI types, the INFP has a recognizable assortment of personality traits and cognitive functions. ENFPs are introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving with the following attributes:

1. 1. Extroverted: INFP personalities are recognizable introverts and prefer minimal social interaction and alone time. INFPs keep to themselves and are often quiet and self-reflective. INFP personality types prioritize their inner world and can appear aloof to their surroundings.
2. 2. Intuitive: INFPs rely on intuition and tend to look at the big picture and overlook details.
3. 3. Feeling: INFP personality types are usually sensitive people who often base decisions on emotions.
4. 4. Perceiving: While INFPs are introverts, they develop strong relationships with close friends and loved ones. INFPs are empathetic, adaptable, and nonjudgemental.

INFP personalities include:

• Caring
• Empathetic
• Idealistic
• Imaginative
• Loyal
• Open-minded
• Sensitive

INFP personalities work best in career paths that allow personal time and space to complete work independently. Their introversion can make it challenging to work harmoniously with others. Good INFP careers include artist, social worker, psychologist, writer, and academic.

The Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI for short) is a self-reported personality assessment. Developed by Isabel Myers and Catherine Briggs, who drew heavily on the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, it seeks to promote self-understanding by helping people clarify their abilities and preferences in life, work, and relationships.

The sixteen MBTI types include ISTJ, ISFJ, INTJ, INFJ, ISTP, INTP, INFP, ISFP, ESTJ, ENTJ, ENTP, ENFJ, ENFP, ESFP, ESTP, and ESFJ.

The MBTI personality test organizes people into sixteen categories. The letters refer to four psychological functions or scales in human personalities:

1. 1. Introversion - Extroversion (I-E): Introversion to extroversion describes how people interact with themselves and others. Extroverted people thrive on socializing and find relationships relatively energizing, while introverts need to spend more time with themselves and often find socializing draining.
2. 2. Sensing - Intuition (S-N): This refers to how people gather information about the exterior world. Some tend to be more attentive to sensory information, while others are more intuitive about the world around them.
3. 3. Thinking - Feeling (T-F): This measures how people make decisions about the world and events. Those who favor thinking tend to be rational and deliberative and prefer logical conclusions. People who lean toward feeling tend to emphasize their emotions when making decisions.
4. 4. Judging - Perceiving (J-P): This scale measures people’s overall orientation toward people and events. Those who judge tend to favor organizational structure and precise decisions, whereas people who perceive are often more accepting, nuanced, and reserved in their opinions and ideas.

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