Do INFJ's make good FBI Profilers?

meowzician · Sunday at 6:09 AM

I'm sure I'm not the only Criminal Minds fan on the forum. I always kind of thought to myself that I'd make a great profiler, but I doubt I'd last more that 5-10 years. It would tear me apart.

It seems to me that INFJ's are natural profilers. I mean, isn't that what we do 24/7? Look for patterns of behavior? Spot things that don't quite fit and start digging and we don't let it rest until we've uncovered the true motivation?

I once said to my daughter, "I don't know why I watch this show. It is so incredibly disturbing to me. I always have to close my eyes." And she said, "Because, Mom, you are obsessed with what makes people tick. You can't let it alone. Anytime you spot something that doesn't quite make sense, you have to dig and dig until you understand. You are always watching everybody all the time. This is like, YOUR SHOW."

So I asked AI what MBTI types would make good FBI Profilers. We were the ONLY NF's it listed, and my guess is for exactly what I noted above--empathy makes NF's prone to burnout if you are constantly dealing with the dark side of humanity. The AI also listed INTJ, INTP, and ENTJ which make sense because they share the necessary intuition, but their T protects them.

Does anyone have any real life experience with this? OR even with related fields. Like, how do INFJ's survive as cops?

TomasM · Sunday at 6:56 AM

The profession does seem to align more with a realist than an idealist. NT’s are realists.

I think it also depends on how weighted the T/F dichotomy is to the F and if the person is more dedicated to growing their intellect through education. Weighted closer to the middle of T/F and a commitment to the social and behavioral sciences would seem to have them prepared.

Also, a high level of ADHD might not be good in that profession when a solution has to be found quickly.

One of my favorite shows was The Mentalist and he (Patrick Jane) did have a knack for finding the guilty with what appeared to be an NF typing.

Asa · Sunday at 11:14 AM

I searched this the old-fashioned way, and the most dominant type is ISTJ. I've known two FBI agents, which is not many, and they were quiet observers who knew how to blend in. To this day, people don't know who they were unless they were specifically told. I'm sure there were more I never found out about.

In a crowd, I'm the one who ends up in a corner talking to someone about their feelings they won't share with anyone else. This level of intimacy would feel like a betrayal if I worked for the FBI and was really there to spy on people.

RetroMan · Sunday at 4:14 PM

This is quite the interesting observation and a fair one, I think. Both to your points about INFJ's having the mental capability to pick it apart but maybe being too torn up by the process to keep it up long term because of their sensitive nature. So, maybe not a perfect fit, but could work.

Curiously, this made me think about Grace Ashcroft from the video game Resident Evil Requiem that came out not too long ago. I am a big fan of the series. Anyway, she reminds me of an INFJ personality type, or at least partially and she is FBI intelligence analyst. Not exactly on par with your thoughts, but I am thinking now. She probably at lease has some of the traits. Maybe not an exact INFJ.

meowzician · Sunday at 5:28 PM

Asa said:
I searched this the old-fashioned way, and the most dominant type is ISTJ.

This sounds promising. May I ask what the "old fashioned way" is? Because I am genuinely curious!

Asa said:
I've known two FBI agents, which is not many, and they were quiet observers who knew how to blend in. To this day, people don't know who they were unless they were specifically told. I'm sure there were more I never found out about.

An ISTJ Profiler? Isn't that a bit like a nine-fingered pianist? I think an ISTJ would make a really good conventional cop or detective, because they are great protectors and so much of the job is just meticulous collection of evidence--my ISTJ son considered becoming a cop and I told him I thought he would make a great cop. But profiling is not at all the same thing as that. It seems to me that they don't share the same quality of foundation in human understanding nor do they have the knack of connecting the dots with very few dots. But hey, maybe I'm wrong and there are elements of a profiling career that would fit an ISTJ and I just haven't thought of them.

Asa said:
In a crowd, I'm the one who ends up in a corner talking to someone about their feelings they won't share with anyone else. This level of intimacy would feel like a betrayal if I worked for the FBI and was really there to spy on people.

Can you give an example of what you mean? To profile a serial killer, who is it that you would be spying on other than the unsub?

Asa · Sunday at 8:54 PM

meowzician said:
This sounds promising. May I ask what the "old fashioned way" is? Because I am genuinely curious!

I didn't use AI and instead looked at websites. LOL.

meowzician said:
An ISTJ Profiler?

I'm not being a very good communicator today.

I don't know what MBTI the FBI profilers I knew/know are. My other ISTJ friends are good at blending in with the crowds I run in, though. They're unusually fashionable considering their stacks, like the right music, and know how to cherry-pick from (or in some cases, copy) the more daring tastemakers. Yet, they don't stand out or have loud personaities and they don't seem essentric. They blend in.

...Not everyone in the FBI is tracking serial killers. A lot of people people have much less thrilling assignments. Not everyone who gains the attention of the FBI is black and white a "bad" person. The idea of getting close to people, gaining their trust, and then ratting them out doesn't appeal to me. I'm too empathetic.

meowzician · Sunday at 9:50 PM

Asa said:
...Not everyone in the FBI is tracking serial killers.

Oh for sure. Apparently less than 1% of FBI agents are profilers.

Fruiteloop · Monday at 6:24 AM

I think they do.

Being INFJ is not necessarily all about trauma so some can do it very effectively.

I remember a meme going around two years ago that everyone has a personal FBI agent watching them.

I hope not because lots of stuff we do on the internet is kinda silly.

meowzician · Monday at 9:53 PM

Fruiteloop said:
I think they do.

Being INFJ is not necessarily all about trauma so some can do it very effectively.

I remember a meme going around two years ago that everyone has a personal FBI agent watching them.

I hope not because lots of stuff we do on the internet is kinda silly.

View attachment 102785

ROFL!! You know, I just came from a very seeeeeerious discussion, and this was just medicine, just music. I just love you to death.

Wyote · Monday at 10:15 PM

Fruiteloop said:
I think they do.

Being INFJ is not necessarily all about trauma so some can do it very effectively.

I remember a meme going around two years ago that everyone has a personal FBI agent watching them.

I hope not because lots of stuff we do on the internet is kinda silly.

View attachment 102785

That reminds me, I keep meaning to ask you if you've been to any BronyCons

Fruiteloop · Monday at 11:17 PM

Wyote said:
That reminds me, I keep meaning to ask you if you've been to any BronyCons

I have never been to a convention.

I do not feel like I am that big a fan.

I do remeber the first time I saw my little pony was from a rerun on the disney channel in 1993 when I was 6 years old.

They also had herby the love bug as a commercial on the tv and care bears - my dad recorded a tape of 4 hours disney channel so I memorized it somewhat. There was another tape with the borrowers (small human like mice) who had to rescue a kid from his evil uncle locked in a tower. That tape had Little Rossie and flintstones kids on it.

Most of these shows had good plots and before I saw the scary shows, so I was disappointed I never saw the resolution to them.

The ponys fell into a hole the bees were digging and that was it. So I do not know what happened to them afterwards.

I stopped watching the new my little pony in 2013 (the one with twilight sparkle) because they ran out of episodes.

They meet the crystal pony's but after that they had to make new episodes and I forgot to watch them.

I think I also saw Robocop and the kindergarten cop on tv in 1993 just to keep things on topic.

meowzician said:
ROFL!! You know, I just came from a very seeeeeerious discussion, and this was just medicine, just music. I just love you to death.

It makes me happy to help, I know your having a rough time right now.

The cartoon show theme of little rosie is based on the show with rosie o'donnell. Look it up if you like. It is cute.

(Plus I saw the dinosaur family show on tv at that time, the baby dinosaur kept hitting the dad on the head saying "not the mama")

Wyote · Monday at 11:26 PM

Fruiteloop said:
I have never been to a convention.

I do not feel like I am that big a fan.

Been to any other types of conventions?
I wasn't sure if you were a legit brony, but it seems to me like you'd fit in with that crowd
Big fan of the original Robocop myself, Kindergarten Cop is funny

Fruiteloop · Monday at 11:31 PM

Wyote said:
Been to any other types of conventions?
I wasn't sure if you were a legit brony, but it seems to me like you'd fit in with that crowd
Big fan of the original Robocop myself

no, non so far

In The kindergarten cop the kid thinks he can use a transmitter to keep the bad guys away because his dad is trying to kidnap him.

He climbs a tower and Arnold schwarzenegger gets him off the tower but keeps him safe from the dad in the movie.

that could be FBI related I'm not sure, its fuzzy since I only saw the movie at age 6 (the transmitter was just aluminum foil)

meowzician · Monday at 11:46 PM

Fruiteloop said:
The cartoon show theme of little rosie is based on the show with rosie o'donnell. Look it up if you like. It is cute.

That's a definite yes.

meowzician · Monday at 11:59 PM

@Fruiteloop

You know, about 15 years ago I was on an INFJ forum and chose a unicorn for my avatar. About two months in, this INFP signs up, and also has a unicorn, but a RAINBOW unicorn. LOL I was like, Welp, she has me beat. And I have thought of INFP's as rainbow unicorns ever since.

just me · Tuesday at 6:41 AM

I believe someone that sees things others do not readily see would be great at detective work. FBI is a bureau of investigation. I could not profile like the guys and gals on TV can, but think I would have made a great detective. Life sent me other places.

Asa said:
...Not everyone in the FBI is tracking serial killers. A lot of people people have much less thrilling assignments. Not everyone who gains the attention of the FBI is black and white a "bad" person. The idea of getting close to people, gaining their trust, and then ratting them out doesn't appeal to me. I'm too empathetic.

I would like to think not everybody in the FBI is undercover rats. Chasing serial killers and removing them from the public? that's different.

meowzician · Tuesday at 7:54 AM

just me said:
I believe someone that sees things others do not readily see would be great at detective work. FBI is a bureau of investigation. I could not profile like the guys and gals on TV can, but think I would have made a great detective. Life sent me other places.

I would like to think not everybody in the FBI is undercover rats. Chasing serial killers and removing them from the public? that's different.

I am just a regular ol' substitute teacher (semi-retired teacher). I do K-5. I tell people I herd cats for a living.

I especially love doing special ed classrooms. I'm one of the very few subs that really, really enjoys that. It's not as glamorous as working for the FBI, and it sure doesn't pay very well, but it's unbelievably rewarding.

just me · Tuesday at 7:45 PM

We must pursue our own happiness, as long as it does not take away from others' rights or break laws, of course. I met a fourth-grade teacher just two days ago. I smiled. Glad to hear what you do and did. Thanks for sharing.

Do INFJ's make good FBI Profilers?

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