A. J. Drenth's INFJ description | INFJ Forum

A. J. Drenth's INFJ description

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Sep 30, 2009
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i found this very good infj type description which i had not seen before and have not been able to find posted on the forum, by A. J. Drenth.

it clicked with me deeply in so many ways! some of the ways in which it described me gave me goosebumps.

i particularly appreciated how it talks about personality development eg in terms of personality cohesion and incorporation of inferior function, as in the past i found it very difficult to find much detailed or concrete information about this.

i hope other people like this too.
 
i found this interesting in the article because i have experienced this my entire life. as a child i found it confusing at first, but then i decided i must be magic. no, seriously, i really thought that lol
INFJs see two people in everyone. They see the public persona, the outer shell, that everyone else sees. But they don’t stop there. Their Se and Fe functions pick up subtle non-verbal cues which are then synthesized and interpreted by their Ni. This provides them with information about an individual’s inner world that is completely missed by other types. Because of their keen perceptiveness, INFJs are rarely fooled by facades or fakery. They can readily see beyond appearances and apprehend an individual’s deeper motives and intentions, including any underlying ego issues. In fact, INFJs can often see the truth about people more clearly than those people can see it in themselves.
 
Yes, its a really good article. Uncanny description. The whole website is great
 
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Yes, its a really good article. Uncanny description. The whole website is great

yeah, i should have mentioned, he also has stuff up about other introverted intuitives for anyone who is interested, and writes that he plans to write articles about other types also in future.
 
I relate to most everything in there. Good read.
 
In some regards, they may actually eclipse INTs with regard to intellectual openness, readily appreciating both science and literature, fiction and nonfiction, poetry and prose.

Finally... someone who understands.
 
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The inner world of INFJs in many ways resembles the outer world of ENFPs. It is playful, colorful, mischievous, and daring. Because their Ni is dominant rather than auxiliary, INFJs tend to be more subversive in their ideation than ENFJs. Once they begin to develop their tertiary function (Ti), INFJs may become even more open-minded and subversive in their thinking.
Wow. No kidding. I have always wondered how ENFPs understand me so well and how easily I get along with them. I'm averse and comfortable with ENFPs at the same time.

ENFJ...eh. Too direct. Imagination, anyone?
:flypig:
 
Perhaps more than anything, INFJs love spending time engrossed in meaningful conversation. Because of their verbosity and enjoyment of others’ company, they can easily be mistaken for Extraverts.
Dude. An INFP friend talks way more than I do. And the other one is a wild monkey!
 
Many INFJs struggle with bouts of depression, which may relate to any number of things. They may, for instance, get depressed when they feel their creative inspiration has left them. Or, because of their otherworldliness, they may struggle with feeling deeply alone and misunderstood. Depression may also stem from feeling dissatisfied in their careers or relationships. They may dream of having a beautiful home adorned with beautiful things, but feel stuck in a low-paying job that they are reluctant to quit because of a poor economy.
Finally... some real validation.
Careers/relationships... overrated. It's contributing to the world that counts.
Otherworldliness is what we do best.... The world is not what it seems!
 
You have very clear INFP tendencies. Why do you refuse to identify fully with your tribal affiliation??!
:rant:

Not necessarily. Would you think me an INFP if when you'd first met me my MBTI slot read "INFJ?"
 
Not necessarily. Would you think me an INFP if when you'd first met me my MBTI slot read "INFJ?"
Dunno. I've used anime avatars before. I have also used an INFx designation before. Then again, I'm P-leaning.

There are other clues which go beyond the printed details on your designation. Among other, easily overlooked examples:
1. of the half of INFJs who display a signature under their post, only two other people quote a politician.
2. most of them "decide" on a J designation.
3. Donator.... total INFP give-away. (I have an INFP serious idealist friend who donates blood.) haha :w:
4. Quick witted Ne insights....
 
Dunno. I've used anime avatars before. I have also used an INFx designation before. Then again, I'm P-leaning.
You seem to take it for granted that you are an INFJ, and you lean heavily on this assumption if you determine others' type this way, but: How sure are you about your type? Are you even fully qualified to type a person? How much do you really know about MBTI?

1. of the half of INFJs who display a signature under their post, only two other people quote a politician.
If this is to be used as evidence for INFJ-ness, it has to be true that the people on the forum claiming to be INFJs actually are INFJs. Even then, it's of very little importance. How many people on this forum, in total, have quoted politicians, regardless of type? There's no way you went through all the member profiles and checked each one individually to see who quoted a politician. Did you know Abraham Lincoln is believed to have been an INFJ?

2. most of them "decide" on a J designation.
Actually, I myself had "decided" on INFJ, when I first came here. But, then I realized how very little I actually knew about MBTI, so I thought I would bother to inform myself first before deciding on a type with any degree of confidence. That's why I keep a "?" there.

3. Donator.... total INFP give-away. (I have an INFP serious idealist friend who donates blood.) haha :w:
That one was a joke, I'm assuming :p

4. Quick witted Ne insights....
Ni can be quick-witted, too. There are other aspects of Ne that don't quite fit. I have a lot more information about myself to work with, for obvious reasons.

"Phase II: In the second phase of their development, INFJs differentiate and incorporate their tertiary and inferior function, compelling them toward greater openness. During this phase, their Fe judgments are increasingly tempered and refined by Ti logic. This paves the way for the development and differentiation of their inferior function, Extraverted Sensation (Se), in which they learn how to take life as it comes, mollifying their penchant to constantly plan for and control the future. As they develop and utilize their lower functions, INFJs may look and function more like Perceivers, appearing more open, flexible, and relaxed."

I believe I may be an INFJ who is currently developing tertiary and inferior functions. I'm certainly at the corresponding age for this process in my life. Would an INFP be adept with logic?
 
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Actually, I myself had "decided" on INFJ, when I first came here. But, then I realized how very little I actually knew about MBTI, so I thought I would bother to inform myself first before deciding on a type with any degree of confidence. That's why I keep a "?" there.
Your diligence is admirable. This diligence in obtaining the accurate type seems characteristic of INFJs.
 
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I believe I may be an INFJ who is currently developing tertiary and inferior functions. I'm certainly at the corresponding age for this process in my life. Would an INFP be adept with logic?
An INFP can be very adept. They are objective in logic when they apply it (Te). It's INFJs who don't give a damn (Ti).
At what age do INFJs develop the 3rd and 4th functions?
 
An INFP can be very adept. They are objective in logic when they apply it (Te). It's INFJs who don't give a damn (Ti).
At what age do INFJs develop the 3rd and 4th functions?

That's not how Ti works. Ti is objective. What you wrote is more characteristic of Fi. Te would refute an argument by weighing it against external evidence, whereas Ti would find logical inconsistencies in the argument itself. Think about INTPs and how logic-driven they're known for being. Every belief has to be weighed against an internal logic system that is objective, or as objective as logic can be. INFPs can believe in something simply because they feel it. Not giving a damn.
Notice how my counter-arguments to your initial statements are (quite blatantly) far more Ti in nature than Te. Also, the Thinking function for an INFJ rests higher in the stack than it does for an INFP. Given my age, it's very likely that I'm only beginning to develop my tertiary and inferior functions, which means that my Thinking function, if I were an INFP, would operate mostly on a sub-conscious level. I would be unable to apply it at will, and if I did, I would look very childish. Faux pas, citing sources of questionable legitimacy, etc.

Wish I could find my niche >_<