Is there a polar opposite to INFJ? | INFJ Forum

Is there a polar opposite to INFJ?

ZenCat

ZenCat

Waving Sage
Oct 4, 2008
2,607
102
195
A Hippie Commune
MBTI
INFJ
Enneagram
Recently 2
Or doesn't it work that way? While I've known I was an INFJ since I was tested many years ago (at a meditation seminar), I didn't know my family's or friends' types. I'm making... err... requesting my family all test to determine their types. I've previously used culture (my husband is Scottish, I'm American), upbringing (all of us VERY different) and astrology to figure out our strange dynamic, but now I want to look at it from a MBTI point of view.

So far my husband is an ESFP, my daughter is an ESFJ, and my son can't drag himself away from Xbox Live long enough to take the test.
 
ISTJ- completely reversed function order, your most comrfortable function is their least comfortable function and vice versa.

ENFP- You have the same function order except they are extraverted where you are introverted and vice versa.

ESTP- Opposite preferences, same functions reversed order, so like you but completely different.
 
ESTPs are the greatest. Its like seeing your inner demon personified.
 
That's ESTJ for me.
 
Stone said:
ISTJ- completely reversed function order, your most comrfortable function is their least comfortable function and vice versa.

ENFP- You have the same function order except they are extraverted where you are introverted and vice versa.

ESTP- Opposite preferences, same functions reversed order, so like you but completely different.
Click to expand...

So here's what I'm interested in; how do we socialize? How do we get along? I've heard a lot of statistics and seen a lot of charts, but I'm so curious I'm about to burst; how do we actually interact?

Of course, one of the reasons I'm interested is because I've been to so many places that say that INFJs and ESTPs just can't get along, but I'm pretty sure that's a rash of sh*t:
My best friend is ESTP, and, aside from my immediately family, he's the only person I've ever really truly connected to. And that's saying something, with how many people I've met.
And then I have two main characters in a comic I'm doing who are INFJ and ISTJ...
I just wish there was a site that explained, in detail, how each type interacts in real life because that would really help my creative process in writing these things. :/
 
Honestly, I've never had a fufilling relationship with an ISTJ in my entire life. Not one.
 
I have an ISTJ friend. He normally says mean things to me since he gets some sort of pleasure out of watching my reactions. I get pleasure out of listening to him try to come up with mean things to say about me.

My ESTP friends and I have always gotten along.

I fell for an ENFP once. I find that they like to prove over and over how gullible I can be by saying things they know I will worry about and then making fun of me when I finally give in and ask them about it.
 
Satya said:
I have an ISTJ friend. He normally says mean things to me since he gets some sort of pleasure out of watching my reactions. I get pleasure out of listening to him try to come up with mean things to say about me.

My ESTP friends and I have always gotten along.

I fell for an ENFP once. I find that they like to prove over and over how gullible I can be by saying things they know I will worry about and then making fun of me when I finally give in and ask them about it.
Click to expand...

Lol :D I'm pretty sure I have some friends like that, but I haven't typed them. I don't like prying too much unless I'm really familiar with someone, but oh, how I want to knooooow...
*more than slightly obsessed*
 
gloomy-optimist said:
So here's what I'm interested in; how do we socialize? How do we get along? I've heard a lot of statistics and seen a lot of charts, but I'm so curious I'm about to burst; how do we actually interact?

Of course, one of the reasons I'm interested is because I've been to so many places that say that INFJs and ESTPs just can't get along, but I'm pretty sure that's a rash of sh*t:
My best friend is ESTP, and, aside from my immediately family, he's the only person I've ever really truly connected to. And that's saying something, with how many people I've met.
And then I have two main characters in a comic I'm doing who are INFJ and ISTJ...
I just wish there was a site that explained, in detail, how each type interacts in real life because that would really help my creative process in writing these things. :/
Click to expand...

Heh, that is all in theory, I don't think I know any INFJs in real life so I can't help with how those interactions would work, just my basic understanding of the theory behind it.

Also nothing in MBTI (in my opinion) deals with absolutes, the whole thing is based on vague generalities.
 
Stone said:
Heh, that is all in theory, I don't think I know any INFJs in real life so I can't help with how those interactions would work, just my basic understanding of the theory behind it.

Also nothing in MBTI (in my opinion) deals with absolutes, the whole thing is based on vague generalities.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know....I kind of want to do a lot of research to figure all of that out, though. It's one of those itches I get when I want to know something, but I think it'd take a lot more than just the people around me to get a real answer out of that...
Although I do have access to someone who might be interested in the same ideas, so we'll see how into it I get. If I really want to know, I'm very good at pulling the right strings to get something done...
 
I don't feel even remotely capable of typing anyone at this time, and I'm frankly amazed (and hugely impressed!) that so many of you seem to be able to immediately type people you know or even meet briefly. Is it instinctive to you now?

So, I'm still wondering... INFJ (me) with my ESFP husband... how does that read? and me with my ESFJ daughter? Interestingly, what about those two (she's his step daughter)?? They butted heads spectacularly during their first 2 years together, and I honestly thought our family would spontaneously combust as a result, but then they somehow had a meeting of the minds settled into a very affectionate, respectful, tolerant stance and are good friends now. What's up with that?
 
ZenCat said:
I don't feel even remotely capable of typing anyone at this time, and I'm frankly amazed (and hugely impressed!) that so many of you seem to be able to immediately type people you know or even meet briefly. Is it instinctive to you now?
Click to expand...

I'm very cautious to type people (unless it's in a fun typing tv characters kind of way). It took me months to type myself so I have no place typing others, I do think some people are more obvious than others though.

So, I'm still wondering... INFJ (me) with my ESFP husband... how does that read? and me with my ESFJ daughter? Interestingly, what about those two (she's his step daughter)?? They butted heads spectacularly during their first 2 years together, and I honestly thought our family would spontaneously combust as a result, but then they somehow had a meeting of the minds settled into a very affectionate, respectful, tolerant stance and are good friends now. What's up with that?
Click to expand...

Theoretically you and your husband are a good match, you share two primary processes which means you have common ground yet your feeling and thinking processes complement each other in that your feeling is extraverted and his feeling is introverted and vice versa for thinking. So it might feel like he is strong where you are weak and vice versa, I like to think of it as "completing" each other :D.

For your husband and your daughter even though they are only one letter apart their types are very different. Actually my ESFJ fiance had the exact same experience with her stepdad, I think it has to do with needing a lot of time to deal with conflicting loyalties, emotions and confusion.
 
ZenCat said:
I don't feel even remotely capable of typing anyone at this time, and I'm frankly amazed (and hugely impressed!) that so many of you seem to be able to immediately type people you know or even meet briefly. Is it instinctive to you now?
Click to expand...

I'm not very good at telling how types work together, but there's a way to kind of guess what type people are. This only works if they are strongly affiliated with their various characteristics, and only for certain types, as there are some people that seem some way, but are really the other (such as extrovert/introvert).
You have extrovert/introvert, which is usually somewhat apparent.
Then you have the N/S; iNtuitive people are usually future minded, less conformist, etc. Sensing people are more traditionalists, "seeing-is-believing" type people.
F/T; Thinkers are more analytical and rationalizing; Feelers are more humanitarians, and they tend to be more emotional (but that doesn't mean F/T is based on how emotional you are; it's based more on whether you use your head or your heart in decisions, in simple terms).
J/P; Judging people are organized, planned, and like structure; Percieving people are spontaneous and more unstructured.

That's the basic starting-point to what the acronyms stand for. However, it's far from full proof to type other people, and it's good to exercise caution. You can get a basic idea of a trend a person follows from this, though...
 
gloomy-optimist said:
That's the basic starting-point to what the acronyms stand for. However, it's far from full proof to type other people, and it's good to exercise caution.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I reckon 90% of ISFPs would be mistyped under those guidlelines.
 
Stone said:
Yeah, I reckon 90% of ISFPs would be mistyped under those guidlelines.
Click to expand...

I don't doubt it :) I never go with that for certain, unless it's really obvious. And there are certain types that are practically impossible to type from the surface. But ISTJs follow a lot by that, and there are some ESxx types that are easier to type....
But it's never for certain, until the person themselves identifies which they are closest to.
 
Stone said:
Theoretically you and your husband are a good match, you share two primary processes which means you have common ground yet your feeling and thinking processes complement each other in that your feeling is extraverted and his feeling is introverted and vice versa for thinking. So it might feel like he is strong where you are weak and vice versa, I like to think of it as "completing" each other :D.
Click to expand...

Good call. This is very much how we operate. He's the optimist, facing everything with enthusiasm. I'm the "preparer", facing everything with unflinching determination but extreme caution (I'm "Worst Case Scenario Girl"). I'm the researcher, he's the action-taker. Philosophically, morally, internally, romantically, we connect on a very deep level, but we conduct the outward aspects of our life very differently. He amazes me with his ease, I amaze him with my... whatever it is that amazes him.

I'm really looking forward to learning more about this!
 
I only have two friends whom I know to be INFJ, but both seem to have more difficulty with ENFJs than ESTPs. It seems like INFJs feel an almost instinctual repulsion to the abuse of power, and the idea of deliberately manipulating people. Thats not to say that ENFJs all have bad intentions, but they definitely do have a natural pension for manipulation that all to often seems to lead to the people around them being used to further the ENFJ's agenda.
 
Last edited:
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back