The theory of the 16 personalities is prevalent in psychology and popular culture. Several tests or tests are in charge of cataloging which type corresponds to each individual, among which the Myers-Briggs indicator stands out. Among the possibilities, there is one that stands out for its uniqueness: the INFJ personality.
Whether or not you are related to the world of psychology, surely you have heard of it. It is also known as the lawyer or idealistic personality. In any case, its characteristics allow it to be distinguished from the others. The Center for Applications of Psychological Types estimates that only between 1 and 3% of the population manifests its characteristics.
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What is the INFJ personality?
As we have already pointed out, the INFJ personality is one of the 16 personalities in the Myers-Briggs indicator. It is a test whose purpose is to determine an individual’s personality type. It is beneficial in the work environment since it measures how a human being functions in it and how he makes decisions.
This indicator was elaborated based on Carl Gustav Jung’s ideas, specifically, those he exposes in his book Psychological Types (1921). The INFJ personality has always been the most extravagant among the entire catalog of this indicator.
This is due to two reasons: the first, because it is the least common of all, and the second because it brings together qualities generally believed to be incompatible. In simple terms, the INFJ personality describes individuals as introverted, intuitive, sensitive, and judgmental.
The INFJ category derives from these four qualities, except that the acronym is built from the terms in English (introverted, I N intuitive, Feeling, and Judging).
INFJ Personality Traits
Many myths have arisen around the INFJ personality. Some of these exaggerate their qualities; others wholly misrepresent them. The truth is that we can determine the following characteristics of this introverted personality:
- They are compassionate: INFJs are very understanding, translating into a high sense of empathy. They are not afraid to demonstrate these qualities when necessary, although intuition always mediates. They practice compassion based on their beliefs and values and always from their perspectives.
- They combine emotion with logic: INFJs are often said to be very sentimental. This is half true since your reasoning always conditions your feelings. They have an objective perception of good and evil, and they hope to transform it based on this. They are emotional, yes, but they never wholly abandon logic.
- They are willing to help: People with an INFJ personality are always ready to help. After they’ve forged a connection with another person, which can take time, they don’t hesitate to help them. They do this from their own space since they can get tired and demand solitude.
- They have romantic thoughts: if we have to highlight one characteristic of the INFJ personality, it would be idealism. However, it will always try to translate into action. They are not passive dreamers but seek ways to solve those dreams into reality.
- They are organized: to all of the above is added their high degree of organization. They are planned, and when they exercise control, they do so based on it. This does not prevent them from making quick decisions when they should, although they will try to be more methodical whenever possible.
The INFJ Personality and Relationships
INFJ people tend to seek depth in their relationships. They are vibrant and live fully from day to day. They do not settle for anything other than true love in their relationships. Therefore, they can take a long time to find a partner.
They may have unrealistic expectations due to their tendency towards idealism. Sometimes this plays against them in their relationships, as they may be driven to seek a perfect relationship that ultimately never exists.
The INFJ Personality and Friendships
As in romantic relationships, in friendships, they seek depth and do not settle for superficialities. They don’t like to be casual in their interactions and crave authentic and meaningful friendships. They value quality over quantity in their circle of friends.
Although they can be quiet and introverted with most people, they are very open and close with their friends. They love talking to them and can share their passions and interests without reservation. Although they also like solitude, spending time with their friends is very pleasant.
The INFJ Personality and Parenthood
Individuals with an INFJ personality have an obvious goal when it comes to parenting: to educate for independence. They are very responsible and take the role of father or mother very seriously. They are very interested in positively training their children.
They find the opportunity to display various strengths, such as creativity and compassion in parenthood. Although they recognize that being parents is not easy, they do not allow themselves to be dominated by fear. Their mindset will enable them to face the challenges of raising a child.
Strengths and weaknesses of this personality
As you have been able to observe, the particularity of this personality is not accidental. It brings together a bit of all the qualities and even those that conflict with each other. Remember at all times that INFJ people are introverts and that the following strengths and weaknesses distinguish them:
Strengths
- They have a capacity associated with creativity or art.
- They value close or deep relationships.
- They have a reserved character. This manifests itself with greater force in front of strangers.
- They are always looking for how to change their environment through action.
- They know how to live in solitude, although this does not prevent them from actively sharing with a group.
- They are sensitive and use this in the company of their reason to interpret the world.
weaknesses
- They get exhausted when they spend a lot of time in relationships with others.
- They avoid confrontation or do not know how to control it adequately.
- Their idealism can lead them to have very high expectations.
- They can set up a barrier that makes it difficult to know them thoroughly.
- In some things, they can be stubborn (even in those destined to fail).
- In specific contexts, they can be very emotional.
The INFJ personality corresponds to several attributes of cognitive functions established by Jung and the Myers-Briggs indicator: thinking, feeling, sensation, and intuition.
The dominant function is your introverted intuition, which can work against you by being a bit stubborn—the auxiliary role in their extroverted feeling so that they are aware of the emotions of others.
As a complement, although with less prominence than the previous functions, we find introverted thinking as a tertiary character; lastly, they feature an extroverted feeling of the lower part. Despite not being as developed, this last function makes INFJs remain connected to reality.
Some famous INFJ people
To give you an idea, the following characters are said to have traits of this personality:
- Lady Gaga: Apart from having a successful musical career, she is a philanthropist who has done various humanitarian and charity works. She has also fought for the rights of the LGTBIQ community.
- Nelson Mandela: is a historical figure known worldwide for his fight against apartheid in South Africa. He is also recognized as one of the greatest defenders of human rights and social justice.
- Taylor Swift: She is an American singer-songwriter and producer known not only for her music but also for her charitable personality. She has promoted the defense of the LGTBIQ collective and has participated in different charity events to raise funds for other humanitarian causes.
- Joaquin Phoenix: Besides being a great actor, he is a vegan activist who fights for equality and animal rights.
- Oprah Winfrey: is an American journalist and television presenter recognized, among many other things, for her character and personality. She is an activist in the Me Too movement, which arose in response to sexual harassment and assault.
- Martin Luther King: activist recognized for his peaceful fight against inequality due to racial conflict. He fought for the civil rights of African-American people.
An unusual personality
As you have been able to corroborate throughout this article, the INFJ personality is very complex, which in turn, makes it rare. However, it makes it an exciting way of being that not everyone can afford to have.
We want to end by reminding you that this and other personality types are indicative. If your answers are associated with an INFJ person on a test, you should not condition your actions or thoughts on the above criteria. Above all, you must be yourself and not anchor what you are to a test that cannot accurately measure what you feel, think, or do.