Me-O-Rama
2003-10-26 : 5:00 p.m.

A few days ago, I took the Kiersey Personality Inventory, a shorter form of the Meyers-Briggs Type Inventory, one of the most acclaimed and interesting personality type tests. The Kiersey test, like the MBTI, rates you on four scales: Introverted � Extroverted, which measures one�s style of interaction with the world; iNtuitive � Sensing, which measures the way one takes in information; Thinking � Feeling, which apples to the way one comes to decisions; and Perceiving � Judging, which measures the way one structures one�s life. So the result of the test is a four-letter type measuring one�s dominance on each scale.

I first took an MBTI many years ago at a week-long leadership training conference. The MBTI was the first activity of the week, and we marked our Meyers-Briggs type on the nametags we were to wear all week. I was incredulous, and loath to believe that anything so complex as a human personality could be reduced to a four-letter code. Then I read the materials describing each of the types. �Oh my,� I said to myself, �I thought that was just me.� Oh my, indeed. The description of my type eerily reflected some of the more consistent features of my personality and personal life.

On that first MBTI in 1995, I tested as an ENFP (Extravert iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving).

On the KPI I took a few days ago, I tested as an INFP, which rather surprised me. Back in 1995, I was almost to the high end of Extraversion on the E-I scale, and now I find myself weakly introverted. I suppose that shouldn�t shock me, since I have found myself more and more concerned in recent years to guard my private time, seeking sources of renewal after exhausting social situations. In 1995, I loved crowds and parties, whereas today, I loath nightclubs and parties full of strangers. I would rather eat cat-innards than spend an afternoon (or an hour) at the mall. In my early 20s, in short, I gained energy from interaction. Today, while still a fairly outgoing person, I seek energy in the solitude of my inner life.

Anyway. I am narcissistically assuming that you want to know all about the fine inner details of me. Here are some descriptions of the INFP type.

Profile by David Kiersey:

INFPs present a calm, pleasant face to the world and are seen as reticent and even shy. Although they demonstrate cool reserve toward others, inside they are anything but distant. They have a capacity for caring which is not always found in other types. They care deeply � indeed, passionately � about a few special persons and causes. One word that captures this type is idealistic. At times, this characteristic leaves them feeling isolated, especially since INFPs make up only 1% of the general population. INFPs have a profound sense of honor derived from internal values. The INFP is the Prince or Princess of mythology, the King�s Champion, Defender of the Faith, and guardian of the castle. To understand an INFP, his cause must be understood, for he is willing to make unusual sacrifices for someone or something believed in.

INFPs seek unity in their lives, unity of body and mind, emotions and intellect. They often have a subtle tragic motif running through their lives, but others seldom detect this inner �minor key�. The deep commitment of INFPs to the positive and the good causes them to be alert to the negative, the corrupt, and the evil; this can take the form of a fascination with the profane. Thus, INFPs may live in a paradox, drawn toward purity and unity but looking over the shoulder toward the sullied and the desecrated. When INFPs believe that they have yielded to an impure temptation, they may be given to acts of self-sacrifice in atonement. The atonement, however, is within the INFP, who does not feel compelled to make the issue public.

INFPs prefer the valuing process over the purely logical. They respond to the beautiful versus the ugly, the good versus the bad, and the moral versus the immoral. Impressions are gained in a fluid, global, and diffused way. Metaphors and similes come naturally, but may be strained. INFPs have a gift for interpreting symbols, as well as creating them, and thus often write in a lyric fashion. They may demonstrate a tendency to take deliberate liberties with logic. Unlike the NT, they see logic as something optional. INFPs may also assume an unwarranted familiarity with a domain because their global, impressionistic way of dealing with reality may have failed to register a sufficient number of details for mastery. INFPs may have a difficult time thinking in terms of a conditional framework; they see things as either real or fancied, and are impatient with the hypothetical.

Career: At work, INFPs are adaptable, welcome new ideas and new information, are well aware of people and their feelings, and related well to most, albeit with some psychological distance. INFPs dislike telephone interruptions and work well alone, as well as with others. They are patient with complicated situations, but impatient with routine details. They can make errors of fact, but seldom of values. Their career choices may be toward the ministry, missionary work, college teaching, psychiatry, architecture, psychology � and away from business. They seem willing and usually are able to apply themselves scholastically to gain the necessary training for professional work, often doing better in college than in high school. They have a natural interest in scholarly activities and demonstrate, as do the other NFs, a remarkable facility for languages. They often hear a calling to go forth into the world to help others; they seem willing to make the necessary personal sacrifices involved in responding to that call, even if it means asking others to do likewise. INFPs can make outstanding novelists and character actors, for they are able to efface their own personalities in their portrayal of a character in a way that other types cannot.

Home: As mates, INFPs have a deep commitment to their pledges. They like to live in harmony and may go to great lengths to avoid conflict. They are sensitive to the feelings of others, and enjoy pleasing those they care for. They may find it difficult to reconcile a romantic, idealized concept of conjugal life with the realities of everyday living with another person. At times, in fact, INFPs may seem fearful of exuberant attainment, afraid that current advances may have to be paid for with later sacrifices. The devil is sure to get his due if the INFP experiences too freely success, beauty, health, wealth, or knowledge. And thus, INFPs guard against giving way to relaxing in the happiness of mating. They may have difficulty expressing affection directly, but communicate interest and affection indirectly.

For INFPs, their home is their castle. As parents, they are fierce in protection of home and family, and are devoted to the welfare of family members. They have a strong capacity for devotion, sympathy, and adaptability in their relationships, and are thus easy to live with. They are loyal to their family and although they may dream of greener pastures, if they stray into those pastures, they soon locate the nettles. The almost preconscious conviction that pleasure must be paid for with pain can cause a sense of uneasiness in the family system of an INFP, who may transmit an air of being ever-vigilant against invasion. In the routine details of daily living, INFPs tend to be compliant and may prefer having decisions made on their behalf, until their value system is violated. Then INFPs dig in their heels and will not budge from ideals. Life with an INFP will go gently along for long periods of time, until an ideal is struck and violated. Then an INFP will resist and insist.

Midlife: At midlife INFPs may want to increase mastery of intellectual interests, perhaps taking advanced degrees in a chosen profession. They also may want to explore the sensual side of their natures, expanding their aesthetic appreciations to include physical sensory appreciations. Extending social activities and contacts may offer new horizons for INFPs, but they will have to guard against overextension psychologically, for before, during, and after midlife the vulnerability and sensitivity of the INFP will continue, and he or she can easily become emotionally drained.

Mates: The INFP probably has more problems in mating than any other type. Let us be mindful of their relative infrequency: about 1.25%, or approximately 2.5 million people in the US. Their problem lies in their primary outlook on life. �Life,� says the INFP, �is a very serious matter.� Now when a person makes his life a kind of crusade or series of crusades, then there�s bound to be some taxing of the spouse. If the INFP takes the other tack, �the monastic� (and again, the same person can tack back and forth: now a crusader, now a monastic), the spouse will find himself again taxed, trying to draw the monastic out of his dark meditative cave.

The opposites of our crusading monastic seem well-equipped for these alternating taxations: the ENTJ and ESTJ. Both are anchored with a vengance in the real world. The ENTJ marshalling his forces toward distant objectives, the ESTJ administering in a solid, dependable, and traditional way whatever is his to administer. Both provide anchorage for a person who might otherwise get lost in his inner life or outer crusades.

Another Profile:

INTROVERTED � Applies to the way we interact with the world. Introverts are people whose thoughts and ideas are drawn inward. This type scans the external environment and makes evaluations based on inner values and mental concepts. They derive their energy from their inner concepts. It is important for them to take time to study and reflect on a subject to get the idea right, before taking action. This type is able to grasp and accept a moral principle in abstract for. Introverts are territorial and desire space. They draw their energy from activities where they can be alone to meditate or activities that require few people. Introverts can experience a sense of loneliness when they are in a crowd. Some are the most alone when surrounded by people, especially by strangers. This type can enjoy solitary activities where they can think and recharge. Many introverts achieve the ability to extravert, but they never become extraverts. Introverts enjoy their private time, and if this is easily invaded, they learn to develop a high level of concentration so as to shut out the external world. Many view them as great listeners, but they may see others as taking advantage of this. This type may wish to get their ideas out more forcefully, and likes to state their thoughts and feelings without interruption. They resent others who blurt out something they were just about to say.

INTUITIVE � Applies to the way we take in information. Intuitive types look for the possibilities in life. What is possible is always in front of them, pulling at them like a magnet. Intuitive types may be attracted to fantasy, fiction, and the future. They may enjoy figuring out how things work just for the sheer pleasure of doing so. This type is attracted to word games. They are masters at metaphors and similes. Intuitives tend to think of several things at once and because of this they are sometimes labeled as absentminded. This type likes to look at the big picture. They try to read between the lines, not accepting things at face value. Intuitive types tend to trust their hunch, their gut feeling, and this usually proves right, since they are highly in tune with their intuitive powers, their �sixth sense�. They are creative and imaginative, but sometimes viewed as �mere dreamers�.

FEELING � Applies to the way we come to decisions. Feeling types make decisions based on how others feel. They are empathetic and sympathetic to others� needs. This type puts themselves out for others, putting the needs of others above their own. Feeling types value and insist upon harmony. They will avoid conflict at all cost. This type tries to please others, and is usually friendly, tactful, and committed to contributing to the welfare of others. They are personable, being more interested in people than in things.

PERCEPTIVE � Applies to the way we structure our lives. Perceptive types put much more value on the open-ended. They do not like to come to a conclusion unless forced, and even then, they may be uncomfortable with the closure. Being aware of how many factors are involved and how much is still unknown, they are terrified of making premature decisions. They hope they can solve a problem by understanding it better, by seeing it from all sides, and eventually seeing the right thing to do. They love to explore the unknown. They don�t like to be pinned down, to plan, or to make definite statements. They prefer to be spontaneous, and to live in the moment. They like to make work fun, and if they cannot, they may lose interest. They don�t believe in deadlines, but use them instead as alarm clocks allowing them to pick up spurts of energy at the last minute to accomplish the task. In conversations, they may jump from subject to subject, depending on what enters their mind (or what enters the room).

PROFILE � INFPs live lives focused on values. They know what is important to them and protect this sense of values at all costs. Their values focus on the optimistic verses the pessimistic, though they are often powerfully conscious of the negative. To understand the INFP is to understand their cause. They can work tirelessly toward a cause that they deem worthy. They will quietly let others know what is important to them, and rarely give up on their purpose. They will go along with a crowd, sometimes letting decisions be made for them, until someone violates their value-system.

INFPs are withdrawn and sometimes hard to get to know. Some may view them as shy, but those who take the time to get to know an INFP will find him or her warm and gentle with a surprising sense of humor. INFPs care deeply for those they consider special friends, putting forth unusual sacrifices to help such individuals. They often have a subtle tragic motif running through their lives � an inner pain an unease which others seldom detect.

INFPs are creative and are constantly seeking out new possibilities. They have a gift with language and usually will express this by means of writing. They are gifted at interpreting symbols, being drawn to metaphor and simile.

INFPs� work must be more than just a paycheck; it must be fun and it must contribute to something that is important to their values. To be the most productive, they need a sense of purpose behind their jobs. They often have to look at the larger picture to see how a specific program fits in. They are adaptable to changes and to new ideas. They work well with others, being conscious of others� feelings and relating with most, though not always verbally. They like to work with people who are cooperative and who share their values. They strive for harmony and dislike conflict.

INFPs treasure privacy and may keep to themselves. They need time and space for reflection. Others usually get along well with them, although they may not know them intimately. INFPs may not always be organized. They may tend to lose things and forget appointments. Only when they see the importance of organization in a valued task will they strive for order. They can be extremely patient with complicated issues, but may become impatient with routine details.

INFPs may accept leadership roles only reluctantly. They lead with their values. They do not lead aggressively, but rather work with people to develop their talents and abilities to achieve their goals independently. They have a hard time criticizing others, but will try to motivate them with appreciation and praise. When conflicts arise, they avoid directly approaching the situation, and would rather wait for others to resolve the situation among themselves.

INFPs place high value on leisure activities. They may have difficulty separating their personal lives from their work lives. If they have a special skill they use at work, they may use this skill in their leisure time to help friends, family, or those in need. When they are interested in pursing a new interest, they may spend a great deal researching this interest. Many INFPs enjoy activities that are done alone, such as reading or gardening. This gives them opportunities for needed reflection and meditation. They may also enjoy social activities with those they feel close to. When they want to be social, they are outgoing, charming, and quite funny, making them a pleasure to have around.

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