ISFJ vs INFJ FAQs (A guide)

This blog is an investigation of the differences between the ISFJ and INFJ personalities according to the opinions and knowledge of people. This will allow us to understand the real-life experiences of ISFJs and INFJs.

What are the Questions and answers on the differences between ISFJ and INFJ? 

The following are the most frequently asked questions concerning the difference between the ISFJ and INFJ:

• How can I tell if I am an ISFJ or INFJ?

• Can an INFJ ever become an ISFJ?

How can I tell if I am an ISFJ or INFJ?

“Physically, ISFJs often have big, round eyes. They use their eyes a lot in their expressions, especially opening them wide in a slightly comical display of humor. 

They, like INFJs, have broad, easy smiles (Fe) and laugh readily. They’re often very witty, far wittier than most INFJs. They do this thing that I call their “Mr. Bean face”, a self-deprecating, lopsided, frozen grin. 

The eyes of an INFJ can be unnervingly penetrating. An INFJ is trying to see all of you, not just the surface. They are often insatiably curious about human nature, to the point of creepiness, but are also sensitive to others’ need for privacy. Make no mistake, they are taking in everything about you.”

“ISFJs are better verbal communicators. They are good at small talk and two-way conversation although the smart ones can hold their own in the deepest and most intelligent of conversations. They express themselves clearly and concisely.” 

“ISFJs are often more humble than INFJs and people are surprised to discover how intelligent they are. They can be very entertaining and are good at mimicking others, usually with good humor and kindness. They are far more comfortable in groups than INFJs, even the really shy ones. Although they can go into hermit mode, they love a good party and are usually very well-liked.”

“……another difference is that ISFJs are far more private than INFJs, only revealing their deeper selves to a few close friends. They don’t have the same need to be understood and therefore don’t overshare like INFJs often do. They also don’t like to burden others with their issues….”

“INFJs struggle with groups. While they may appear to be conservative they aren’t. They only pretend to conform to group principles.”

“ I have noticed that INFJs suffer from a deep sense of loneliness and they feel chronically misunderstood. They turn this inwards, often believing that they are flawed. A lot of their “friends” are needy people using their energy and getting the INFJ to solve problems for them. 

INFJs are racehorses willingly turning themselves into beasts of burden for undeserving people. Their loneliness causes them to often make poor decisions about who they let into their lives. They’re prone to codependency. When the INFJ realizes that it’s better to be alone than surrounded by takers, and when they stop trying to fit in, their lives improve.”

“The INFJs I know are drawn to unusual people and, although fascinated by people in general, most people bore them after a while. Unlike the ISFJ, a lot of their truest friends aren’t in their lives every day. 

They’re the friend that their friends go to to escape the confines of the social group they belong to and they often span countries, cultures, and ages.”

“Many ISFJs see things from a loftier perspective than the average person and aren’t easily drawn into the petty battles that plague most groups. They find it easier to sacrifice harmony and are more willing to go against the group to be true to themselves. 

They may take a timeout but they’re less likely to leave a group due to conflict. Both types may come across as alpha, beta, or even omega sometimes. The INFJ is not a pack animal and the more highly functioning ISFJs aren’t either.”

“INFJs have a very distinct way of speaking when they’re trying to express something important to people. While they don’t talk this way all the time, it’s maybe the surest way to spot one. Barack Obama is a perfect example. Their voice will be soft, their eyes will become unfocused. They’ll struggle to find the right words and will go off on many tangents before they’re able to get to the point.” 

“Both types have explosive tempers. ISFJs seem to get angrier more easily. They turn bright red and their motions become jerky. They go into “adult” mode, scolding the other like a naughty child.

INFJs often laugh nervously before their temper breaks. They may struggle to get their words out and their voice may rise until they sound like Minnie Mouse. They are more likely to become self-righteous zealots or sulky, wounded children. Others are often surprised at the intensity of the anger in both types.”

“I have also noticed that ISFJs are far easier to offend than an INFJ; INFJs are more likely to be emotionally hurt than offended. When someone says something offensive to an INFJ the INFJ often doesn’t respond right away. They’re trying to figure out where it is coming from….”

“ISFJs can be very rigid about their principles and are much more likely to get angry and confrontational when met with opposition. INFJs have a more “live and let live” attitude. As nonconformists, they usually don’t feel the need to make others conform to their beliefs.” 

Can an INFJ ever become an ISFJ?

“Any intuitive type (N stands for Intuition) whether its Ne or Ni, they can practice to start giving more importance towards Sensing only i.e visible facts and figures rather than relying on what intuition tells. So I would say INFJ can start behaving like “ISFJ” by putting in an effort. But I am not sure whether the reverse is true.”

“I believe Extroversion, Introversion, Perceiving, Judging – can all be adopted in some or other form by any personality types with effort if not present. But iNtuition is somewhat related to how the brain stores and processes the information, more or less. For Sensing personalities it may be highly impossible to become Intuitive, that’s my view.”

“The difference between the N and the S is like the difference between north and south, in other words, poles apart. N is for intuitive and S is for sensing. The former spends most of their mental energy looking inwards, whereas the latter looks outwards. The result of which way they look affects everything. Sensing means relying on what is seen and what is heard. 

But intuiting, if I can say that, means something very different. It means relying on an inner feeling, to this day I struggle to explain it, it’s my ‘gut’. We INFJs are quite suspicious of using our senses, knowing that the ‘gut’ works better for us. ISFJs don’t get what we are doing, they have used their senses their whole lives and it works for them. So there’s no way to switch from S to I or from I to S. Why would you ?”

“With time and experience, the personality of a person changes; his personality type also changes.”

“Personality is just like intelligence, you need to keep it updated. Your intelligence changes with time and so your personality does. These variables are never constant in one’s life.”

“Today I am INFJ, tomorrow I might change into an ENFJ, ISFJ, INTJ, INFP, and so on. That’s possible.”

“To be specific one can change a lot about themselves but the Myer Briggs is based on “how one works.” Could I ever go on vacation without a plan and become an INFP?  No. Could I suddenly become more observant than being a thinker? Doubt it. There is some flexibility with personality but not how you work (mechanically), how you behave and your needs.”

“Absolutely. The labels ascribed by the pseudoscientific Meyers-Briggs test are almost entirely arbitrary, and people are frequently given a different label upon taking the test a second time, even if there is no actual change in their personality.”

Conclusion

This blog was an investigation of the differences between the ISFJ and INFJ personalities according to the opinions and knowledge of people on Quora. This allowed us to understand the real-life experiences of ISFJs and INFJs.

The following are the most frequently asked questions on Quora concerning the difference between the ISFJ and INFJ:

• How can I tell if I am an ISFJ or INFJ?

• Can an INFJ ever become an ISFJ?

We hope you enjoyed this blog, let us know in the comment section below. 

Frequently Asked Questions: ISFJ vs. INFJ Quora

References

‘ISFJ vs. INFJ’, Retrieved from  https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-INFJ-and-ISFJ

‘How can I tell if I am an ISFJ or INFJ?’, Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/How-can-I-tell-if-I-am-an-ISFJ-or-INFJ