INFP vs ISFP: What's the Difference?!

If you’re new to Geek Psychology, my name is Matt Sherman. People call me Sherman. I'm a personality type expert, life coach, hypnotist, author, podcaster, and course creator. I help mainly INFPs embrace their unique strengths and navigate life's challenges. Through practical strategies and deep insights, I aim to help people like you live a more fulfilling and authentic live where you can wake up and feel good about who you are and your impact on the world. Hey! This is a quick response to a question I saw about the differences between INFP and ISFP. I hope it helps.

My website has a lot more information on this and looks at it from a different direction - by combining it with video games and high fantasy.

[jellieman]

The stereotype that ISFPs are just basic, less thoughtful INFPs has to go, and I also don't care for the stereotype that ISFPs are all timid, adorable fuzzy animals. That isn't me at all. I'm very relaxed around other people and I can stand up for myself very well. Great job here at explaining some actual core differences.

[elenafowler]

After watching this and the flower part, I think I'm definitely an INFP as I remember on tea break last Autumn at work, a colleague commented on the leaves falling off the tree, and I said "could you imagine if our hair was like the leaves and it fell out every autumn and grew back in spring" and everyone just looked at me blankly 😂 so I now keep my weird thoughts to myself! 😂

[jayjasperjp]

I'm ISFP and I get annoyed by the perception that ISFPs are airheads. That's simply not true. The reality is that ISFPs intrinsically link thoughts with ACTIONS whereas INFPs intrinsically link thoughts with words. When explaining something, ISFPs would rather SHOW you what they mean, while INFPs have no problem explaining something verbally. This explains why ISFPs tend to be artists and INFPs tend to be authors. As an ISFP, I sometimes have trouble putting my thoughts into words, which is why I'm sometimes misunderstood. It's not that I lack knowledge, it's that I don't always know how to explain it verbally. Look up interviews with notable ISFPs such as Jessica Alba and Lana Del Rey and you'll see how ISFPs take pauses when speaking in order to access their introverted intuition. This makes ISFPs seem like airheads, but that's not the case at all.

[johndevanmatthewthomas]

I hear so many people compare INFPs and ISFPs in ways that essentially amount to "ISFPs are stupider and more sporty INFPs" and I was just getting really upset about it and then I watched this. Thank you for being succinct and clear and not at all typist!

[BrownBoneBarbie]

I’ve been looking into these two personalities for awhile & I see me in both of them every time. I can’t seem to say all of me is one or the other but a piece of me is within both

[Polymath]

ISFPS are also good at witty jokes.Man you just cannot beat them at that.

[brooklynaleanne]

This video was one of the best representations of INFP I've seen. You've explained our functions (and those of ISFP) really well and in a way that makes their concepts easy to understand. Great job on this, it is a very helpful resource!

[sandradibiaso]

ISFPs and INFPs see introverted feeling differently when showing empathy. ISFPs don't imagine what it is like to be in someone's shoes to show empathy we just get down in depression and we feel for others but in a more practical way thru our second function extroverted sensing without having to imagine what it would be like in the other person's shoes.

You INFPs use extroverted intuition with your dominant introverted feeling so of course you IMAGINE being in someone else's shoes. INFPs and ENFPs imagine what it would be like in someone else's shoes because you combine your use of introverted feeling with extroverted intuition. Intuition is about imagination.

[PkmnRayhak]

One of my best friends is actually an ISFP, now I know why we have such nice chemistry, thanks!

[azcactusflower]

ISFP here... VERY attuned to my body! Interesting comparison, it makes sense.

[jellieman]

If you care more about the specifics of who you are as a person being right you are probably an ISFP, and if you care about having options and freedom regarding who you are as a person, you are more likely to be an INFP.

[TheCloverAffiliate]

I can't explain at the moment how helpful this video is! Thank you so much for sharing!
My identical twin sister @TheCloverAffiliate12 (who directed me to this video) is an INFP-T, while I am an ISFP-T. This honestly makes sense of why we started having so many misunderstandings and miscommunications when we hit high school--we view and understand the world somewhat differently than each other, and we approach issues in our own ways. (We do have a bit of overlap, however!)
Thanks again for such an unbiased, well-balanced presentation of this comparison!

[claudiaadwoamuller]

i am an isfp and i could relate to everything you've said until the end when you said that my desk can usually be cluttered which is never the case because i absolutely hate clutter. but i guess it can not be 100% accurate for everyone? thanks for the video anyways i like your delivery!

[shakukon-to]

personally as an INFP, I use Si mostly unconsciously, taking in sensory experiences for later reference and using Ne to dig that stuff up. Usually it shows up in my using any of my 5 senses for something and using Ne to go through my Si experiences and me being like “this smell/sight/taste etc. reminds me of…”. I’ve done this all the time and I found it cool how I’ve just had this Si library that my Ne goes through

[thefawnest]

That was dope, I love watching the male versions of myself as an INFP, both personality's are multi-faceted and can easily overlap sometimes.

[reeses]

in conclusion, i still dont know if im an isfp, infp or infj

[georgejackson]

You've explained it so well! Pretty sure I'm an INFP now

[lattepeached]

Thank you so much for this video! It was super informative and eloquently said. I've always been on the lookout for MBTI related things but your video has really deepened my understanding to a new level of the cognitive functions and how they work. I couldn't help but giggle when you suddenly realised that the flower was still in your hand.

As an INFP I find that I do learn about the world through relating it to myself and my own personal experiences, and empathy, which is honestly a mixed blessing. Overthinking and having too many feelings can be frustrating but so special hahaha

[noctusowl]

I have done several tests. Always turn out an INFP. I constantly fantasise about fantasy. It's part of me. I love to do good but seldom do it in the right way and alienate everyone. I feel always 3 steps ahead but find hard to communicate what I intend. Never popular. People seldom trust my ideas. They tend to just ignore me. Some say I am harsh to criticise but others say since I am so closed in myself people find my critics harsher because they are more unexpected. It's like if it is particularly shocking if I become opinionated. One of the occasions I did a test was in my leadership MSc. Only INFP. Professor comment when I told my result was, so rare to see one of you, you are dangerous, you will understand (with a smile on her face).

[AshlynnAspires]

Thank you for the video with very clear explanation between infp and isfp. I now finally realized that my true type is isfp.