Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsISFP CharacteristicsCognitive FunctionsPersonal RelationshipsCareer PathsTips for Interacting With ISFPsNext in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator GuideESTP: The Persuader (Extraverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving)
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
ISFP Characteristics
Cognitive Functions
Personal Relationships
Career Paths
Tips for Interacting With ISFPs
Next in Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Guide
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We all have unique personalities, but according to theMyers-Briggs Type Indicator, we tend to fall into one of 16 different “types.” The ISFP personality type, for example, is an acronym that means you tend to be introverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving. If you have this sort of personality, you probably tend to be a considerat friend who is great with details, although you sometimes have a hard time seeing the big picture.
People with an ISFP personality—the Artists—have introverted, observant, feeling, and prospecting personality traits. Unlikeextroverts, whogainenergy from interacting with others,introvertsmustexpendenergy around others.
At a GlanceWhile ISFPs are introverts, that doesn’t mean they’re closed off. If you have this personality type, people probably think you are warm and approachable, so it might even seem like you’re an “extraverted introvert” sometimes. You probably love having a quiet evening alone over a good book, but you also sometimes enjoy meeting new people and embracing new experiences. While you’re great at noticing the little things other people miss, you have a tendency to avoid conflict, which means you might not speak up when something is bothering you. No matter how these traits appear in your unique personality, your type can have a big impact on your relationships, career, and interactions with others.
At a Glance
While ISFPs are introverts, that doesn’t mean they’re closed off. If you have this personality type, people probably think you are warm and approachable, so it might even seem like you’re an “extraverted introvert” sometimes. You probably love having a quiet evening alone over a good book, but you also sometimes enjoy meeting new people and embracing new experiences. While you’re great at noticing the little things other people miss, you have a tendency to avoid conflict, which means you might not speak up when something is bothering you. No matter how these traits appear in your unique personality, your type can have a big impact on your relationships, career, and interactions with others.
Characteristics of the ISFP Personality Type
According to David Keirsey, the creator of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, approximately 5% to 10% of people have an ISFP personality type. They typically share a few common strengths and weaknesses.
ISFP is the exact opposite of theENTJpersonality (“the Commander”: extraverted, intuitive, thinking, judging).
ISFPs Have Many Strengths…
Just like other personality types, ISFPs have many strengths:
…But They Also Have Some Weaknesses
As with all personality types, being an ISFP can also mean that you’ll face some challenges. Traits that might sometimes be your personality’s Achilles heel include:
StrengthsVery aware of their environmentPracticalEnjoys hands-on learningLoyal to values and beliefsWeaknessesDislikes abstract, theoretical informationReserved and quietStrong need for personal spaceDislikes arguments and conflict
StrengthsVery aware of their environmentPracticalEnjoys hands-on learningLoyal to values and beliefs
Very aware of their environment
Practical
Enjoys hands-on learning
Loyal to values and beliefs
WeaknessesDislikes abstract, theoretical informationReserved and quietStrong need for personal spaceDislikes arguments and conflict
Dislikes abstract, theoretical information
Reserved and quiet
Strong need for personal space
Dislikes arguments and conflict
Understanding the Cognitive Functions of ISFPs
Dominant: Introverted Feeling
ISFPs care more about personal concerns rather than objective, logical information. Feelings matter more than facts.
People with this personality type deal with information and experiences based on how they feel about them. You’re more likely to trust your emotions than what your logical mind is telling you.
ISFPs have their value system and create spontaneous judgments based on how things fit with their ideas. This can be great at times, because it means you have a strong internal moral compass. It can be a challenge, however, if you letconfirmation biasesrun the show and don’t consider other information that might sway your opinions.
Auxiliary: Extraverted Sensing
People with ISFP personalities are very in tune with the world around them. That means you know what’s going on around you. You notice things, no matter how small. This great attention to detail also means that you probably appreciate things like aesthetics and fine art.
ISFPs are always living in the moment. Awareness is your superpower, and you are always ready to jump into action and respond to even small changes. Others might overlook these things, but you have a natural knack for noticing the small things others miss.
Being attuned to the environment has other perks, too, including a vivid memory. You’re able to visualize the past in rich detail. Sights, sounds, and smells trigger powerful memories associated with those senses.
Tertiary: Introverted Intuition
The tertiary function tends to run in the background, feeding off of the extraverted sensing function. It offers support, but it’s much less developed than your dominant and auxiliary functions.
As ISFPs take in details about the world, they often develop “gut feelings” about events and situations. That means that while you generally do not like abstract concepts or ideas, your introverted intuition function means that you’ll sometimes have important epiphanies.
It’s the kind of sudden realization that helps you put together the puzzle made up of all those details that your auxiliary extraverted sensing function has been collecting.
Inferior: Extraverted Thinking
Your inferior function is the opposite of your dominant function, meaning it’s the least developed part of your personality. Because of this, it can be one of your biggest weaknesses. For ISPs, this often emerges as a difficulty when it comes to organization, although they may use this function more prominently in certain situations.
This function is all about looking for the most efficient way to do something. As an ISFP, you might become focused on being very precise about the details and finding the most effective way to express an idea.
ISFPs You Might KnowMarilyn Monroe, actressAuguste Rodin, sculptorDavid Beckham, soccer playerNeil Simon, playwrightHarry Potter, fictional character
ISFPs You Might Know
Marilyn Monroe, actressAuguste Rodin, sculptorDavid Beckham, soccer playerNeil Simon, playwrightHarry Potter, fictional character
Personal Relationships With ISFPs
While you may have the classic ISFP traits that make you warm and engaging, you’re still an introvert. And that means that, for the most part, you tend to have a reserved and quiet side. This is most true when you are around people you don’t know well.
You might be outgoing and gregarious around your close friends, but a lot more closed off when you are in a large crowd of strangers. After a day of ‘extroverting’ at work,introvertsusually need some time alone to recharge their mental batteries.
ISFPs are also quite private, so that means you sometimes keep your true feelings to yourself. You might hold back your thoughts, feelings, and opinions with other people in your life, even your romantic partners.
Sharing your innermost feelings can bereallyhard, especially if you’re afraid it might cause a fight. In some cases, holding back and deferring to others might come across aspeople-pleasing.
ISFPs have strong values but are not concerned with trying to convince other people to share them. They care deeply about other people, particularly their closest friends and family. They are action-oriented and tend to show their care and concern through action rather than discussing feelings or expressing sentiments.
ISFPs in LoveSo, how do all these tendencies relate to your love life? In terms of compatibility, ISFPs tend to match best with people who are:ISTPs(the crafter: introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving)ISFJs(the protector: introverted, sensing, feeling, judging)ESFPs (the performer: extraverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving)Other ISFPs
ISFPs in Love
So, how do all these tendencies relate to your love life? In terms of compatibility, ISFPs tend to match best with people who are:ISTPs(the crafter: introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving)ISFJs(the protector: introverted, sensing, feeling, judging)ESFPs (the performer: extraverted, sensing, feeling, perceiving)Other ISFPs
So, how do all these tendencies relate to your love life? In terms of compatibility, ISFPs tend to match best with people who are:
How ISFPs Can Find the Perfect Career
Working a job that doesn’t vibe with your personality can be disheartening, so it pays to think about which jobs are aligned to your ISFP traits. For example, people with ISFP personalities love animals and have a strong appreciation for nature. If that’s you, then you might want to seek out jobs or hobbies that put you in contact with the outdoors and with animals.
Because ISFPs prefer to focus on the present, you’ll also probably prefer a job that focuses on solving practical, real-world problems. But you also don’t like to feel hemmed in, so consider options that give you a lot of personal freedom andautonomy.
Popular ISFP CareersArtistComposer or musicianChefDesignerForest rangerNurseNaturalistPediatricianPsychologistSocial workerTeacherVeterinarian
Popular ISFP Careers
ArtistComposer or musicianChefDesignerForest rangerNurseNaturalistPediatricianPsychologistSocial workerTeacherVeterinarian
Knowing how to interact with an ISFP can help relationships run more smoothly. How you respond might depend on the nature of the relationship, i.e., you’re going to talk to an ISFP friend a lot differently than you would a co-worker, parent, or lover. Here’s a few tips that can help in each situation.
Friendships
Parenting
Relationships
You Might Be One of These 4 Types of Introverts
3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fishman I, Ng R, Bellugi U.Do extraverts process social stimuli differently from introverts?Cogn Neurosci. 2011;2(2):67-73. doi:10.1080/17588928.2010.527434Myers & Briggs Foundation.MBTI basics.Myers & Briggs Foundation.The processes of type dynamics.Additional ReadingArtisan: Portrait of the Composer (ISFP). Keirsey.com.Myers IB. Introduction to Type: A Guide to Understanding Your Results on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc; 1998.The Myers & Briggs Foundation. (n.d.).The 16 MBTI Types.
3 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Fishman I, Ng R, Bellugi U.Do extraverts process social stimuli differently from introverts?Cogn Neurosci. 2011;2(2):67-73. doi:10.1080/17588928.2010.527434Myers & Briggs Foundation.MBTI basics.Myers & Briggs Foundation.The processes of type dynamics.Additional ReadingArtisan: Portrait of the Composer (ISFP). Keirsey.com.Myers IB. Introduction to Type: A Guide to Understanding Your Results on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc; 1998.The Myers & Briggs Foundation. (n.d.).The 16 MBTI Types.
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Fishman I, Ng R, Bellugi U.Do extraverts process social stimuli differently from introverts?Cogn Neurosci. 2011;2(2):67-73. doi:10.1080/17588928.2010.527434Myers & Briggs Foundation.MBTI basics.Myers & Briggs Foundation.The processes of type dynamics.
Fishman I, Ng R, Bellugi U.Do extraverts process social stimuli differently from introverts?Cogn Neurosci. 2011;2(2):67-73. doi:10.1080/17588928.2010.527434
Myers & Briggs Foundation.MBTI basics.
Myers & Briggs Foundation.The processes of type dynamics.
Artisan: Portrait of the Composer (ISFP). Keirsey.com.Myers IB. Introduction to Type: A Guide to Understanding Your Results on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc; 1998.The Myers & Briggs Foundation. (n.d.).The 16 MBTI Types.
Artisan: Portrait of the Composer (ISFP). Keirsey.com.
Myers IB. Introduction to Type: A Guide to Understanding Your Results on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Mountain View, CA: CPP, Inc; 1998.
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