ISFP

ISFP
(ISFP stands for Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving and represents individual's preferences in four dimensions characterising personality type, according to Jung's and Briggs Myers' theories of personality type.)


ISFP Description - by Joe Butt
ISFPs are the first to hear the different drummer. Many eagerly plunge into new fashions, avant garde experiences, 'hip' trends--some even setting the trends.

More in touch with the reality of their senses than their INFP counterparts, ISFPs live in the here and now. Their impulses yearn to be free, and are often loosed when others least expect it. The ISFP who continually represses these impulses feels 'dead inside' and may eventually cut and run. (One ISFP friend has become nonambulatory within the past few years. He will still, on impulse, leave home in the middle of the night and go to Las Vegas or wherever, regardless of the difficulties of his physical condition.)

ISFPs may be quite charming and ingratiating on first acquaintance, flowing with compliments which may (or may not) be deserved. On other occasions, the same individual may be aloof and detached. Some ISFP males are fiercely competitive, especially in sport or table games, and may have great difficulty losing. This competitive nature, also seen in other SP types, sometimes fosters 'lucky,' 'gut' feelings and a willingness to take risks.

Organized education is difficult for the majority of ISFPs, and many drop out before finishing secondary education. Their interest can be held better through experiential learning, at which many excel. ISFPs will practice playing an instrument or honing a favored skill for hours on end, not so much as practice as for the joy of the experience.


Differential diagnosis:
ISFPs are less fantasy-oriented than INFPs. These types are often confused, however, INFPs lean strongly to daydreams, poetry, prose and more philosophical pursuits; ISFPs often live out 'id' experiences rather than writing or even talking about them.

ISFJs are driven by the conventional, by 'should's and 'ought's; ISFPs internalize their Feeling (by nature a judging function) which bursts out spontaneously and leaves as quickly and mysteriously as it came.
Because of these variant expressions of Feeling judgement, ISFPs are sometimes confused with ESFJs, but keep themselves more aloof, more often concealing the feelings that ESFJs are so apt to expose.

ESFPs express thoughts more readily (and, in the main, skillfully). ISFPs can and do perform admirably in the spotlight, but generally have little to say about the performance. For example, few ISFPs would be disc-jockeys, a field strongly represented by ES_Ps.





Functional Analysis Of The ISFP

Based on Jung’s framework of mental functions - by Joe Butt

Introverted Feeling
Feeling, unbridled by the external forces of society and substance, is the dominant function. ISFPs spontaneously develop their own codes and credos, about which they are quite sober and intense. ISFPs are questors, driven to find the pure and ideal, as personally and individually defined. Feeling may temporarily turn outward, but cannot be long sustained beyond its cloistered home.
If the individual has values greater than herself, feeling may express itself in valiant acts of selflessness. Turned in upon self, however, it becomes an unscrupulous, capricious enigma, capable even of heinous acts of deception and treachery.

Extraverted Sensing
ISFPs keep a finger on the pulse of here and now. They are more adept at doing than considering, at acting than reflecting, at tasting than wondering. As do most SPs, ISFPs keenly sense color, sound, texture, and movement. It is not unusual for ISFPs to excel in sensory, motor, or kinesthetic abilities.
ISFPs cherish their impulses. Some of the most beautiful, graceful, and artistic performances are the result of this drive for physical, sensate expression.

ntroverted iNtuition
Tertiary intuition works best in the background of the ISFP's inner world. Perhaps this is the source of the "gut feeling" SPs consult in matters of chance. However "lucky" the ISFP may be, intuition as a means of communication is a poor servant, evidenced in spoonerisms, and non sequiturs and mixed metaphors.

Extraverted Thinking
The ISFP may employ Extraverted Thinking in external situations requiring closure. As is the case with inferior functions, such Thinking behaves in an all or nothing manner. Thus, as with other FP types, the ISFP's Extraverted Thinking is at risk for a lack of context and proportion. In most cases, persons of this type enjoy greater facility operating in the open-ended style of sensing, implying the opinions of feeling values in the indirect fashion characteristic of introverted functions.

ISFPs often find themselves in occupations that involve communications with customers and/or requiring a good sense of aesthetics, for example, in customer support roles, store sales associate roles (where it is not required to sell aggressively). Child care is also a favourable to ISFPs area. Working with data and spreadsheets is also suitable. ISFPs are able to realize their aesthetic abilities in arts, design and creative media companies.




Q1. Which is your most natural energy orientation?

Every person has two faces. One is directed towards the OUTER world of activities, excitements, people, and things. The other is directed inward to the INNER world of thoughts, interests, ideas, and imagination.

While these are two different but complementary sides of our nature, most people have an innate preference towards energy from either the OUTER or the INNER world. Thus one of their faces, either the Extraverted (E) or Introverted (I), takes the lead in their personality development and plays a more dominant role in their behavior.
 Extraverted Characteristics

Act first, think/reflect later

Feel deprived when cutoff from interaction with the outside world

Usually open to and motivated by outside world of people and things

Enjoy wide variety and change in people relationships

Introverted Characteristics

Think/reflect first, then Act

Regularly require an amount of "private time" to recharge batteries

Motivated internally, mind is sometimes so active it is "closed" to outside world

Prefer one-to-one communication and relationships

   Choose which best fits: Extraversion (E) Introversion (I)

Q2. Which way of Perceiving or understanding is most "automatic" or natural?

The Sensing (S) side of our brain notices the sights, sounds, smells and all the sensory details of the PRESENT. It categorizes, organizes, records and stores the specifics from the here and now. It is REALITY based, dealing with "what is." It also provides the specific details of memory & recollections from PAST events.

The Intuitive (N) side of our brain seeks to understand, interpret and form OVERALL patterns of all the information that is collected and records these patterns and relationships. It speculates on POSSIBILITIES, including looking into and forecasting the FUTURE. It is imaginative and conceptual.

While both kinds of perceiving are necessary and used by all people, each of us instinctively tends to favor one over the other.

 Sensing Characteristics

Mentally live in the Now, attending to present opportunities

Using common sense and creating practical solutions is automatic-instinctual

Memory recall is rich in detail of facts and past events

Best improvise from past experience

Like clear and concrete information; dislike guessing when facts are "fuzzy"

Intuitive Characteristics

Mentally live in the Future, attending to future possibilities

Using imagination and creating/inventing new possibilities is automatic-instinctual

Memory recall emphasizes patterns, contexts, and connections

Best improvise from theoretical understanding

Comfortable with ambiguous, fuzzy data and with guessing its meaning.

   Choose which best fits: Sensing (S) iNtuition (N)

Q3. Which way of forming Judgments and making choices is most natural?

The Thinking (T) side of our brain analyzes information in a DETACHED, objective fashion. It operates from factual principles, deduces and forms conclusions systematically. It is our logical nature.

The Feeling (F) side of our brain forms conclusions in an ATTACHED and somewhat global manner, based on likes/dislikes, impact on others, and human and aesthetic values. It is our subjective nature.

While everyone uses both means of forming conclusions, each person has a natural bias towards one over the other so that when they give us conflicting directions - one side is the natural trump card or tiebreaker.

 Thinking Characteristics

Instinctively search for facts and logic in a decision situation.

Naturally notices tasks and work to be accomplished.

Easily able to provide an objective and critical analysis.

Accept conflict as a natural, normal part of relationships with people.

Feeling Characteristics

Instinctively employ personal feelings and impact on people in decision situations

Naturally sensitive to people needs and reactions.

Naturally seek consensus and popular opinions.

Unsettled by conflict; have almost a toxic reaction to disharmony.

   Choose which best fits: Thinking (T) Feeling (F)

Q4. What is your "action orientation" towards the outside world?

All people use both judging (thinking and feeling) and perceiving (sensing and intuition) processes to store information, organize our thoughts, make decisions, take actions and manage our lives. Yet one of these processes (Judging or Perceiving) tends to take the lead in our relationship with the outside world . . . while the other governs our inner world.

A Judging (J) style approaches the outside world WITH A PLAN and is oriented towards organizing one's surroundings, being prepared, making decisions and reaching closure and completion.

A Perceiving (P) style takes the outside world AS IT COMES and is adopting and adapting, flexible, open-ended and receptive to new opportunities and changing game plans.
 Judging Characteristics

Plan many of the details in advance before moving into action.

Focus on task-related action; complete meaningful segments before moving on.

Work best and avoid stress when able to keep ahead of deadlines.

Naturally use targets, dates and standard routines to manage life.

Perceiving Characteristics

Comfortable moving into action without a plan; plan on-the-go.

Like to multitask, have variety, mix work and play.

Naturally tolerant of time pressure; work best close to the deadlines.

Instinctively avoid commitments which interfere with flexibility, freedom and variety

   Choose which best fits: Judging (J) Perceiving (P)
Your 4 Personality Type Letters

I S F P

Best Career Choices for ISFPs

When it comes to careers, ISFP personalities need more than a job. They need a creative outlet, a way to express their artistic talents and put their imagination to good use. ISFPs cherish their freedom and resist any attempts to force them into restrictive, predictable roles that many other types praise as stable and secure. People with the ISFP personality type do not care much about stability or security, they want to be valued for who they truly are.

ISFPs enjoy experimenting and trying out new things – this is the main reason why they are often called the trend setters. Not surprisingly, their roles need to be flexible enough to allow some improvisation. Also, ISFP personalities are extremely artistic, independent thinkers that can only shine in careers that are able to give them plenty of freedom. It is difficult to imagine an ISFP being happy in a cubicle, doing administrative work from 9 to 5 – they are free souls and do not do well in a strictly structured environment.

Furthermore, ISFP personalities tend to be very competitive and excel in areas that require good use of all five senses – e.g. sports, design, art etc. They dislike long-term planning and prefer to live in the present, believing that is what matters most. This does not mean that ISFPs are reckless or shortsighted – this is simply because ISFPs are more interested in practical things, in things they can see and touch. People with this personality type do not see a point in worrying about something that they have little control over anyway.

All these traits make ISFPs excellent artists (in any field – e.g. music, photography, painting etc.), athletes, consultants, psychologists, linguistics, therapists, freelancers (again – there are many good fields, ranging from medicine to event planning), teachers or tour guides. This is not an exhaustive list of ideal jobs by any means as there are many career paths that can utilize the ISFP traits very well.

Because ISFPs prefer to focus on the present, they often do well in careers that are concerned with practical, real-world problems. Jobs that offer a great deal of personal freedom and autonomy are especially appealing to ISFPs. Some careers that are ideally suited to this personality type include:

Artist
Composer or musician
Chef
Designer
Forest ranger
Nurse
Naturalist
Pediatrician
Psychologist
Social worker
Teacher
Veterinarian