Why many INFPs have the illusion they are INFJs?

It’s incredibly common for INFPs to mistype as INFJs, and vice-versa, leading to a lot of discussion and confusion in the MBTI community. While both types share the “I,” “N,” and “F” preferences, their core cognitive functions are fundamentally different, leading to distinct ways of experiencing and interacting with the world.

Here’s why many INFPs have the illusion they are INFJs:

1. Shared “I-N-F” Letters & Surface-Level Similarities:
   • Introversion (I): Both types are introverted, meaning they need alone time to recharge, prefer deep conversations, and have rich inner worlds. This commonality makes them seem similar from the outside.
   • Intuition (N): Both are intuitive, meaning they focus on patterns, possibilities, and abstract concepts rather than concrete details. This shared idealism and visionary bent creates a strong bond and can blur the lines.
   • Feeling (F): Both prioritize values, empathy, and emotional considerations. They are compassionate, sensitive, and seek meaning. This shared “heart-centered” approach makes them feel kindred spirits.
   • Stereotypes: Popular descriptions of INFJs often use appealing, vague terms like “empathetic,” “visionary,” “deep,” “mysterious,” or “wanting to save the world.” These traits resonate with many INFPs, who also possess these qualities, leading to self-identification without understanding the underlying cognitive functions. The rarity of the INFJ type can also make it appealing to identify with.
2. Misunderstanding of Cognitive Functions (The Core Reason): This is the biggest culprit. The J/P in an introverted type refers to their auxiliary (second) extraverted function, not their dominant one.
   • INFP Function Stack: Fi (Dominant) – Ne (Auxiliary)
     • Fi (Introverted Feeling – Dominant): INFPs lead with an internal, subjective value system. Their core is about personal authenticity, knowing their own feelings, morals, and what resonates deeply within them. They filter the world through their own unique sense of right and wrong, and what feels personally congruent.
     • Ne (Extraverted Intuition – Auxiliary): They use Ne to explore external possibilities, connections, and ideas. This makes them imaginative, curious, and often leads to “daydreaming” or brainstorming many different potential paths or scenarios.
   • INFJ Function Stack: Ni (Dominant) – Fe (Auxiliary)
     • Ni (Introverted Intuition – Dominant): INFJs lead with an internal, subconscious process of synthesizing information, forming patterns, and converging on singular insights or visions about the future. It’s often described as “just knowing” or seeing the underlying essence of things. This function is often more difficult to explain verbally than Ne.
     • Fe (Extraverted Feeling – Auxiliary): They use Fe to connect with the emotional atmosphere of groups, manage social dynamics, and strive for external harmony and consensus. They are highly attuned to other people’s feelings and collective values.
3. Specific Points of Confusion:
   • “Feeling” vs. “Empathy”: INFPs (Fi) are deeply empathetic because they can imagine themselves in others’ shoes and understand emotions based on their own internal values. INFJs (Fe) are empathetic because they absorb and resonate with others’ emotions, often feeling them as their own. An INFP might experience empathy strongly and thus assume they have Fe, mistaking their internal understanding for external absorption.
   • “Intuition” (Ne vs. Ni): Both types are intuitive. INFPs (Ne) are often seen as brainstorming many ideas, exploring broad possibilities, and being very imaginative. INFJs (Ni) are more focused on a singular, converging vision or insight, narrowing down possibilities to the truth or the path. An INFP’s imaginative daydreaming can easily be mistaken for an INFJ’s visionary Ni.
   • Judging (J) vs. Perceiving (P) in Introverts: This is a huge source of confusion. The J/P letter for introverts refers to their auxiliary function’s orientation to the outer world.
     • INFJs have Fe (Extraverted Judging), which means they prefer structure and closure in their outer world for decision-making related to people and harmony, hence the “J.”
     • INFPs have Ne (Extraverted Perceiving), which means they prefer openness and exploration in their outer world for gathering information and possibilities, hence the “P.” Many people assume “J” means organized and “P” means disorganized, but for introverts, it relates to how their secondary function interacts with the external world. An INFP might be internally decisive (Fi) but outwardly exploratory (Ne), leading to confusion.
   • Social Chameleon Aspect (Fe vs. Fi): INFJs (Fe) tend to be more adaptable in social settings, mirroring the emotional tone to maintain harmony, sometimes making them seem like social chameleons. INFPs (Fi) prioritize authenticity, so while they can be amiable, they are less likely to adjust their persona to fit in if it goes against their core values. An INFP who is good at social graces might mistakenly think they have Fe.
   • Idealism and “Saving the World”: Both types are highly idealistic. INFJs tend to have a clearer, singular vision for how to implement change and often feel a calling to directly advocate for human causes. INFPs are also passionate about causes, driven by their personal values, but their approach might be more individualistic, supportive, or creative, exploring many different ways to contribute. Both want to make the world better, but the how differs.

Ultimately, the confusion often comes from focusing on superficial behaviors and stereotypes rather than understanding the underlying cognitive processes. To truly differentiate, one needs to examine which functions are truly dominant and auxiliary: is it a strong internal value system paired with broad exploration (INFP), or a singular intuitive vision paired with a drive for external harmony (INFJ)?

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