 Hey there Psych2Goers, welcome back to another video. Thank you so much for all the love and support that you've given us. Our mission is to make psychology more accessible to everyone. We'd also like to inform you that the Myers-Briggs type indicator is not a strict set of rules but rather a general framework that can help guide you to understanding your personality better. If you would like a proper MBTI evaluation, visit a licensed professional to help you understand yourself better. With that said, let's begin. Have you ever stumbled across the acronyms INTP on the internet? How about INFP? For those unfamiliar, these acronyms are two of the 16 MBTI types, also known as the Myers-Briggs type indicators. Catherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers built this on the psychiatrist Carl Jung's cognitive process theory, where he states that all people have dominant functions that are based on four categories, and there the MBTI personality types came to life. These categories are introversion, extroversion, sensing intuition, thinking, feeling, and judging perceiving. The combinations INTP and INFP are among the rarest out there, making up roughly around 3 and 5% of the population respectively. They are idealistic, creative, and curious people with a knack for using their intelligence for things that interest them. They may also be private, rebellious, and can come across as distant. Does this sound like you? If you ever wondered whether you are an INFP or INTP, we will share with you five key differences to help you tell these two types apart. 1. Inquisitive vs. Artistic One of the differences between these two types is how they spend their time. INTPs are analytic people that often find themselves involved in activities that are mentally stimulating. Books, strategic board games, and puzzles are some of the activities that excite an INTP. And it provides them with a challenge that is both safe and gratifying. They enjoy learning new and quirky things and can spend hours absorbed in random topics – think philosophy or astronomy. INFPs, on the other hand, are creative souls that love adding their personalized flair to the things they do. They crave authenticity and sincerity and working a desk job that they don't find valuing is bound to burn out an INFP fast. Instead, INFPs tend to be drawn towards the arts, poetry, and music, as these are avenues for them to express their unparalleled and abundant creativity. Many gifted musicians and authors are INFPs. For instance, these include people like William Shakespeare and Tom York. 2. Contemplated vs. Value Driven Another difference between the two lies in how they make decisions. INFPs make decisions by looking at all angles, figuring out recurring patterns or making predictions and then choosing a final decision. It's not that cut and dry, however. Sometimes INFPs become too indecisive and fall into analysis paralysis, causing them to withdraw from the real world to ponder things over. But for the most part, INFPs enjoy serious, back-and-forth discussions with people who are as open and sharp-witted as they are. Sometimes INFPs even do this alone, taking the role of both perspectives and pitting different ideas against each other for fun. Being the gentle and soft-hearted souls that they are, INFPs make decisions that run on their own deeply personal values. This set of values are uncompromising and act as the steering wheel on how the INFP mind operates. INFPs are more likely to ask the question, what is the right thing to do? As opposed to, how to do this the right way? They consider the humanity of the experience as a whole rather than the objectively ideal decision, making for a very inviting and pleasant company. 3. Argumentative vs. Unity Do you stay calm and collected in the face of a debate? Or can you not help but feel emotionally perturbed with just the slightest disagreement? INFPs may not be the most tactful people around, and for many of them, tact is secondary to getting their point across during back-and-forth conversations. They are blunt with their words, and also adept at separating the thought and the person when in discourse. Despite their cold demeanor, INFPs rarely ever mean to hurt the emotions of others. However, their bluntness can oftentimes be poorly perceived by feeling types as rudeness, leaving the two sides feeling misunderstood. INFPs tend to be conflicted-verse and find more enjoyment in sharing fun and light-hearted stories with friends rather than debating with them. If an INFP's core value is questioned and criticized by someone, they tend to clam up or become upset by the altercation. However, if someone goes a bit too far, an INFP is more than capable of lashing out towards the aggressor, which could surprise even an INFP's closest friends. 4. Internal vs. External Control of Emotions Do you ponder over your own emotions? Or are you more like a sponge, taking in the emotions of the people around you? Or neither? For some INFPs, they may approach the emotions as a problem to fix rather than emotional support. Having a low emotional threshold is different from avoiding and rationalizing with emotions altogether, which according to research at Boston University can cause many psychological problems. Healthy INFPs, on the other hand, are very much aware of the emotions of others. They are like sponges, although they may not be the most charismatic types out there, like ESFJ or ENFJ. Their caring and sweet side does come out when someone close to them feels down. The harmony of everyone else is what brings the INFP inner harmony. For INFPs, rather than being a sponge for emotions, they are more like a running sink. They are highly reflective people with a sense of value that is directed from within rather than shaped by their immediate environment. They always reevaluate their thoughts and feelings, thinking in terms of good and bad. Oftentimes, INFPs need to spend some time alone after social occasions to recharge and get in touch with their inner self again. Since they are incredibly independent when it comes to judging what's right from wrong, this makes them ideal partners for empaths, like the ENFJ or INFJ personality types. 5. Internal vs. External Control Over Their Thoughts The last thing that separates these two is how they organize their thoughts. An INTP prefers independent and intuitive contemplation rather than relying on instruction manuals or charts. This makes them highly intuitive and independent thinkers that can recognize inconsistencies from a different angle. Inventors like Albert Einstein and Charles Darwin are popular INTPs that did exactly that, bringing forth new inventions drawn from their own conclusions. An INTP is a natural when it comes to coming up with new and creative solutions, making them great people that can help brainstorm fresh perspectives. When an INFP is in full focus mode or find personal value in their task, they can be very organized and structured. Journaling for example is one way for INFPs to express themselves while maintaining a sense of order. A healthy INFP is more than capable of using a structured and predictable set of rules to get the job done. But as it is not usually their strongest suit, they can tire out easily afterward. An INFP is a feeler first and foremost, so they would usually evaluate their values and principles in connection with the tables and charts, making sure that there is an underlying meaning in the things that they do. So, which one of these two types do you think most resonates with you? Do you have traits from both sides? Let us know in the comments below. Also remember to like and share this video with those who might benefit from it. And as always, thanks for watching. See you next time!