The ISFP personality type is truly an artist. They have highly developed senses and a good understanding of what needs to be done to create harmony in art. Similarly, they have a natural understanding of aestheticism and design. Combined with their willingness to experiment and explore, ISFPs create beautiful pieces of art. In the following, we’ll have a closer look at the ISFP personality type. This article will also highlight the unique character traits of ISFPs and how they differ from other personalities.
Did you know that your perception of the world around you is greatly determined by your personality? Similarly, your psychological preferences shape how you think, feel, and act.
“If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.”
J. R. R. Tolkien
By identifying someone’s personality type, you can gain valuable insights about them. Doing so allows you to better anticipate how this person is going to act in certain situations. It will also provide you a better understanding of this person in general. Even more so, understanding the underlying personality type helps you in identifying what motivates the other person.
Here’s everything you need to know about the ISFP personality type.
This understanding, however, is not limited to other people. In fact, identifying your own personality type will provide you many astonishing and surprising insights about yourself. At the same time, this helps you to better understand the factors that influence how you think and behave.
To identify someone’s personality type, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator can be applied. It is a classification of personalities that allows you to better differentiate different characters from each other.
Interestingly enough, the Type Indicator was originally designed as a guide for women that were entering the workforce. Over time, however, the personalities outlined in the Type Indicator gained significant popularity in other areas as well. As of today, the Type Indicator is one of the most widely used specifications of personality types.
In the following, we’ll have a closer look at the ISFP personality type, which is part of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
The ISFP Personality Type Analyzed
If you yourself know that you are an ISFP, there are many surprising insights into your personality in the following. Such knowledge will help you to better understand how your perception of the world and your actions are shaped by your personality.
At the same time, the following will prove to be quite beneficial if you regularly have to do with ISFPs. That’s because the following will help you to develop a better understanding of such individuals. It will also allow you to deal and interact with ISFPs more efficiently.
Table of contents
What is the meaning of ISFP?
ISFP personality traits
ISFP careers
ISFP relationships
Famous ISFPs
Let’s begin by having a look at what the acronym ISFP stands for. This is followed by a close analysis of the different personality traits of ISFPs.
What is the meaning of ISFP?
The acronym ISFP stands for Introversion, Sensing, Feeling, and Perception. This is based on an assessment of the psychological preferences of ISFPs in the following areas:
- How an individual gets energy (introversion or extroversion)
- How an individual takes in information (intuition or sensing)
- How an individual makes decisions (feeling or thinking)
- How an individual is oriented towards the external world (perception or judgment)
If you assess someone’s preferences in these four dimensions, you can quickly identify their personality type.
In the specific case of the ISFP personality type, the four terms refer to the following:
- I – Introversion: The ISFP personality type prefers introversion over extroversion. As such, they are quiet individuals that may often appear to others as being reserved. This is because social interactions deplete them. At the same time, spending time alone helps them to recharge their batteries.
- S – Sensing: ISFPs prefer concreteness over abstractness. This means that they are very attentive of all the details of something while they often dislike having to keep the big picture in mind.
- F – Feeling: When making decisions, ISFPs take subjective, personal, or social considerations into account. As such, they prefer these criteria over objective factors. Therefore, their decisions are not primarily based on logic.
- P – Perception: ISFPs prefer delaying important decisions until they really need to be finalized. Doing so allows them to remain flexible and to make adjustments when situations change.
Let’s have a closer look at the personality traits of ISFPs.
ISFP personality traits
In general, ISFPs make peaceful and caring individuals. They are firmly rooted in the present moment and seek to make the most of it. The ISFP personality type lives life according to their own terms and allows others to do the same. Whatever they occupy themselves with, ISFPs take their time and approach it at their preferred pace.
Many of them are highly sensitive artists who are actually quite reserved. This, however, does not have to be the case for all ISFPs. Still, the ISFP personality type is very introverted. As such, they are very quiet and not naturally outgoing. Still, ISFPs can be quite pleasant to be around with. That’s because they make exceptionally caring individuals who are greatly concerned about the well-being of those they love.
Usually, other people enjoy spending time with the ISFP personality type. One reason for this is that ISFPs are exceptionally kindhearted individuals. In fact, it is such a high level of kindness that only a few other personality types possess.
Never really having grown up, ISFPs are exceptionally well in tune with children. Similarly, they can easily resonate with other people. However, their sensitivity often leads them to pick up the – often unwanted – sadness or pain of other individuals.
Interestingly enough, ISFPs are quite impulsive. This is even more surprising when considering that they are introverted individuals. As such, they spend a lot of time alone, creating magnificent pieces of art. Still, they do not think twice about their actions. Instead, they prefer to take immediate action based on the impulses they have. Therefore, ISFPs dislike planning. That’s because they feel that it restricts them in their creative processes.
No matter if ISFPs paint or compose, sing or dance, they will often lose themselves in the magnificent art forms of their creation. As such, they are fully immersed in their creation and take little note of those around them.
Another characteristic of ISFPs is that they use art to express themselves. Therefore, they shy away from expressing their feelings, thoughts, or emotions in a verbal manner. Instead, they communicate through the pieces of art they create.
ISFP careers
There are many career choices that are ideal for ISFP personality types. In general, professions that allow them to – creatively – express themselves are exceptionally well suited for ISFPs. At the same time, they enjoy becoming physically involved with what they do. As such, they have a hands-on mentality. This is also the reason why ISFPs prefer professions where their work results in tangible results.
The ideal profession for ISFPs involves creative expression and allows them to get in touch with the results of their hard work. Some excellent career paths for ISFPs include:
- Designer
- Florist
- Fashion designer
- Artist
- Cosmetologist
- Interior designer
- Landscape architect
- Jeweler
- Chef
- Graphic designer
- Gardner
In general, career paths that require the ISFP personality type to become a leader of large groups are not particularly suitable. Similarly, professions that require a lot of verbal communication may not be fulfilling to ISFPs.
ISFP relationships
In general, ISFPs are very kind, warmhearted, and patient people. The ISFP personality type is naturally reserved but very gentle to others. Similarly, they can be trusted and are exceptionally committed. The ISFP personality type also seeks to establish long-term relationships. This makes them highly loyal friends and partners.
At the same time, ISFPs are reserved and do not often voice how they truly feel. Similarly, they shy away from directly expressing their opinions. As a result, many ISFPs feel overlooked by others. Similarly, they may also feel pushed around by the circumstances of life.
Usually, however, ISFPs are warm individuals with a positive outlook on life. They may have very intense feelings for those they truly love. At the same time, they may not always express this deep affection verbally. Instead, they may prefer to show it through their behavior and acts of kindness.
ISFPs as partners
The ISFP personality type makes a warm, sensitive, but also an intense partner. They have a giving nature and are very likely to feel a high level of affection for their mate. ISFPs also care greatly about their significant other. This, however, may not always be apparent to everyone. This is because ISFPs make partners that do not often express their affection verbally. For this reason, only those that are closest to them may truly understand how deep their level of love and affection really is.
What is unusual about the ISFP personality type is that they are highly committed and loyal partners. This is so unusual because normally, Sensing and Perceiving personality types dislike making commitments. Luckily for their partners, ISFPs seek to establish and maintain lifelong relationships.
Problems with the ISFP personality type may arise because of communication problems. This is because ISFPs have great difficulties in expressing how they feel and what they think. It is not unusual that ISFPs don’t tell their partners about their feelings and emotions. As a result of this holding back, their partners may be totally unaware of relationship problems that trouble the ISFP.
When it comes to conflicts and arguments, it is very likely that ISFPs will try to avoid them as best as possible. In general, they do not like conflicts and other disharmonious situations. However, if conflicts arise, ISFPs will almost always suffer from it. Similarly, they may take the criticism expressed in these situations personally.
ISFPs as parents
Never really having fully grown up, ISFPs are perfectly in tune with children. As such, they make good parents that take their responsibilities serious. Even more so, they absolutely enjoy parenthood. ISFPs love playing with their children. In these moments, the ISFP personality type can feel and act like a kid again, which they tremendously enjoy.
ISFPs make laid-back and flexible parents. They are not at all demanding of their children. As such, they do not force them to fulfill challenging expectations as many other parents may do. Similarly, ISFPs will respect their children’s wishes. Therefore, they give them the necessary freedom to freely express themselves. At the same time, ISFPs may act as guides that help their children in finding the path that is right for them.
On the downside, however, ISFPs dislike having conflicts with their children. For this reason, they will absolutely dislike having to discipline their children. Similarly, ISFPs dislike control and structure. For this reason, it is unlikely that they create a structured and ordered environment that young children need so much. Therefore, the ISFP greatly relies on their partner to provide such a disciplined environment for their kids.
ISFPs as friends
Usually, ISFPs are very reserved around people they either don’t know yet or don’t fully trust. For this reason, only their closest friends will be allowed to see who they really are. At the same time, ISFPs usually have no problem in dealing with other personality types. This is because they are very tolerant of other people and of differing opinions. However, they may dislike those who do not respect their private space. The same holds true for personality types that have a high preference for Judging. This is especially the case when such personality types aggressively attack the ISFP personality for their individuality and uniqueness.
Famous ISFPs
There are numerous notable and famous individuals that express the characteristics of ISFPs. These famous ISFPs include:
- Michael Jackson
- Kevin Costner
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- John Travolta
- Ulysses S. Grant
- Prince
- Bob Dylan
- Jimi Hendrix
- David Bowie
- Brad Pitt
- Justin Timberlake
- Princess Diana
- David Beckham
- Drew Barrymore
I hope you enjoyed this analysis of the ISFP personality type. What are your experiences in dealing with people of this character type?
Find out more about the other personality types: 16 Personalities of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator.
Stay victorious!
