How Each Myers-Briggs Type Processes Their Own Emotions, As Well As the Emotions of Others
Everyone processes emotions differently, needing their own way of coping. Some people are very open about their emotions, while others struggle with it. Here is how each personality type handles their own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.
INFJ
The Emotions of Others:
INFJs have a strong sense of other people’s emotions, which can often lead them to neglect their own. They often can understand the emotions of other people extremely well. They have a natural ability to sense the emotions of the people around them, often well before those people can. INFJs are skilled at picking up on the tiniest changes in people’s moods, making them capable of knowing when something is wrong. They have a gift for deconstruction how others are feeling, in a way that is helpful and understanding. INFJs often make excellent therapists, as long as they are capable of separating their professional and personal lives well. They are great listeners who are very good at being supportive and understanding towards people. They are often able to handle the intense emotions of others without becoming annoyed or frustrated.
Their Own Emotions:
INFJs who haven’t attempted to explore their own emotions, may struggle with being in touch with them. They have to actively spend time sorting out their feelings to fully understand them. Sometimes writing out their thoughts and feelings is an excellent way for the INFJ to come to a deeper understanding of what is going on. Often the INFJ can push past their own feelings, assuming that other people have it worse and they should be more focused on that. The most important thing is for the INFJ to fully accept their emotions, so that they can focus on them. They may go back and forth from spending time focusing on themselves, to spending too much time focusing on others. When the INFJ consciously takes the time to understand their own emotions, they are often capable of figuring out what is going on.
ENFJ
The Emotions of Others:
One of the biggest natural skills of the ENFJ, is their ability to understand other people’s emotions. They are amazing at reading people, even when those people are attempting to hide their feelings. ENFJs are almost like a lightning rod for the emotions of others, making it hard for them to ignore them. They make for excellent therapists, focusing most of their energy on helping people. They love being able to be a support system for others, enjoying the chance to hear people talk about their feelings. ENFJs often become the friend that everyone comes to when they need a supportive person to listen to them vent. The ENFJ will never turn people away when they need to talk, or be comforted. The emotions of others is something that the ENFJ focuses most of their life on. They understand people and want to strive to make them happy.
Their Own Emotions:
Because the ENFJ is incredible at reading the emotions of others, they often fail to spend enough understanding their own feelings. The ENFJ often does not prioritize themselves, spending most of their energy on others. They may find that they bury their feelings in an attempt to remain a rock for the people around them. ENFJs do not want to be seen as incapable, so they often avoid falling apart emotionally, even if they need to. ENFJs may not even realize when they are upset about something because they spend so much time avoiding how they feel. They are very caring individuals who would much rather focus their energy on others. Eventually though, the ENFJ has to come to terms with what they are feeling or else they become frustrated. ENFJs process their feelings best when they are able to talk them about with someone that they trust. When they are allowed to express themselves without feeling judged they will be able to figure out what they are feeling.
INFP
The Emotions of Others:
INFPs often use their own internal emotions to connect with others. They can often look at people and understand what they are going through by filtering that through their own personal experiences. This makes them capable of deeply connecting with people and developing a strong understanding of their feelings. INFPs love being able to connect and feel close to others and will work to do this. They are deeply caring and feeling individuals, who strive to feel close to others. They are mostly drawn to people who they feel connected to on a deeper level. When they feel like they can understand people and relate to them, the INFP is instantly drawn to them. They are patient and often willing to hear people talk about their feelings for long amounts of time. Emotion does not scare the INFP or make them feel uncomfortable at all.
Their Own Emotions:
INFPs are often very good at figuring out and processing their own emotions. They have to do this processing internally, and feel their emotions from a very deep and introspective place. INFPs often need time alone to sort through and open themselves up to their internal emotions. They feel strongly connected to others, through their own sense of emotions. INFPs are often incapable of ignoring their emotions, even if they want to. They feel things on an extremely deep and real level that is often challenging for others to fully understand or appreciate. INFPs take these emotions very seriously, finding that it is important to process them to truly be themselves. This does not make the INFP unstable or overly emotional, it simply makes them strong and capable of overcoming many things.
ENFP
The Emotions of Others:
ENFPs are often very understanding and sensitive individuals. They are willing to listen to people expressing their feelings and often do not become uncomfortable by this. ENFPs are warm and supportive people, who love connecting with others. They want to feel real and intense connections with people, which often makes for emotional, deep conversations. They enjoy hearing about people’s hopes and dreams, everything that they feel and desire. ENFPs feel comfortable when people are reaching them on a deeper level, instead of dancing around the truth. Listening to people discuss their emotions is something that the ENFP enjoys. They are skilled at understanding the motives of others, often using their own experiences to figure people out. Although the ENFP is good at connecting with others, sometimes their own emotions can cloud their judgement of people.
Their Own Emotions:
ENFPs are very in touch with their own internal emotions. They are passionate and sensitive people, who feel things very deeply. They aren’t much for shallow interactions, striving to understand themselves on a very real level. When the ENFP is able to understand themselves, they are truly and completely happy. Although they are extroverts- making them very outwardly focused- the ENFP still spends a lot of time introspecting. They enjoy diving into their own emotions, figuring out why they feel the way that they do. ENFPs are not fearful of emotions, fully understanding that they are an important part of living life to the fullest. They enjoy being able to fully accept their own feelings, striving to understand and relish in them. ENFPs are strongly drive by their emotions, wanting to explore the world around them in an enthusiastic way. They often enjoy breaking things down, working to achieve a deeper understanding and connection with everything.
INTJ
The Emotions of Others:
INTJs do not have a strong connection to the emotions of others. They are extremely logic driven, often struggling to understand what others are feeling. INTJs often attempt to apply logic to people’s actions, struggling when people are strongly emotion based. They focus more on understanding motives and actions, which they are very good at. INTJs may become uncomfortable and unsure of how to react to someone who is overly emotional. They do realize that people have emotions, accepting that they are a very real part of life. They would much prefer when people clearly and directly tell the INTJ what they are feeling, instead of attempting to force the INTJ to figure it out. INTJs may become frustrated with people who cannot seem to keep control of their own emotions. The INTJ may understand that emotions are a present part of life, they just don’t apply as much importance to them as some people.
Their Own Emotions:
INTJs are not excellent at understanding their own emotions, but they are not as terrible at it as people may think. The INTJ prefers to apply logical understanding to situations, wanting to figure out motivations behind things. They often do not find their emotions to be very important and would prefer to come to a logical conclusion about their feelings. Pushing these emotions aside sometimes causes the INTJ to hold grudges longer than they should, or become frustrated with people. They feel emotions just like everyone else, they just find that constantly expressing them is pointless. INTJs that take the time to process their emotions and come to a clear understanding of them, are often very stable and understanding individuals.
ENTJ
The Emotions of Others:
ENTJs often have a very hard time understanding the emotions of others. They may become uncomfortable and not know how to react when someone is upset. They prefer when people are capable of keeping their feelings to themselves, and become confused by people who are outwardly emotional. When people constantly have to express their emotions towards the ENTJ, they may become very annoyed. It is not that they do not care, they just don’t see the point of constantly being outwardly emotionally expressive. They also often do not know how they should react, especially when someone is being irrationally emotional. They don’t want to be insensitive at all, they just don’t have a strong connection to emotions. They are loyal and dependable people, but prefer to express things in a logical way.
Their Own Emotions:
Although ENTJs feel emotions just like everyone else, they struggle with accepting them. They often feel things more deeply than people realize, but these feelings are extremely internal and challenging for the ENTJ to grasp. They prefer to apply logic and strategy to their life decisions, often being strongly averse to emotional choices. They want to be able to make choices that are intelligent and well thought out, preferring not to allow feelings to get in the way. ENTJs are often very loyal individuals, and want to be around people. They enjoy making connections with others, they just struggle with openly expressing this. ENTJs emotions may come out in short bursts when they least expect it, but are quickly pushed back down. When they feel comfortable with someone, they may be more capable of accepting their own emotions over time. It often takes someone else helping them to fully understand what they are feeling.
INTP
The Emotions of Others:
INTPs are logic based individuals, enjoying to focus on a deeper understanding of everything. They strive to understand the motives of people, often making them very good at knowing who they can trust. Although INTPs often understand people’s actions and motives, they struggle with understanding emotions. When people express feelings it may make the INTP feel uncomfortable and unsure how to react. They often have a deep sense of caring, making them feel awkward about how to navigate situations where people are upset. Too much emotional expression from people will often cause the INTP to feel very drained. They will often attempt to listen, but become frustrated when they do not know exactly how to respond. Attempting to constantly apply logic to emotions can cause the INTP to become frustrated with themselves and others. When someone is upset the INTP may try to help by figuring out a logical solution, which can sometimes bother others.
Their Own Emotions:
INTPs struggle even more with understanding their own emotions. They very strongly attempt to apply a logical reasoning behind their feelings, which can be difficult. When the INTP cannot seem to reason away their emotions, they find themselves attempting to ignore them completely. They do not want to be seen as emotional, often not wanting to feel people’s judgement. They do feel emotions on a very real and deep level, which can make them even more anxious about them. They want to be able to understand themselves, which can be a struggle when their emotions do not seem completely logical. INTPs do best when they are capable of processing how they are feeling in their own time. When people attempt to force the INTP to express emotion it can become extremely frustrating for them. They want to be able to express these emotions in a safe and patient environment. It may take them some time but eventually they are very capable of figuring out what is going on with their emotions.
ENTP
The Emotions of Others:
ENTPs are often very open and fun individuals, but they aren’t extremely skilled at accepting people’s emotions. The ENTP may not always react well when people are being emotional, resorting to humor to lighten the situation. Although ENTPs don’t find themselves especially enthused when people are emotional, they are not terrible at understanding those emotions. ENTPs are very charismatic individuals, often capable of appealing to the emotions of others. They are good at reading people and figuring out their motives or underlying feelings in a situation. These emotions aren’t the most comfortable place for the ENTP, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t skilled at figuring them out. They are often good at observing people, finding ways to bend a situation however they please. ENTPs often have a way of convincing people of things, without those people even realizing it.
Their Own Emotions:
ENTPs aren’t the most emotionally driven people, and often do not pay much attention to their own internal feelings. They often resort to humor or playfulness as a way of ignoring how they are feeling. They would much prefer to explore new situations in a logical way, than to be bogged down by emotions. The ENTP may feel stifled when they are feeling too emotional about a situation. Instead of facing these emotions or attempting to understand them, the ENTP will often ignore them completely. When they are around people who are understanding and call them out on their avoidance, the ENTP may be more capable of coming to terms with what they are feeling.
ISTJ
The Emotions of Others:
ISTJs are extremely loyal and dutiful people, but are not very in touch with the emotional needs of others. They strive to provide for people and fit into their important role in society. They place more importance on providing the physical and daily needs that people have, than they do on emotional needs. The ISTJ will always be sure to provide their loved ones with anything they could need, working hard to make the money to do so. The ISTJ simply struggles with connecting to the emotions of others. They often find outward expressions of emotions silly and confusing. They do not see a serious or practical purpose for these feelings, and would much prefer that people keep them inside. It is not that they do not care, they just struggle with understanding emotions and their importance.
Their Own Emotions:
ISTJs are extremely internal and private individuals. They often prefer to keep their emotions to themselves, rather than openly express them to others. They may not express their emotions constantly, but they do feel them very strongly. They are deeply caring and considerate individuals, who want to make sure others are taken care of. They just do not place strong importance on emotional understanding. They would much rather keep their feelings to themselves, and process them over time. Being forced to express what they are feeling is very bothersome to the ISTJ. If they are allowed space they will be capable of pushing through their emotions. When they are around people who will be patient and open, the ISTJ is more capable of allowing themselves to get in touch with their internal emotions.
ESTJ
The Emotions of Others:
ESTJs are extremely practical and driven individuals. They strive to make sure that the daily needs of their loved ones are met, and find this very important. They want to be a reliable and trustworthy person, but do not place a strong importance on emotions. They often become uncomfortable and do not know how to react when people are overly emotional. People who outwardly express intense emotions may confuse and frustrate the ESTJ. They want to be supportive, but become uncomfortable when people are too emotional. They would much rather for their loved ones to tell them their practical needs. The ESTJ is happy to accommodate those needs, but do not know how to fix an emotional problem. They become frustrated because they cannot see the practical ways to help someone when they are upset.
Their Own Emotions:
ESTJs do not have a strong understanding to their own internal emotions. They may feel like their emotions will only get in the way of what needs to be done. They want to be able to be in control of their environment and emotions are often a very hard thing to control. Because of this the ESTJ may fail to accept the presence of their own emotions. They attempt to be seen as strong and impervious to becoming upset. Eventually though this wall will come crashing done, because the ESTJ does in fact feel things very deeply. They care about the people around them, simply wanting to be a reliable source of strength. ESTJs often do not want to be seen as weak or incapable, so they will push past whatever upsetting feelings that they have. When the ESTJ is around someone who will completely accept them, they may be more willing to let these emotions show. If they feel judged however, the ESTJ will close up completely.
ISFJ
The Emotions of Others:
ISFJs are very connected to the emotional needs of others. They strive to understand what people want, and work to provide that for them. They want to make people happy, desiring to be able to provide emotional support and comfort. ISFJs enjoy having a harmonious environment, where their loved ones feel safe and completely appreciated. They are very aware of the emotions of others, wanting desperately to fix whatever may be ailing them. ISFJs are deeply caring and giving individuals, spending most of their energy providing for the emotional needs of others. The ISFJ is always willing to hear people out, wanting to be supportive and understanding no matter what the circumstance is. People are very important to the ISFJ, they often find themselves tending to the feelings of others well before they will take care of their own needs.
Their Own Emotions:
ISFJs often spend their energy so focused on the emotions of others, that they may ignore their own. They often do not want to be seen as burden, striving to keep harmony in their environment. Expressing their own feelings may disrupt this harmony, which is not something that the ISFJ is willing to do. ISFJs do best when they are allowed to have enough time and space to process what they are feeling. They need to actively attempt to figure out their own internal emotions, because this does not come naturally for them. ISFJs are deeply caring, wanting to be able to connect to those around them. They may mirror the emotions of others, finding that easier to connect with. ISFJs need to take the time to figure out their feelings, or else they will become frustrated. Focusing on others constantly is something that causes them to forget about themselves, which can be problematic. An ISFJ will often do best connecting one-on-one with someone who can pull out their emotions in a comfortable way.
ESFJ
The Emotions of Others:
ESFJs are acutely aware of the emotions of other people. They often are capable of sensing when people are upset, even before those people can. They are very conscious of how their actions will emotionally affect people, striving to make sure they do not hurt others. ESFJs care very much about the feelings of the people around them, constantly striving to make sure that they are happy. ESFJs main goal is to serve, wanting to make their loved ones as happy as possible. ESFJs often make very good therapists, since they are completely at ease listening to people talk about their feelings. They are warm and welcoming, wanting to be a support system for their loved ones. The ESFJ does not become uncomfortable when people are discussing their problems and can handle intense emotional reactions from people very well. They are capable of being patient, never turning people away who need their help or support.
Their Own Emotions:
Because ESFJs are very conscious of the emotions of others, they often struggle with understanding their own emotions. ESFJs may ignore their feelings in an attempt to help others. They fear that if they are not the strong support system, other people will not be able to confide in them. They do not find their own emotional needs as vital as the needs of the people they love. The ESFJ often pushes aside their feelings, making them struggle with understanding them later on in life. They may develop patterns of seeking out ways to assist others, instead of assisting themselves. ESFJs are extremely giving and caring people, but they need to realize the importance of their own needs. When the ESFJ is able to find someone to open up to fully, this is something they need to hold onto. Finding someone who allows them to open up is important for the ESFJ, or else they will soon become burnt out.
ISTP
The Emotions of Others:
ISTPs favor logic and often do not place important on emotions. They may become uncomfortable with people who are incapable of controlling their emotions. ISTPs are very good at controlling what they are feeling, finding it annoying when other people cannot do this. They realize that people have feelings, but do not find it important to constantly express them. They do not easily understand the emotions of others, which may make them dismissive to them. They often want to apply logical reasoning to everything, finding it important to understand why things are the way they are. Emotions are not always easy to find logical reasoning for, which can frustrate the ISTP. They are not uncaring individuals, but do not like being bombarded by people’s feelings.
Their Own Emotions:
ISTPs do not have a strong capacity for understanding their own emotions. They much prefer logic, wanting to understand the world around them. They are very internal thinkers, making them very skilled at applying factual and logical answers to things. If they are given the space to do so, the ISTP will often work to understand why they feel a certain way, coming to logical conclusions to their emotions. ISTPs need space to be able to understand themselves, becoming uncomfortable with people who attempt to force an emotional reaction out of them. The ISTPs do not enjoy when others try to make them express themselves, making them often very annoyed with invasive individuals. ISTPs do best when they are allowed to figure things out own their own, needing time and space to do so.
ESTP
The Emotions of Others:
ESTPs are not entirely comfortable with people who constantly express emotions. They dislike needy and demanding people, often feeling stifled by them. When people attempt to shower the ESTP with emotion, they often become dismissive and avoidant. They will want to get away from people who are this way, preferring to be around others who are more capable of controlling their emotions. Although ESTPs do not enjoy openly emotional people, they are not at all bad at understanding emotions. They are often good at reading people and figuring out what they are feeling. The ESTP make excellent salespeople, because they are able to appeal to the emotions of others. They are charismatic and skilled at working around what other people are feeling, eliciting the response that they desire.
Their Own Emotions:
ESTPs often struggle with understanding their own emotions. They would much prefer finding things to keep them distracted, instead of accepting what they are feeling. ESTPs often use the presence of others, or seek out new thrills as a way to ignore their own emotions. They often have a hard time accepting what they are feeling, and would prefer to be able to make logical sense of things. ESTPs thrive of excitement and understanding, wanting to be open to the world around them. Emotions sometimes make the ESTP feel like they are being held back and stifled, making them prefer logical conclusions over feelings.
ISFP
The Emotions of Others:
ISFPs are sensitive and caring individuals, who strive to make connections with people. They want to be open and understanding to the feelings of others. They often use their own internal emotions to connect with the feelings of the people around them. They find themselves more capable of connecting with people who they understand deeply. ISFPs are very observant individuals, capable of reading people very well. They may not have a strong sense of other people’s emotions, but are very good at being supportive and understanding. They are always willing to lend and ear to those that they love. They will never judge the people they are close, making them excellent listeners. The ISFP is very good at patiently listening to people open up about their feelings, enjoying the chance to understand them better.
Their Own Emotions:
ISFPs feel their emotions in a very deep and real way. They have a strong sense of internal emotions, which they spend a lot of time working through. They often have a hard time disconnecting from their surroundings and their emotions. The ISFP does not do well if they attempt to ignore their feelings, finding that they are incapable of doing so. They have a strong connection to their internal emotions, which is often what makes them very caring and loving individuals. They understand what it is like to be overwhelmed by emotions, because of this they are very understanding towards others. ISFPs have very powerful emotions, finding connections to the world around them in an intense way. They are extremely aware and observant individuals, with a strong capacity for emotion.
ESFP
The Emotions of Others:
ESFPs are very caring and affectionate people, who are very comfortable with emotions. They may struggle with people who are emotionally demanding, since they do not understand the emotions of others easily. They are very caring and open people, who want to be supportive of those around them. They enjoy doing things that make people happy, but will become frustrated if they cannot easily do so. People who seem to be having a hard time with their emotions, sometimes upset the ESFP. They want life to be a positive and enjoyable experience and hate dwelling on the negatives. ESFPs have a hard time with people who they cannot connect with on a personal level. They need to be able to use their own emotions to understand the emotions of others. They are very good at observing the actions of others as a way to understand them.
Their Own Emotions:
ESFPs have intense inner emotions, which often rules their judgments. They are very observant people, who enjoy taking in their surroundings. They enjoy being able to express themselves openly, struggling in an environment where they cannot do so. They hate being stifled and need to be able to express themselves to others. They do best when they are around warm and understanding people who love and appreciate them. When they are allowed to openly express their feelings the ESFP can often go on for hours talking. They are social and exciting individuals, who honestly just want to enjoy life.
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