INFP Empathy: How Well the INFP Empathizes With Others
When it comes to empathy it can be a difficult thing to teach, but not impossible for people to learn over time. Most of the time though, we have a natural sense of empathy or we do not. Empathy simply means having a strong understanding or natural grasp of the emotions and intentions of others. Being able to empathize means being able to fully step into someone else’s shoes and understand what they are going through, without having to experience it firsthand. Some people can be caring and sympathetic, but that does not mean they are good at empathizing, as this isn’t always an easy ability to manage or deal with,
Something which can often be misunderstood about INFPs, is that they are more likely to show sympathy towards people, as empathy isn’t necessarily as natural for them. While they do connect with others and in some instances are capable of empathy, it is only when their own moral code lines up with that of the person they are empathizing with. INFPs have such strong inner beliefs, and so it makes them hard to waver from them even for a moment. This is not a bad thing, as INFPs are still very caring and giving people who want to make a difference in the world around them. Being someone who has strong personal beliefs and morals, is what helps them navigate the world in their own direction.
INFP Empathy
When it comes to people INFPs care deeply about connecting with and understanding them. Sometimes there are assumptions that INFPs have a knack for empathy, but that isn’t necessarily the case. INFPs utilize introverted feeling, which causes them to feel deeply connected to their own inner emotions and morals. When the INFP is trying to show a sense of caring and comfort to others, it often comes from them relating it to their own feelings and experiences. This can be a helpful tool, but INFPs can really only show empathy when they connect with the morals and beliefs of someone. They are also likely to do this when they have experienced something similar in their lives, and so they are connecting it back to that personal experience. This doesn’t make them any less capable of showing their support, especially when the INFP wants to make someone feel safe and not judge them. They are great listeners, even if they don’t entirely agree with what someone is saying. When they know that person needs support and understanding, the INFP will try to listen without showing any judgement or expressing their own opinions in the process. When someone does ask for the INFPs help or thoughts, they are good at delivering them without being insensitive or hurtful. They simply do their best to give their own perspective in hopes of helping this person gain some sort of clarity.
This doesn’t mean INFPs cannot be empathetic in the right circumstances, it just means they are more prone to sympathy than empathy. They show that they care when someone is hurting and want to be there for them. This isn’t necessarily the INFP putting themselves in that person’s shoes in the same way you do when you totally empathize with someone. It is more about the INFP connecting with the sadness, and wanting to be there for someone who is struggling. It is about their own feelings and their own sense of morals, the fact that they believe in being a good person and in helping those around them.
INFP Moral Code
The INFPs sense of inner morals and beliefs are something which becomes a huge part of who they are. When the INFP becomes sure of their beliefs and what they feel inside, they don’t want to do anything which deviates from this. They stand by their sense of morals and don’t want other people to seek to change this about them. When they truly believe in something it is part of who they are, and INFPs can become angry when people try to challenge this. While they aren’t incapable of keeping an open-mind, when it comes to those morals they are unwavering. This is part of what makes it harder for them to empathize with people, especially people who do not share those same morals. INFPs aren’t likely to put themselves into the shoes of someone who has done something they deem wrong or immoral, since they don’t want to see themselves in that type of behavior. This does not mean they are incapable of forgiveness or of showing kindness to people who make mistakes, they just don’t empathize with their mistakes or their immoral behavior.
INFPs stand behind their beliefs and morals, striving to do what is right. They might make mistakes but even when they do, they feel it is wrong and seek to make amends if they can. INFPs can empathize better with people who they feel share a similar moral code, people who they feel do the right thing and aren’t immoral and uncaring. It is more about who they can connect with and understand from an internal point of view, as their own feelings are deeply important to them. INFPs care about people as a whole, but empathizing with those they don’t agree with just isn’t as natural or easy for most INFPs. This is what helps the INFP stand firm in their own beliefs, and not lose sight of who they are as an individual. They don’t want to place themselves into the shoes of someone they don’t agree with, or someone who goes against their own moral code. Instead they strive to stand firm and stand up for what they believe is right, which is part of what makes the INFP so capable of making a difference in the world. People cannot easily sway them or change their minds when the INFP stands for something truly sincere and good.
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