Life

If You're One Of These Myers-Briggs Types, You're Especially Empathetic

by Crystal Duan

The Myers-Briggs personality test is currently blowing up the Internet. If you never had to sit through an entire high school psychology class on the test, it's an inventory that was pioneered by Isabel Myers and Katharine Briggs in 1944, based on psychologist Carl Jung's theory of cognitive functions. It divides people into 16 groups with four letters each. Your result will classify you as an "E" extrovert or "I" introvert, "N"intuitive or "S" sensor, "F" feeler or "T" thinker, and "P" perceiver or "J" judger.

Out of the 16, there are certain Myers-Briggs types that are the most empathetic. Many of the "Fs" (people who test as an xxFx) are generally stereotyped as the most conventionally caring. It is true — having so many emotions yourself does make you empathetic — but this isn't saying that not all types can be empathetic. It's a stereotype to say thinkers aren't when we all have it in us to choose our feeling and logic any time.

Never fear if you worry you're an ISTJ or an ENTP — you are able to understand others' experiences too, just in a different way than a lot of the F types. Read on to find out more:

ESFJ

You're hospitable AF. You're an attentive listener and your introverted sensing means you're attentive to others' needs. Others need that sort of warmth and staying power around; but if your instinct is always to put friends first because you love them, make sure you're checking in with your own feelings, too!

ENFJ

Your keen intuition means you can relate to how someone's feeling the instant they explain it to you. You're not very nitpick-y about your friend groups, which is openminded and good. Your warmth also speaks to them because you're just a legitimately kind person. You'll give someone a hug if they need it and just make it clear you're open to listening.

...Now apply that to nitpicking yourself, and you'll be much better off in your relationship with yourself.

ISFJ

You share experiences you've had too due to your strong introverted sensing. As a natural nostalgic, you're one of those people who can universally relate similar sorts of happenings because you have it with you at all times. And if you can't automatically understand, you always have a back pocket of other small talk topics to help out!

INFP

You guys can literally imagine yourself in anyone's shoes. An INFP is powerful because they see the world with their introverted sensing, but then use intuition to mind beam their way into someone's heart by simply observing how they carry themselves. Amazing.

INFJ

Your compassion for accepting how different everyone is is unmatched. You can see what someone's life direction has been up until now, and you are good at seeing how it fits into the collective. Perhaps others, upon you cheering them up, have felt that they have a place in this world thanks to you.

The five above are the most conventionally empathetic MBTI types, aka the "feelers" most sensitive to group dynamics in their functional stack. But that is is not to say the other types aren't empathetic. Read on to find out how you may relate to others:

ENFP

Your ability to cheer anyone up by reminding them how special they are is unparalleled. Legitimate curiosity on your part has others clamoring for the validation people always felt they deserved but never asked for. ENFPs can be very powerful when it comes to fearlessness in social situations. You're good at looking out for the underdog.

ISFP

You'll be blunt about the truth, believe it or not. You may usually be a total sweetie, but if someone's down on themselves when they need to see how beautiful they are, you aren't going to tiptoe around their feelings. You're going to be firm about your belief they should believe in themselves. And it's going to work, because you're always so darn heartfelt that it is inspiring.

ESFP

You show your compassion by trying your best to make light of someone's situation. You're never insensitive about it, but you'll try to make them laugh as hard as you can because you love them enough to know a little comedy in a hard situation will get them far. You've been there, done that — now you want to help everyone else with that!

ENTP

You'll always respect when someone's going through a hard time and give them the appropriate space they may need (if they ask properly for it, of course). You'll awkwardly try to make sure they're doing okay whenever you do check in, too. Your intuition will always help guide you in understanding what's on their mind, and you'll do your best (keyword: your best, because you're a perfectionist and you want it to be 100 percent the best) to help them ease the pain.

INTP

You make extra sure to be peppy to help someone remember they are loved! Your introverted thinking is high up so your feeling is lower down — but you do still react to it. If someone's feeling bad, you feel it's your responsibility to make sure they feel good. Remember that sometimes your presence being enough and shining how much you want to see them will do the trick.

ESTP

You let someone know you're there with them, and help them get not just emotionally in sync with themselves, but physically — whether that means literally taking them to a punching bag in a gym if they need to air something out, or going on a walk to vent. In any case, you help them get the feeling out of their system in a way they might not have thought of themselves.

ISTP

You want to help in any way you can and will not stop until you have done it. You offer all sorts of solutions — any you can think of — because you're very tuned into other people's emotions, and can even be overly empathetic if you're not careful. But it's all because of your very, very kind nature.

ENTJ

You'll volunteer to do favors for absolutely no reason and bend over backwards if you see someone feeling bad. You'll feel the person's pain as if you were in their shoes, and feel just as helpless to change the circumstances or feeling you are stuck in. You'll move hell and high water for your loved ones to clumsily provide for their needs.

ISTJ

You let people come to you after letting them know you care. But in the meantime, you won't rest: you will also be researching their specific issue and how to help with it. You can be so empathetic sometimes it feels like you might burst, and you'll tirelessly find a way to help your loved ones out. Even if your labors don't yield fruits, be sure to let them know you're thinking of and trying to help them — even just knowing someone's in their corner will put them at ease.

INTJ

Your empathic strength lies in helping people analyze their problems. Chances are, if they're upset and in need of help, they need to straighten out how they see the situation. You'll ask questions, muse about the facts, and then come to a conclusion they can accept or not accept. Sometimes it's a little harsh, but in the long run, it also always helps. Plus, you have such good intentions!

ESTJ

You're the person responsible for organizing a night out when your friends need it most. Funny enough, your party side comes out in the sensory world a lot when you sense someone needs a distraction. You'll buy their drinks, hail the Uber, and throw sympathetic glances their way if they need a shoulder to cry on. Your empathic strength is making sure that everyone feels at ease — and you'll do what you can to change the environment to best honor that.