16 Personality Types: The Definitive Guide to Know Yourself Better!

Key Takeaways

• There are 16 unique personalities in the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory.
• Each type is formed of four specific cognitive functions as laid down by Carl Jung.
• The 16 types have unique trait combinations that are exclusive.
• All these 16 personality types possess strengths and weaknesses that set them apart from each other.
• Learning about these 16 types is insightful and can help you understand yourself better.

Do you know that knowing your unique personality type can actually make you understand why you behave the way you do? Personality typing is a notable tool that helps you to understand your true nature. It also shows your qualitative differences with other people. 

When you know the type of personality you belong to, you will be able to make healthy choices in life. Your decisions with regard to career, lifestyle choices, relationships, hobbies will be wise and well thought out initiatives. You will never fail in your endeavors.

Have you ever wondered what your personality type is? Do you wish to know the detailed description of the 16 personalities and know your specific type?

Then, what are you waiting for? Read on to know the specific signs of all these types.

Just before we start off with the descriptions of 16 types of personality profiles, let us understand what personality is all about.

16 Personality Types Infographic

Myers Briggs’s 16 Personalities

SUMMARY
There are 16 unique personality types as determined by a simple questionnaire called Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI).

Before we can dwell on the different types, let’s get to the part of who defined these “types” of personalities. 

Well, it was in 1971 that Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung first conceptualized the theory of psychological types. He defined characteristics based on general attitude, somewhat like, whether you an extrovert or introvert, intuitive or sensitive, perceiving or judging types.

He categorized every individual having one preferred or dominant quality from four sets. 

These four set categories are –

• Extraversion (also known as extroversion or extrovert) / Introversion (E/I)
• Sensing / Intuition (S/N)
• Thinking / Feeling (T/S)
• Judging / Perception (J/P)

These categories further laid the foundation of what we call today the 16 personality types.

Carl Jung’s theory was later developed by the mother-daughter duo, Katherine Briggs and Isabel Myers, who saw its relevance and use in real life to help people know themselves better. 

Thus the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) became an introspective self-report to find more about one’s personality, and learn more about how you function, react, analyze, judge or simply be in your daily life. 

Now, the unique combinations…There are a total of 16 combinations of the above abbreviations (E/I, S/I, T/S, J/P), thus making up 16 personality types. So, without much ado, let’s find your personality type.

TAKE OUR FREE PERSONALITY TESTS
Evaluate yourself with our personality tests that are clinically approved by Certified Psychiatrist and draw a path to successful work life and happy relationships.

Personality Type #1 – The Architect – INTJ

Summary
INTJ stands for Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging personality type. The one who appears weird but has a brilliant mind. You are an ambitious nerd, introvert and curious, intuitive, and highly logical.

Introverts with a curious streak- you are among the rarest personality types and with reason. You prefer spending time in your own company over others. 

You may have been called a “bookworm” or “nerd” once in your life. You are imaginative, ambitious and focused yet have an odd curiosity to rebel. 

You love ideas and theories, thus you are excellent in developing plans and strategies as you usually like being assertive in life.

INTJs are a rare find. They are reserved and have a very complex inner world. People of this personality type are capable, rational, and have enough of quick wit to decide with logic and intuition.

Armed with a strong mind, they have a nudge to analyze both simple and complex problems and come up with creative solutions.

INTJs are also known as architects because they are creative masterminds. They take pride in their intelligence, willpower, and academic excellence. Thus, INTJs may become cynical about the average human being.

They see the average group of people as unimaginative, submissive, lazy, and mediocre.

The architect personality type wants to know everything. They never defies the status quo, rather acknowledges the conventions of the society. They can discover new things quite easily and most INTJS take up science, technology, or engineering as a career option.

INTJs are not known as socially warm and compassionate. They appear ruthless and shrewd because they try to analyze emotional situations logically. They are not liked for their straightforward big talks and sermons.

Thus, you will find an INTJ having a close well-knit friends group that seems to be compatible with them. The INTJ personalities are full of contradictions. They are a mystery bag, tough to unfold.

Signs of INTJ

Some of the sure shot signs of being an INTJ are as follows:

1. You are confident, self-reliant, and a creative mastermind.
2. Being an INTJ, you are not bothered with threat and criticism. Usually, your self-assurance levels are high.
3. You are quick to identify and spot problems in systems and inefficiency in work.
4. For you, responsibilities and commitments are very important.
5. You are interested in discussing big ideas, complex topics, and interesting facts. Small talks and chit-chats never excites you.
6. INTJs are good at improving existing systems and making them more effective and efficient.
7. Being an active listener, you love to hear the ideas and creative imaginations of others.
8. Your decisions are based on logic and facts, not on emotions and affective states.
9. There is a secret, thoughtful side of you that remains hidden from the outer world.
10. Being an introvert, you have a small number of friends.
11. Competence and efficiency at work are always there in your performance checklist.
12. You do not prefer to do routine and mundane work. It doesn’t feed your creative mind.
13. An INTJ remains skeptical about authority figures who show off and try to impress them. They will accept an idea if it is sensible and logical, no matter who gives the idea.
14. You cannot focus on multiple things at a time, as you are single-minded.
15. INTJs are high achievers. You always had great accomplishments at school, college, workplace, etc.

Personality Type #2 – The Logician – INTP

Summary
INTP stands for Introverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Perceiving personality type. They are reticent and thoughtful, spend time alone, flexible and spontaneous. They are fascinated to know the unknown.

INTPs are thinking and innovating about many known and unknown facts. You are a true intellectual type! You love patterns and puzzle-solving; experimenting and coming up with solutions is your fun time. There are times when you may get bored with mundane tasks.

Sometimes you will find a chance to debate with literally anyone. Because of your relentless curiosity to find out different perspectives, you’re sometimes considered unreliable as you’re known to change your opinion and suggestion with every new day. 

INTPs are curious and unconventional. They always think out of the box and stand out in the crowd. They travel through unknown paths and mysterious bends in search of truth.

Being an introvert, INTPs have a rich inner world that can mix experimentation with personal creativity and innovation.

Logicians take pride in their intellectual power. They are always engrossed in deep thought, sometimes daydreaming about many different ideas and issues.

They get tired with elaborate socializations, otherwise prefer to have a small group of like-minded friends who share common interests and hobbies.

INTP personalities are rare active minds who possess the ability to analyze things in-depth. They never take things for granted, rather get curious about the workings of everything around them.

People of this personality type are good at spotting discrepancies and it is advisable not to lie to them. You will be caught any moment.

INTPs are warm at heart. They are helpful friends and passionate lovers. People misunderstand them because they appear emotionally numb, insensitive, and affectless. They do not know how to reveal their softer side to the world.

Signs of INTP

Some of the signs that you could be an INTP personality type are:

1. You are reserved and prefer to live alone most of the time.
2. INTPs are thoughtful and may take a long time to make up their mind. When they do it, they will stick to their plans, no matter what goes wrong.
3. Being an INTP, you may start a lot of projects but never finish one. Your mind twitches from one idea to another pretty fast, making you a fickle-minded human.
4. You may seem to argue a lot, just for the sake of knowing the truth. You will never take things for granted.
5. Fear of failure haunts you because you are a perfectionist.
6. There is a lot of mental confusion that makes you defer decisions quite frequently. You always look out for the best possible solution to the problems.
7. You often procrastinate.
8. You will listen to all but while making decisions, you will rely on your own intuitions and insights.
9. INTPs are socially isolated, yet they can talk about a lot of topics with like-minded individuals who can keep pace with INTPs brilliant intellectual abilities.
10. You will always second guess over ideas and issues before arriving at the final decisions.
11. Your logical mind has the power to create mind boggling ideas that others may not even think of.
12. INTPs are straightforward, honest, and reliable.
13. You will never want to hurt others deliberately, yet will stick to what you think is true; even if others do not like it. In this sense, you’re not a people pleaser at all.
14. You are unbiased, objective and know not how to mince words to convey your message. You will never lie at the cost of your dignity.
15. INTPs are always questioning their own abilities. They are self-critical in nature.

Personality Type #3 – The Commander – ENTJ

Summary
ENTJ stands for extroverted, iNtuitive, Thinking, Judging personality type. People of this personality are driven by authority and dominance. They are charismatic, bold, and has dynamic social presence.

ENTJ personalities have a relentless desire to pursue goals in life.  Extroverts with a relentless drive to take charge- you are “born leaders”. 

A natural leader with an entrepreneurial mind, you love challenges whether it’s in situations or with people. 

Always seen motivating others yet never neglecting your own goals- you can do it all! However, when it comes to expressing your emotions, you’re a little on the shy side but that has never stopped your long-range view to finding success in life. 

ENTJs have sharp brains who are rational in achieving their desired ends. These individuals are strategic planners who set long term goals. Moreover, you will find them frequently engaged in challenging discussions and battles of the brains.

ENTJs prefer to connect with those who can meet up with them intellectually, someone who is precise, focused, and intelligent.

They are particularly intolerant of lazy and incompetent people and can even criticize them publicly. ENTJs are extroverts, so they derive their mental energy and enthusiasm from social connections. 

Their verbal communication skills and ability to inspire others is just praise-worthy.

People with an ENTJ personality type are assertive, outgoing, and social influencers. Their charm and attractive demeanor attracts others towards them very easily.

They place emphasis on logic and reasoning while deciding on important matters. Since they are well-organized and systematic, these people tend to be impatient and stubborn if things do not take shape according to what they have wanted.

They are emotionally blunt and struggle to feel others’ emotions. This makes them appear insensitive, aggressive, and argumentative in social scenarios.

Signs of ENTJ

Some of the promising signs that you might be an ENTJ are as follows:

1. There will always be a sense of purpose and meaning in whatever you do. You will never do anything in haste.
2. Since you never dwell on feelings, you always remain detached and insensitive towards the needs of others.
3. You are assertive and bold.
4. ENTJs possess great leadership skills.
5. You are charming and eloquent in public appearances.
6. Being an ENTJ, you are always hopeful for a better life. Thus, you dream and do stuff to accomplish success in life.
7. You do not like inefficient and incompetent people.
8. Armed with good leadership skills, you tend to take over the projects you are working on. You may guide others how to accomplish tasks on time.
9. You speak your mind with firmness and confidence, never sounding shaky in front of others.
10. You will always tell others what to do rather than asking them what they can or cannot do.
11. ENTJs have great time management skills.
12. Sometimes, you can be pushy, aggressive, dominating, and overtly controlling in your leadership style that others may not like.
13. People admire your charm, confidence, and assertive communication style.
14. You can plan efficiently and will set everything right for the future.
15. ENTJs are smart, a typical go-getter who thrives well in challenges and adversities. They never give up.

Personality Type #4 – The Debater – ENTP

Summary
ENTP stands for Extroverted, intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving personality type. They are mentally agile, love discussing and debating over new ideas and theories. Usually, these individuals are quick wit, sharp, and have a broad knowledge base. They are fearless independent thinkers who can brainstorm, just about anything and everything.

Knowledge for you is more the merrier- you’re a theorist and love debating on any topic under the sun. Ever so hungry for information, you’re an extrovert who loves long conversations.

You like to be mentally stimulated, which can often come across as overwhelming and a turnoff for others but given your nature, you rarely care for such trivial problems in life.

ENTPs are extroverts with good communication skills. They are known as the debater personalities because of their love for lively discussions and brainstorming sessions. People with this personality type are efficient problem solvers. 

They are curious and clever, open-minded and flexible. Since they have excellent command over language, they can overtake others during debates and discussions, usually takes an upper hand and doesn’t allow others to win over the battle of wits.

Since, ENTP are perceiving personalities, they are flexible and spontaneous. They are not orderly and systematic at all, rather do things on the spur of the moment.

They are typically friendly, with a good sense of humor. People consider them as supportive buddies who never judge, and always support people whom they really care for.

ENTPs are creative extroverts who believe in innovating new ideas and giving it a shape in reality. They like flexibility and adaptability in those who work with them. 

The rules and conventions of society appear meaningless since they do not wish to be tied with pointless plans, strict regulations, and schemes.

Signs of ENTP

Let us jot down the typical signs of ENTP personality type:

1. ENFPs are independent and love to work in flexible work setups. They prefer to be creative than be stable and secure in life.
2. You have a good sense of humor and can bring a sweet smile to someone’s gloomy face.
3. You are emotionally expressive and can easily understand the feelings of others.
4. Being a compassionate person, you go out of your way to help and support others in need.
5. You’re magnetic, energetic, and carry a charming aura that attracts others towards you.
6. You always love to read between lines and get to know the deeper meaning of everything.
7. ENFPs never like to be controlled and judged by others. They prefer freedom of thought and expression.
8. Being a caring person, you remain bothered about the sufferings of the human race.
9. You have a wide range of skills and talents. They are self-motivated to know many new things.
10. You avoid expressing extreme opinions about others because you’re non-judgmental.
11. Being an unconventional personality, you prefer to take risks and not much bothered to play safe.
12. For you, rules are meant to be broken if it is pointless and purposeless.
13. You always prefer to see things from new angles. This is because of your insightful mind. Brainstorming over new ideas is your favorite pastime.
14. Monotony and routine life haunts you.
15. You may know thousands of ways to creatively solve issues and problems.

Personality Type #5 – The Advocate – INFJ

Summary
INFJ stands for Introverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging personality types. Their sense of idealism is strong with a human touch. INFJs are dreamers with deep imaginations. They just don’t create ideas but transform them into actions. Moreover, they are soft spoken and empathetic.

Creative and focused- you’re an introvert with an innate sense to change the world. You are a natural caretaker of others and usually see that as your purpose in life. 

High on ideas and even having higher esteem for principles in life, you would hate it, if disrespected by anyone. Being relentless in achieving goals and a creative streak are your strongest traits.

INFJs are a rare personality type. People who have this personality type are introverts with strong feelings for others. They are compassionate and believe in deeper human connections.

They love to help others in times of distress, yet need some alone time to rewind and refresh. INFJs are organized and do everything with precision and planning. 

While making decisions, they use more feelings and less logic, reasoning, and facts. This doesn’t mean that they see the world through tinted glasses. It means that they have a good knowledge of what is right and what is not. Their deep seated values help them to decide just what is needed.

INFJ personalities are quiet and reserved but if the situation demands, they can even socialize a lot. These individuals are full of contradictions. Sometimes, you may feel shy and withdrawn and at other times, you may reveal your fun-loving, cheerful, and quirky side.

Signs of INFJ

If your behavioral characteristics match with an INFJ, you would be interested to know more about this personality type.

1. INFJs have a peaceful aura surrounding them. They speak politely, hardly throw tantrums and never seem to lose their temper.
2. Your strong sixth sense or gut feeling guides your life’s path towards authentic living. You are quick to see loopholes in a system or you can easily know if someone is sad.
3. You can sense others’ feelings quite effortlessly. This makes you an empathetic person.
4. You always try to delve deeper into everything and know the situation in a meaningful way.
5. As you are a good listener, people will fall back on you in times of distress. This makes you a compassionate partner, dutiful child, and a loyal friend.
6. INFJs are driven by strong values and they can do anything to safeguard their values. However, they are also very opinionated.
7.  You are difficult to read because you are a private person and will reveal yourself, only if there are no judgements or opinions around.
8. Being introverts, you have a strong need to live a lonely life.
9. You are curious to know almost everything because you have diverse interests.
10. You prefer long term committed relationships and not superficial one night stands.
11. Though they are introverts, INFJs still have an undefined charisma about them. It readily attracts others. INFJs know how to make others comfortable.
12. You are impressive, witty, and humorous.
13. INFJs like to pursue creative and idea-driven careers. They want to have a career that is inspiring and can add value to personal growth.
14. You are passionate about what you do, no matter how much effort you need to put into it.
15. Being a virtuous person, you hate inauthentic people who are scheming, or malicious, wishy-washy types in some way. You just cannot stand fraudulent practices and your blood starts boiling, no matter who ever does it.

Personality Type #6 – The Mediator – INFP

Summary
An INFP personality is someone who is an introverted, intuitive, feeling, and perceiving type. They are idealists with a thoughtful mind, driven by high values. INFPs are creative and curious, and can think deeply for others. They are flexible decision makers, morally committed people who show interest in knowing the deeper meaning of life.

Daydreamers yet idealists- you’re a typical introvert who loves their own company. You love analyzing and finding patterns or signs and symbols around you. In your free time, you like to be surrounded by just your thoughts, ideas, and imagination. 

You don’t do well in social groups, however, are known to hold deeper one-to-one conversations with people. Creatively gifted, you speak the language of poetry rather than logic.

INFPs are idealists who believe in making a better world. Being an introvert, you have a rich inner world that is quiet, reserved, thoughtful, and highly creative. 

You prefer to be alone away from the chaos of social life. It enables you to think deeply, create vivid ideas. And put them into action.

INFPs are driven by strong moral qualities. They rely on intuition to decide on important matters in life. Though they do not like mingling with a lot of people, it doesn’t mean that they are socially withdrawn and isolated. It just means that they are comfortable in an inner world of peace and poise.

Since INFPs are perceiving personalities, it means they are open-minded, flexible and free-willed. When it comes to decision making, they rely heavily on personal values, rather than facts and logic. They always keep their options open in case they need to do any last hour changes in the work they were doing.

INFPs are loyal friends and faithful partners. As they are caring towards the needs of others, they are connected to close relationships.

Signs of INFP

Let’s know about the typical signs of an INFP.

1. You are quiet, calm, and deep within.
2. Your in-depth emotions make you who you are.
3. As you are a dreamer, sometimes you may lose touch with reality and can get into deep thought.
4. You will decide on what feels right for you. Your decisions are always based on deep beliefs and values.
5. INFP are creative and have a strong hold in literature and fine arts. 
6. You need a lonely time to recharge your batteries.
7. Your brain is always active with many ideas and mind boggling thoughts, as it never goes idle.
8. Wealth, power, social status can never interest you. You are more inclined to know the deeper meanings of life.
9. You believe in simple living, high thinking.
10. INFPs see the goodness around them. They are curious to know others deeply and rarely try to judge people without a definite reason.
11. In face of troubles and hardships, you always try to stay calm and hopeful.
12. You are prone to melancholy if things fall short of your ideals and moral standards.
13. You never wish to follow a routine and mundane tasks haunt you a lot.
14. Others find you humble, compassionate, and easy-going. You are not rigid in your dealings with others.
15. Many buzzing ideas pop up every now and then and you get into trials of accomplishing them into reality.

Personality Type #7 –The Protagonist – ENFJ

Summary
ENFJ stands for Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and judging personality types. They are people-centric individuals and hard core socialites. They are outgoing, talkative, energetic, warm, and compassionate beings.

Leaders that see good in people- you’re an inspiring soul and an easily approachable person in the room. Your charismatic appeal goes beyond just charming others as you believe in social causes and regularly pursue it. 

Sometimes you can get too involved in other people’s lives just out of concern when the other person might start disliking you but that doesn’t stop you from spreading happiness around.

ENFJs are friendly and can mingle with just anyone, even with the quietest ones. You are just great at helping others and derive immense happiness out of it. In this process, you may neglect your own needs and self-interests.

Sometimes, you are too harsh on yourself, even to the point of self blaming yourself if something goes wrong. On the flipside, you are not the one to take credit when things go right.

You are a natural leader who can inspire and motivate even the laziest ones. Being a judging type, you are orderly and systematic. You will never do anything in fluke. Your decisions are well thought out and systematic.

Signs of ENFJ

1. You are quick to pick up non-verbal cues while interacting with people. Thus, you are a good mind reader.
2. You constantly strive to improve upon yourself.
3. Being an extrovert, you love to be around others. Loneliness haunts you always.
4. ENFJs are helping people, even at the cost of ignoring one’s needs and interests.
5. You can inspire others to bloom into their best selves.
6. You are not good at saying ‘no’ to others, when they seek your help and support.
7. People see you as an empathetic person, so they confide their deepest secrets and agonies to you.
8. You are a devoted friend, supportive spouse/partner, and a caring, protective parent.
9. You cannot understand why people squabble over unnecessary and trivial issues.
10. ENFJs follow a clear structure and system in whatever they do. They are always organized and systematic.
11. You cannot leave things open and loose. It makes you anxious and indecisive.
12. Being judgmental, you are good at following rules. Wherever you go, you are quick to learn the rules of the game.
13. The diverse nature of human relationships fascinates you a lot. 
14. You can easily forgive others.
15. You infuse creativity in whatever you do.

Personality Type #8 – The Campaigner – ENFP

Summary
ENFP stands for Extroverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Perceiving types. They are socially active, agile, and excellent communicators. Being an extrovert, they are witty, humorous, outgoing, and sociable beings. ENFPs prefer to remain flexible and spontaneous, never bound by planning and organization.

You’re not the one to be put in a box- you are a free spirit and thrive where you’re given space and flexibility to work. You hate menial tasks of administration and do not fancy rules as well. 

You don’t just chatter away; instead, you speak with logical reasoning which is why people often come to you for opinions. At other times, you don’t really take your skills too seriously and prefer to just chill in life. 

You are curious to know the world around you. The deeper aspects of life and living fascinates you and you want to delve deeper to know the underlying meanings of everything.

Being an extrovert, you derive your mental energy in association with others. You are energetic, open-minded, and full of life.

The campaigner personality is easy-going but their rich inner life is full of novel imaginations and creativity. 

Their positive energy and motivation to pursue even the toughest of things makes them inspiring in social circles. Others look up to them with awe and regard.

Signs of ENFP

1. ENFPs live in a world of possibilities. You believe that anything in life can be achieved if you believe in yourself and have the courage to make things happen.
2. You have an innate need to understand people and situations deeply.
3. You are fascinated by new rules and can challenge the age old conventions, if they seem to be pointless and unnecessary.
4. For you, rules are not permanent. It should be tested and altered over time.
5. ENFPs are creative. They have dozens of ideas to do a particular thing.
6. You want to brainstorm and can do it for hours.
7. As you have excellent people’s skills, you can become a good leader.
8. People of this personality type defies routine and thinks out of the box. For them, there is always a better way of doing things.
9. Sometimes, you may generate many ideas but never fruition it in reality. You may lose focus on the way.
10. You are susceptible to distractions, especially if you are told to do something uninteresting and absolutely boring.
11. You are flexible and always keep your opinions and options open. You will always listen to what others have to say on a topic.
12. You are adaptable to change, if it’s absolutely necessary.
13. You’re empathetic and caring, thus people lean upon you in trying times.
14. Sometimes you may get overly emotional and lose control of your rationality completely.
15. You seek approval from others to feel good about yourself.

Personality Type #9 – The Inspector – ISTJ

Summary
ISTJ stands for Introverted, Sensing, Thinking, Judging type. You are always punctual with whatever you do. ISTJs are guided by rules and methods. They are dedicated and takes pride in their work. For them, life is all about accuracy, patience, and duty.

Doers and logically correct- you are a no-nonsense type individual who believes that time is money and deadlines are to be taken seriously. 

You don’t do guesswork, you like a well-analyzed opinion about everything. Given you’re a well-read person, you don’t entertain people who question your methods which may make you seem short-tempered to others. 

You love rules and follow the old-school values of hard-work, dedication and honesty to achieve success in life. 

ISTJs are duty prone and love to do everything with precision and accuracy. They will hardly make mistakes that can make their work a nuisance. They are highly practical, reserved, and believe in proper planning and systematic execution of their plans.

They are the ones who cannot do anything out of fluke. Each decision is well thought out and planned in advance. INTJs are pragmatic thinkers who take responsibility for their actions.

They place much emphasis on values, traditions, and age old customs already existing in society. To some extent, these personalities are rigid and prefer to follow a definite structure.

Signs of ISTJ

1. You’ll always do things in the right way, even if it’s the first time.
2. A no-nonsense aura pervades in your personality.
3. You will never go against rules, rather follow them diligently.
4. You are impatient if things go against your set plans.
5. If someone procrastinates in front of you, it could feel like an irritating act for you.
6. You do not like incompetence and lack of dedication.
7. INTJs are good at keeping their word of mouth. They never miss their promises.
8. You prefer to work and delegate your tasks alone.
9. You are quick to notice slightest mistakes and awkward situations. Nothing can escape your sharp eyes easily.
10. INTJs are not the probable types on whom people can lean on during adverse times.
11. You will not believe assumptions rather would prefer to check them with valid facts.
12. For you, truth is everything, as such you cannot mince words.
13. You value freedom and autonomy. 
14. You are not good at expressing your emotions. Thus, others may misunderstand you as rude and harsh.
15. As you cannot handle emotional situations well, it may appear puzzling and leave you baffled.

Personality Type #10 – The Defender – ISFJ

Summary
ISFJ stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, and judging type. ISFJs are quite unique. Though they are introverts, they have well-connected social networks. ISFJs are humble, warm, sensitive, and true altruists. They are conservative, yet open to new ideas and innovative changes.

ISFJs are a common personality type. Sometimes shy, sometimes too forward- you come across as a confusing introvert but definitely loved by people nonetheless. 

You usually like being alone, but are always up and ready to help people and society at large. You’re generous, warm and kind-hearted which makes it easy for you to make meaningful relations. 

Your modesty is your biggest drawback where people take undue advantage and may also steal your credit at times, but you’ll still be fine with it. 

People with a defender personality type are warm caregivers and live a robust social life. This behavior contradicts their introverted nature. Since they have good sensing and feeling qualities, they can connect with others at an emotional level.

ISFJs are reserved, yet sociable as and when needed. These people are emotionally inexpressive themselves but they are good at understanding the emotions of others. 

They may bottle up pent up tensions within them and cannot express their negative feelings explicitly.

Sometimes, these individuals may turn inward and may not reveal their exact feelings. Actually they do not like bothering others.

ISFJs are reliable, practical, and resistant to change. 

Signs of ISFJ

If you are an ISFJ, you may be able to relate with many of the below mentioned signs that describe you in a perfect way.

1. You prefer to follow a routine and schedule.
2. Your sense of responsibility is just commendable.
3. ISFJs are quick to notice signs of sickness or inner-body sensations quite quickly.
4. You always prefer to work and accomplish tasks alone.
5. Your warmth and soft nature can help you relate with others at a deeper level.
6. You are closely tied to rituals and traditions.
7. As you prefer a structured life, you can go on doing the daily chores every day without getting frustrated.
8.  You can quickly pick up non-verbal signs of others. It is easy for you to figure out the needs of others.
9. You are always hopeful of a better tomorrow.
10. You’ll always walk an extra mile to safeguard the interests of your family members. You are caring and generous, never wish to see someone in pain.
11. ISFJs are conscious of deadlines and they delegate their tasks just on time.
12. You cannot handle stress well, and may become extremely anxious in moments of crisis.
13. Telling someone what to do is not your cup of tea. You always avoid doing that.
14. You also do not prefer to be directed by others.
15. You never interfere in someone else’s matters.

Personality Type #11 – The Executive – ESTJ

Summary
ESTJ stands for Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, judging personality type. ESTJs believe in good order and system. They value honesty and dedication above everything. ESTJs can give clear and sensible advice to others amidst crisis and help them sail through adversities.

Mediators of bringing communities together- you’re every party’s favorite organizer and host. You love the tradition of celebrating together with people. 

Sometimes, you take on a righteous leader-like personality which is why you’re also considered to be great at giving advice and guidance. 

You hate lazy attitude and that’s where your problems with other personality types may start to arise who rather prefer taking it easy.

ESTJs are rightly known as the executive because they are able leaders who lead by example. They show exemplary dedication in whatever they may be doing. However, they never give up on values.

These individuals are honest and never cheats others.

Apart from this, they are believers of action. For them empty talks are not worthy and action should speak louder than words.

ESTJs are models that others should follow to become noble citizens. They are dutiful towards their communities. People of this personality type live by the laws of land and are the classic examples of truth, dedication, and righteous living.

Signs of ESTJ

Some of the signs of being an ESTJ personality type are:

1. A notable sign of your personality is, you are organized and orderly. For you, everything has got its own place.
2. You always want to remain prepared with your tasks in hand, never getting into a last minute rush.
3. Competence is your key strength.
4. As you hate chaos and prefer organization, you will always love to follow rules. Rules and regulations are to be followed so that society can run smoothly.
5. You prioritize good work and honesty above everything.
6. Sometimes, your keen observation helps you to notice errors and efficiencies of others and you will try to fix them without delay.
7. You are a responsible and reliable person.
8. When you create plans and set schedules about how to do a particular task, you feel secure from within.
9. You hate laziness and do not like people who unnecessarily waste their precious time.
10. You always prefer others to say the truth when you fall short of their expectations. If people criticize you at the back, it may annoy you a lot.
11. Being an ESTJ, you firmly believe in age old customs and traditions and shall honor them without getting into contradictions.
12. You’re a straightforward person and avoid sending double messages that lack clarity.
13. You are sensitive to body sensations such as loud sounds, bright lights, or bad flavors in your mouth.
14. ESTJs are amusing and unconventional, when they are relaxed and surrounded by close friends and family.
15. Under stressful situations, you may introspect and try to solve the problem rationally.

Personality Type #12 – The Consul – ESFJ

SUMMARY
ESFJ stands for Extraverted, Sensing, Feeling, Judging personality type. They are the most popular ones with a touch of sensitivity and warmth. ESFJs are outgoing, warm, organized, value-oriented, and pleasing personalities.

Life of the party and loved by all- you’re a social butterfly, which means you love the spotlight and frequently like partying. 

Social interactions are your thing but you’re also a great listener, which is why you’re adored by many. While sensitivity towards others is one of your strengths, it is also a major weakness since you would usually get hurt if people don’t like your ideas or opinions. 

ESFJs are people pleasers to a certain extent because they are the ones who always prefer to be liked by others. Being an extrovert, they want others to appreciate their good deeds. This makes them happy and fulfilled from within.

ESFJs are helpful and empathetic towards the needs of others. They may even ignore their self-interests to put others first. They focus on facts and details and their decisions are based on values, personal feelings, and ethical rules of the society.

They are soft-hearted and never appreciate blame and criticisms. It lowers their self-esteem and they may not handle it well.

As they cannot mince words, they are straight-forward and appear emotionally blunt at times. These individuals are highly opinionated and always refer to how people should behave or what are the good old ways of doing things.

They also prefer small talk and gossip, in touch with friends and family.

Signs of ESFJ

The notable signs of being an ESFJ are:

1. You are a socialite who loves to party and spend time with friends.
2. Every aspect of your daily life is well organized, planned, and systematic.
3. You are never late to delegate your duties.
4. Being an outgoing person, you prefer to take charge of various group activities.
5. You will easily notice the non-verbal cues of others indicating an emotional problem.
6. Sometimes, you get so busy in pleasing others that you may lose track of your needs and self-interests.
7. You do not like to say harsh words to others, even if they are wrong with you.
8. Your friends come to you for advice and suggestions when they fall in trouble. You will always counsel them in the right way.
9. ESFJs are comfortable in speaking their minds in front of strangers. 
10. You are focused and hardworking. For you success stories are to be written with effort and dedication, not by luck and chance.
11. Encouragement helps you to grow and criticism makes you feel unworthy.
12. You are pragmatic and prefer to live a virtuous life.
13. For you, your home is a place of pride and comfort because you have created a soft corner for yourself away from the chaos of the society.
14. You will choose a career that gives you an opportunity to help people and connect with others to a deeper level.
15. ESFJs regularly check with their conscience to see whether their life is going according to their core beliefs and values, just to ensure righteous living.

Personality Type #13 – The Virtuoso – ISTP

Summary
ISTP stands for introverted, sensing, thinking, perceiving personality type. People with this personality type are fiercely logical. Independent, and likes concrete ideas. They prefer new experiences, creative ideas, and hate monotonous work. Emotionally, they are busy in their own world, yet remain sensitive to the needs and feelings of others.

More of a doer, less talker- you’re the kind who loves to just dive into things rather than think about it. You’re always experimenting and trying to make things better. Customizing gadgets, electronics and what not is your hobby.

Although in good intentions, meddling with things and projects is sometimes disliked by people around you as they may seem to think you just want to overpower them.

Being a sensing personality type, ISTPs prefer to explore the world. They are curious to know the workings of various things. 

They use their hands to feel and eyes to see and examine new and innovative things. You may find an ISTP dirtying their hands by examining how a car engine works. 

People with this personality type learn everything through first hand experiences. They love to share their ideas with people who are dear to them.

ISTPs are quick to find effective solutions to problems. However, they are not emotionally connected with others, except for a chosen few with whom they share common traits.

As they cannot understand the emotional needs of others, they are misunderstood as cold and numb. 

ISTPs are logical, pragmatic, and goal-oriented. They are risk takers and love thrill and adventure in life.

Signs of ISTP

If you are an ISTP, you may be having these signs to look for:

1. You are a professional in solving all sorts of problems, from simple to complex ones.
2. You are cool, realistic, and eagerly curious to explore the unknown.
3. Being an introvert, you are not the usual type. No one can find you daydreaming about ideas, rather you believe in actions.
4. You will always roll your sleeves and do things practically, hands on to know the inner mechanisms in a better way.
5. ISTPs may get bored easily, thus seeking novelty in everything. They always need something to feel excited about.
6. You can easily engage in high risk behavior because you are a daredevil person.
7. Sometimes your curious cravings help you to explore new topics and learn new skills.
8. You are relaxed, calm, friendly, and easy-going.
9. Being an introvert, you love to spend time alone but you can also mix with others comfortably, even with unknown people. 
10. You are flexible and can adapt with changing circumstances.
11. You are too quick to act. Sometimes the decisions are taken in the nick of the moment and later, you may repent for your actions.
12. ISTPs are steady and consistent in their actions.
13. You will always surprise your loved ones with new experiences. You bring innovation in relationships as well.
14. You’re probably not the person who can cheer others in times of gloom and pessimism.
15. Emotionally, you may seem to be insensitive and numb.

Personality Type #14 – The Adventurer – ISFP

SUMMARY
ISFP stands for Introverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving personality type. The adventurer is a free soul, passionate about art and novelty in life. They are creative, innovative, and free-willed. These individuals are quiet action takers who live in the moments and take life as it is.

Risk takers and unpredictable artists- you can wow people easily. You are talented with artistic abilities which is why you’re always seen experimenting with thoughts and ideas. 

You’re not the one to be put in a box, and although you’re an introvert, you actually enjoy interacting with new people. 

It’s when you start feeling burned out is when you take a long hiatus of silence from the outside world. Your ever-so-exploring mind is where you fall short with planning ahead because you are never sure about anything in life.

Being a sensing personality, ISFPs are keen observers. They are detail-oriented and prefer hands-on learning. There is complete awareness of the surroundings, thus they are also quick to identify mistakes and loopholes in people and systems.

ISFPs are practical and never think much about the future. They love to live life only in the moment. Since they move with the flow of life, they never complain about what’s not there. They adjust well with different life situations.

People of this personality type are loyal and faithful. They are tolerant, flexible, and appreciate the goodness in others.

They never prefer to be tied in conventions and seek beauty and aesthetics in everyday living. They keep a low key life, away from the spotlight and live in a rich world of imagination and creativity.

Signs of ISFP

The signs of identifying an ISFP are as follows:

1. Your rich imaginative world is colorful and vibrant.
2. You remain grounded in the present moments of life, never ruminate over past issues or probable future happenings.
3. For you, there is beauty everywhere. You just need the right mindset and an eye to see it.
4. You are modest, friendly, adjustable, and non-judgmental.
5. ISFPs are introverts, thus spending time in your cocoon helps you to recharge your batteries.
6. Though you remain away from the spotlight, still you can mingle with others pretty early.
7. You dislike people who criticize and give negative feedback all the time. Sometimes, if someone is harsh with you, you may feel threatened from within. This can also make you avoid the heat of the moment and retreat from the situation.
8. You are not the one to hold grudges and negative feelings against anyone. Maybe, you are forgiving by nature.
9. People like your soft and compassionate nature. You are non-interfering and allow others to live life their own way.
10. You are disorganized and a poor planner.
11. ISFPs cannot follow routine and feel monotonous if asked to do so.
12. ISFPs are emotional people, however they are less expressive, so others may consider them as cold and numb.
13. You’re unpredictable and difficult to understand. Maybe, you are less vocal and expressive in front of others. 
14. You may feel uncomfortable with unnecessary social rules and traditions as you believe in ‘live and let live’ policy.
15. As you are fiercely independent, you prefer freedom of expression and never want to be put inside a box. Your spirit is free and unrestrained.

Personality Type #15 – The Entrepreneur – ESTP

Summary
ESTP stands for Extroverted, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving personality type. You can easily spot an ESTP in a room as they stand out from others. They are social, outgoing, and can freely mix with an endless number of people. Being an extrovert, ESTPs are gregarious and fun-loving. They are keen observers and believe in actions rather than words.

Energetic and loves the limelight – you’re spirited, self-motivated and love every opportunity to shine. You have a witty sense of humor and don’t take life too seriously. Your seemingly reckless attitude is also why you tend to get a bad reputation, and if not mindful, can get into trouble quite often than not.

People with these personality types are practical and logical, yet they act on whims and passions. This nature is quite paradoxical. 

Being a perceiving type, they are less organized and more spontaneous.

They fail to follow the rules and prefer freedom of expression and decision making.

These individuals hate to remain confined and tied in rules and regulations. They cannot follow a routine and may become stressful, if asked to do.

Signs of ESTP

The indications that you might be an ESTP are:

1. Being a realistic person, you prefer to see the real world as it is. Your practical mindset makes you believe what is there in front of you.
2. You are a doer. Being an active personality, you will hate to lay off tasks for a long time. 
3. ESTPs are agile and experiences FOMO (Fear Of missing Out)
4. You must be knowing all the new eateries in town, or the best shops to buy smartphones from. You are too social and have all the relevant information to avoid FOMO.
5. Being an extrovert, you will have a large group of friends.
6. You are always present in your moments.
7. To give your near and dear ones a last minute surprise amuses you a lot.
8. You will always need proof to believe something.
9. For you, actions are more important than words.
10. Being a good observer, your visual memory is incredible. You will never forget scenes, or people whom you have once seen before.
11. You are fair and never rely on giving preferences to others, even if the concerned person is close to you.
12. You carve freedom and there is an innate desire to confront challenges in life.
13. You are calm, poised, and level-headed.
14. Variety motivates you to learn many new things and enjoy many experiences.
15. You’re confident and knows how to handle things peacefully,

Personality Type #16 – The Entertainer – ESFP

Summary
ESFP stands for Extroverted, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving personality type. They are the people who always lead a very vibrant and energetic life. They are flexible, outgoing, and spontaneous. ESFPs are the people who get into the exciting moments of life easily and want others to behave in similar ways.

Born performers- the spotlight was made for you. You’re a true people’s person, charismatic and have a sportsmanship spirit. 

Highly spontaneous and living life on the edge, you sometimes tend to overlook the financial brunt of leading an extravagant lifestyle. 

You always fall short in planning since you believe in living in the “now”, which is why managing expenses and responsibilities often seem difficult for you.

This personality type is vibrant and full of life. They are excited about new experiences. For them, life is to be lived with passion, the spotlight should be on them. ESFPs are spontaneous, flexible, and remain engrossed in momentary pleasures of life.

ESFPs are charming people who love to socialize. They are fun-loving and prefer to j=have simple joys in life, such as good food, travelling, shopping, nature, etc.

They are talkative and good communicators. Their inspired living can motivate others to follow their footsteps. They prefer to be in the center of attention and detest being ignored or neglected.

ESFPs live in their moments and never repent about their past failures. They are also not so keen to know the future as well. They are light-hearted and enjoy life to the fullest. 

People of this personality type remain active in sports, adventure activities, or they pursue old hobbies that were not practiced for a long time.

They are responsive to other’s needs and wants, and prefer to help people in need.

Signs of ESFP

The notable signs of being an ESFP are as follows:

1. You are concerned about your looks and material possessions.
2. Following the current trend, whether in apparel, beauty, or food is your passion.
3. Your hand-eye coordination is great and helps you to stimulate your senses and perceive the world around you.
4. You’re friendly, adjustable, and sporty.
5. ESFPs never harbor grudges against anyone.
6. You’re quick to spot fake people.
7. ESFPs can get anxious very often because they cannot handle stressful situations.
8. You will always avoid conflicts and disagreements.
9. Being an extrovert, you prefer the spotlight and like to be one.
10. You are bad in money matters, quite a spendthrift type.
11. Being an optimist, you prefer to look into the bright side of life.
12. You will readily move out of your comfort zone in an effort to experience new things.
13. You’re naturally talented and can entertain others with your wit and humor. Sometimes, you are creative enough to showcase your singing and dancing skills as well.
14. ESFPs are not clear about their life goals because they hardly plan about the future. They live in the moment and enjoy life to the fullest.
15. As you are a good observer, you will notice even the minute details that others may ignore.

16 Personality Test – MBTI Description

Though several free personality tests are found on the web these days to determine one’s personality, not all are authentic and reliable. So, use it with discretion. 

The 16 personality quiz is a self report inventory that aims to find out a person’s strengths, vulnerabilities, and preferences. 

The questionnaire was developed by Isabel Myers and her mother Katherine Briggs based on their research on Carl Jung’s Analytical theory of personality. 

This test is known as MBTI, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. It is a popular scale published in 1962 and had undergone several revisions later on.

It’s simply a questionnaire with no right and no wrong answers. What comes out of it is a unique combination of the cognitive functions that represent your individualistic personality and your probable strengths and weaknesses.

Like any other psychological test, there are no good or bad results, as well as there is no perfect analysis. It is a probable understanding of the dimensions of personality. 

If you wish to know your personality, you may take the test here.

16 Personality’s Compatibility

A number of research studies have been conducted to understand the relationship compatibility of the 16 personality types. It has been found that some personalities can get along well with certain specific types only and not with others. 

If the compatibility is high, we can see kindred spirit relationships where both the person involved in the relationship is emotionally and intellectually connected to each other.

However, if the compatibility is poor, the two personality types may disagree with each other on several things and the relationship may not last longer.

Then, there are some poor compatible partners who seem to be poles apart from each other.

The chart given below shows the relationship compatibilities of all the 16 personalities:

Cognitive Dynamics of 16 Personalities (Functional Stacking) 

The 16 personalities described in MBTI personality test describes the four cognitive functions of intuition, sensing, feeling, and judging that are either directed inwards (introversion) or deflected towards the outside world (extroversion).

These functions are arranged in a functional stack, in the form of a hierarchy with the most dominant functions placed first, later supported by auxiliary functions. 

The dominant functions are those that make up the core structure of the personality. The auxiliary functions help and support the dominant ones to flourish in their best possible forms.

Then, we have tertiary and inferior functions that are not well developed but do influence the individual’s thought processes and affective states in significant ways.

In this section, we will compile the functional stacking of all the 16 personality types.

16 Personalities Chart – An easy to understand typology chart

A chart representing the 16 personality types as identified in the MBTI inventory.

Key Takeaway

Knowing the personality types helps you to know your innate strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, it gives you the power to know others as well.

When you know the way you are, you will be in a better position to recognize how you interact, how you feel for others, and also the best ways to handle stress triggers in life.

It makes you an informed being who is ready to perceive things as they are and take on a journey of life that is enjoyable, meaningful, and fulfilling.

16 Personality Types FAQs

Article Sources

1. https://www.talkspace.com/blog/16-personalities-what-are/
2. https://www.truity.com/page/16-personality-types-myers-briggs
3. https://developerexperience.io/practices/16personalities
4. https://www.personalityperfect.com/16-personality-types/

We get little commissions for purchases made through links in this post. Our editors carefully choose to promote only those products/services that resonate with our readers.