ISFP A and ISFP T: What's The Difference?
ISFP A and ISFP T: What's The Difference?
The basic ISFP personality type is introverted, observing, feeling, and perceiving. ISFPs are open-minded people who thrive on exciting new experiences and (often artistic) self-expression. Yet, this particular group can be divided into two subtypes, ISFP A and ISFP T. These extra letters attached to their personality types stand for Assertive and Turbulent.
In this short blog post, we’re going to break down some of the main areas in which these two ISFP subtypes differ. If you’re an ISFP, keep in mind that it’s entirely possible that you’re a mix of the two subtypes, lining up with each in different areas.
ISFP A strengths
Good people skills
A healthy ISFP A can be so socially switched on that they might, in fact, be mistaken for an extrovert. It’s not that they’ll necessarily speak a lot, it’s that when they do chime in, it will be with quiet confidence and deep wisdom that can easily enrapture. ISFP As with particularly good social skills can make excellent leaders in certain situations, being thoroughly considerate and free of bombast.
ISFP T Difference: The ISFP T can be good with people but it will greatly depend on their mood, comfort with the setting, and individual relationships with those involved. Unlike an ISFP A, they usually don’t have the ability to perform well in a wide variety of circumstances.
Resilient under stress
An assertive ISFP often takes a lot on. But their personality generally grants them the stress management skills to handle a heavy load. This is due to their highly active nature, addressing what needs to be done directly in the short term rather than avoiding difficult issues. However, a risk does exist for the ISFP to too easily see difficult problems as easily surmountable and overlook the seriousness of certain tricky situations. This can be curtailed by having a friend or advisor who can help them see the depths of particularly difficult issues.
ISFP T Difference: In the face of stress, ISFP Ts tend to take one of two approaches. Either they turn all of their attention to the stressful elements of the situation, or they can avoid it entirely and choose to focus on things that are going well. While avoidance is nearly always a troublesome approach, if the ISFP T turns all their attention to the issue, then this can turn out positively depending on whether the ISFP T burns out before the problem is solved.
Persistent
Once an ISFP A has their mind set on completing a project, they’ll likely see it through regardless of difficulties and obstructions. While much of this positive trait is due to pure tenacity, their creative wisdom also allows them to see a variety of ways to tackle any challenge.
ISFP T Difference: Because ISFP Ts have more volatile emotions than the ISFP A, they may neglect or drop out of a project if it becomes overwhelming. Unfortunately, it’s typical of the ISFP T to start many more projects than they complete; yet, if they’re at peace with this reality, it needn’t be considered a huge problem.
ISFP T strengths
Highly artistically expressive
The ISFP T is both intensely feeling and sensing in nature, meaning that their strong emotions need a tangible (and usually sensory) outlet. Luckily, the ISFP T is nearly always equipped with the artistic ambition and skill to express what they feel, and they do so in an impressive way. This is one reason that so many artists fall into the ISFP T category.
ISFP A Difference: ISFP As can tend toward being more crafty than artsy. This has its benefits but can lead to the neglect of a purer expression of feeling through creative work. Due to this difference, ISFP As and ISFP Ts can make great creative counterparts, balancing their different approaches to creative expression and encouraging one another to explore methods that they may not have otherwise.
Careful and cautious
Often being even more strongly feeling than the ISFP A, the ISFP T will likely have faced a lot of emotionally intense let-downs in their lives. This means that they can have a good map of where things may go wrong and may be attuned to identifying these potential problems before they arise. A healthy ISFP T will take this opportunity to sidestep any potential issues as soon as possible, cautiously finding the way forward that best suits their operating style.
ISFP A Difference: ISFP As can push ahead in life without enough regard for problems that may arise. This often goes unnoticed in the ISFP A but can become a lot of trouble if they’ve made some errors of judgment within a high-stakes situation.
Broadly curious
The world is spilling with fascination to an ISFP T. If something captures their attention, they’ll likely want to learn more about it and integrate it into their lives somehow. Due to this curiosity, they can be knowledgeable in unexpected ways, yet always hungry to expand their interests further.
ISFP A Difference: ISFP As tend to be curious as well but in a much narrower range. Two or three areas of fascination are often enough for an ISFP A, and they develop deep knowledge in these areas. Sometimes, they show little to no interest in curiosities that fall outside of their own areas of expertise.
