Your Myers-Briggs® Personality Type and Your Brain

Did you know that every personality type uses their brain differently? Certain types rely heavily on one set of brain regions, while another type relies heavily on a completely different set of regions. There have been numerous studies done on this subject. Neuroscience expert Dario Nardi has written in detail about this in his book (which I strongly recommend reading!) Neuroscience of Personality: Brain Savvy Insights for All Types of People. The official MBTI® Manual lists at least six studies that were done by various psychiatrists and neuroscientists to measure brain activity in relation to type. This research is often ignored in arguments against the MBTI®. In fact, most people who disagree with the Myers-Briggs® assessment haven’t even gone to the trouble to read the official MBTI® Manual which showcases the results of literally hundreds of reliability and validity tests and improvements made to the indicator.

If you’re looking for the nitty-gritty neuroscience behind personality type, this article is a good start (but I definitely recommend checking out Dario Nardi’s book for lots more information). Keep in mind that every individual will have variations in how they use their brain based on training, unique traits, and possible mental illness.

Not sure what your personality type is? Take our new personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here.

Updated May 15, 2025

Estimated reading time: 1 minute

Extroversion and Introversion Differences (Made Simple)

Let’s talk brain chemistry — but in a way that won’t make your eyes glaze over (I hope).

Both introverts and extroverts have the same basic brain ingredients, like dopamine (a “reward” chemical that makes you feel good), acetylcholine (a chemical that helps with deep focus), and cortical arousal (we’ll explain that one in a sec). But how their brains respond to these things is where the big differences show up.

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Dopamine: The Party Chemical

Think of dopamine like the high-energy friend who’s always trying to convince you to go to a party, ride a roller coaster, or join a spontaneous road trip.

Extroverts love this friend. Their brains are built to chase dopamine highs—they feel energized, happy, and alive when life is full of stimulation and activity.

Introverts, on the other hand, are more sensitive to dopamine. Too much of it? It doesn’t feel exciting—it feels overstimulating, like someone cranked the volume up too loud and won’t turn it down. That’s why busy crowds, loud environments, or a packed schedule can feel draining to an introvert, even if they’re technically having “fun.”

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Cortical Arousal: The Brain’s Volume Dial

Now, here’s where cortical arousal comes in. Think of it like the brain’s volume knob for how alert and stimulated you feel at any given moment.

• Introverts naturally have their volume dial turned up higher. Their brains are already pretty alert, even in calm environments. So it doesn’t take much—background noise, bright lights, a conversation—to push them into overstimulation.
• Extroverts have a lower natural volume. They need more external stimulation—like socializing, movement, or novelty—to feel awake and engaged.

So while a loud café might feel like a sensory overload to an introvert, it could be just the right amount of buzz to help an extrovert focus.

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Acetylcholine: The Deep Dive Chemical

Here’s where acetylcholine shows up. This chemical supports deep concentration, inner calm, and that warm fuzzy feeling you get when you’re lost in thought or completely absorbed in a task.

Introverts especially love acetylcholine. It gives them that satisfying “in the zone” feeling when they’re journaling, solving a problem, or just quietly daydreaming.

This also explains why introverts can find multitasking or rapid-fire conversations kind of exhausting. Their brains want to go deep, not fast. They’d rather focus on one meaningful thing than juggle ten surface-level ones.

Inside the ISTJ Brain

What’s going on inside the brain of an ISTJ? According to neuroscientist Dario Nardi, quite a bit. Let’s break it down without getting too science-y.

Left Brain, Right Brain: Pretty Balanced

When you look at an ISTJ’s brain in action, the activity in their prefrontal cortex—the part of the brain responsible for decision-making, planning, and thinking things through—is almost evenly split:

• 47% happens on the left side, which is usually linked to logic, facts, and structure.
• 53% happens on the right side, which is more tied to patterns, visuals, and intuition.

This even balance means ISTJs can approach problems in a way that’s both logical and holistic. But what really stands out is how much their brain activity reflects their training and experience. ISTJs don’t just memorize things—they absorb and organize information based on what they’ve done, learned, and practiced over time. This allows them to easily recall information they’ve learned “on the job” and helps them to specialize in various subjects.

Detail-Oriented Memory Machines

One of the ISTJ’s superpowers? Memory—especially for real-life, first-hand experiences.

When ISTJs recall the past, their brains actually enter a kind of “flow” state, like getting lost in a favorite hobby. They can walk you through what happened, step by step, down to the tiny details most people forget.

This is why many ISTJs love:

• Talking about childhood memories
• Watching old home videos
• Listening to favorite songs from the past
• Keeping journals or documenting their life

They don’t just remember the past—they revisit it, mentally walking through the sights, sounds, and steps of what happened. It’s not nostalgia for the sake of it—it’s because their brain is literally wired to hold and review that kind of personal data.

Visual Learning and the Occipital Brain Boost

Another standout feature of the ISTJ brain? Strong activity in the back of the brain, especially in the occipital lobes. That’s the region that helps us interpret visual information.

Because of this, ISTJs (and other Si-users) tend to be great visual learners. Charts, diagrams, physical demonstrations—they usually prefer those over long verbal explanations. They’re also good at picking up on subtle visual cues, whether it’s how a machine fits together or how a room has changed since last week.

Future Planning: Practical, Personal, Precise

People often assume ISTJs are only focused on the past—but that’s not the whole story.

ISTJs actually show a lot of brain activity in a region that circles around the brain like an equator. This area lights up when we plan ahead, think of the future, and strategize.

So yes, ISTJs think about the future—they just do it differently than types who lead with intuition (like Ni-users). While Ni-users might dream up big theories or future trends (think: “What will climate change look like in 20 years?”), ISTJs focus on real-world, concrete plans, like:

• What should I pack for next week’s trip?
• What steps do I need to take to retire comfortably?
• How can I make sure my family is provided for?

It’s not that ISTJs don’t imagine the future. They do. They just prefer their vision of the future to come with to-do lists.

Hyper-Aware of Social Feedback

Here’s one of the most surprising things about the ISTJ brain: It’s extremely responsive to social signals.

If someone frowns, gives a disapproving look, or makes a negative comment, ISTJs feel it—hard. Their brains react strongly to this kind of feedback, often triggering feelings of embarrassment, anxiety, or shame. As a result, many ISTJs are careful observers in social situations. They pick up on what’s working and what isn’t, and they try to adapt accordingly.

This social awareness often goes unnoticed because ISTJs don’t always talk about their feelings. But internally, they’re paying close attention, and negative feedback can hit much harder than you’d expect.

Related: 10 Things That Terrify ISTJs

Inside the ESTJ Brain

ESTJs are known for being practical, direct, and quick to take charge—but what’s happening behind the scenes in their brains? According to brain researcher Dario Nardi, it’s pretty busy—and it explains why ESTJs are so decisive, efficient, and immune to drama.

Let’s walk through it without a science degree.

Left-Brain Logic All the Way

In brain scans, ESTJs show 52% of their prefrontal activity on the left side of the brain and 48% on the right. That might sound close, but even that slight lean toward the left makes a difference.

The left side of the brain handles things like logic, structure, and concrete facts. It’s the side that wants data, results, and clear yes-or-no answers. So it’s no surprise that ESTJs rely heavily on this part when they’re hearing, seeing, remembering, and making decisions. That’s where their love of evidence-based thinking comes from. It also explains why they tend to enjoy organizing info into charts, tables, or diagrams—visual clarity and structure make their brains happy.

Fun bonus: These same regions help with hand-eye coordination and speech clarity, which may explain why ESTJs often come across as confident and articulate when presenting their ideas.

FP01: The Inner Critic and the Filter

One of the most active areas in the ESTJ brain is a region called FP01, located just behind the eye socket. This part of the brain is basically a mental error detector—it notices when something is off, inaccurate, or inefficient.

Because this region is so active in ESTJs, they’re quick to spot mistakes in their environment, whether it’s a crooked picture frame or a flawed argument. But here’s the twist: FP01 also filters out negative feedback—especially if it seems unhelpful or emotionally charged.

So if someone critiques them harshly? ESTJs are more likely to shrug it off or dismiss it than ruminate on it. Their brains just don’t give emotional criticism much airtime. FP01 also helps suppress emotional reactions, which is part of why ESTJs tend to stay calm, focused, and composed—even when things go sideways.

F8: Values, Judgments, and Emotional Control

Another region that lights up for ESTJs is called F8, which plays a big role in regulating emotions, setting boundaries, and reacting to moral or value-based issues.

F8 and FP01 work together like a moral compass and emotional thermostat. When ESTJs see something they believe is wrong—like an unfair decision, a dishonest person, or an idea they think is completely off-base—their brains react strongly. This helps them stay firm in their values and act decisively when something feels “off.”

Related: What Type of Sensor Are You? The Difference Between Introverted and Extraverted Sensing

Inside the ISFJ Brain

ISFJs are often known for their warmth, reliability, and vivid memory. But what’s actually happening inside their brains? Let’s find out!

A Right-Brained Soft Focus

When ISFJs are thinking, about 55% of their prefrontal activity happens on the right side of the brain, while 45% happens on the left.

That right side of the brain is more holistic, intuitive, and image-driven. It’s the part that picks up on patterns, emotional cues, and visuals. But make no mistake—this doesn’t mean they’re fuzzy thinkers. Their brains are still deeply tuned to structure and detail, just through a quieter, more observant lens.

They also show brain activity that mirrors their background and life experience. ISFJs don’t just “learn” things—they internalize them. Over time, their minds become detailed mental archives of everything they’ve practiced, studied, or experienced, especially in the service of others.

Memory Like a Highlight Reel

ISFJs have a powerful connection to personal memory. When they recall a favorite experience—like a birthday party from childhood or a meaningful conversation—they don’t just remember the big picture. They often recall exact sounds, smells, and images with stunning clarity.

When they access these memories, their brains shift into a kind of “zone” state—calm, focused, and deeply absorbed. This is why many ISFJs love:

• Watching old home videos
• Listening to nostalgic music
• Flipping through photo albums
• Journaling about meaningful moments

It can also mean that bad memories hit especially hard and can be difficult to shake off. Their memories aren’t just snapshots—they’re full-scene replays, with emotion, sensory detail, and atmosphere all included.

Visual Learning and the Occipital Boost

ISFJs show strong brain activity in the occipital regions—the parts that help us understand and interpret visual input.

That means ISFJs often learn best through images. Diagrams, illustrations, and real-world demonstrations tend to stick better than abstract verbal explanations. They’re also great at reading abstract visual impressions, which can show up in artistic ability, attention to facial cues, or strong spatial awareness.

Future Planning with Feeling

Even though ISFJs are known for their love of the past, their brains also light up in the equator region—the band that wraps around the brain and helps us plan for the future and read social signals.

This is important because many ISFJs mistype as INFJs on personality tests. Why? Because those tests often treat “future planning” as a sign of intuition. But ISFJs (who lead with introverted sensing, or Si) also plan ahead—just in a different way.

• INFJs may ask: “How will artificial intelligence change human identity?”
• ISFJs are more likely to ask: “How can I create a peaceful, cozy home for the people I love?”

ISFJ planning is often tied to practicality, care, and comfort, rather than abstract theorizing.

Emotionally Tuned In

Another key region in the ISFJ brain is the temporal lobe, which helps them pick up on social cues and emotional signals.

When someone frowns, shifts uncomfortably, or seems upset, the ISFJ brain lights up in response. This helps them adjust quickly and gently to the emotional tone of a room. It’s part of why ISFJs often come across as thoughtful, attentive, and socially graceful—they’re literally wired to care about how others feel.

Interestingly, male ISFJs tend to show even more activity in this region than female ISFJs, which might come as a surprise given the stereotypes around gender and emotional awareness.

Related: Understanding ISFJ Feeling

Inside the ESFJ Brain

Left-Brain Power with a People Focus

Brain scans show that ESFJs have a slight tilt toward left-brain activity:
52% of their prefrontal thinking happens on the left, while 48% happens on the right.

The left brain is all about structure, logic, and practical information. For ESFJs, this means their brains naturally lean toward being planful, responsible, and organized—especially when it comes to taking care of people. Their mental energy is often centered around social responsibility, which helps explain why so many ESFJs are the first to step up when someone needs help, a schedule needs building, or a casserole needs baking.

They also use neocortex regions that help them communicate clearly and read social behavior—skills that give them their reputation for being emotionally intelligent and socially graceful.

FP01: Composure in the Face of Chaos

One of the most active regions in the ESFJ brain is FP01, located near the front-left of the brain.

This area helps them:

• Spot errors in their surroundings (that crooked picture frame? they noticed)
• Filter out negativity or emotional distractions
• Stay composed in emotionally intense situations

For example, if an ESFJ hears devastating news, their first instinct isn’t to fall apart—it’s to stay grounded, process what’s happening, and use words to express what they’re feeling:

This part of the brain also explains their tendency to stay optimistic. ESFJs often redirect their focus away from bad news and toward what they can do, who they can support, or how they can help someone heal.

Hyper-Aware of Social Feedback

ESFJs also show high activity in the temporal region, which lights up when someone gives them social feedback—especially the negative kind.

A frown, a shift in body language, an awkward silence? The ESFJ brain picks up on it immediately. That’s why they’re often the first to notice if someone’s uncomfortable, upset, or left out—and why they may feel deeply embarrassed or apologetic if they accidentally cause a social misstep.

C3 and F7: Grounded in the Physical World

Two more brain regions stand out in ESFJs: C3 and F7.

• C3, at the top of the brain, helps process touch and body awareness. It’s part of why ESFJs are so tuned in to physical comfort, social spacing, and what’s going on in their environment. They’re often aware of things like how close people are standing, whether the room feels tense, or how their own posture affects how they come across.
• F7, a region in the frontal cortex, helps combine sensory information with stored memories. This is where their Introverted Sensing (Si) comes in. ESFJs naturally compare the present moment to similar moments from the past, helping them stay grounded in what’s familiar and effective.

This wiring helps them follow steps, stick to routines, and remember what worked last time—making them natural caretakers, organizers, and troubleshooters.

Related: Understanding ESFJ Feeling

Inside the ISTP Brain

Left-Brained and Laser-Focused

When ISTPs are thinking through something, 59% of their prefrontal activity happens on the left side of the brain, with 41% on the right. That’s a pretty strong lean toward analytical, structured, logical thinking.

And while many people’s brains bounce around between dozens of regions during problem-solving, ISTPs tend to concentrate their energy into just a few core areas—like a sniper instead of a shotgun. These areas help them zone in on problems, break them down, and find practical, no-nonsense solutions.

F3: Where Logic Meets Movement

One of the busiest regions in the ISTP brain is called F3, located on the left side of the prefrontal cortex. This spot is responsible for symbolic reasoning, verbal logic, and motor planning.

Translation? This region helps ISTPs:

• Work through problems step-by-step
• Use logic to figure things out
• Stay physically coordinated—whether that’s typing, playing an instrument, or making a quick repair without fumbling

It’s one reason ISTPs are often great with their hands and known for excelling in jobs or hobbies that require both sharp minds and sharp reflexes.

F4: The Real-Time Responder

ISTPs also show high activity in F4, another motor-related region. This area responds to sight, sound, and touch—helping them take in sensory info and react quickly and accurately.

• Hear a strange noise in the engine? They’re on it.
• Feel that the handle’s slightly off-center? They’ll fix it.
• Need to categorize and compare ten different options in a snap? No problem.

F4 also helps ISTPs sort and define concepts rapidly, which makes them great at managing lots of input at once. It’s like their brain has a built-in filter and sorter, working in real time.

P4: Physical Presence and Crisis Judgment

Another standout region for ISTPs is called P4, located in the right parietal lobe. This area is like the brain’s internal GPS and judgment center.

It helps them:

• Weigh pros and cons—especially in high-stakes or risky situations
• Understand where their body is in space (which is why they don’t usually trip over furniture)
• Stay calm and make calculated decisions under pressure

P4 also plays a role in math and spatial reasoning, giving many ISTPs a natural knack for mechanical systems, calculations, or anything requiring mental precision and physical awareness.

Listening? Optional.

Now here’s an interesting twist: ISTPs (and INTPs) show very low activity in the brain’s listening centers—the right and left temporal lobes.

In other words, they don’t naturally light up when someone else is talking, especially if what’s being said feels long-winded, emotional, or inefficient.

That doesn’t mean ISTPs can’t listen—it just takes effort. Interestingly, female ISTPs tend to show slightly more brain activity in these listening areas, though it’s still something they often have to consciously focus on.

So if an ISTP seems distracted while you’re pouring your heart out, it’s not personal—it’s just that their brain is itching to solve the problem, not sit in the feelings.

Related: The Rare ISTP Female

Inside the ISFP Brain

Left-Brain Leaning, But Emotionally Tuned

ISFPs might come across as heart-driven types—and they are—but interestingly, their brains show 68% of their prefrontal activity on the left side, and only 32% on the right. That’s a pretty strong lean toward the side of the brain that likes logic, structure, and concrete details.

But here’s the twist: their emotional and social awareness doesn’t come from the front of the brain—it comes from the sides. Specifically, their temporal lobes light up like fireworks.

T3 and T4: Masters of Tone and Truth

Two of the busiest areas in the ISFP brain are T3 and T4, located on the sides of the brain near the ears.

• T3 helps process language—things like grammar, diction, verbal memory, and even tone of voice. This makes ISFPs excellent listeners who are highly attuned to the way things are said—not just what’s said. They tend to choose their own words carefully, too. If they pause mid-sentence to reword something, it’s not because they’re unsure—it’s because they care about precision and accurate meaning.
• T4 handles emotional memory and intent detection. That means ISFPs are incredibly good at picking up on the vibe behind someone’s words. A cheerful tone hiding irritation? A fake laugh? A passive-aggressive comment? Their brain catches it fast. This might explain why ISFPs often just know when someone’s being insincere—even if they can’t explain how.

Together, these regions give ISFPs an almost musical sensitivity to emotional language, tone, and authenticity.

T5: Reading Between the Lines

Another region that lights up for ISFPs is T5, which activates when someone is being vague, withholding information, or just not saying what needs to be said.

This part of the brain sparks curiosity about what people aren’t saying. It’s what makes ISFPs good at reading the room, noticing awkward silences, and asking quiet but probing questions. They often sense when something’s “off” even when nobody else has noticed it.

F8: Values, Mood, and Artistic Expression

In the frontal lobe, ISFPs show high activity in F8, which handles:

• Emotional regulation
• Personal values
• Expressive gestures (like drawing, dancing, or creating art)

This lines up with ISFPs being Fi-dominant (Introverted Feeling) types. Their values are central to everything they do—and they express their emotions not necessarily through big speeches or dramatic gestures, but often through something more subtle and creative: a drawing, a melody, a carefully curated space.

F8 also helps ISFPs sort what matters most, both in conversation and in life. That’s why they can come across as quiet but surprisingly firm when it comes to their moral code.

And the emotional regulation part also explains why ISFPs may not reveal their deeper feelings in real time. They’re more likely to hold in their feelings and process them alone than blurt them out as they’re experiencing them.

T6: Patterns, Faces, and the Future

Finally, the ISFP brain lights up in a region known as T6, which handles:

• Facial recognition
• Symbol and pattern recognition
• Auditory processing
• And even some future prediction (like guessing what’s about to happen based on what’s happening now)

This part of the brain supports their tertiary function, Introverted Intuition (Ni). While not dominant in ISFPs, Ni gives them a soft ability to anticipate outcomes, see where things are heading, and draw meaning from subtle cues—like a face, a feeling, or a symbol in a dream.

Inside the ESTP Brain

Right-Brain Tilt and the “Tennis Hop” Mind

In brain scans, ESTPs show 54% of their prefrontal brain activity on the right side, and 46% on the left. That gives them a slight edge toward creative problem-solving, quick perception, and sensory integration—all things the right brain is known for.

But here’s where it gets really interesting: ESTPs often show a unique brain pattern known as the “tennis hop.” Imagine a tennis player lightly bouncing on their feet, ready to sprint in any direction the ball demands. That’s how the ESTP brain works—constantly alert, lightly engaged across the entire neocortex, and ready to spring into action.

Instead of locking into one specific mental area, their brain keeps lots of regions lightly activated and unsynchronized. That way, when something unexpected happens, their mind can instantly call up the exact regions it needs—without wasting time panicking or rerouting.

Crisis? Challenge? Game On.

ESTPs enter a zone-like state during unexpected or crisis situations. While others might freeze or spiral, ESTPs often grow calmer, more focused, and more effective.

They don’t just handle chaos—they often thrive in it.

Their brains are built to take in sensory info quickly and integrate it with physical movement. This is why many ESTPs are naturals at:

• Juggling (literally and metaphorically)
• Responding to emergencies
• Making fast, sharp decisions with limited information

When they’re in motion—solving problems, fixing things, or engaging with the physical world—they hit a kind of mental flow that other types might only find during meditation.

Sitting Still? Not Their Favorite.

Here’s the catch: ESTP brains hate staying idle.

Because their minds are constantly scanning for action, challenge, or surprise, situations that demand long periods of stillness (like traditional classrooms) can feel like punishment.

That’s not laziness or lack of focus—it’s biology. Their brain is ready to pounce, and instead, it’s being told to stay in its seat.

Give them the freedom to move around, stretch, or interact, and they’re far more likely to absorb and retain information. Hands-on environments are their learning sweet spot.

F3: The Logic-Under-Pressure Zone

ESTPs show the strongest use of region F3 of any personality type. This is the problem-solving powerhouse of the frontal lobe.

F3 helps with:

• Fine motor coordination
• Linear, logical thinking
• Fact-sorting and decision-making
• Quick, clear analysis under pressure

This is the brain region that allows ESTPs to connect the dots fast, act quickly under pressure, and keep calm while solving complicated, high-stakes problems—whether they’re dismantling a machine, analyzing a battlefield, or bluffing at the poker table.

Related: Understanding ESTP Sensing

Inside the ESFP Brain

Right-Brain Tilt and the “Tennis Hop” Brain

In brain scans, ESFPs show 52% of their prefrontal activity on the right side and 48% on the left—a slight lean toward the creative, sensory, emotionally perceptive side of the brain.

But the real standout feature? Like ESTPs, ESFPs often show a brain pattern nicknamed the “tennis hop.”

Imagine a tennis player bouncing lightly on their feet, waiting for the ball—ready to spring in any direction. The ESFP brain works the same way: all regions of the neocortex are lightly activated, alert, and ready to jump into action when something unexpected happens.

This brain style makes ESFPs:

• Highly adaptable
• Calm under pressure
• Quick to respond in crisis

While others may freeze or overthink, ESFPs stay flexible, creative, and physically present.

Flow in the Face of Chaos

Only ESTPs and ESFPs showed this kind of “zone” state under stress in Nardi’s research. It’s not just that they handle crisis—they often hit their mental peak during it.

Whether they’re managing a surprise work crisis, saving someone from choking, or improvising in a live performance, ESFPs can lock in when it matters most.

That’s also why they struggle in environments that feel static or predictable. Sitting quietly at a desk with nothing happening? For an ESFP, that’s like being stuck on a tennis court with no game, no opponent, and no ball.

Drama, Motion, and Sensory Memory

ESFPs are especially drawn to high-energy, dramatic, or emotional experiences—and they remember them vividly.

Their brains favor details that involve movement, emotional charge, or creative flair. That’s why they can often recall something striking they saw 15 minutes ago (a dance, a powerful scene, a surprising twist) with pinpoint accuracy.

They don’t just see life—they feel it, move through it, and remember it in full color.

Verbal Precision and Emotional Hearing

ESFPs also rely heavily on both the right and left temporal lobes, the regions responsible for:

• Verbal memory
• Grammar and diction
• Emotional tone
• Non-verbal emotional memory

This gives them an edge in both how they speak and how they listen. They’re careful with their words, expressive in delivery, and extremely tuned in to how things sound—both in tone and intent.

They hear the hesitation in someone’s voice. They catch the sharp edge in an offhand comment. And they care deeply about making sure their own message lands just right.

Related: 10 Things You Should Never Say to an ESFP

Inside the INFP Brain

A Balanced Brain with a Listening Superpower

INFPs show a near-even split in brain activity:
52% of their prefrontal activity happens on the left side, and 48% on the right.

But what really makes INFPs stand out is how they listen.

Most people start mentally coming up with their response while the other person is still talking. Not INFPs. Their brain stays fully tuned in, activating all the regions involved in voice, tone, and language processing. This helps them listen holistically—not just to the words, but to the feeling, the meaning, and the person behind them.

T3 and T4: Emotional Ears and Verbal Precision

INFPs show strong activity in the left and right temporal lobes, especially in regions called T3 and T4.

• T3 helps them tune into the details of speech: words, grammar, rhythm, and tone. INFPs often choose their own words carefully, sometimes rewriting a sentence mid-thought just to make sure it feels right.
• T4 picks up on emotional subtext. It helps them sense when someone’s words don’t match their tone—or when someone’s being fake, kind, awkward, or manipulative.

Together, these regions help INFPs become sharp emotional listeners and careful communicators, deeply aware of how something is said—not just what is said.

F8: The Inner Value-Center

INFPs also show high activity in F8, a frontal brain region that lights up when we:

• Express feelings
• Talk about our personal values
• Rank what’s most important to us
• Say things like “my beliefs” or “my truth”

This is core Fi (Introverted Feeling) territory. INFPs process emotions in a way that’s personal, layered, and deeply rooted in what matters to them on an individual level. They like to categorize, examine, and prioritize their feelings in quiet, powerful ways.

This region also helps explain why many INFPs express themselves emotionally through art, music, writing, or gentle acts of kindness—or might enjoy ranking their favorite songs, movies, books, in order of what they liked most to least.

Logic? Not the Priority. But Patterns? Yes.

INFPs show less activity in the deep brain regions that handle logic-heavy processing—things like deductive reasoning or strict classification.

This doesn’t mean they’re illogical—it just means their focus is elsewhere. They tend to process information through sensory memory and aesthetic impressions rather than rigid systems.

That said, INFPs do show moderate activity in visual and kinesthetic areas of the brain—regions that support:

• Pattern recognition
• Color and texture awareness
• Body-based memory and full-sensory recall

This lines up with their tertiary function, Introverted Sensing (Si)—which gives them a subtle strength in remembering how things felt, how things looked, and what happened before.

F7: The Empathy Engine

Finally, INFPs light up in a region called F7, which supports:

• Verbal expression
• Mood regulation
• “Mental rehearsal” (imagining how to say something before saying it)
• Emotional perspective-taking

This region helps INFPs step into someone else’s shoes, imagining how words will land, or what someone might be thinking beneath the surface. It’s also the part of the brain that helps us decode intentions, which is why INFPs can be so good at reading people—even when they don’t say much out loud.

Related: Why INFPs and INFJs Are Drawn to Sad Things

Inside the ENFP Brain

A Little Right-Brained, A Lot Restless

ENFPs show 52% of their prefrontal brain activity on the right side and 48% on the left. That slight right-brain lean gives them a boost in creativity, emotional awareness, and the ability to process life in a more holistic, big-picture kind of way.

But one of the biggest strengths in the ENFP brain? Something called trans-contextual thinking.

Here’s how that works: For most people, hearing the word dog might light up the part of the brain that recalls the sound of barking or a memory of their childhood pet. Pretty basic.

But for ENFPs? Their brains go, “Dog? Cool. Let’s also think about loyalty, sibling dynamics, story metaphors, canine psychology, and….” the list goes on and on.

It’s not that they’re trying to be random—it’s that their brains are wired to connect ideas across totally different situations. They’re pulling threads from everywhere, all at once. It’s kind of like jazz improvisation, but with thoughts.

F7: The Empathy Engine (and Word Nerd Central)

ENFPs also show strong activity in a brain region called F7. This spot handles a bunch of things that make ENFPs, well, ENFPs:

• Verbal expression
• Mood regulation
• Empathy
• Speech fluency
• Picking up on people’s feelings and intentions

Some researchers even call this part the “frontal mirror neuron system,” which sounds like something from a sci-fi movie but basically means ENFPs are excellent at emotionally mirroring and responding to other people.

This is why they’re drawn to deep, meaningful conversations and games like “What if you could swap lives with someone for a day?” Their brain is stimulated by imaginative, wordy, emotionally rich interactions—especially ones with ambiguity and multiple possible meanings.

Language, Timing, and the Art of Saying It Just Right

ENFPs also light up in the right and left temporal lobes, which handle language, emotional tone, and memory. This gives them an ear for how things sound—not just what’s being said, but how it’s being said.

They’re not usually the type to blurt something out unfiltered. Even if it seems spontaneous, there’s often a thoughtful pause behind the scenes—because ENFPs care a lot about impact. They want their words to land—to resonate, to spark curiosity, or to gently blow your mind.

The Struggle with Flow (Unless They’ve Practiced)

Okay, here’s a fun quirk: ENFPs don’t naturally slide into the “zone” the way some other types do. You know that feeling when you’re totally absorbed in something and time disappears? ENFPs have to work at that.

They usually need long-term practice at something before their brain lets them enter that deep focus state. But when they do get there? The secret is imaginative rehearsal—they literally envision themselves succeeding at the thing they’re doing. It’s like mental theater meets performance psychology, and it works.

Inside the INFJ Brain

The Whole-Brain Zen Mode

INFJs show a pretty even balance between left and right brain activity—49% on the left, 51% on the right. But what really sets them apart is a brain pattern so rare it usually only shows up in experts and performers at the top of their game.

It’s called the “whole-brain zen state.” In most people, this brain state only shows up during peak performance—like an athlete nailing a flawless routine, or a musician completely in the zone.

But for INFJs? This pattern shows up when they’re asked to solve unfamiliar problems or imagine the future.

Yep—while other types might freeze or scramble in the face of the unknown, INFJs go into their version of calm supercomputer mode. Their entire neocortex works in sync, pulling from every possible perspective, searching for patterns, and trying to “realize” an answer rather than just piece one together.

This brain state is most likely to show up when they’re alone, undistracted, and deep in thought—which is why INFJs often crave quiet spaces where they can just think.

T6: Future Vision and Symbolic Thinking

Another standout region in the INFJ brain is T6, which lights up when we:

• Recognize faces or patterns
• Assign symbolic meaning to images
• Predict what’s going to happen next

This lines up with the INFJ’s dominant function, Introverted Intuition (Ni). It’s what helps them connect dots no one else sees, predict outcomes before anyone else notices the setup, and speak in metaphors that somehow feel more accurate than facts.

T6 helps INFJs make meaning out of everything—from dreams to glances to global events. It’s the mental telescope that lets them zoom out and sense how the puzzle fits together.

Not Into Repetition

INFJs tend to avoid rote practice or repetitive tasks. While some types love mastering one skill through repetition, INFJs prefer to stay mentally flexible. They’re more likely to dabble in multiple things, seeking out new ways of thinking rather than repeating what they already know.

Their brain’s default mode? “Let’s try something new.”

Visual Processors and Self-Reflectors

INFJs also rely heavily on O1 and O2, the brain’s visual processing centers. These regions help with:

• Recognizing visual patterns
• Spotting subtle inconsistencies
• Imagining or visualizing complex ideas

This explains why many INFJs have a rich inner world of images, symbols, and abstract maps in their minds—even if they don’t always draw them out loud.

They also show high activity in FP2, a region involved in:

• Taking in difficult or negative input
• Regulating emotions during reflection
• Thinking about the self (identity, behavior, impulses)

This gives INFJs their signature depth—they take time to think about how things affect them, how they affect others, and what needs to be adjusted. It also explains their natural inclination toward introspection, impulse control, and emotional growth.

F7: The Empathy Superhighway

Last but definitely not least, INFJs show strong activity in F7, the same region ENFPs and other empathy-heavy types also use often.

F7 helps us:

• Understand people’s intentions
• “Step into someone else’s shoes”
• Engage in mental rehearsal (aka, “If I say this, they might feel that…”)

This part of the INFJ brain is always trying to understand others deeply, and it’s why INFJs are often the friend who senses how you’re feeling before you say a word.

They process emotional language carefully, matching tone, timing, and words to respond in a way that feels exactly right.

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Related: 7 Things That INFJs Experience as Children

Inside the ENFJ Brain

Left-Brain Boss Mode

In brain scans, ENFJs show 63% of their prefrontal activity on the left side and 37% on the right. That’s a pretty big lean toward the left brain, which is all about logic, structure, language, and decision-making.

This makes sense when you consider how goal-oriented, plan-focused, and verbal ENFJs tend to be. And it also debunks the idea that Feeling types can’t be logical!

FP1: Tunnel Vision (But Make It Productive)

One of the standout areas in the ENFJ brain is FP1, a frontal region that helps with:

• Task completion
• Networking
• Logical attention
• Spotting mistakes
• Ignoring distractions

Basically, this is the get-it-done region. It’s the part of the ENFJ brain that says, “Focus, stay polite, finish what you started.” It also filters out noise—literal and emotional—so they can zero in on a goal.

But here’s the catch: overusing FP1 can mean tuning out criticism or alternate viewpoints. So if an ENFJ is under stress or overcommitted, they might ignore helpful feedback in the name of staying on track, which can lead to stubbornness or emotional burnout.

FP2: The Emotional Brakes (Or Lack Thereof)

On the flip side, ENFJs show low activity in FP2, the part of the brain that helps with:

• Introspection
• Self-restraint
• Accepting hard truths
• Emotional processing when things get messy

When FP2 isn’t pulling its weight, ENFJs can sometimes skip right past their own needs or feelings, only to explode later when everything builds up. That’s the infamous “snap” moment where the usually composed ENFJ suddenly doesn’t hold it together.

But there’s a workaround: when ENFJs lean into their Introverted Intuition (Ni)—their deeper pattern-seeking, slow-thinking side—they’re more likely to activate FP2 and keep things balanced. ENFJs caught in an Fe-Se loop (people-pleasing + sensory overstimulation) tend to avoid FP2 altogether, which makes emotional regulation even harder.

T5 and the Sensitivity to Social Feedback

ENFJs show strong activity in temporal region T5, which processes:

• Language
• Tone of voice
• Social feedback (especially negative feedback)

This means ENFJs are highly tuned in to people’s reactions. A frown, a weird silence, a slightly sharp tone? It registers fast—and it hurts. That’s part of why they’re so focused on keeping things harmonious. They don’t just prefer smooth interactions—their brains are actually wired to respond intensely when things feel off.

Interestingly, male ENFJs show even more activity in T5 than female ENFJs, which is a fascinating twist on common emotional stereotypes.

The Language Lover’s Left Brain

ENFJs also rely heavily on the left temporal lobe, which analyzes:

• Word choice
• Grammar
• Verbal structure

This helps explain why ENFJs (like their ESFJ cousins) are often particular about how things are phrased. They know that how you say something matters as much as what you say—and they want to get it just right.

Music, Movement, and Emotion

ENFJs show high activity in C4, part of the mesial motor strip—which sounds intense but basically means this area lights up when we:

• Feel emotions through music
• Move our whole body expressively
• Tune into others’ emotional energy

This is part of what gives ENFJs their emotional charisma. Their brains don’t just understand ideas—they embody emotion. It’s in their posture, their tone, their pacing.

They also show strong use of T4, which helps them connect emotions with personal memories. This can give them a surprisingly nostalgic quality and an ability to tune into the past to extract emotional richness from a specific story or memory.

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Inside the INTP Brain

A Brain in Balance

First off, INTPs show an almost perfect balance of brain activity between the two hemispheres: 51% on the left side, and 49% on the right.

This balance means they can toggle easily between structured logic and big-picture thinking. They aren’t stuck in the abstract or the rigidly analytical—they float between both worlds, asking “What if?” while also wondering “How, exactly?”

But when it comes to how they process problems? That’s where it gets interesting.

The Logical Powerhouse

INTPs rely heavily on four brain regions that help them take apart complicated problems and put them back together in clever, elegant ways.

Here’s the lineup:

• F3: This region is all about verbal and symbolic reasoning—the stuff you use when solving puzzles, decoding systems, or explaining abstract ideas. It also handles fine motor coordination, especially in the upper body.
• F4: This one helps with categorizing and defining concepts, as well as coordinating the left hand. So when an INTP says, “Wait, let’s define our terms,” you can thank F4 for that. It wants everything labeled and understood before moving forward.
• P3: Okay, P3 is a multitasker. It’s involved in language, memory, grammar, spelling, math, naming, imagination, and short-term recall. Basically, it’s the Swiss Army knife of the INTP brain. This area helps them juggle multiple mental tabs at once—one for each idea, theory, and side note.
• Right Parietal Region: This area helps with spatial processing, map-reading, self-location, and evaluating risk. It’s more common in types like ENTPs and ISTPs, but INTPs still use it well. This helps them weigh pros and cons, especially in abstract or high-risk problem-solving.

Put these all together and you get an INTP who can think in layers, cross-reference theories, and use logic while defining and categorizing information rapidly.

Listening? Optional.

Now for the curveball: INTPs don’t naturally prioritize listening—at least not the active kind.

They show very low activity in the temporal lobes, which handle sound, voice tone, and social language cues. So if you feel like an INTP isn’t reacting much when you’re talking? They probably are listening—just internally focused on sorting ideas, not picking up on vocal nuance or emotional inflection.

They usually have to make a conscious effort to listen actively. Female INTPs tend to be better at this, but it still takes work for most INTPs to stay present in real-time conversations instead of disappearing into their own minds.

Debate = Brain Candy

If you do want to light up an INTP’s brain, get them into an engaging argument or thoughtful discussion.

When they’re mentally stimulated, regions FP1 and FP2 light up. These regions help them:

• See multiple angles of an issue
• Take in both positive and negative input
• Integrate opposing ideas into a single coherent theory

So while other types might be trying to win the debate, the INTP is building a multidimensional mental model. They’re not playing chess. They’re writing the physics equation behind the game of chess. In their heads. Silently.

Related: 10 Things You Should Never Say to an INTP

Inside the ENTP Brain

According to neuroscience researcher Dario Nardi, ENTPs are wired for novelty, surprise, and mental fireworks. Their thinking style is unpredictable in the best possible way—and it all starts with a pattern called…

The “Christmas Tree” Brain

ENTPs show a slight tilt to the right brain—52% right-side activity, 48% left—but the real magic is how their entire brain lights up when they’re thinking. Nardi calls it “trans-contextual thinking,” but let’s call it what it really is: Christmas tree brain.

Why? Because when an ENTP is processing something, their entire neocortex lights up in different spots, all at once, each in its own rhythm—kind of like blinking lights all over a tree. Most people use a couple of specific brain regions for certain problems. ENTPs? They use everything. Whether it’s relevant or not.

So if you say the words “dog” and “cat,” most people might picture the animals or remember a sound. ENTPs? Their brain might jump to a story about loyalty vs. independence, a debate about sibling dynamics, or a theory about how cats would write poetry while dogs would launch a podcast.

That’s not randomness. That’s Ne (Extraverted Intuition) pulling ideas from everywhere—fast, weird, and brilliant.

The Highs (and the Wipeouts)

All that fast-paced, whole-brain brainstorming is energy intensive. It takes a lot of mental fuel to think this way.

Which is why ENTPs often experience creative highs where they’re firing on all cylinders, making genius-level connections, solving problems like a boss—and then suddenly crash into “don’t talk to me, I’m mentally fried” territory.

They also tend to see so many angles of a problem that making a final decision can feel like picking just one jellybean out of 100 flavors. Sometimes their biggest challenge isn’t coming up with ideas—it’s choosing just one.

Right Parietal Region: The ENTP’s Secret Weapon

Another big player in the ENTP brain is the right parietal region, which acts like a mental sketchpad for:

• Facial decoding (reading people’s expressions)
• Environmental awareness
• Non-verbal reasoning
• Visual-spatial memory
• Pros-and-cons juggling

This region helps them take in dozens of messy, uncertain factors and somehow make sense of it all. It’s what lets them improvise, pivot, and play chess with abstract ideas while everyone else is still setting up the board.

And fun fact? ENTPs use this region more than any other personality type. It’s part of what makes them so mentally agile in unfamiliar situations.

Inside the INTJ Brain

INTJs have a bit of a reputation: strategic masterminds, always thinking ten steps ahead, laser-focused on improvement. But what’s really going on inside their heads?

According to neuroscience researcher Dario Nardi, INTJs have a unique brain pattern that sets them apart from most other types—and it’s all about depth, synthesis, and big-picture problem solving.

Let’s take a closer look.

Whole-Brain Zen Mode

When INTJs are thinking, their brains show a nearly even balance—52% of prefrontal activity on the right side, 48% on the left. But the real standout feature isn’t the balance—it’s the “zen” state their brain enters during complex thought.

Most people only hit this state when they’re doing something they’ve mastered—like a chef cooking their signature dish. But for INTJs? They go into whole-brain, high-amplitude synchronicity mode when they’re asked to do the opposite—tackle something totally new or uncertain.

This pattern shows up when they’re:

• Solving unusual or abstract problems
• Envisioning the future
• Strategizing from multiple angles
• Reconciling complex data from different sources

Instead of scrambling, their brain goes quiet, calm, and hyper-integrated—like a control center pulling in signals from every room of the ship. It’s what helps them “realize” a solution instead of just analyzing it.

This state thrives in silence and solitude, which is why INTJs need regular time alone to fully access their mental potential. Distractions? Noise? Interruptions? Those kill the signal.

T6: The Symbolic Visionary

Another major power center in the INTJ brain is region T6, which handles:

• Prediction (as in, “this will probably happen”)
• Symbol recognition
• Emotional processing
• Facial and pattern recognition

This fits perfectly with their dominant function, Introverted Intuition (Ni). It’s the function that helps them see patterns behind the scenes, detect hidden meanings, and think in symbolic, predictive ways.

INTJs aren’t usually the ones reacting to what is. They’re already scanning for what’s next.

No Thanks to Repetition

INTJs tend to avoid rote repetition or anything that feels too mechanical. Their brains are wired to build new mental pathways, not reinforce the same one over and over.

That’s why you’ll often find them jumping between fields, diving into new concepts, or tweaking systems that already “work”—because their minds crave novelty, depth, and expansion over specialization for its own sake.

Efficient and Evidence-Based

Thanks to their Extraverted Thinking (Te), INTJs also show strong brain activity in left-brain regions responsible for:

• Hearing
• Seeing
• Recalling specific facts
• Making clear, measurable decisions

This makes them natural planners and fixers—they want real data, real metrics, and a clear path forward. Their brains light up when they can correct an error, complete a task, or bring structure to chaos.

Related: When INTJs Loop – Understanding the Ni-Fi Cycle

Inside the ENTJ Brain

ENTJs have a reputation for being direct, decisive, and driven—and their brains absolutely back that up. If you imagine the brain as a high-powered executive suite, ENTJs are running it with ruthless efficiency and zero tolerance for fluff.

Let’s take a look at what’s going on behind the scenes.

Left Brain in Charge

ENTJs show a strong lean toward the left side of the brain, with 63% of their prefrontal activity on the left, and 37% on the right.

That left side is all about:

• Logical thinking
• Structured planning
• Verbal clarity
• Evidence-based decision-making

These are the brain regions ENTJs rely on most for hearing, seeing, recalling facts, and making solid choices based on measurable data. This also explains why so many ENTJs love to organize information into charts, systems, spreadsheets, and clean, actionable plans.

Add in good hand-eye coordination and crisp communication, and you’ve got a brain built for fast action and confident leadership.

FP01: The Focus Filter

A major power zone in the ENTJ brain is a region called FP01, located near the front of the brain behind the eye socket.

Here’s what FP01 does:

• Scans for errors in the environment
• Filters out distractions, criticism, or unnecessary input
• Helps suppress emotional interference so the ENTJ can focus on results

This means ENTJs are often the first to spot flaws in a plan—and they’re not shy about pointing them out. But it also means they can tune out negative feedback that isn’t useful. If someone throws shade or gets emotional during a debate, the ENTJ brain is often like: “Not helpful. Moving on.”

FP01 also helps them zero in on the essentials, cutting through noise to focus on what matters most.

F8: When Emotions Meet Judgment

ENTJs also show strong use of region F8, which handles:

• Emotional regulation
• Social inhibition (aka, when to hold back)
• Personal values

This region works hand-in-hand with FP01 to evaluate not just logical errors—but value-based ones. So when an ENTJ hears something like “That plan is selfish” or “This idea is unethical”, F8 lights up.

This explains why ENTJs often have strong reactions to bad reasoning or questionable motives. Their brains are tuned not just to efficiency—but to evaluating whether something makes sense and whether it crosses a moral line.

Want to know more?

Be sure to check out Dario Nardi’s book, Neuroscience of Personality: Brain Savvy Insights for All Types of People

Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type or The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

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