Emotional Sponges: The Chemistry of MBTI Personality Types

Have you ever walked into a room and been instantly overwhelmed by the emotional weight of others—their sadness, excitement, or anxiety—as if it were drowning you? 

What personality types are most affected by the emotions of others? A psychological website’s survey reveals the emotional sensitivity of different MBTI personalities.

The 16 Personalities' Emotional Absorptivity Ranking

According to a survey by a US psychology fan site (3,182 respondents), when asked, "Do you naturally absorb the emotions of others, even confusing them with your own?" The personality types most likely to agree were:

• 1st Place: 82.14% of INFJ (The Advocate)
• 2nd Place: 76.93% of ENFJ (The Protagonist)
• 3rd Place: 70.37% of ISFJ (The Defender)
• 4th Place: 64.59% of INFP (The Mediator)
• 5th Place: 46.67% of ENFP (The Campaigner)
• 6th Place: 45.00% of ESFJ (The Consul)

1st Place: The INFJ (The Advocate) Personality

Based on this data, the INFJ personality's role as an empath is undeniable.

Thanks to the combination of Introverted Intuition (Ni) and Extraverted Feeling (Fe), INFJs can shift perspective and see things from others' points of view.

You may find yourself deeply sensing the emotional undercurrents of others in any situation.

You also have a gift for observing and adapting to the emotional world of others, allowing you to perceive their feelings deeply and profoundly.

But this is more than just "catching emotions"—it’s about feeling them as if they were your own.

This is both a gift and a challenge, as it can allow you to form deep connections with others, but also makes you prone to emotional collapse.

2nd Place: The ENFJ (The Protagonist) Personality

With dominant Extraverted Feeling (Fe), ENFJs are on par with INFJs in absorbing emotions.

You effortlessly and naturally sense the emotions and moods of others and adjust to create a connected and harmonious atmosphere.

You are a natural empath and leader, always attuned to others' feelings and often taking the initiative to manage the emotional atmosphere.

This makes you extremely persuasive and supportive, but it can also be exhausting.

You may find yourself carrying the emotional weight of others long after an interaction has ended.

3rd Place: The ISFJ (The Defender) Personality

As an ISFJ, you naturally notice the details that affect others on an emotional level.

Your keen eye for detail means you can pick up on subtle changes in body language, shifts in vocal tone, and any slight emotional nuances.

Combined with your Extraverted Feeling, you can easily adapt to and sense the emotions of those around you. Although ISFJs may have a quiet and reserved personality, your attentiveness goes far beyond what most people imagine.

Your strong sense of responsibility and care for others make it easier for you to shoulder the emotional burdens of your loved ones.

While this makes you a compassionate and trustworthy friend, it is also crucial to find ways to protect your own emotional health.

4th Place: The INFP (The Mediator) Personality

For individuals with the INFP personality, the way you absorb emotions is slightly different from FJ types.

Your main function is Introverted Feeling (Fi), which means when you sense someone else's emotions, you immediately put yourself in their shoes.

INFPs can empathize in a deeply personal way, which is why their internal emotional experience database is so rich and detailed—

others may experience and then immediately forget emotions, while INFPs tend to hold on to every emotional memory, drawing wisdom, knowledge, and growth from them.

This gives you immense empathy, but it also means you need to be cautious about which "emotional energies you allow into your heart" to avoid them becoming too overwhelming.

5th Place: The ENFP (The Campaigner) Personality

As an ENFP, you have a high level of emotional awareness, but you feel emotions more objectively than INFPs.

Your Extraverted Intuition (Ne) allows you to explore and understand the emotional world without getting fully immersed in it.

This means you can be very empathetic and supportive, but you can also take a step back and see the bigger picture, which helps you avoid being completely swayed by others' emotions.

For many ENFPs, empathy is innate. But at the same time, you can also differentiate between your own emotional world and that of others.

The MBTI Least Likely to Be Affected by Emotions

According to the survey, the personality types with the lowest to highest agreement rates are:

• 1st Place: 1.33% of ESTJ (The Executive)
• 2nd Place: 6.67% of ESTP (The Entrepreneur)
• 3rd Place: 9.74% of ENTJ (The Commander)
• 4th Place: 16.57% of INTJ (The Architect)
• 5th Place: 21.74% of ISFP (The Adventurer)
• 5th Place: Tied with 21.74% of ISTJ (The Logistician)

Among all personality types, Thinking (T) types are least likely to be influenced by the emotions of others.

They might notice emotions, but these feelings usually don’t affect their ability to focus on tasks.

ESTJ (The Executive)

Overall, they are the least likely to be swayed by others' emotions. As an ST type, they are practical and realistic. ESTJs might notice emotions, but they usually don't affect their ability to focus on tasks.

For them, emotions are to be managed, not absorbed, which allows them to stay grounded and in control.

ESTP (The Entrepreneur)

ESTPs often immediately notice others’ emotional fluctuations. They frequently use their charm, humor, and friendliness to help people get through tough emotional periods. People often come to ESTPs for a laugh when they are feeling down.

However, they are less likely to understand others’ emotions and are more inclined to focus on problem-solving and moving on to the next adventure.

ENTJ (The Commander)

They are typically focused on efficiency, results, and tasks, not emotions. The Extraverted Thinking (Te) function drives them to take control and make decisions, usually leaving little room for emotionality.

For more on the Commander's unique approach to relationships, read about how their cognitive functions influence their love life in our article "NT Group's MBTI Compatibility: What Kind of Partner Are They?".

INTJ (The Architect)

They possess a complex combination of strengths. They are more focused on ideas and systems than on feelings. While they might sense the emotional atmosphere around them, they are more likely to analyze it than absorb it.

This allows INTJs to maintain a clear boundary between their own emotions and those of others, which helps them stay focused on their goals.

ISFP (The Adventurer) and ISTJ (The Logistician)

The dominant function of an ISFP is Introverted Feeling (Fi), which allows them to deeply experience their own emotions, but this can sometimes create a natural barrier that prevents them from fully empathizing with others.

On the other hand, ISTJs are more focused on logic and practicality, using their dominant Introverted Sensing (Si) and auxiliary thinking functions to maintain stability and complete tasks. This pragmatic way of life means they are less likely to be swayed by the emotions of others.

Voices from the Personality Types

Banderson (INFJ-T)

I'm like an emotional radar, and it wasn't until I was older that I truly realized my own emotions. I married someone emotionally stable, which is the only way I can feel at peace at home. Absorbing emotions like a sponge and being a consultant for everyone in my life are two sides of empathy, and they require a "defense mechanism" to fight against them. Most people I've met in my life don't realize that they don't know me at all, because I'm always acting as a mirror to them.

Maab (ENFP-A)

Being able to understand people's nature so deeply and grasp the mysteries so easily is both a blessing and a curse. It's great to connect with people authentically and become someone they're willing to open up to, but I haven't spent the time communicating with myself as I should!

Emie (INFJ-T)

INFJs have amazing intuition—we certainly don't just "have feelings" for anyone. We like a certain type of person and can recognize them almost instantly. But this is so frustrating; whenever I have that feeling, I often come on too strong or too fast and scare them away. Then everything goes back to square one...