The Influence of Family on Our Personality Chemistry | The SP Group

August 17, 2025

A horizontal banner with the text "The relationship between 16 personality types and original family" and four illustrations of male and female characters representing MBTI personalities. The second character from the left has a "MindGem" watermark on his sunglasses.

Our family is a crucial starting point for our growth. For the 16 personality types, why are family pressures and expectations sometimes difficult to manage?

The answer may be related to our personality traits. Learn how the SJ group's personalities relate to their family dynamics.

The 16 Personalities and Family Dynamics

1- ISFP (The Adventurer)

ISFP children are very sensitive and easily hurt when they are young. Shouting, spanking, or any form of criticism can make an ISFP feel very vulnerable and stressed.

Parents may label ISFP children as "overly sensitive" without realizing that their rich emotional response is simply an inherent aspect of their personality type.

An illustration of two children sitting on a bench on a small island, fishing. They are a girl with a hat and a boy in a yellow shirt. There are yellow water lilies in the water around them. A large yellow heart is shown in a speech bubble.

ISFPs typically enjoy watching TV and playing video games, finding school life boring. Although they want to please their parents, they often don't do well in traditional educational settings.

They may feel they are never "good enough" to please the people who matter most to them. ISFP children learn best in hands-on, active learning environments. ISFPs need family validation and support as they grow up, or life can become scary and daunting.

They want a lot of hugs, cuddles, and validation, and if they don't get these when they are young, they can feel very insecure and sad. You can learn more about the ISFP's gifts in the comprehensive report on ISFP talents.

2- ISTP (The Virtuoso)

ISTPs are typically very independent, so they don't like to succumb to family pressure. They don't naturally feel fond of or intimidated by authority figures, so strict, authoritarian parents can annoy them.

ISTPs believe respect is earned, not automatically given based on "rank." They do care about and want to please their family, but they find it challenging to follow family expectations, and they feel the need to explore their own choices and break free from these pressures.

An illustration of a family of three, a man, a woman, and a child, dressed in sports attire. The man is wearing a black tank top and shorts, the woman is in a yellow polo and white skirt holding a badminton racket, and the child is wearing a soccer uniform and holding a soccer ball. A checkmark in a circle is shown in a speech bubble above the man.

In addition, while they enjoy the positivity and care from their parents, ISTPs may be bothered by their parents' illogical and overly emotional behavior.

If their parents try to explain things through feelings or emotions, it will only confuse and frustrate the young ISTP.

For parenting an ISTP, it's wise to model empathy and tact and help them understand the feelings of others in a calm, logical way.

3- ESFP (The Entertainer)

ESFPs absolutely value family and feel it's important to stay connected with them. They are typical entertainers, full of energy, fun, and enthusiasm.

Their live-in-the-moment mentality also means they can't obey their parents' expectations every single minute.

ESFPs often forget rules and only care about their "present" feelings when they are young, which can make them more susceptible to discipline than other types.

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They deeply crave validation and love, so angry discipline (harsh spanking, yelling, etc.) can severely damage their self-esteem.

ESFPs love being with people and are upset by being confined at home. They want to go out and play and interact with others.

They love getting reactions from people, which can be a good thing if their parents are similar types.

For parents raising an ESFP, getting these children involved in sports or arts (dance, music, drama) can be a great way for them to use their energy and express the sensory, entertaining side of themselves.

4- ESTP (The Entrepreneur)

Young ESTPs are extremely curious and impulsive, and it can be hard for them to remember or follow rules. They want to touch, taste, observe, and smell everything.

Because they are so impulsive and curious, they may receive more family discipline than other types. They are often the target of their parents' anger, frustration, and even abuse. This can lead to damaged self-esteem and a lot of frustration for the young ESTP.

An illustration of a mother in a yellow jacket lifting and smiling at her baby. Her older son, with a frown on his face and his arms crossed, is standing next to a houseplant. A yellow heart icon is in a speech bubble above the mother, and a yellow 'X' icon is in a speech bubble above the older son.

They need their parents to be patient and do best with calm, logical discipline rather than anger.

For an ESTP who longs for adventure, living in a very strict, confined, and rigid family is very stressful.

Many times, parents are so focused on the ESTP's reckless behavior that their contributions are sometimes overlooked.

As a parent of an ESTP, focus on their contributions and skills, and give them more freedom, and show the ESTP that you admire their energy, wit, and passion for life.