How to distinguish ESFP and ENFP?

[G-Virus]

Get your rears on vent people.

 

[FiddichGirl]

I am an ENFP and I take myself very seriously, I also take life very seriously even though I happen to have a light or silly disposition, at times, strange, no?

I would have to describe myself the same way. I take life seriously and I am goal driven, but I am quirky and silly and always trying to make people laugh to set them at ease.

 

[Giggly]

ESFP: OMG LET'S DANCE!

ENFP: OMG LET'S PLAY A GAME!

This.

 

[Virtual ghost]

Well, how could one distinguish ESFP and ENFP?

That one is easy.
Place them togather in one room. Then send an INTJ in 15 minutes after that and the one that is more intrigued by INTJ in the end is ENFP.

 

[Lady_X]

think highly of yourself lil AO

 

[Virtual ghost]

think highly of yourself lil AO

Why do you say that?

Just curious

 

[Lady_X]

to assume either would be intrigued...wasn't entirely serious though.

 

[Amargith]

to assume either would be intrigued...wasn't entirely serious though.

Besides, there's always option three: they gang up on the INTJ. Poor guy doesn't stand a chance then

 

[MrME]

One of my roommates is ESFP (originally I guessed he was ENTP, but I had him take the test), and his communication style is unlike anything I've ever encountered. He'll start talking about one thing, and in mid-sentence, he'll skew off on a tangent, then again, then again, then again, then again -- for about 10 minutes -- until he finally stops talking. Somehow all of the info he'd given was related to each other, but only he can say how.

It can be really frustrating if you're just looking for a simple answer to a question. "I don't want to know the history of eggs and chickens and ... wagon wheels ... dude, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD ANY EGGS!!"

 

[Febrile]

You just ask a lot of strange hypothetical questions.

In my experience, an ENFP likes to answer the questions and will give a lot of detail or a more personal response, and will explain their answers without you having to ask.

An ESFP will look at you like you're weird, give short answers without explaining until asked, and get bored more quickly.

...This isn't everyone, of course, but I just find that a lot of SFPs get impatient with my chimerical means of entertainment!

 

[Jeffster]

...This isn't everyone, of course, but I just find that a lot of SFPs get impatient with my chimerical means of entertainment!

Yeah. I totally do!

What's chimerical mean?

 

[FantailedWall]

I've noticed that too. Here's some stuff I pulled out of my bum to help differentiate between the two:

When an ExFP describes someone, see if the content of the description is physical (ESFP) or a shameless attempt at psychoanalysis (ENFP).

When discussing philosophy, does the ExFP get bored after 5 minutes and change the subject (ESFP), or come up with some bull s#!t theory of their own made up on the spot (ENFP). I'd say in general, the more bull s#!tty and out-there the theory, the more ENFP they'll be.

Lastly, and this is from personal experience, ESFPs and ENFPs react very differently to criticism. The ESFP typically gets defensive and pretends not to care, or starts blabbing about why they shouldn't care. The ENFP will panic for a second, put on a brave face, then retreat to a private place to meditate and lick their wounds.

I tried not to make this sound like one is better than the other. It should go without saying that such an attitude is absurd.

LOL
A-freaking-men.

I've observed that ESFPs, whilst sensitive to criticism, are not likely to be constantly panicking about how the people they are with COULD be silently judging/criticising them - ENFPs, on the other hand....

Us ENFPs, whilst we think we're great - need verification of this and constant affirmation. We have a tendency to get down on ourselves. My ESFP friend, however, just KNOWS he rocks!
(In a very non-arrogant way. They do still need affirmation - just not to the same extent)

And yea, I have noticed that ESFPs seem more concerned with their appearance (on a general scale - more concern with the 'concrete') than we spacey theoretical N's, who need to be seen positively more in terms of what our minds have to offer.

By the way...I LOVE ESFPs. You charismatic bastards could charm the tale right off a donkey!

 

[FantailedWall]

Oh! Other good example:
I will remember every word of a conversation we had years ago - and how you said it - but for the life of me:
...Your hair was long yesterday? Seriously? You weren't always bald? You have a tattoo on your forehead? SINCE WHEN!?

As opposed to my ESFP friend who remembers things via 'that time when you were wearing that poncho with intricately patterned little men on it and fresia-rose perfume'
(I must mention my ESTP mate also has a very visual/sensory memory. It's an 'S' thing)

I find - though both ENFPs and ESFPs are quite adventerous - SPs tend to be bigger risktakers than NFs. This is probably due to that whilst they're jumping OFF the cliff - we're imagining all the scenarios where this activity could go horribly, horribly wrong.

And while we're both victims to 'LOOK! SOMETHING SHINEY!' I find that with ESFPs it's 'LOOK! SOMETHING TANGIBLE THAT IS SHINEY!' whilst ENFPs 'LOOK! A NEW SHINEY THEORY I JUST FORMED ON GRAPES!'

Hope that helps the distinction

 

[autumn]

Welcome, Fantailed Wall! I think you're right on.

While both ENFPs and ESFPs are both extraverted perceivers backed by Fi and therefore definitely have a lot in common, it seems like the best way to highlight the distinctions are by way of function theory and Keirseyan temperaments. The ENFP will lead with Ne and the ESFP with Se; the ENFP will have an NF vibe and the ESFP an SP sensibility.

It seems like a succinct way to phrase things, at least partially, would be to say that the ENFP comes across as more random; the ESFP as more spontaneous. (Does that make sense? I don't mean that the ENFP is necessarily random, just that Ne often comes across that way at first glance.)

ESFPs seem more "Here are all the exciting things we've just GOT to try doing! They are so meaningful!" and ENFPs seem more "Here are all the inspiring theories I've formulated! They are SO meaningful!"

And yes, both types are awesome.

 

[Lozzy]

I really have nothing meaningful to add to this. I just wanted to spread some ExFP love.

Who cares what type you are?! CELEBRATE!!

Though, I tend to find I talk in metaphors and analogies a LOT more than the S types I know, I guess that's an N trait right? Someone told me yesterday that whenever I make weird comparisons that make no sense I always say "Didn't you ever notice how x is just like y?", like I expect them to have noticed. I think that's how I differentiate the N/S thing, sensors will laugh but look at me strangely depending on how well I know them. iNtuitives will ride with it, and hop around with me in my intellectual playground.

"I don't want to know the history of eggs and chickens and ... wagon wheels ... dude, I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF WE HAD ANY EGGS!!"

That sounds pretty Ne to me. Except if anything wagon wheels and chickens are too closely related for N. Maybe chickens --> Nietzsche would be a more likely ENxP conversation.

Wahaha, smilies!

 

[autumn]

Though, I tend to find I talk in metaphors and analogies a LOT more than the S types I know, I guess that's an N trait right? Someone told me yesterday that whenever I make weird comparisons that make no sense I always say "Didn't you ever notice how x is just like y?", like I expect them to have noticed. I think that's how I differentiate the N/S thing, sensors will laugh but look at me strangely depending on how well I know them. iNtuitives will ride with it, and hop around with me in my intellectual playground.

Yes, that's a pretty good "S-or-N?"-o-meter.

autumn

 

[d@v3]

Besides, there's always option three: they gang up on the INTJ. Poor guy doesn't stand a chance then

^ I've noticed ENFP's resort to violence/ violent threats in the end. Then again, it could just Amargith?

 

[heart]

I can go DAYS without looking in the mirror, much to my family's :horor:.

I didn't think this was an ENFP thing though, perhaps it is?

It's more NP I think.

 

[BlueScreen]

Oh! Other good example:
I will remember every word of a conversation we had years ago - and how you said it - but for the life of me:
...Your hair was long yesterday? Seriously? You weren't always bald? You have a tattoo on your forehead? SINCE WHEN!?

hehe, that's so me.

ESFPs seem more activity oriented. And way more extroverted also.

Yep, and ENFPs seem like an NP (one of the stranger creatures on earth).

 

[Lady_X]

so funny reading these...so true!