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[ENFP] INFP or ENFP? (that's right, another confused xNFP)

Idealistic Joe

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Hi all!
I love MBTI. I have always thought myself as an introvert who talks more than the ordinary one. My friends say I am pretty talkative (not super) even sometimes when I meet new people. I love being alone doing solitary pursuits, but I also like being in the outer world with friends. I love activism (don't all NFs? :) ) and often join Anti-war protests. I am interested in fashion and many of my friends ask me for advice on picking out outfits, etc. . I enjoy the outer world but love being by myself as well.
On a MBTI website I read that the "typical INFP" doesn't care about looking good and needs to be more aware of current trends. That's so not me. That confused me greatly about whether I'm an ENFP or an INFP.
When I was young I sometimes walked up to strangers (at a homeschool conference; I was homeschooled) and started talking to them. I also had (and continue to have :) ) a vivid imagination which influenced my ESTJ younger sister to develop her Intuition at a young age. I know 100% that I am a NFP. I would like to know your opinions:
- Can INFPs be fashion oriented and know how to make good impressions with clothes?
- Can INFPs be talkative to "strangers"?
- Can INFPs be socially knowledgeable on how to sway peoples opinions, etc.?
I am passionate, idealistic, dreamy, imaginative, and a typical xNFP and I am fairly confident INFPs can be "social" and care about impressions and fashion, etc. but I want your opinions please. Thank you so much. :)
 
A

Anew Leaf

Guest
I think these points can depend a lot on the individual.

I used to not care much about how I looked. Part of it was the fact that I didn't KNOW how to apply make-up and I felt stupid having to ask a friend... (I feel very strongly that there is a secret newsletter, memo, club that talks about how to be a girl and I just have never been signed up for it somehow...) Finally, I did ask a couple of my friends who are very S and fashion forward, and they pounced on me with glee. I now get how to do the whole make-up thing, and discovered I am actually good at it. Having an art background for the win. The other reason I didn't was because I was so lost in my own little world that I would only rarely surface in the real world. I love being able to let my mind disappear for awhile, but balance and moderation are things I sorely need in most areas of my life. :) I am still not very fashionable, but I have a good idea of what looks good on me and what I like. I tend to dress pretty conservatively, but classy. I don't go for trends, but I don't stick out like a sore thumb anymore.

I am very introverted and fall into Hermit mode a bit too easily. However, the past few years I have been actively working on my extraversion a bit. So now I try to smile at strangers when I stand in line, or say hi to someone. It's helping me break out of my shell a bit more and add to a healthy self-confidence. I have found it to be fun at times, and if I am having a really "I" kind of day, then I will skip this as much as I can.

I use my powers of persuasion at work a lot to get customers to buy what I think works best for them, or to get them to be reasonable. With friends I do my best to turn this feature off for the most part. I do turn it on in situations where I am trying to make peace between people or to help calm down my Italian family members.

I think NFPs are extremely similar since I have read that ENFPs are the most "introverted" of the extraverts. My mom was a huge ENFP and while she loved doing E kinds of things, she was also extremely comfy being alone, and at times sought out being alone. My dad would also try and get her to do "E" things and she usually said no to his ideas because she didn't need them.

Maybe you are an NFP who stands on that I-E line :). Start your own type like JoeI. hehe :)
 

Santosha

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Hey Idealistic Joe :hi:

This issue your having, figuring out your I/E preference is a struggle for quite a few forum members. Once you get looking around here in the various threads, you'll find this exact question hashed out ALOT. The NFP's can look and behave very much like eachother if your I/E preference is close to the border. I don't know if you've taken a cognitive functions test.. but its probably the best place to start. If your an ENFP your dominant function will be Ne, Extroverted Intuition. If your INFP your dominant function will be Introverted feeling.

In all the threads I've looked at, what it seems to come down to is HOW you receive energy. And INFP can be all the things you stated above. They can appear extroverted. Its not a behavioral analysis per say, its a cognitive anaylysis. The best things to ask yourself are
1) How do you gain energy and balance yourself? If you feel more balance or energy being alone than you do around other people, your an I. If you have a difficult time being left to your own thought and feelings for long, your probably an E.
2) What do you focus more on.. the external world, whats going on, people, events, etc. or your internal world.. how you feel about things, concepts, ideals, etc.
3) How do you react in times of EXTREME stress? (And even this questionable) But it is proposed that the INFP will fall into their shadow (opposite) and display the negative traits of an ESTJ. This involves barking orders, lashing out with personal attacks (instead of idea attacks) and going crazy drill sargeant mode. The ENFP's shadow is the ISTJ. When very stressed, the ENFP is more likely to become quiet, and defend instead of attack.

Hope that helps a little. Welcome to the forum!
 

/DG/

silentigata ano (profile)
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Mar 19, 2009
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- Can INFPs be fashion oriented and know how to make good impressions with clothes?
Sure, why not? This isn't a type trait.
- Can INFPs be talkative to "strangers"?
It's more of an extraverted trait, but I suppose it could happen.
- Can INFPs be socially knowledgeable on how to sway peoples opinions, etc.?
Again, this doesn't really matter type wise.

Well, I'm not that great with people, but I definitely get more of an ENFP vibe from you.

See... the problem is that no one is simply 100% extraverted or 100% introverted. It's more of an axis. You have to decide just how introverted or extraverted you are compared to the average Joe. Everyone likes being alone at times and everyone likes being around people at times... but which do you end up doing more? Again, you seem a bit more extraverted to me, but I've never met you so there's no real way for me to accurately judge.

I'm basically going off of your one comment that said you actively seek conversations with strangers. This is definitely an extraverted trait, but you may be more introverted in other ways. I dunno.
 

skylights

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hey joe :)

so my off-the-bat guess is ENFP. that seems to usually be the case when someone is torn between the two.

Huxley3112 said:
If you feel more balance or energy being alone than you do around other people, your an I. If you have a difficult time being left to your own thought and feelings for long, your probably an E.

:yes:

also ENFPs can often be identified by their anger reactions. if you tend to launch logical argument after logical argument when you feel threatened by someone, you are probably ENFP.
 

Idealistic Joe

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Thanks Everyone for the replies!! :)

1) How do you gain energy and balance yourself? If you feel more balance or energy being alone than you do around other people, your an I. If you have a difficult time being left to your own thought and feelings for long, your probably an E.
2) What do you focus more on.. the external world, whats going on, people, events, etc. or your internal world.. how you feel about things, concepts, ideals, etc.
3) How do you react in times of EXTREME stress? (And even this questionable) But it is proposed that the INFP will fall into their shadow (opposite) and display the negative traits of an ESTJ. This involves barking orders, lashing out with personal attacks (instead of idea attacks) and going crazy drill sargeant mode. The ENFP's shadow is the ISTJ. When very stressed, the ENFP is more likely to become quiet, and defend instead of attack.

On #1: Now that I think of it, I do get "energized" by being alone. I don't get lonesome fast or anything.
On #2: I do think about current events and people, etc. But I do like to reflect on my ideals etc. by myself.
On #3: I do "become an ESTJ" when I'm really stressed out! lol.

I retook the test earlier today with care and slowness and got 60% introversion and 40% extraversion. I am fairly confident I am an INFP! I talked with a friend of mine earlier and she's pretty talkative for an INFJ but she said that she is energized/recharged by the internal world. I love talking but I NEED time to recharge. I'M AN INFP!!!!!! Your thoughts? :)
Thank you all again!
 

Lady_X

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it's seems more enfps are confused about where they fall on the extroversion/introversion scale then the other way around.
 

Crescent Fresh

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I am interested in fashion and many of my friends ask me for advice on picking out outfits, etc. . I enjoy the outer world but love being by myself as well

...

I am passionate, idealistic, dreamy, imaginative, and a typical xNFP and I am fairly confident INFPs can be "social" and care about impressions and fashion, etc. but I want your opinions please. Thank you so much. :)


ENFP.

If you love hearing compliment and enjoy seeking further by helping your friends (to be a fashion consultant, from what you've illustrated), it seems to me that these are ENFP traits.
 

CrystalViolet

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also ENFPs can often be identified by their anger reactions. if you tend to launch logical argument after logical argument when you feel threatened by someone, you are probably ENFP.
I'm not sure that's right. Maybe it's years of being around sciencey/logical types...but that's what I do when I'm put on the spot. (I'm INFP btw). I've seen other self identified INFP do it too. I do go into drill sergent mode though.
 

skylights

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I'm not sure that's right. Maybe it's years of being around sciencey/logical types...but that's what I do when I'm put on the spot. (I'm INFP btw). I've seen other self identified INFP do it too. I do go into drill sergent mode though.

ah interesting. i know that the INFPs i know will do it when they are really backed into a corner, or really stressed, but the ENFPs i know will tend to do it more openly and in defense of something. lawyer-esque, as opposed to protestor-esque, if that makes any sense.

i'm just thinking about the whole thread on ENFP Te attack, in which bunches and bunches of ENFPs reported similar behaviors. perhaps INFPs experience the same thing.
 
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