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ESFP v. ENFP

Little Linguist

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Hi folks,

Just out of curiosity, what are the major differences between an ESFP and an ENFP? If there is already a thread on this topic, could you please provide me with it? I am new here, so I am still getting used to everything.

Thanks in advance,

Carolyn
 
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For one, the ENFP will be much more interested in MBTI, enough to want to type everyone they know. The ESFP would only have a momentary interest at best, or they might say something about not wanting to put people in boxes.
 

Little Linguist

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For one, the ENFP will be much more interested in MBTI, enough to want to type everyone they know. The ESFP would only have a momentary interest at best, or they might say something about not wanting to put people in boxes.

OH MY GOSH - yes!!! I have been fascinated with MBTI recently. I have tried to type my family, friends, and students. But not by handing out forms and saying - take this damn test!!!! I try to test myself to develop my understanding.
 

SillySapienne

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For one, the ENFP will be much more interested in MBTI,
In general? Or compared to ESFP's?

For one, the ENFP will be much more interested in MBTI, enough to want to type everyone they know.
I don't know, but I, along with the other ENFP's on this forum don't seem to seek out typing everyone we know, but rather, we seem to be vaguely curious as to what types particular people we know, or closely know, happen to be.
 

Little Linguist

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In general? Or compared to ESFP's?


I don't know, but I, along with the other ENFP's on this forum don't seem to seek out typing everyone we know, but rather, we seem to be vaguely curious as to what types particular people we know, or closely know, happen to be.

Well, I do not want to type everyone. Just people I deal with on a regular basis. It's a fascinating concept, and I am curious. :party2:
 
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In general? Or compared to ESFP's?
compared to ESFPs, obviously

I don't know, but I, along with the other ENFP's on this forum don't seem to seek out typing everyone we know, but rather, we seem to be vaguely curious as to what types particular people we know, or closely know, happen to be.

yeah I exaggerated... When I first learned about MBTI, I typed myself then sought to understand the system abstractly by reading everything I could find. But with the suspected ENFPs I've introduced it to, they immediately started trying to figure out the types of their family members and close friends. That seemed more important to them than being absolutely sure of their own type and understanding all the intricacies.
 

SillySapienne

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yeah I exaggerated... When I first learned about MBTI, I typed myself then sought to understand the system abstractly by reading everything I could find. But with the suspected ENFPs I've introduced it to, they immediately started trying to figure out the types of their family members and close friends. That seemed more important to them than being absolutely sure of their own type and understanding all the intricacies.
Perhaps the suspected ENFP's weren't ENFP's at all?

I can only speak for my self and a few others, but when we took the test and read our personality profiles, including our many unique communication styles and experiential preferences, we were flabbergasted by how eerily spot on the the profile accurately portrayed and explained us, hell, I was at least!!! ;)
 

Little Linguist

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Perhaps the suspected ENFP's weren't ENFP's at all?

I can only speak for my self and a few others, but when we took the test and read our personality profiles, including our many unique communication styles and experiential preferences, we were flabbergasted by how eerily spot on the the profile accurately portrayed and explained us, hell, I was at least!!! ;)

Captain Chick,

Yes, I agree. I guess that is why I became so fascinated by the whole thing.
 

Eric B

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This site may help

ESFP - ENFP

Berens broke it down really well.
Since I became familar with temperament through the Galenic names first, I find a way to simplify them is that ESFP is "Sanguine" in both social skills (Interactions Style) and leadership skills (conation, or what Keirsey called "temperament") and is thus the "pure Sanguine" (like Tim LaHaye or the Catholic "4-marks" system). ENFP is Sanguine socially also, but Phlegmatic in leadership. Now, Keirsey said the temperament was Choleric, but he defined that by a different criterion. Phlegmatic is the one with the "diplomatic skills set" like the NF is described. Phlegmatic may be the slow less energetic one and they may not seem "hyperesthetic" like the character role of Kretschmer that Keirsey identified with NF, but they do still have the Interaction Style driving their energy.
It used to be hard to tell when I first compared the two types, but that is the primary difference (pragmatic vs. cooperative, and concrete vs abstract).

People say that Lorelai of Gilmore girls is ENFP, and my wife is a big fan of that show, and always said that she seems to be Sanguine/Phlegmatic. Rachael Ray in contrast may be more of a pure Sanguine. (ESFP)

Originally Posted by booyalab
yeah I exaggerated... When I first learned about MBTI, I typed myself then sought to understand the system abstractly by reading everything I could find. But with the suspected ENFPs I've introduced it to, they immediately started trying to figure out the types of their family members and close friends. That seemed more important to them than being absolutely sure of their own type and understanding all the intricacies.


Perhaps the suspected ENFP's weren't ENFP's at all?

I can only speak for my self and a few others, but when we took the test and read our personality profiles, including our many unique communication styles and experiential preferences, we were flabbergasted by how eerily spot on the the profile accurately portrayed and explained us, hell, I was at least!!! ;)

I learned about the five-temperament, three area system (FIRO-based and my avatar) first, and my interest in it only sparked off when my wife gave me my results, and then also tested her friends and my family, and it was "Wow! This stuff really explains us!". Then, I broke the theory down to understand it and also tried to figure out many other friends and acquaintances, who we were not able to test.
Then, when one of these friends introduces us to Keirsey II online, then I set out to figure that out, before trying to find out my own type. I came out as ENFJ (and J/P were tied at 5), but that did not sound like me at all. So I basically had to figure it out first, by seeing how it corresponds with the system we used, before I could decide on a type for myself. Once I did, I also figured that correlations would be useful for knowing the Galenic temperament of others whose type is known.

What I arrived at for myself was INTP, which really did sound like me. This was challenged, because some felt I was like an NFP type (inasmuch as I sound a bit like one from what booyalab described), but really understanding the functions better, it seemed my first suggestion was closer after all. Introverted, informing, pragmatic, structure-focused).
 
Last edited:

autumn

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Both types have Fi as their auxiliary (secondary) function, but in the case of the ESFP that Fi is steering the dominant function of Se. In the case of the ENFP, that Fi is steering the dominant function of Ne. This makes for a big difference, as does the fact that the ESFP is of the Keirseyan SP temperament, while the ENFP is an NF. Hmm, I will have to come back later and give more concrete examples for this. In the meantime, reading about the SP and NF temperaments will probably help a lot. Here's Keirsey's site: Personality Test - Keirsey Temperament Website. Click on "the four temperaments" at the top of the page. :)

Hope this helps!

autumn
 

Little Linguist

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Thank you!

Hi everyone!

After having read all these fascinating site you provided (Keirsey, Berens), it is now clear to me - without a doubt - that I must be ENFP.

First, I am totally NOT a guardian. Oh dear lord, no!!! They are great people - do not get me wrong - but totally not me!!! Routine - BLEH!!! MC? Ya gotta be crazy. Life of the party? I think not. ESFJ - nope.

If you can believe it, the artisan was even more extreme. NO WAY?!?! Adventure freak - I think not! No talking - HELP!!! I love to discuss theoretical options. Linear thinking - only if going on a constant serious of tangents could somehow be construed "linear," which I am more disinclined to believe. Living in the moment - uh, only when I am in dream phase, and then I am so full of imagination and dreams that I do not think that is what they mean.

In a weird way, I empathize a BIT with rationals - especially the INTJ. Although this sounds weird, I was TOTALLY an INTJ in high school and college. Yes, yes, yes, I know you cannot CHANGE your type. But I was a total rational during that time. Never spending time with friends or family, just sitting in my classes debating with people, writing rational arguments, destroying the opposition, correcting other people's stupid shhhhh--uh, stuff. Yes, I had this stereotypical, well, academic/pedantic characteristic. However, I am not quite sure where it came from. I think it is because I BLEND in with my environment so well. So if I am in an academic area where everyone is so rational, fighting to get ahead, precise, and blah blah, blah, then I BECOME that way, which is why it is so important for me to be in a good environment. ANYWAY, I probably fought tooth and nail with "these feeling types" in college (muhahaha!!! :devil:).

This rational side totally comes out while I am editing - and sometimes when I am translating. It also rears its ugly head when I am learning new languages, when I can magically make associations among languages and learn new systems like a crazy nut. Grammar, for example.

But at the end of the day, I have to be honest and say - I am an IDEALIST. Completely. 1,000,000,000%!!! (As a rational, I never would have said that, but who cares?!!?) And not just ANY idealist - an ENFP. Well, I am just tooooooo Ne and toooooo indecisive to be anything else.

So there!!!

:) Thank you for all your help,

Carolyn :party2:
 

arcticangel02

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Haha well, that was a very decisive declaration. How you could have been confused in the first place? ;)

Also, regarding wanting to type everyone I know, that's very true for me. I was so enthused at first that I wanted everyone to try it out! Also, I found it invaluable to determine the types of everyone around me so I could compare their behaviour and see the types in action, as opposed to just words on a page. It really makes understanding them that much better. :D
 

Little Linguist

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Haha well, that was a very decisive declaration. How you could have been confused in the first place? ;)

Also, regarding wanting to type everyone I know, that's very true for me. I was so enthused at first that I wanted everyone to try it out! Also, I found it invaluable to determine the types of everyone around me so I could compare their behaviour and see the types in action, as opposed to just words on a page. It really makes understanding them that much better. :D

:) Thanks for sharing - glad I am not the only one! :hug:
 

alcea rosea

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I think ESFP's are more doing things all the time than ENFP's. ;)
They are physically fast (meaning moving all the time) when ENFP's are mentally fast (meaninig that lots of stuff moving in their head all the time). :smile:
 

Little Linguist

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I think ESFP's are more doing things all the time than ENFP's. ;)
They are physically fast (meaning moving all the time) when ENFP's are mentally fast (meaninig that lots of stuff moving in their head all the time). :smile:

What about the people who are both!? :party2:

(Not referring to myself - I would associate myself more with the ENFP. I am not a sports person or a hectic person. If I do a lot, it is not for the sake of DOING something. I HATE that.)

Just curious.
 

alcea rosea

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What about the people who are both!? :party2:

(Not referring to myself - I would associate myself more with the ENFP. I am not a sports person or a hectic person. If I do a lot, it is not for the sake of DOING something. I HATE that.)

Just curious.

I was trying to describe the first function of both. Se is about moving and doing, Ne is about connecting. :)

If a person has strong Se and strong Ne then that person would be both fast moving and fast thinking, I guess. ;)
 
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