[TabulaRasa]

How do you really know the difference. I mean how do you know if you are one or the other?

I wonder if I'm one or the other. And I knoww that Ne comes first in ENFP and Fi comes first in INFP but is it possible to feel like you use Fi mostly yet still be an extroverted personality?

 

[thischarmingirl]

i had this problem too because my extroversion and introversion are really really really close. it's pretty much your default response to whether you recharge your batteries by being yourself and withdrawing or being by other people and engaging. even though i can be an enfp like no other, my default is as an infp where i want to be myself and withdraw. :]]

 

[Murnando]

i had this problem too because my extroversion and introversion are really really really close. it's pretty much your default response to whether you recharge your batteries by being yourself and withdrawing or being by other people and engaging. even though i can be an enfp like no other, my default is as an infp where i want to be myself and withdraw. :]]

ENFPs need time alone more so that any other extraverted type. Unlike most extraverts, ENFPs benefit from time alone and can find the company of others for extended periods extremely draining, because their dominant function is extraverted intuition, which absorbs gigantic amounts of information because it's such an observant function, which then needs to be processed by the auxiliary Fi.

 

[SalvinaZerelda]

I dunno many ENFPs, but I do suspect they don't feel such a strong need to protect their inner world and can spend much more time interacting with others as a result..
They probably run on their Ne until someone strikes a cord with their Fi, and then they will probably withdraw to figure out how they feel about that situation..
Then they probably dive back into the Ne pool, unburdened by emotions but having formed opinions to share with their friends.. ;P

I spend the majority of my time alone, and interact with people with Ne enthusiasm, but I will become overwhelmed easily and run away or get very agitated and start spacing out..

I used to be extremely shy and dramatic..
I can still be that way, but now I use Te when Ne doesn't work, so the shyness has become more managable..

 

[Mausi]

I've gone back and forth as well with this because I really enjoy spending time by myself, especially in comparison to my friends (or so it feels). Sometimes I can go days without seeing other people and be fine with it (and I don't mean this like once a year or something... When I was voluntarily unemployed and living off my savings, I really enjoyed not socializing with anyone the majority of the time). All that said, I do really get fired up and super energetic around other people. I can enjoy being alone, but if I am around people, I feel like I can take on the world! Even just a small interaction is like 10 cups of coffee for me. And it's for that reason I think I am an ENFP versus an INFP.

 

[Logical Ambivert Feeler]

Look outside at a tree. What is the first thing that happens?

 

[_Jagodei_]

It comes down to the functions. Read descriptions of extroverted intuition and introverted feeling. ENFPs and INFPs have both, which is confusing. Pick out the one that you live in PRIMARILY. What's your powerhouse? Are you an idea person, seeing all the possibilities first and then checking in with how you feel?(ENFP) Or do your feelings always come first even if you can see other possibilities?(INFP)

 

[Elizindrhythm]

It comes down to the functions. Read descriptions of extroverted intuition and introverted feeling. ENFPs and INFPs have both, which is confusing. Pick out the one that you live in PRIMARILY. What's your powerhouse? Are you an idea person, seeing all the possibilities first and then checking in with how you feel?(ENFP) Or do your feelings always come first even if you can see other possibilities?(INFP)

Also look at where you go when you are stressed out of your mind. As an ENFP, I get wildly hung up on details, create to-do lists, worry about forgetting things and organize the crap out of everything because I get the shakes over the mess. My INFP buddy is deeply stressed now and is obsessing over justifying why it's ok he's stressed and proving that his life will never get better.

This may help you understand a little better, because Te is Tertiary and Si Inferior for ENFP and Si is Tertiary and Te Inferior for INFP.

 

[MissNobody]

Also look at where you go when you are stressed out of your mind. As an ENFP, I get wildly hung up on details, create to-do lists, worry about forgetting things and organize the crap out of everything because I get the shakes over the mess. My INFP buddy is deeply stressed now and is obsessing over justifying why it's ok he's stressed and proving that his life will never get better.

This may help you understand a little better, because Te is Tertiary and Si Inferior for ENFP and Si is Tertiary and Te Inferior for INFP.

Hmm that's interesting because I react in the same way as you. I've been pretty upset/worried/stressed over something recently. I started off moping around over it and finding it hard to concentrate. And then something changed and I went into this other frame of mind that involved organising everything. I went through all my email accounts clearing out emails, organising them. I tidied my bedroom. I went to all the websites that I use to use and deleting my accounts. Then I decided to start setting goals to get my life back in order I've started doing yoga amongst other things.

Is this an example of Te?

 

[Tridentus]

ENFPs need time alone more so that any other extraverted type. Unlike most extraverts, ENFPs benefit from time alone and can find the company of others for extended periods extremely draining, because their dominant function is extraverted intuition, which absorbs gigantic amounts of information because it's such an observant function, which then needs to be processed by the auxiliary Fi.

Not always true, i have a pretty high threshold for socialising as long as it's not with the same people.

at uni i was going out 6 out of 7 days to different societies, etc., however i once spent a weekend at my best friend's house and almost fell out with him as a result of spending too much time with him, i just got increasingly irritable.

i can sort of tell if someone is an INFP or ENFP, i've met INFPs who went out a fair bit and ENFPs who were slightly reclusive, and there's a definite difference. Both types are very capable of acting silly, however, INFPs have a slightly different energy to them, and an INFP will very rarely initiate wheras that would be fairly typical behaviour in an ENFP. overall, there's definitely a distinctive difference in vibe off INFPs and ENFPs, however as it's a vibe i can't really think of a way to put it into words.

 

[Hola.Ola.Ting.Ting]

I am in the cave now

.. since last 4 days

.. until i get a grip wid life, what to do, how to do once i step outside again

Oh, i bloody will, just need some meaning and bloody purpose in it

 

[gh0st]

I'm an INFP and I'm around a ENFP all the time. We've often had discussions about this type of thing. XD
There is a HUGE difference. Our inner worlds are wired differently, we take our energy from different sources, I could sit in a blank room for hours without being bored (but my mind would be elsewhere).

 

[cyamitide]

You can try to tell them apart by temperament. INFP would fall under IJ temperament, Balanced-stable, while ENFP would fall under EP temperament, Flexible-maneuvering: Temperaments

One can also tell them apart by visual identification:
- ENFP photographs and profiles (look under IEE - intuitive ethical extravert)
- INFP pics and profiles (look under EII - ethical intuitive introvert, disregard that it says INFj because in socionics INFj is the Fi leading Ne creative type most closely resembling MBTI's INFP)

They can also be told apart by their thinking styles, ENFP has holographic-panoramic style of thought while INFP has causal-determinist, but this article may be too difficult to understand for some.

 

[OrangeAppled]

Remember that type is your ego, which is how you experience consciousness of the world & yourself. Because of this, it greatly influences your visible personality. Often, our auxiliary function can be more obvious to us because we see it "in" ourselves, but our dominant is what we see with.

The whole energized by people/interaction thing can be misleading simply because ALL people need some down time to themselves as well as interaction sometimes. It can be hard to gauge your type by this because one person's idea of "a lot of time alone" doesn't sound like much to another person. It's all relative, basically.

I suggest looking at the Jungian types & considering not just how you think or behave, but which sounds more like your outward demeanor (Ne or Fi), and not in certain situations, but as a whole, in general. For instance, I can relate to Ne a lot as a thinking style & even in behaviors (ie. "P" behavior), but when it comes to demeanor, Fi is much more accurate. I can tell you also that I've yet to meet an ENFP I would ever confused with an INFP in person; the visible personality is markedly different, even as the thought processes can be quite similar at times (something I never noted until I began frequenting type message boards where you see thoughts more than demeanors).

Also, think of whether you are a dominant P or dominant J. INFPs are Fi-dom, meaning they focus on value in terms of their inner world, and exploring that meaning, and that's why they are in their heads more. ENFPs are Ne-dom, meaning they focus on possibilities & hidden potential burgeoning in the external world, and exploring that, which is why they are generally more active. The focus will color your entire personality & how you view the world at all times; they are not simply skills you use here & there. They are your mindset.

 

[Wellsy]

I could be COMPLETELY WRONG, but I kind of think of ENFP's as having to recharge after using their Ne so much. That they're taking in so much and after so much information they need time to just chill out.
I dont think they often let people see them when they're tired and such though. They're not bi-polar but it's like a balancing act of going form extreme to extreme, they so full of life/energy typically but cant be like that constantly or they'd burn out.

For INFP's I think of it as they like time alone and are very content with it but they do like social interaction and kind of get their social fix before retreating back to their comfort zone not that we are necessarily not comfortable around people.

 

[GraphicallyAlex]

One of the best ways to tell... is figuring out your inferior function.
http://personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/19841-form-inferior-enp.html
http://personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/19838-form-inferior-ifp.html

 

[honeychanbunny]

Also look at where you go when you are stressed out of your mind. As an ENFP, I get wildly hung up on details, create to-do lists, worry about forgetting things and organize the crap out of everything because I get the shakes over the mess. My INFP buddy is deeply stressed now and is obsessing over justifying why it's ok he's stressed and proving that his life will never get better.

This may help you understand a little better, because Te is Tertiary and Si Inferior for ENFP and Si is Tertiary and Te Inferior for INFP.

I've been a little confused myself lately~ and Oh my gosh~!! I think that may be it~♪
there doesn't seem to be any definite way of determining it~ everyone just says refer to the functions or the definitions... >~<
But I can't figure it out~
however lately when I was very stressed I kept thiking I wad worthless and sad, and wondering why nobody liked me and trying to see what worth I had, and thinking "is it okay, and if so why..?"
"Oh, I wanna stay true to my beliefs~?? Why is that~??"
Blah blah blah... anyhow~ DO you ever think like that~??
WHen I am stressed I often try to write a list of things I value (or common values), and try to rank them so that I can work towards my goal~
Usually happiness and helping people~♪ ^-^
ANyway, do you think it's right~?? I was confused, I realte with both types, but sites keep saying i'm ENFP, but often people say I'm quiet, and I think "WHat~?? Who me~?? Really~??" I guess I am sometimes... I just can't say how often~♪
Lately in class people always ask me to repeat myself because they can't hear me~ >~<
Also I was a bit of a loner (only child too tho..) and I was a bit of a dreamer, always 'off with the fairies', and i sing to myself ALL the time~ ^-^
What do you think~?? I'm sorry to ask so randomly, your comment just seemed to relate to me~ ^-^
if you answer taht woiuld be really awesome and helpful, thanks~, sorry for so much info...

 

[Elizindrhythm]

I've been a little confused myself lately~ and Oh my gosh~!! I think that may be it~♪
there doesn't seem to be any definite way of determining it~ everyone just says refer to the functions or the definitions... >~<
But I can't figure it out~
however lately when I was very stressed I kept thiking I wad worthless and sad, and wondering why nobody liked me and trying to see what worth I had, and thinking "is it okay, and if so why..?"
"Oh, I wanna stay true to my beliefs~?? Why is that~??"
Blah blah blah... anyhow~ DO you ever think like that~??
WHen I am stressed I often try to write a list of things I value (or common values), and try to rank them so that I can work towards my goal~
Usually happiness and helping people~♪ ^-^
ANyway, do you think it's right~?? I was confused, I realte with both types, but sites keep saying i'm ENFP, but often people say I'm quiet, and I think "WHat~?? Who me~?? Really~??" I guess I am sometimes... I just can't say how often~♪
Lately in class people always ask me to repeat myself because they can't hear me~ >~<
Also I was a bit of a loner (only child too tho..) and I was a bit of a dreamer, always 'off with the fairies', and i sing to myself ALL the time~ ^-^
What do you think~?? I'm sorry to ask so randomly, your comment just seemed to relate to me~ ^-^
if you answer taht woiuld be really awesome and helpful, thanks~, sorry for so much info...

I'm glad that my comment made sense to you... Based on my two INFP friends, who I have watched crash and burn at times, it sounds like you are trying to use your T - but does it actually clarify anything? Or do you simply feel more in control when you have the list done? (My organization doesn't actually accomplish anything, but I feel a great deal of relief when I can name all the piles.) It sounds like you lean more INFP, but I could be wrong.

ENFP and INFP are really, really close in orientation, with some subtle differences. Don't stress over which you are... look at the descriptions of both, and you'll see they are similar. Just let yourself be yourself. Eventually you will know who you are and what works for you - ENFP, INFP, ISTJ, ENTJ... whateva. :wink:

 

[TerracottaStarfish]

When I'm in a room I stay silent in a corner mostly. My ENFP friend hugs everybody and dances.

 

[Iustinus]

Try to identify your inferior function, which is the mentality you take when you're faced with a stressful situation or crisis. Then read the links from @Alextllz to see if it's Si or Te:

The Form of the Inferior - ENP (ENXP will have Si as inferior function.)
The Form of the Inferior - IFP (IXFP will have Te as inferior function.)