ENFP and ISFP Similarities?

I've seen this said before on other forums, that ENFP and ISFP have some similarities, can superficially seem more alike than ESFP to ISFP and ENFP to INFP.

This, I believe, may be due to cognitive function mix-ups and misunderstandings. I still have moments when I wonder if I'm an ISFP who uses so much Ni that I get into Fi/Ni loops and analysis paralysis sometimes, therefore looking like an NF.

I'm sorry for the cross-post, but this is an explanation of what happened with me:

I went through a phase of entirely rejecting cognitive theory because it started to seem equally plausible that I could be ENFP or ISFP...am I forceful and fond of stating things plainly because of tertiary Te, or auxillary Se? Am I an introverted extrovert i.e. ENFP or an extroverted introvert i.e. ISFP (both seem highly likely)? Do I want experience because of Ne or Se? Does my penchant for literary analysis come from an Ne dom, or just a firm command of tertiary Ni? Etc. Etc.

And even when I take cognitive functions tests though I'm high on Ne, Fi, Ni, and Fe...the strength of my Se begs the question of how much I really am preferring it? Lord knows I've seen someone who is clearly using a buttload of Si and Fe think of herself as INTP when it appears to be the furthest thing from the truth. Is this why some people think I'm ISFP and not ENFP?

So I just said, forget this, I'm going with my dichotemy preferences...but it turns out from taking various dichotomy tests that even those preferences appear to be pretty strongly NFP, though fluctuate on I/E.

It always seem like the stereotypes DO come into play when deciding between two types...well, this person is so opinionated that ENFP seems more likely than ISFP, you know.

Gah. I'm pretty sure that I'm more NF than SP, though, if we divide the four temperaments.

I'm curious as to how many ENFPs and ISFPs have experienced this.

I get what you're saying, but there are some pretty big differences, especially between Ni and Ne. I've never thought I might be an ENFP simply because I don't have a strong grasp on Ne.

I'd also like to chime in and say that most of us ISFPs don't relate very well to the SP temperament. We've tended to come to the conclusion that the SP description fits the extroverts best.

I suppose that the similarities begin with the orientation toward "Ideal" because of Fi there is a noticible push toward Ideal with the ISFP as well even the ESFP that has not been accounted for.I thought myself an NF because of my sympathies for and engagements with many of the causes and things that are said to be exclusive to the NF..but i am a sensuous and "concrete" creature in my dealings and engagements regularly,So while i do not ponder at all times of the abstract,I generally apply the abstraction of my ideals in the best way that i now how,with practicality.

Intuition is a very rare phenomena that occurs in predominance of a persons cognition every once so often,and i suspect that there are many occurances in peoples lives that are mistaken for expressed intuition..

but to the point,i suppose that there are quite a few similarities in the endeavors between the NF and SP...but in which is seperated by the rarity of pre-dominant Intution

I also seem to express Ni quite alot,and in congruence with Fi i would appear an Intuitive,so i would suggest alot of thought and reflection/midfullness as to what your engagements really entail.

enfp's work the unreal (Ne) with what they consider real (Si). isfp's work the real (Se) with what they consider unreal (Ni). they process information in opposite directions, so to speak. the idealist, and the realist. i don't think i've ever considered myself an enfp, nor will i ever. i don't need to relate to things like they do, i'd rather get to the bottom of things or neglect it entirely. isfp's and enfp's are completely different from each other when you dig beneath the shallow surface. and it truly is shallow.

I have never confused myself for being SP. I just don't have Se, or at least it's not particularly strong. I would love to have it to a stronger extent. Moreover, my temperament is much different than of an SP.

I completely relate to Ne, which makes sense because it's my dominant function. I should at the very least, be able to relate to my dominant function and explain how I experience it.

The only time I pay attention to looping, was after I was already grounded in my type as ENFP. Even being unhealthy or "looping", doesn't cause me to throw out the baby with the bath water.

On another forum many people have suggested I may be SFP, but equally as many believe I am NF. I think this may be due to a balance in my sensing/intuition - I am more physical and concrete in some regards, I don't relate to some of the complaints some NFs have expressed (i.e. feeling disconnected from their body, not being aware of their body, not being comfortable with their sexuality, I even had an NT woman tell me she can't tell a real difference between sex with a condom and sex without a condom...I have none of these issues, though I know it doesn't necessarily make me SFP).

I never starve myself all day and wonder why I'm hungry then say "oh I forgot to eat" ...I just don't have any of these extreme intuitive issues, and on functions tests I score pretty decently on Se.

I also enjoy a lot of hands-on forms of creativity like cooking and dancing, but I'm also very into writing and literary analysis.

I relate to the "aha" and the "why?" of Ni just as much as the connecting of Ne. But I don't think I ever sit around going "what if the story or movie had ended this different way" and I sometimes wonder what people mean when they say they think in patterns. I see underlying patterns in various situations and behavior, but maybe that underlying thread is Ni.

Originally Posted by fourtines

I think this may be due to a balance in my sensing/intuition - I am more physical and concrete in some regards, I don't relate to some of the complaints some NFs have expressed (i.e. feeling disconnected from their body, not being aware of their body, not being comfortable with their sexuality, I even had an NT woman tell me she can't tell a real difference between sex with a condom and sex without a condom...I have none of these issues, though I know it doesn't necessarily make me SFP).

Er....what?

ENFP's + high sexual drive

*Grabs you by the ear and marches you back to ENFP corner*

Ha ha...yeah I belong in the ENFP corner, though I probably do have some Sensor balance.

I took several tests today. On the Watchword Test I got ESFP, but on the Indirect (Big Five) it gave me ENTP, on a short MBTI I got ENFP, and on another MBTI I got ENFP, with borderline I/E like usual.

What I find very strange about Big Five is that I score so high in Extroversion, I mean very high, but in Myers-Briggs I'm borderline. Perhaps Big Five focuses more on expressiveness and adventuring attitude...

just joined this and am totally confused.. my initial thoughts are " What the hell are you all talking about?" Also, I don't want to be so easy to figure out... Individuals are just that "individuals". Though my initial "briggs myers personality test" was seemingly right on, I figure on another day, without the problems I have now, with a different life situation, my answers may make me a different "fi fi fo fum".or something. Probably won't post anything else.. so see yas all later.

I just got ESFP on the Lenore Thomson test.

That's absolutely impossible. I'm just not extroverted enough.