# HELP! Confused ENXP!



## inparanthesis (Feb 26, 2013)

I am leaning towards ENFP but i need some reassurances. What are some examples of introverted feeling and introverted thinking? I am also aware that ENFP's use extraverted thinking how would that affect an ENFP? Perhaps i am neither personality type it's an option i have been considering. Any opinons are much appreciated.


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## QueenOfCats (Jan 28, 2011)

Could you elaborate on how you relate to both functions (Fi and Ti)? An ENTP could seem like a feeler because of Fe while an ENFP could seem like a thinker because of Te.


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## inparanthesis (Feb 26, 2013)

you are right ENTPs would be expressive due to Fe but i also know Fi is about values whereas Ti likes analyzing everything. I guess i relate to both because whenever making a decision i like to think it through but I know both ENTPs and ENFPs are more than capable of thinking things out. I guess one difference would be is the ENFP would be more in touch with thier values which i can also relate to. Is it possible i still developing my preference? I still only in high school.


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## Psychopomp (Oct 3, 2012)

Sound like you are externalizing the logical process. This is 'social thinking' and is typically indicative of not only Te, but low-order Te. Te needs input from the outside world... and low-order means that it's taxing to use. Put those together and you get a sort of 'study group' mentality in logical processing. The strong Fi can offset the need to use Te by creating a cooperative atmosphere where they can use Te less and still learn a lot. 

Also, being most confused about T and F does tend to indicate that they occupy the aux and tert positions. The question is whether or not when you are alone in your mind, idle, if you prefer to think about logical systems or nuanced values... at length, presumably. Framing it in a starkly internal environment should help. Also, it should be what is easy and casual.. and also what you feel good at. In a crisis we may use weaker functions a lot, but not easy and casual and not often in a way we feel is skillful.

So, I very very tentatively offer you ESFP as my guess. I default to that because it is simply the more likely type of ExFP, if statistics hold true (though you coming here to PerC alone skews what statistics apply to you). 

That leads to the second question (if you interested in being typed) ... why Ne? What is Ne and how does it manifest in you?

Also, a questionnaire is good. Copy/paste into this thread and fill out.


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## inparanthesis (Feb 26, 2013)

I can agree that it is very possible that i have Fi as my auxilary. But I am going to have to disagree about the possibility about (I am aware it was a suggestion) being Se dominant. I believe I am Ne dom because i have compared how other people my age take in information and how i take in information. They learn the facts about the subject whereas i ask what if questions usually coming up with bizarre hypothetical situations. But i am curious, how did you arrive at the conclusion that i may be ESFP? I am interested.


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## Psychopomp (Oct 3, 2012)

Sorry for the delay.

I thought Se because you identified as a Pe type (which I was inclined to agree with) and you don't manifest any Ne in your posts.

So, low-order Te and 'not Ne' gives me xSFP - you identify with ENFP and also were confused T and F, which hints they may be in 'the middle' which means Pe dominance which means ESFP.

*breathes* 

That. Essentially.

Random scenarios are just as, if not more, likely associated with Se. Se descriptions are so terrible. I am making a thread about this. It's really a problem. Se is imaginative and clever and so so random sometimes. Se uses Ni to 'leap' to something that doesn't necessarily connect in an obvious way. Most times when you are watching a comedian or something that is just being so freaking random or bizarre, you are dealing with an Se type. I know a fair few ENFPs (including my wife) and they aren't really ones for bizarre hypothetical situations. That sounds more like an Se/Ni 'leap'. ENFPs are more like.... iterating through imaginative perspectives to abstract conceptions. Not unlike INFPs, they are constantly conflicted and agnostic on ambiguous, sometimes incomprehensible questions that concern the realm of thought and ideal. They are like passionate philosophers, I guess. A great way to recognize an ENFP is how much they don't like to be held to any ideology / cause / belief. It violates every part of their cognition to do so. Fi is subjective and doesn't join group valuation - Ne is about ALL the possibilities and will often refuse to ever select any. They take great pleasure in wisely subverting people's perspectives... 

For example, my wife, who very much does not fit in and very much stands out, when asked "do you want to fit in or stand out?" She zones out and seems almost confused by the question. First, she doesn't know which she does. She thinks really hard and becomes indignant at the very essence of it. The question, she realizes, is not wise and can't be answered with nuanced truth. After some concernation she cocks her head and asks 'Neither?' ... thinks more. Then, nodding to herself more than anyone else, "Neither. I don't want to be either of those things." And nods to herself, off in her world. Suddenly, Ne/Si snaps her up and she thinks of something else ENTIRELY and begins to tell a story about something she once read that she thought of earlier in the day. It's a profound non-sequitur, but I don't think she is aware of this sort of thing... it's so ingrained in how her brain works that it's outside of her perception. After 30 seconds of her story she realizes that I've put the notepad I was holding down. She remembers why I had it. She laughs and apologizes, asking if I had any more questions? I did, but I say I didn't. She laughs again and continues with her story.. which heavily glosses details to talk about the more ponderous aspects of the event. She often asks, 'isn't that weird?' about things that are, in fact, not weird at all... rather, totally normal. A lot of times, she doesn't comprehend what is normal at all. Sometimes the normal perspective is lost in a sea of possible perspectives. It's not that dom Ne strives to be weird or abnormal, in fact many try very hard to be normal and lead normal a normal life, because they feel their inherent abnormality disconnects them from those they love so much... they certainly don't need to make efforts to push boundaries... rather they struggle blindly to find and hold onto them... often times ENFP are antagonistic to and lament the consequences of their Ne. More often then not they strive actively to 'fit in' but are simply unable to, despite great effort, force their brain to simply see things as they are.

Anyway, that was a long winded explanation... but I wanted to explain how what an ENFP is does not have to do with being random, bizarre, clever, creative, even imaginative in the way you might comprehend it. Se is often a better example of these things. Ne is........ something else.... it's all of those things but a different sort of them.


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## inparanthesis (Feb 26, 2013)

I will definately consider the idea about being ESFP.When I said that I ask a lot of what if questions i meant that i can more easily question something than other people in other words i can come up with more possibilities to something but i assume that's something anyone can do. Other reasons why I thought i was ENFP is because the subjects i am interested in usually don't appeal to sensors. I read books on sujetcts such as philosophy (philosophers such as jean pual satre and Soren Kierkegaard), history, and psychology( which is no concrete subject. I am actually thinking about entering into the field of criminal justice, lot of psychology there). And when I read about these subjects i definitely don't just memorize the information.


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## ebullientcorner (Oct 5, 2012)

I wanted to post on this last night, and got caught up wit the Les Mis thread. I have limited time, and uh wandering thoughts. 





arkigos said:


> Sorry for the delay.
> 
> I thought Se because you identified as a Pe type (which I was inclined to agree with) and you don't manifest any Ne in your posts.
> 
> ...


This is the Most beautiful thing I have ever read. It actually made me cry. It's so romantic, and that you understand your wife so intrinsically- it's breath taking.
I am going to re-post it in the ENFP forum.


I think this is right on. There is a look that you get when you 'come back' and realize that you have gone off and people haven't followed you. It happens all the time. It is the same look. Bafflement. If you do not worry about or tend to get a look of bafflement or a, "anyway...uhm, uh" response from people, you might not be a *******, er ENFP.

But *@*inparanthesis , you say you are in high school? 

There are many ESFP-types that I, personally, envy. For instance, since I was just talking about it, Enrojas in Les Mis is always thought to be an ENFP, but I am convinced he is an ESFP- especially in the book.


What I *really want to say* is don't let the input of others make the final decision. Yes, you are in high school, you may be new to this, but ultimately you know you best. It is incredibly important to have the information and input and observations and questions and ideas constantly open. Think for yourself. This also means you have the responsibility for the decision, so be careful- because you cannot shove this on someone else.

Also, I was typed accurately pretty young, I don't think you are too young. 
- I had my type questioned , and many thought I might be an ESFP, even me.
What they saw was the shape my all S family and strict religious culture gave me, and my moral adherence to it.
They thought that ENFP's were outspoken and boisterous and 'intellectual'. I had a family that incredibly discouraged that.

SO - the point is TAKE into account the culture you are in, your family life and how you are being shaped, the pressures on you. My friends weren't stupid, they were observant and nice, and are still my friends. (Even after they put baby in a corner)

I think that should do for now...


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## Psychopomp (Oct 3, 2012)

inparanthesis said:


> I will definately consider the idea about being ESFP.When I said that I ask a lot of what if questions i meant that i can more easily question something than other people in other words i can come up with more possibilities to something but i assume that's something anyone can do. Other reasons why I thought i was ENFP is because the subjects i am interested in usually don't appeal to sensors. I read books on sujetcts such as philosophy (philosophers such as jean pual satre and Soren Kierkegaard), history, and psychology( which is no concrete subject. I am actually thinking about entering into the field of criminal justice, lot of psychology there). And when I read about these subjects i definitely don't just memorize the information.


Again, I am rather inclined to believe this is more indicative of Se. Wait! Reading philosophy is more indicative of Se!??! Absolutely. Most ENTPs I know will go on and on about how crappy someone like Kierkegaard's philosophies are... and devolve rather immediately into pushing forward their own theories about it all. ENFPs also use these things as a springboard. LOL, think of it like this. Some ENFP is trying to call to words some concept that had flittered by them... as they are saying so, I say, "Okay, yeah.. that's like Kierkegaard." They deflate. "Oh, lame.... someone else already thought of it? That sucks." I laugh... "well, maybe not... or maybe you thought of something he didn't. Go on." They grumble and, regathering themselves, continue. They may or may not not read Kierkegaard after that. If I know my ENFPs, they'll avoid him or otherwise be belligerent to this philosophical upstart they've run across. My wife took a philosophy class with me once and only because I asked her too and she thought it sounded fun-ish. The teacher had a hard time with her because she'd raise her hand to answer questions about some philosopher and her answers were......... well, it was clear she was 'riffing' off Hume. The philosophy teacher was like, "Let's learn Hume before we change Hume... but thank you for your enthusiasm." She shrugs and goes back to pretending to read it while actually zoning off to scurry further down whatever rabbit hole she's dug herself. She hasn't so much as cracked a book on the subject in her life outside of that class. Now, you bring up a philosophical viewpoint she would probably engage you if she thought it sounded like it might be a good springboard into Ne and other possibilities altogether. Now that I think about it, I've never met an ENFP who cared at all for philosophy in a scholarly sense... other than to equip themselves to attack philosophies they dislike. 

If I were looking for someone who might actually have read a book on the stuff and who might give a good description of the philosophy... I'd look first for an NJ then for an SP/SJ who was into that particular philosopher... or, if I wanted to really talk about it but still retain a little sanity, an INxP. With ENxP, prepare to take a drink from the fire engine hose... and walk away wonder how much if any of what you just talked about related to the philosopher. 

The only ENFP I know on the forums who I am confident is an ENFP is @ebullientcorner (though I am sure there are a fair few others) .. and @Jabberbroccoli is an ENTP who can at the very least offer good explanations of Ne. 

Nevertheless, I am still thinking ESFP, given what you've offered so far. To give you an example here... I think that Che Guevara (who is often typed ENFP) was an ESFP. BUT BUT he was smart and soulful and well read!! Such an absurd reason to type someone Ne. 

1) Focus on action, on real solutions to real problems. The revolution won't start itself! Not ENFP.

2) Strongly and passionately ideological. Distinctly not ENFP. ENFP is someone like Victor Hugo, who, in Les Miserable will spend one chapter extolling Napoleon, the next extolling the Crown; tangenting about the terrible errors of monasticism in 1800s France then speaking eloquently of it's beauty and worth. Doing otherwise is totally counterintuitive to Ne. 

3) Strongly (and successfully!) aesthetic in his personal image without seeming to try at all - almost as if it was an organic process for him. Sought out richness of experience and strong bonds. Not ENFP. Che 'cool' is Se 'cool'. 

I hope I am painting a worthwhile picture here.


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## Adasta (Nov 22, 2011)

arkigos said:


> i think that che guevara (who is often typed enfp) was an esfp


esfj.

I think most of your theory is sound, but the result is incorrect. Most, if not everything, you attribute to Se is actually a manifestation of Fe+Si. One of the reasons Che was originally a doctor, I think: practical solutions to try to improve the immediate human condition.


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## Jabberbroccoli (Mar 19, 2011)

Well uh Kierkegaard's philosophies are pretty Se/Ni for one (and Fi stuff). In general that dude is an annoying bastard. Most Ne-Ti users as a general statement are going to learn stuff so they know it and can tell someone (possibly the author), that they're wrong. I mean, that's just far more fun than bothering with Fe while debating something. Actually got to start riding over to my friend's house about 6 minutes ago, so I'm going to go to that, but I'm getting ESFP from everything in this thread that's too much of a pain to type right now.


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

inparanthesis said:


> I am leaning towards ENFP but i need some reassurances. What are some examples of introverted feeling and introverted thinking? I am also aware that ENFP's use extraverted thinking how would that affect an ENFP? Perhaps i am neither personality type it's an option i have been considering. Any opinons are much appreciated.


Quite honestly, finding your type is as simple as identifying your dominant function (and this can be done by also figuring out what you think your inferior function is) and then figuring out which general function you relate more to: Thinking or Feeling. Especially if you're just getting into personality theory and stuff like function attitude is still difficult to wrap your mind around. 

Anyways, here's what I think the best questionnaire is. If you filled it out, it would shed a lot more light on what functions you use. 

http://personalitycafe.com/whats-my-personality-type/99679-whats-my-type-questionnaire.html

As of right now, I'm not entirely sure what functions you use. ^_^ I'm getting an ExxP feeling from you, and I kind of feel like you might be more ESxP than ENxP. But what do I know? The questionnaire would really help.


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## inparanthesis (Feb 26, 2013)

I wanted to thank everyone for their input. I wanted to bring up what ebullientcorner said about by who and how you're raised plays a huge role on your individual personality and i wanted to point out that a lot of the people i am around ( family and friends) are either of the Artisan or Gaurdian temperment. So i was wondering that i may have picked up on some of those sensing characteristics which i think is a possiblity.


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## Ellis Bell (Mar 16, 2012)

Well, I second (or is it third now?) the idea that you fill out a questionnaire. The one @Julia Bell linked to is pretty good, especially when it comes to picking out your perceiving functions (which can be hard to spot).


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

inparanthesis said:


> I wanted to thank everyone for their input. I wanted to bring up what ebullientcorner said about by who and how you're raised plays a huge role on your individual personality and i wanted to point out that a lot of the people i am around ( family and friends) are either of the Artisan or Gaurdian temperment. So i was wondering that i may have picked up on some of those sensing characteristics which i think is a possiblity.


Who you're raised by and how you're raised will not effect your true personality type. Your type is how you think. Not what you think. Nor is how you behave. Indeed you may have picked up some supposedly "Sensing" looking characteristics if your family is made up of people with a Sensing preference that bleed into your behavior, but it shouldn't ultimately effect how you think. 

Seriously, filling out a questionnaire would be super helpful.


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## Psychopomp (Oct 3, 2012)

inparanthesis said:


> I wanted to thank everyone for their input. I wanted to bring up what ebullientcorner said about by who and how you're raised plays a huge role on your individual personality and i wanted to point out that a lot of the people i am around ( family and friends) are either of the Artisan or Gaurdian temperment. So i was wondering that i may have picked up on some of those sensing characteristics which i think is a possiblity.


I think that it is a possibility. If you identify -strongly- with Ne... and see it as something core to you, it's entirely possible that it is. It's not that being raised in a particular environment affects type, but it may affect how it appears For example, an ENFP raised in a place where no ideas are discussed and no abstract concepts are available... they will still be an ENFP but they won't appear to be one because they exist in a scenario where they can't be one. Also, a lot of the stereotypes might not apply because of the constraints put on their comprehension. The only thing that stops an Ne from exploding into a world of conceptual possibility is not comprehending the existence of those possibilities. 

Once introduced to these things, however, it will be very clear what they are. Ne works in a very particular way and no matter what circumstances exist in the past (outside of mental illness) it will make itself quite clear..... like in a questionnaire! Maybe a video? 

That being said, lay that questionnaire on us and we will have at it. 



<tangent>... Interestingly, I don't know if I have typed a single ENFP yet on this forum? I don't think an INFP either. I find that these types, due to the strong dichotomy they perceive in the N/S Divide (usually most strongly reported by Ne types) along with other aspects of their functions, makes them able to self-type strongly and pretty accurately. I wonder if that is true. I think it is. It's usually NJ and SP that need the most help or are the most confused? SJ tends to type pretty easily - though they often take a passive role. This is all working up to my uber-post on why the type demographic statistics are wrong. </tangent>


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## ebullientcorner (Oct 5, 2012)

inparanthesis said:


> I wanted to thank everyone for their input. I wanted to bring up what ebullientcorner said about by who and how you're raised plays a huge role on your individual personality and i wanted to point out that a lot of the people i am around ( family and friends) are either of the Artisan or Gaurdian temperment. So i was wondering that i may have picked up on some of those sensing characteristics which i think is a possiblity.


here is a thread I posted way back when about mistyped ENFP's. It is everywhere in terms of thought and punctuation, but I still stand behind it's principles, you would have to have all 6 points met.
http://personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/118801-enfp-guide-typing-often-mistyped.html

And I don't agree with @Julia Bell, as you mentioned. I think that I am an extremely malleable person. I had a different creed hand picked _for_ me, totally draining my own Fi in many ways.
If you have your Fi shot down a lot, then you learn to hide your Fi. 
But, no you aren't a different personality, you just hide the sensitive parts. I still got cooky looks, but I found that the social nature and what people were interested in was of an Se/Si nature and tried to adapt.
ENFP's are social observers. It is what we do. If the climate is Se/Si we play our game there.


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## Jewl (Feb 28, 2012)

ebullientcorner said:


> here is a thread I posted way back when about mistyped ENFP's. It is everywhere in terms of thought and punctuation, but I still stand behind it's principles, you would have to have all 6 points met.
> http://personalitycafe.com/myers-briggs-forum/118801-enfp-guide-typing-often-mistyped.html
> 
> And I don't agree with @_Julia Bell_, as you mentioned. I think that I am an extremely malleable person. I had a different creed hand picked _for_ me, totally draining my own Fi in many ways.
> ...


It only impacted your behavior and what you thought, not _how _you thought. A person cannot force that on another person, try though they might. 

I live in a family of five, three of which (my parents and my younger sister) have a preference for Si. I didn't just type them on my own, I actually talked to them about MBTI type. I got their opinion on their own type. My mother is an ESFJ, my father an ISTJ, and my sister an ESTJ. We're all extremely close. It doesn't drain neither my Fi nor my Ne by being around them. In fact, I'm in a bit of a unique situation considering the only people I see (due to the fact that I don't go to a physical school building) and interact with until Sunday are the members of my family. 

If you are referring to value systems and people telling you what to believe and what's the best way to do things, etc, that's got nothing to do with type, and definitely not Se or Si.


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## Amaizing (Mar 15, 2013)

Enfp


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## ebullientcorner (Oct 5, 2012)

Julia Bell said:


> It only impacted your behavior and what you thought, not _how _you thought. A person cannot force that on another person, try though they might.
> 
> I live in a family of five, three of which (my parents and my younger sister) have a preference for Si. I didn't just type them on my own, I actually talked to them about MBTI type. I got their opinion on their own type. My mother is an ESFJ, my father an ISTJ, and my sister an ESTJ. We're all extremely close. It doesn't drain neither my Fi nor my Ne by being around them. In fact, I'm in a bit of a unique situation considering the only people I see (due to the fact that I don't go to a physical school building) and interact with until Sunday are the members of my family.
> 
> If you are referring to value systems and people telling you what to believe and what's the best way to do things, etc, that's got nothing to do with type, and definitely not Se or Si.


It seems that I don't disagree with you as much as I thought. I agree completely with you in that the WAY you think is always static.
It should be noted though, that any type can subscribe to the beliefs of any other type.
I was indicating that the belief system that I was raised in was not conducive for me to express my Fi (or Ne, but Fi especially) in a healthy way. I had two choices, to be at odds with those around me, or to conform to their ideal. My mother's Fi (ISTJ) was overwhelmed as well as mySister's (ESTJ) and my brother's (ESFP). They, well we, have all shown deficiency in this area due to culture (dominant religious culture which highly demoralized questioniong or that anything should be questioned in the way of coming to your own conclusion: Subjective judgment.) I was often told by my father that he had the religious authority to come to moral conclusions on my behalf. Now, this wasn't necessarily religion, but how it was interpreted in my area and in my family, creating an abnormal atmosphere.
You can see this is not the normal behavior one would hope for from the general populace.


This, obviously has nothing to do with S vs N, but any cognitive function can be overwhelming to another, especially to a child who is outnumbered in that function, or where that function is not appreciated or even actively suppressed. For instance, I am concerned for my oldest daughter, who is Ni with all of us being Ne dom or secondary. I want her to flourish, but I have to recognize that the difference is there, and appreciate it, as it seemed your family hoped and tried with you. No family could ever be perfect in this area, simply from nature, but as long as there is an air of acceptance and tolerance, I feel that all functions should have healthy reign

Therefore, I was implying that I learned to communicate in certain ways, from my birth, to match what others valued.
I wasn't thinking differently, no. It has always been a stretch for me to concretely communicate, and I gather always will be. I would find concrete interests and expound upon them in my own Ne/Fi way. Religion being one, how I talked with my mother after school...she was sweet and wanted to know all about my day, had cookies etc.,but once ideas came up- random concepts, the communication ended or lulled. I couldn't connect with her in the way I would have hoped, and I often mourned this as a child. I felt alien.
The first time I didn't feel alien was as a young teen when I was introduced to this system by an old ENTJ, who was very kind and because of his knowledge/type/acceptance or whatever it was, gave me a tool to understand myself and how I fit with those around me, providing me context for my nature.

Now, it would be foolish in the extreme to even theorize that this is a norm for any family. A healthily communicating family, would obviously avoid this hurdle. 

Thus: you are right. Never do functions change, or the way we think, but the stereotypes or way people judge us to be can be tainted by abnormal circumstance.


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