# INFP and ENFP - compare and contrast



## Blanco (Dec 23, 2010)

One of my really good friends from home is, I'm pretty sure, an ENFP. He's a riot, one of the funniest guys I know. He's the one who usually drags me out to bars and stuff. If it wasn't for him, I'd be pretty much a shut in most of the time.

Our sense of humor is really similar, usually dry and at times venturing into the absurd, but being an extrovert he pumps out the jokes a lot faster than I can.


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## endtroducing (Jan 20, 2011)

Most ENFP's I know are outgoing and verrrry charming. All over the place, super enthusiastic, and very fun to be around. Problem is, they get a little *too* zany sometimes, and that can be off-putting. They tend to have interesting fashion styles too, brightly colored and whatnot.

I don't know as many INFP's (too 'I' for me to notice?), but they seem more 'anchored' in themselves. More introspective, and likely to stop and think about things. If they're having fun in a group of people though, they definitely radiate that similiar ENFP charm.


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## etherealuntouaswithin (Dec 7, 2010)

I believe this distinction as to "Zany"/"Outgoing" ENFP and "morose"/"Introspective" INFP to be a bit redundant.

As I can tell,The ENFP by orientation of Dominant Extraverted function is oriented more so upon the "Objective" state of what his/her mind happens to rest upon..So the ENFP appears of greater proclivity and skill when speaking of matters independent or outside of the "self"(Fi) within or what relates externally to what is "implicit" as to the internal process,which is perhaps why the ENFP is of greater ability and humor when interacting and inspiring others..providing the "Larger" picture for the "masses" to orient their actions around(Ne), with powerful yet undigested inner passions and principle (Fi)....

..yet introspection is (at least with myself) a pre-requisite..one does not simply begin to explode with intuitive powers..it actually requires a time of _reflection_ (however short or long in duration this may be)

The INFP as i have seen is more so oriented to the "subjective" state of being in which they are of greater skill and power in speaking of what persists dramatically within themselves in detail and vivid insight,as though they could very well _see_ the internal waves of feeling and flow within..This i suspect attests to the great empathy they hold for the spiritual and feelingful matter within the individual as well themselves(Which sometimes gives the impression of being "Emo") As also a sensitivity toward the greater causes of the world that captures the fancy of that internal flow...which they are of greater skill in speaking of when Aux Ne is further developed...

The INFP will certainly, because of introversion,require greater time in which to settle and restore individually,yet even they,like the ENFP,require great time and interaction with the Human being because of their feeling orientation..though they may appear of greater solemnity because their inner being is predominant and thus "Put on the line" when interating with others..

Anyway this is what i have seen(from personal experience as well observing others...Particularly @snail...The clarity in which she explains of her subjective processes is very much an example of the INFP)


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## sarek (May 20, 2010)

My best friend is ENFP with E to a fault. He is able to communicate with just about anyone. I am at the extreme other end of the scale, about as introverted as they come.

Yet somehow with those outward differences we are an ideal match. We are both highly unconventional, have a great time ridiculing the antics of garden variety folks with all their jaccuzzis, kids, SUV's and mortgages. 

One thing strikes me as funny though. While he is supposed to be the extrovert and I am the introvert, when it comes to very personal and sensitive subjects I find I have a much easier time talking about them and opening up than he does.


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## coder25 (Dec 20, 2010)

I'm curious as to whether ENFPs go through the same internal feelings and doubts that INFPs go through. Do they feel them with the same intensity ? I was wondering if the two types are similar on the inside while they differ on how they project themselves.
I'm not sure if I expressed myself well there so I'll give a simple analogy - two books with similar content but vastly different covers.


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## Flailingbird (Jan 17, 2011)

coder25 said:


> I'm curious as to whether ENFPs go through the same internal feelings and doubts that INFPs go through. Do they feel them with the same intensity ? I was wondering if the two types are similar on the inside while they differ on how they project themselves.
> I'm not sure if I expressed myself well there so I'll give a simple analogy - two books with similar content but vastly different covers.


Considering I just erased the fairly lengthy paragraph I just wrote in an attempt to answer your question because I worried it wasn't helpful enough, I'd say so. :crazy: Seriously, though. If you ask most of my friend group to describe me, adjectives such as "bubbly," "insane," or "too damn cheerful" will probably come up at some point or another. Apparently, people like these things about me, as my wide circle of acquaintances can attest to.
However, it is perhaps because of some self-composed pressure to please that I tend to not express negative emotions well- I tend to bottle up my cynicism (which I have a surprising amount of, considering I'm an optimist) and disappointment with the way things are in the world because, for some reason, I have very strong doubts as to whether or not people would still continue to enjoy being around me if I expressed them. Ergo, I'll make all sorts of small talk with people, and some of it can get decently personal (I'll go into a lot of my personal life, for instance, when relating stories or drawing up comparisons/contrasts to a situation), I rarely express strong opinions to others for fear that they *gasp* will not like me (it seems very childish, now that I've written it out here). Not to mention that even when I've gotten into myself into a situation where I cannot avoid expressing a strong opinion, I can never seem to word it right, and people nod their heads awkwardly and move on to contestant number two.
I don't know how much of a help that is, I'm up too late again and wanting to make myself useful. I'm pretty close where E and I are concerned, so I don't know how useful this is if you're looking for extremes in one way or another.

NeedsNewNameNow said:


> I've found that I seem to click well with INFPs over Ne, and that leads to quick chemistry and lots of shared silliness, which makes them appear not at all introverted to me. Not at first anyway.
> 
> If one of them tells you they feel unusually comfortable with you, might that indicate INFP? Do ENFPs feel more comfortable with everybody? (They seem to)


I can usually get by with most people, but some people make me edgy and nervous for apparently no reason at all. For instance, this woman in my astronomy class. She is very friendly, but at first, I was jittery. I don't act like it, but sometimes I get spooked, and I can't figure out why. Other times, I'll meet someone, and we'll hit it off almost instantly (a in-and-out in our friend group who I guessed correctly as an ENFP- after five minutes, we were like two kittens on catnip). A fun in-between is my first reaction to meeting my current boyfriend: I was intimidated to the point of not speaking when I met him, but once we started talking, we found we had quite a bit to discuss, and things just continued on from there. I feel comfortable around him- unusually so, considering we haven't been officially dating all that long. I feel very comfortable around my best friend. Beyond that, most non-family-but-still-friends goes into "comfortable" to "moderately comfortable," while everyone else gets anywhere from "comfortable enough for ___ (hugging/banter/whatever)" to "you spook me like gunshots spook a horse."
In general, when I feel uncomfortable around someone, I won't speak up much, but will add to the conversation because I feel that it's necessary to be polite. Like I said, I can get by.


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## Phoedolyn (Apr 26, 2012)

My sister is an ENFP and I am an INFP. It's interesting to observe how we interact in a group. She always introduces me as her little sister (even though we're in our 30s/40s). This gives me an automatic "in". It appears that people adore her, no matter how brutally honest she is or how little she applies her filter. Usually, I am a tad bit funnier and definitely more intense but at the end, they always remember her and usually only one person may remember me (whoever it was I truly connected with). She seems to connect with everyone. She is very tolerant of people although sometimes she does come out with that "judge-y" thing that is attributed to the Fi. 
Curiously though as we've aged, I've found that I'm much more open-minded than she was back when we were younger. I wonder if that's just maturity and things coming to a balance? For instance, back in our younger years I was way more uptight about my faith/religion and she was more open. We seem to have switched roles quite a bit.


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## MuChApArAdOx (Jan 24, 2011)

etherealuntouaswithin said:


> I believe this distinction as to "Zany"/"Outgoing" ENFP and "morose"/"Introspective" INFP to be a bit redundant.
> 
> As I can tell,The ENFP by orientation of Dominant Extraverted function is oriented more so upon the "Objective" state of what his/her mind happens to rest upon..So the ENFP appears of greater proclivity and skill when speaking of matters independent or outside of the "self"(Fi) within or what relates externally to what is "implicit" as to the internal process,which is perhaps why the ENFP is of greater ability and humor when interacting and inspiring others..providing the "Larger" picture for the "masses" to orient their actions around(Ne), with powerful yet undigested inner passions and principle (Fi)....
> 
> ...


Well said sir, best description in this entire thread. I loved how you explained it objectively, not subjectively. I was going to leave a response until i came across this post. Objective and subjective thinking is the biggest and most obvious function that lead these types differently. Ne is objective, i found it interesting that you were the only one to actually make a point of that while explaining the difference with information gathering and processing. Nice post, very accurate and well thought out


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