I find that ENFPs are more up for random conversation and silliness, and ESFPs tend to be more linear in their expression and are funny in a more observant way. The ESFPs I know will make funny comments directly related to a topic, whereas ENFPs tend to pull stuff out of the sky.

The ESFPs I've known are quite smart, so they were good at school when they applied themselves, but they excelled in more straightforward topics like history and struggled with theory. Whereas, the ENFPs I knew would tend to excel at what they liked and valued, and especially seem fond of art and language where they could express themselves and which is more open to interpretation. Generally, is the person drawn to abstraction or things which are clearly defined in reality?

ENFPs are easy to tell. I start talking about physics and if their eyes cross in 20 seconds thats it. Just talk about anything deep and abstract:

Nature of time, truth, justice, high finance, science, literature or history, they fold like origami. I'm not saying I don't like ESFPs btw.

My sister is an ESFP...we get along just fine most of the time, but she does have a certain diva-like quality that would have everyone running for the hills. We both have similar qualities...I would say I'm impulsive, but I'll sense danger and that will curb my impulse, whereas she has mad some rash and somewhat dangerous decisions in her life.

She loves to bitch and gossip, just for the sake of it, she can get quite nasty about it. I'll indulge somewhat, but when I start to try to get into the true meaning of a piece of information she'll switch off and walk away. I am terrible for zoning out of conversations with people if its boring, but I'll at least try to stay in the room until the person finishes speaking...my sis however will blatantly get up and walk out of the room leaving the person talking to themselves!

We are both moody, but when in a bad mood, I'll tend to just spend as little time around people and do some meditation or read some books, whereas she will grown and grown like a bear with a sore head until an argument erupts...she's like a simmering volcano sometimes!

At first glance, we probably both appear quite directionless, we have difficulty sticking to projects, but I tend to go towards the idea of a meaningful, fulfilling life, she just wants to party...she can't understand why I don't like partying. She says I live in a little bubble, she thinks I'm "out there" but she finds that funny and endearing rather than weird and annoying. When not in a bad mood she's extremely caring and generous....I get the feeling she does it sometimes for acceptance and love. She's very popular, lots of friends, always helping them out or round in their house at a party or just for a cuppa and a gossip.

I'm forever trying to get her to be more ladylike, she can be quite rude and vulgar, I think sometimes she does it deliberately to wind people up...She loves plunging necklines in reds and fuschias, sparkles and mini-skirts, I'm more boho chic!

Our J type father is constantly trying to push us into being more "responsible" I indulge him a lot more than she does. I actually bought a house a few years ago on his insistence...she has no fear of his opinion of her. Also, to her my Dad's a human cash machine, but she'll spend the money he gives her on all of her friends! to me, he's someone that I'm constantly in fear of dissappointing.

To me ESFP's are those people who you'd say "Hard on the outside, soft as butter on the inside" But with ENFP's their vulnerability and sensitivity is on show a lot more.

I'm more boho chic!

Pictures...


Nice comparison and contrasting. I've dated three ESFPs and found them loving yet self centered. Since they have little understand of idealism.

Oh....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boho-chic

Totally screams NF... cool.

I do urban-punk-chic

ESFP: An extremely unimpressive version of an ENFP

A few other things I notice: ESFPs generally have their houses decorated nicely with lots of colors, neat and clean. They almost all like sports quite a bit, like cycling, skiing. Most of them seem not to be too good at figuring out who is a good romantic partner to have and who is a bad one -- they just accept them all.

ENFPs, by comparison, I would say are likely to have a slightly messy household, with interesting, cool stuff in it, maybe artsy. As far as sports, ENFPs (speaking for myself) often bump into things -- like I hit my shoulders on the corners of walls all the time indoors when walking quickly from one place to another. I am much more calculating about whether to stay with a romantic partner.

From my experience, the ESFP's I've known (or seen) have fashionable and trendy-styled homes. Like something out of a magazine. Actually if they saw something on tv or a movie, they will try to get the same exact replica of it. And they tend to have expensive taste. My childhood friend would go to the mall with a celebrity's house or clothing/shoes/accessories in mind and buy the one on display or on a mannequin. The amounts of money and time she spend on clothes would blow your mind ! Then when the next season/year came around, she no longer wore them and are stacked up in her closet. Often times, with priced tags still on them.The style suited her personality well though.

As an ENFP, I don't go for fashionable or trendy...but for stylish and authentic-styled pieces that flatters my shape and represents my eccentric personality. I can't look like everyone else. I fix up my own wardrobe or home with my own taste in mind. Following my vision of what feels most true to me. Lots of possibilities that include mixing different concepts and styles together to create something funky and artsy...and feminine. My space is actually very clean and organized. I can't live in clutter. I'm also a bargain shopper and try to get items for reasonable prices. The ESFP gal wouldn't get what I was going for, but thought it was very "me".

OH man I love going in my "ESFP" costume of ripped jeans, muscle shirt and trucker hat. Its so funny how it attracts the "S" girls and I get complements from "S" guys and girls. I don't think an N has given me a complement on my "S" costumes.

You just go trendy and it turns their heads. It seems as long as you look trendy and good, they almost will talk to you. But then I have to talk with the S girls... and that makes me want to vomit.

Posted By JerseyCityENFP on 12 Jan 2010 12:55 PM


   ENFPs (speaking for myself) often bump into things -- like I hit my shoulders on the corners of walls all the time indoors when walking quickly from one place to another. 

Wow, that may well be a deffinate trait, that happens to me also, I can't tell you how many stubbed toes I've encountered in my life too.

 

 

Posted By sbalbom on 21 Jan 2010 12:09 AM

OH man I love going in my "ESFP" costume of ripped jeans, muscle shirt and trucker hat. Its so funny how it attracts the "S" girls and I get complements from "S" guys and girls. I don't think an N has given me a complement on my "S" costumes.

You just go trendy and it turns their heads. It seems as long as you look trendy and good, they almost will talk to you. But then I have to talk with the S girls... and that makes me want to vomit.

 

LOL! thats pretty funny, I used to have a few ESFP costumes for hitting the bars... Would get more people talking the "how do you do?" conversations with me more than when I would dress all nicey nice in my kilt with my puple velvet top hat. Shame shame.

For those of you who ever want to meet a ESFP, just go to a good beach around summer/spring break. Find them floking around in larger groups speaking of pop mundane with a joyful zeal. The men show off by demonstrating their ability to catch a foot ball while flexing. The women lay around tanning them selves with clinched buttocks and small brightly colored bikinis. You wont get any deep new meaning into life, but you may get a game of frisbee or learn about people you've never met love life and what kind of shampoo they use. 

 

LOL! thats pretty funny, I used to have a few ESFP costumes for hitting the bars... Would get more people talking the "how do you do?" conversations with me more than when I would dress all nicey nice in my kilt with my puple velvet top hat. Shame shame.

For those of you who ever want to meet a ESFP, just go to a good beach around summer/spring break. Find them floking around in larger groups speaking of pop mundane with a joyful zeal. The men show off by demonstrating their ability to catch a foot ball while flexing. The women lay around tanning them selves with clinched buttocks and small brightly colored bikinis. You wont get any deep new meaning into life, but you may get a game of frisbee or learn about people you've never met love life and what kind of shampoo they use. 

ESFP status = fashion + looks + leisure.

@Benj, lol very clever. Ya know now that I think about it. Most S guys I get a long with just fine, at work and social setting. Its the S women I have so much trouble with. Most S guys can appreciate stocks, history, dallas cowboy football or some kind of politics. S women? I have very little to say to them other than who is dating who and who I am dating at the moment.

You wont get any deep new meaning into life,

I often feel empty after hanging out with them.

I used to hang with a bunch of S girls from my work a while out and about, running around downing the clever medicine for a merry time. I had the good vibration flowing good enough I didn't mind the banter. BUT I was just trying in vain to get laid in the end I was just left mentaly and emotionaly numb, go figure... Good partying though. You kind of have to shift though a lot of bull shit to get anything out of them worth while... more so just a good amout of booze to get them to become a little more intospective. Unless I get to drink the good drink, or smoke a fun smoke I can't really sit to long on my wrong end listening to such trite doings. They always loved having some Ss for a party. I jump through phases though and I will be so desprate for human interaction I swim down to S ville.  

The moral of the story, I never got laid and ran off with a group of lesbians for a while. If your going to lose, lose big  they were a more random mish mash of personality types. One of which was a ESFP, very fun times painting the town random colors. Could almost peg her for a ENFP, but her lack of judgment in people was mind numbing. I find the good in all people and accept them for who they are. She just didn't care and couldnt tell the differance. I'm starting to ramble so, I'll end it there with that little bit.

The best way to tell the difference between ENFPs and ESFPs is to look at their functions.

ENFP: Ne Fi Te Si ESFP: Se Fi Te Ni

ENFPs speak in the language of of Ne. They're always talking multiple possibilities and alternatives. When you hear an ENFP talking, their language has an air of vagueness about it, while only being specific about things that matter (Will in The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air is a good example) to them. ESFPs speak the language of Se, immediate sensations, facts and details ( a good example of this is President Bill Clinton. In one of his speeches he was quoted as saying "we must look at the facts").

The two middle functions are the same, so this is where they can sound similar ( following their value systems (Fi) and seeking logical explanations for things (Te)).

Their inferior functions, however, are different. If you see an ENFP breaking down, they will be trying to preserve what is familiar, unlike an ESFP, who will be irrationally superstitious.


tl;dr, ESFPs are products of their culture, ENFPs, most often times, are not.

Bump.

My INTJ says "I agree with the INTP above who said ESFPs are shallow. As well as the NT who said ESFPs are an unimpressive version of ENFPs who cannot handle abstraction. Alysaria was confusing the bad connotation of shallow with the NT definition of shallow: lacking depth."

ESFP's are the scum of human population and need to DIE! I seriously can not stand ESFP's in any way shape or form.

Posted By Rogarn on 20 Sep 2010 09:00 PM
ESFP's are the scum of human population and need to DIE! I seriously can not stand ESFP's in any way shape or form.

 

HAHAHAHAHAH

I didn't know it at the time, but every ESFP i have ever met, i have wished for them with all of my being to go jump of a fifty story building within five minutes at most. They are everything i hate about humans, all put into one single not to be damned enough personality.

Posted By Rogarn on 21 Sep 2010 09:46 AM
I didn't know it at the time, but every ESFP i have ever met, i have wished for them with all of my being to go jump of a fifty story building within five minutes at most. They are everything i hate about humans, all put into one single not to be damned enough personality.

 

You sir, are lulz. My INTJ concurs and tips his hat.