MBTI Comparisons

Ignore this. It's just my unofficial side blog. I use it for posting all of the MBTI write-ups that don't belong on my main blog.

[mbti-comparisons]

ISFP vs INFP

ISFP: Fi Se Ni Te 

INFP: Fe Ne Si Te

1. ISFPs have aux Se, and INFPs have aux Ne. This means that ISFPs are more physically present than INFPs are, and much more aware of their surroundings. Consequently, INFPs are more future-oriented, while ISFPs are more in tune with the present moment. Also due to Se, ISFPs will probably have a much more trendy (yet still unique) fashion sense that expresses who they are as a person - think fashion icons like Dita Von Teese, or the America’s Got Talent prodigy Grace Vanderwaal. INFPs tend to dress in a much more eclectic, lowkey, or haphazard way, because they’re not as concerned with expressing themselves through physical action or appearance, and much more concerned with expressing themselves through ideas, poetry, or music. 2. Fi-doms both tend to make fantastic musicians., yet here too the differences are apparent: INFP music tends to be more eccentric and soulful, and more infused with imagery, metaphor, and political undertones. ISFPs, on the other hand - while of course their songs are highly personalized as well - will tend to create music that’s more physically descriptive, and less idea-oriented. INFP musicians tend to be extremely eccentric and unique (think Bjork, Kurt Cobain, or Tori Amos - think of how soulful and insightful their music was, how concerned they were with self-expression), while ISFP music tends to have a very catchy beat to it, much more “present” imagery (descriptive rather than metaphorical), and stage shows that are much more physically involved and have a much stronger visual component to it (think Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, David Bowie, etc - notice how theatrical their stage shows were). ISFPs in particular would be heavily invested in making sure their stage shows are expressing all of their ideas properly, due to tertiary Ni compelling them to desire perfection in their performances. 3. ISFPs are much more adaptable than INFPs. INFPs are very discerning by nature due to their need to examine all of the possibilities, patterns, and implications in their environment, and within themselves; as a result, they are much more cautious than ISFPs are. ISFPs, on the other hand - due to aux Se - are very adaptable, think quickly on their feet, and can be extremely impulsive, like all SPs are. 4. INFPs are much more married to their idealism than ISFPs are. ISFPs are much more willing and open to having their opinions and perspectives changed based on new arguments or evidence. INFPs also have much higher standards for themselves and the people around them, whereas ISFPs tend to be much more laid back and easygoing. They can both be very hard on themselves and struggle with self-confidence issues, but INFPs are much more likely to ruminate on their perceived mistakes (due to tertiary Si not letting them forget fuCKING ANYTHING), whereas ISFPs are more likely to shrug it off. 5. INFPs are more likely to take a longer time to accomplish what the ISFP would even if they have the same ideals; INFPs also take much longer than ISFPs do to decide what they want to do with their life. Ne is a type of intuition that pulls them in many different directions instead of in a linear way that an ISFP’s Ni does. The INFP lacks the Se drive the ISFP has to actualize their goals in reality. That’s not to say that an INFP isn’t capable of accomplishing things - it’s just when they do get there, it’s usually after a lot of rerouting and time passing because they didn’t feel comfortable settling on one idea until they felt they had fully explored all of their possibilities. I guess they’re what you could consider to be a “late bloomer”. 6. ISFPs, in my experience, are much more grounded, practical, and rational than INFPs are. Many INFPs seem to exist in a constant state of head-in-the-clouds impracticality, dreaming their life away because they’re so busy exploring ideas that they find it difficult to organize themselves in real life. Because ISFPs have both Se and Te, they’re a little bit more adept at actualizing their goals, and a lot more down to Earth than INFPs are. They also seem to value practicality and logic much more than (most) INFPs do.

[mbti-comparisons]

Fe/Te vs. Fi/Ti

Fe prefers a standardized approach to human interaction, because when we’re all on the same page - when we’ve all agreed on certain basic ‘objective’ rules of engagement (which, in the Fe context, would rely heavily upon non-traditional forms of communication such as mannerisms, body language, linguistics, microexpressions, intonation, etc; all highly sensitive to cultural norms) - then it’s much easier to make sure that the goals, desires, and needs of both groups and individuals are being met - because we’ve agreed ahead of time to measure those goals with the same yardstick (cultural standards). Also, Fe is about “I take care of you, and then you take care of me”, and more importantly “I take care of the group, and the group takes care of me, and then everyone gets more of their needs met than if we just only take care of our own needs.” However, in that context, you have to watch out for “moochers”, and deviation from the Fe rules is often seen as potential warning signs of a moocher. Fe can subsequently interpret Fi’s willingness to go their own way as a potential warning sign of a person who may have a propensity for drawing resources from the group, but then refusing to contribute anything back to the group in return. This is where Fe stereotypes of Fi users as selfish or self-absorbed can come from.

In this sense, Fe is similar to Te in that they both prefer ‘objective’ and widely accepted standards by which to measure success (where in the case of Fe it’s related to people, and in the case of Te it’s related to systems); and can thus be wary and suspicious of Fi (and Ti), who both prefer to judge such things based on their own highly individualistic interpretations, standards, and experiences. (And then Fe and Te say: “Well, wait. But how are you measuring your results, then? How do you know if your results are correct if you’re using a completely different standard than everybody else is? How will the rest of us see or critique that if we haven’t all agreed on how to measure it?”) Fe and Te aren’t saying “You must follow the rules”, they’re saying “Let’s all work from this similar foundation so that we know what standards we’re being expected to work with.” Fe/Te are a means to an end, not necessarily the end goal in and of itself. That’s all.

[mbti-comparisons]

INTJ vs. INTP - Revised

INTJ: Ni Te Fi Se

INTP: Ti Ne Si Fe

-INTJs have a much more conscious and deliberate access to their emotions than INTPs do. When an INTP is in the grip of their inferior Fe function, a normally rational and straightforward individual will suddenly break down into uncontrollable displays of emotion, acting like a sobbing mess balled up on the floor of their room. They feel helpless at their inability to control their emotions like usual, and are desperately trying to understand why. However, INTJs - when descending into the grip of their inferior Se function - will reveal itself as a childlike over-indulgence in sensory pleasures as a coping mechanism; excessive drug use, sexual promiscuity, gambling, shopping sprees, food binges, maybe even self-harm. As an article on Personality Hacker describes: “An INTJ will rarely temper tantrum. They’re more likely to get prideful as a first line of defense, and then move on to sulky and mopey. They may get angry, though this will generally be a controlled internalized version of the emotion. When an INTP gets angry, it’s more like a powder keg of explosion.” (Source)

-INTJs prefer to verbalize or write down their thoughts (Te) in order to fully understand them. INTPs prefer to work through their thoughts in silence and without interruption (Ti) rather than having to bother vocalize them to someone else or say them all aloud. Thus, their thoughts and opinions tend to stay inside their head - not because they’re secretive, but because they just don’t see the point in trying to explain.

-INTJs are going to be more blunt and direct in their communication. While INTPs are also highly concerned with honesty, they typically come off as much more playful and light-hearted.

-INTPs, being Fe users - although they are very invested in honesty and accuracy - are going to be more concerned with politeness or social niceties than INTJs are. They will still say what they think (even if it’s unpalatable to most), but they’re more likely to phrase it in a way that does not cause offense. For INTJs, on the other hand, their main concern lies in saying what they feel needs to be said as bluntly as possible; and forced social niceties, to them, feel fake or inauthentic. They may even feel disgusted towards society’s expectations for them to behave a certain way. INTJs do not want to go out of their way to offend others -after all, all they said was the truth. If you can’t handle the truth, then that’s your problem.

-INTPs are more interested in analyzing problems, while INTJs are more interested in solving problems. If they can’t find a real world application for an idea or solution, then what’s the point? It’s inherently useless. INTPs are more likely to enjoy thorough analysis for its own intellectual value, just out of curiosity. INTPs will create an original theory that the world has never seen, and INTJs will come up with a way to use the theory for the practical advancement of humanity. For example, it was an INTP, Marie Curie, who first discovered the phenomenon of radioactivity - but it was an INTJ (Emil Grabbe) who observed the damaging properties of radioactivity and first theorized that it could be used in the treatment of cancers. (Radiation therapy was actually discovered about ten years before the cause of radiation itself was, but this is the best example I could think of to explain the difference.) INTP scientists: Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Rene Descartes, Richard Dawkins. Other INTJ scientists: Nikola Tesla,  Louis Pasteur, Isaac Newton, Elon Musk, and Stephen Hawking. Notice how the INTP scientists discovered theories (radioactivity, relativity, evolution), while the INTJ scientists discovered applications based on theory (AC, vaccines, PayPal; although INTJs are also capable of contributing to existing theories as well - they’re just not nearly as proficient at discovering them.

-INTPs think of their future in terms of possibility and potential (Ne). They see a million different directions that their life could go and often have a hard time deciding which they want to follow. INTJs view their future as a definite reality that just hasn’t happened yet and that they are responsible for prompting (Ni). If you asked an INTP when he decided on his career path, he would probably shrug his shoulders and say that it was when he took a class or picked up a hobby that he really enjoyed. If you asked an INTJ when he decided on his career path, he would provide a detailed response on how he’s known what he wanted what career path to take, what university to go to, and what his goals for life were by the end of the first grade. (You think I’m exaggerating, don’t you? I was five years old when I decided what I wanted to study in university, and which university I wanted to study at. Seriously. I wasn’t even finished the first grade yet.)

-In general, INTPs are much more messy than INTJs are. INTJs have a desire to want to organize themselves in their environment (Te + Se); INTPs do not.

-INTJs get overwhelmed by sensory stimulation and social interaction much more quickly and profoundly than INTPs do.

-INTJs prefer to plan in advance, and then organize their environment in order to prepare to implement that plan (NiTe). INTPs prefer to wing it based on what’s going on that day (TiNe).

-INTJs feel they have a specific purpose in life that they’re meant to fill (Ni), whereas the INTP think of life in terms different ways their life could potentially develop (Ne).

Whew, that took a while. I seriously need to go take a nap. Hope this helped. C:

[mbti-comparisons]

ENFP x ENTP Relationship

Pros: -Will have wicked theoretical discussions that will be highly intellectually stimulating for both parties. -The sex will be wildly passionate, novel, and experimental. -Will both always be down for an adventure and open to change. One wants to up and move to Hawaii on a whim? Sure, let’s make it a fucking adventure. -The debates will be equal parts satisfying, intriuing, and annoying for both parties, because they’re arguing from two different perspectives. The difference is alluring in the beginning, and grating by the end. -Both will find the relationship to be a very fun one. Cons: -Will butt heads often trying to compete for attention in social settings. -Can both be manipulative. Will both resent the other for being manipulative. This can apply to anybody, of course, but I can see an argument of this nature blowing the roof off the house when it’s an ENTP and an ENFP arguing. -One or both will get bored very quickly as routine sets in and the thrill of the chase/forbiddenness of the relationship wears off. -Neither wants to get to bogged down in details, so if they end up doing serious things like moving in together, planning a trip, etc., there are always going to be holes in the plan. The burden of responsibility is going to end up falling more on one partner than the other, and the one who ends up having to do all of the planning will resent it. -High risk of infidelity, in my opinion. (Not all ENxPs, blah blah blah, I know.) -If ENTP female x ENFP male, the ENTP will probably come to find the ENFP too high-maintenance, which will be hot in the beginning but an annoyance in the long run. -The ENFP will eventually be hurt by the ENTP’s inability to validate them emotionally, and the ENTP will eventually become annoyed by the ENFP continually arguing from a subjective, moralistic, feelings-based standpoint instead of a logical one. The ENFP will eventually tire of the adversarial nature of the debates they have. Diagnosis: Fantastic pairing for intense short-term flings. Very poor long-term prognosis unless they are both unusually loyal and committed to making it work. Not all ENTPs/ENFPs, blah blah blah, yes I know.

[mbti-comparisons]

ISTJs vs. INTJs

Need to update this?

INTJ: Ni Te Fi Se

ISTJ: Si Te Fi Ne

-INTJs tend to muse on thoughts that are more abstract in nature, while ISTJ conversations will revolve around concrete, factual details. With an INTJ, you will end up discussing ideas, while with ISTJs, you will end up discussing events. -ISTJs are much more deferential when it comes to rules, hierarchies, and authority. INTJs have no such inherent respect for those things, and will likely have a little bit of a “Don’t tell me what to do” attitude about them. -INTJs tend to be on a constant quest for self-improvement, while ISTJs tend to figure out very early on what they like and don’t like, what they’re good at and not good at, etc. -ISTJs tend to enjoy, or at least be more willing, to engage in physical labor than INTJs are. -An INTJ will be more likely to discuss their plans for the future, while an ISTJ will be more likely to recall details about their past. Want an almost foolproof way to identify an INTJ? As your spouse how old they were when they finished mapping out their entire future. If the details are vague, or they say “I don’t know, get a job? I’ve always wanted a family..”, then you’re likely dealing with an ISTJ. If they give a ton of specific details, then you’ve got yourself an INTJ. For example: I actually remember the exact day when I decided that I was going to forego marriage and having a family so that I could work on my career path. I decided that I was going to go to Guelph University and become a veterinarian. I was five years old, in the first grade. (Most INTJs probably won’t have their whole life planned out by the age of five, but probably by twelve at least.) -ISTJs tend to have a very precise and specific recall for details, while INTJs will only remember the “big picture”; as such, ISTJs are great at learning by rote memorization. INTJs, on the other hand, need to understand how concepts connect together in the grand scheme of things before they really get the details. -INTJs require much more downtime than ISTJs do. ISTJs also place a lot more importance on tradition and familial obligations than INTJs do. -If you find yourself constantly arguing with your partner about small, irrelevant details that you find insignificant, then you’re dealing with an ISTJ. I’m an INTJ, and my dad is an ISFJ (not an ISTJ, but still an Si-dom), and this consists of most of the disagreements that we have (although we really don’t argue that often at all). I say, “We’re out of milk, can you get some more when you go to the store?”, and he says, “Well I’m not going now, it’s 9 PM.” And I’m like, “I KNOW, dad. I know you’re not going now, I’m just telling you that we don’t have any milk. I’m not asking you to go right this very second.” Or I’ll make plans to meet my friend at 8:00, but we don’t get there until 8:20 because his bus was late. My dad gets annoyed by things like that, but I don’t care, because it’s only 20 minutes; I still get there in the long run, didn’t I? Or I’ll say “I’ve been awake for like an hour and I’ve already had to yawn four times”, and my dad will correct me and say, “Holly, you’ve only been up for 35 minutes.” I get annoyed because WHO CARES, that’s not the big message because what I’m trying to communicate, why get so bogged up in details? But that’s just how Si-doms are. It’s all about details, doing things the “right” way. -INTJs will be very good at improvising and coming up with creative new solutions for a problem. An ISTJ will default to doing it the way he’s always done it, or was taught to do it by someone else.

[mbti-comparisons]

INFP vs. INTP

NOT FINISHED YET! NEED TO ADD MORE!

INFP: Fi Ne Si Te INTP: Ti Ne Si Fe

INFPs lead with Fi - introverted feeling - which is a judging function that is strongly linked to personal values, and understanding the depth of one’s own complex emotions and internal landscape. Practically speaking, this would mean that to an INFP, the most important thing is going to be figuring out who they are as an individual, an living their truth as authentically as possible. They will resent feeling as though they have a “duty” to act, live, or perform a certain way just to fit in or make other people comfortable, and will be extremely uncomfortable with compartmentalizing or being told to try to fit into a round hole even though they’re a square peg. Fi asks, “What does this mean to me?” INTPs, on the other hand, lead with Ti - introverted thinking - which is the function that is most concerned with accuracy. Ti and Fi are similar in that they are both concerned with the user’s own subjective internal judgments; however, where Fi is more concerned with the nuance of personal experience and values, Ti is much more concerned with identifying incongruencies. It seeks truth that is uncolored by bias or judgment. Ti asks, “Does this make sense?” So, some of the differences between INFPs and INTPs: -INFPs are much more concerned with individuality than INTPs are. While nobody really wants to be stifled or told what to do (especially iNtuitives), INFPs in particular are hell-bent on being allowed to express their individuality. -INFPs and INTPs both use florid and colorful language to describe the idea they’re trying to convey. However, INFPs will be much more likely to apply their linguistic talents to discussing emotions and ideas (particularly in describing the emotional landscape of themselves or others). However, INTPs will be more likely to use language creatively to describe abstract or conceptual ideas, such as those had during a debate. INTPs are consummate debaters (and tend to win, if we’re being honest). INFPs will argue the over-arching moralistic standpoint, while INTPs will pick apart the inconsistencies and be able to readily identify the holes in a bad argument until it falls apart like Swiss cheese. -Strong Fi users like INFPs will be able to develop a good sense of who somebody is on the inside after talking to them for just a while - they are extremely good judges of character - they can read the fine distinctions in tone and energy throughout the room. INTPs, not so much. Their feeling function, Fe, is in the inferior position in their stack, meaning that they will have a lot of trouble with understanding the behaviors of others (the typical archetype of the autistic individual - unable to understand or relate to other people). Generally they are polite people, but they may say something awkward or uncomfortable and then not realize it until days later (and typically don’t care much either). INFPs are also much less confident and much more self-contained. -INFPs are highly empathetic and often have a difficult time detaching themselves from toxic relationships. INTPs are more likely to be described as cold or machine-like. -While INTPs and INFPs both use Ne, INFPs tend to use their Fi and Ne in creative endeavors, whether that be drawing, poetry, writing, singing, makeup, photography, or any number of myriad other artistic hobbies. INTP hobbies tend to be more concrete, detached, and stereotypically nerdy - programming, Bitcoins (seriously), video games, etc. I’ve NEVER met an INTP who didn’t have at least one extremely narrow, random, and specific area of focus recreationally. For example, I have an INTP friend who sings in a barbershop quartet. wtf? -Hypothetically: somebody comes to you with a problem. They do not ask for any particular response from you beforehand - they just vent to you. How do you respond? Do you empathize with them, find yourself absorbing their pain, and try to heal them with your words? Or do you find yourself struggling to know what the right thing to say is, and instead offer practical suggestions by which to solve their problems? If the former, you’re INFP; if the latter, you’re INTP. -When making decisions, an INTP will look at both (or all) sides of the argument and ask themselves, “Is this consistent? Is this factually or logically correct?” When they identify the best plan, then they will stick with it. When making decisions, an INFP will ask themselves, “Is this right for me? Does this fit with what I know about myself? Does this decision represent who I am as a person?” and then make their decision based on that. -An INFP, with inferior Te, will struggle with things like time management and being efficient, consistent, structured, orderly, and put together. An INTP, with inferior Fe, will struggle with not knowing what to say and when, struggle with understanding the rules and complexities of human behavior, society, and interaction, and often go weeks without communicating with other people at all.

-INFPs are acutely aware of how their words can affect the emotional state of the people around them, and as such prefer to choose their words very carefully. INTPs, although they tend to be quite polite and well-mannered (due to their tendency - especially when younger - to put their foot in their mouth and accidentally say things that are perceived as mean, rude, or uncomfortable), tend to feel that people should take responsibility for their own emotions, and find the concept of political correctness to be incomprehensible. 

[mbti-comparisons]

ENFJ vs. ENFP

ENFJ: Fe Ni Se Ti

ENFP: Ne Fi Te Si

-ENFJs lead with Fe, whereas ENFPs lead with Ne (and Fi second). This means that ENFJs are going to be more concerned with things like group harmony and impression management, whereas ENFPs are going to be more concerned with personal values and authencity.

-Not always (depends on the individual), but an ENFJ is going to be much more likely to tell little white lies to make somebody feel better, whereas an ENFP is going to be much more likely to be honest and tell them straight up that yes, those pants DO make them look fat.

-ENFPs are more introverted than ENFJs are - along with ENTPs, they are considered to be the most introverted extroverts. (This is because brainstorming the connections between seemingly unrelated events requires a lot of physical effort; additionally, Ne does not actually require social interaction in order to function properly. Aux Fi also requires a lot of downtime in order to reflect on what it feels is most important.)

-When you tell a joke, do you play off what other people are saying, or can you keep your own joke going for ten minutes by yourself just by continuously generating new ideas? If the first, you’re ENFJ. If the second, you’re ENFP.

-Do you thrive off the energy of a new project? Are you constantly generating new plans and ideas but then not seeing any of them through to the end (or did you used to do that a lot when you were younger, but you’ve since become more organized), or do you come up with one idea, one plan, one vision, and then keep going until it’s done? If the first, you’re ENFP; if the second, you’re ENFJ.

-ENFPs are going to be much more concerned with ideas and concepts (“I wonder what would happen if ______?”) than an ENFJ is. They are constantly churning out new ideas, but often have trouble following them through to completion. An ENFJ will start what they finish.

-Do you ever change your mind literally at the last minute? If you do, congrats, you’re an ENFP. ENFJs have a vision and will work towards it with every decision they make; and when something goes wrong, they will berate themselves for not taking every possibility into account. When something goes wrong for an ENFP, they’ll shrug and come up with a new plan on the spot (and maybe carry it through to completion, and maybe they won’t).

-An ENFJ will be more likely to change their mind about their opinions and values, especially under pressure from others. An ENFP will dig their heels in and not change their minds when it comes to their strongly held values.

-Because ENFJs use Se, they’ll be much more particular about the cleanliness of their house and physical appearance, while ENFPs may appear haphazard. They care far more about ideas than appearance. ENFPs often struggle to complete mundane, routine, monotonous daily chores, but ENTJs are often quite particular about the cleanliness of their space and their person - they want to be presentable for others, and they also want to feel ‘at peace’ with their environment.

-ENFPs are much more concerned with personal freedom and self-expression than ENFJs are. They hate being tied down to a person or schedule or micromanaged by others, and will sometimes go the opposite way of everybody else just because.

[mbti-comparisons]

ENTP vs. ESTP

ESTP: Se Ti Fe Ni

ENTP: Ne Te Fe Si

ESTPs lead with Se, which is mainly concerned with absorbing information objectively from its environment using the five senses (sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste) in realtime. ESTPs are constantly seeking out new sensory experiences. Their weakest function, Ni, means that they will struggle to see the long-term implications of their actions, and are typically very impulsive. They will find the idea of sitting down and planning things out to be stifling and unnatural to their way of being. They may have a vague future goal (“I want to move to Hollywood and become an actor”), but no specific plans on how to achieve that goal - just a sense of “Everything will turn out right in the end if I just go for it”. They may decide to just wing it and hope everything works out when they get there, trusting themselves to be able to handle any complications that should arise. The combination of functions in an ESTP would fit together to create a person who is very skilled at taking advantage of environmental opportunities in the moment, but also having a tendency to be reckless and not very good at predicting long-term consequences. They tend to be quite good at identifying quick and easy ways to turn things to their advantage (usually involved with making money in some way). To an ESTP, “it is what it is”: a tree is a tree, and a church is a church; there is no underlying symbolic meaning there to them. They are frustrated by belabored analyses of ideas without action, and find it unnecessary. One thing that I noticed as a difference between myself (an Ni-dom) and my ESTP brother (Ni inferior) is that he would much rather just go for it and then correct himself in realtime if he makes a mistake or it doesn’t work out, whereas I am more comfortable being careful and planning for all possibilities from the outset in order to avoid making mistakes in the first place. ESTPs also, though they won’t admit it, tend to care very much about their social image, and may have a tendency to do recklessly impulsive things (think dangerous stunts, or that guy who shows off by doing backflips off a tree, or bragging that he can kick anybody’s ass, or buying a round of drinks for everybody present) in order to gain external validation and approval from those around them. ENTPs lead with Ne, which is similar to Se in that it looks outward towards its environment - but then Ne takes it one step further. Ne as a function is highly creative, constantly positing “What if?” scenarios, and intuiting patterns and connections in the outside world. ENTPs are highly motivated by intellectual curiosity, mostly in the realm of the abstract and unproven - they are constantly driven to learn just for the sake of learning. However, due to this thirst for knowledge and novelty, they have a bad habit of having a million different ideas and starting projects on all of them at once, but not seeing any of them through to completion. Often they are reluctant to settle down because they don’t want to feel constrained by society - they have a passion for pursuing possibilities and don’t want to be tied down by obligations (although many ENTPs do eventually end up settling down into a more traditional lifestyle eventually, as they grow older and develop their functions). ENTPs’ weakest function is Si, which can cause them to discard and under-value tradition - often they will seek change just for the sake of change itself, or be reflexively resistant to adhering to social norms. They may struggle to settle down with one partner, or one job, or one group of friends, and just be constantly rotating from one new experience/partner/career/friend group/plan/idea/project to the next. They may also have a tendency to disregard their own past experiences, failing to reflect on their actions, and doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again in favor of seeking out novelty and intellectual stimulation (until they learn better, as they age and develop their functions more). ENTPs also lowkey care about external validation from others; however, they also have a tendency to use their tertiary Fe to ‘push’ people by taunting them socially, in order to satisfy Ne’s curiosity about the patterns in their responses. They may, for example, do something zany or off-the-wall upon first meeting somebody new, or somebody who is very secretive and hard to read, in order to throw them off-guard so they can observe their response to it. Fe users are skilled at being able to 'read’ the energy of the people they’re communicating with, intuitively just knowing how to make that person angry or exactly what to say to make them laugh, and adjusting their responses accordingly.

The main difference in my experience is that ENTPs are highly creative - they enjoy art, tend to be very fluid and original with their language usage, and enjoy debating about abstract and intangible concepts. Although ESTPs are certainly capable of creativity as well (famous author Ernest Hemingway was an ESTP, for example; my own younger brother, also an ESTP, is a very talented lyricist), they would generally rather have physical experiences with their body than intellectual experiences in their mind - they tend to prefer hobbies like dancing, canoeing, martial arts, or gardening as opposed to intellectual pursuits. They are more likely to find writing or art (especially if it takes a long time) to be very tedious. They also seem to not enjoy debating very much unless it’s as a means to an end: debating to solve a problem, as opposed to debating for its own sake. They want to bond with you by doing physical activities together, where ENTPs will bond with you by discussing ideas and concepts with you (“Do you think frogs could ever love?” “How do you think humans came to be?” “Is cloning morally acceptable?” “Do you think mankind has been through several cycles of extinction because we keep destroying ourselves over and over again, and then having to start from scratch?” “If aliens exist, what do you think their society is like?”) ENTPs enjoy playing devil’s advocate, ESTPs don’t really see the point. They also tend to both enjoy using drugs, but ENTPs use drugs to explore their own mind, while ESTPs use drugs just for the pure enjoyment of the physical sensation.

[mbti-comparisons]

INFP vs. INFJ

INFP: Fi Ne Si Te

INFJ: Ni Fe Ti Se

-INFJs extrovert their feeling function (Fe), which means they spend much less time wallowing in or experiencing their emotions than INFPs do. INFPs will spend an enormous amount of time analyzing their own feelings and experiences.

-INFJs are quite adept at reading the emotions of others, but are not very good at discerning their own emotions - self-awareness is something that they have to work quite hard to achieve. They spend much more time wallowing in the emotions of those around them, speculating how they may be feeling, and worrying about whether or not they have done something to offend somebody.

-INFPs are generally more creative and artistic in their writing; INFJs tend to be more analytical. (This is a personal observation more than anything, but I’ve noticed too that INFPs are much more likely to write about creative fantasy, with books such as The Neverending Story or The Last Unicorn - they tell stories from the depth of their imagination, and the characters are there simply to move the story along, to act as a go-between for their symbolic abstractions. However, when INFJs write, the characters ARE the story - their personal journey of the individual, such as in Memoirs of a Geisha or White Oleander, are the focal point of the book. In the writing of an INFP, the characters are just the medium through which the story is translated to the reader, but it’s much more about the experience than it is about the individual.)

-INFPs are highly individualistic, while INFJs are social chameleons. I have heard many INFJs express that they don’t feel like they have an identity unless they belong to a social group of some kind. (This can also lead INFJs to end up dating people who are ultimately unsuitable for them, or joining social groups that ultimately do line line up with their personal values - they get attached to people very quickly.)

-INFPs tend to be quite nostalgic and often struggle with letting go of people and events that were important to them in the past - they may, for example, have difficulty in getting rid of an old t-shirt that represented an important time in their life, or save old text messages from people who meant a lot to them. INFJs do not struggle with such nostalgia - they are much more future-oriented than INFPs are.

-Although INFPs and INFJs both value harmony in their relationships, INFPs are opposed to sacrificing their individuality for the sake of their close relationships, whereas INFJs are more likely to feel that a certain amount of individuality should be sacrificed in order to maintain harmony. (They also believe this to be true on a global scale.) To INFPs, the idea of losing themselves to the homogeneity of a mob is terrifying.

-An INFP, upon cutting somebody out of their life who was harmful, may struggle with re-establishing a connection with a toxic individual over and over again, because they idealize the individual and have trouble forgetting about the good times. I have noticed that INFPs have a tendency to put people in a pedestal, especially once that person is relegated to their memory. Once an INFJ finally decides to cut somebody out - although it may take a while - it’s for good.

-INFJs and INFPs will act differently when under stress. The INFJ’s inferior function is Extroverted Sensing (Se). Se acts impulsively and focuses on the present moment that takes place in the physical environment. So, stressed INFJs may make decisions without thinking through the long-term ramifications—which is unusual for INFJs, who typically are cautious decision-makers and thoroughly consider the consequences of their actions. INFJs may also overindulge in physical pleasures like eating, drinking alcohol, or shopping. INFPs, on the other hand, exhibit ruthless Extroverted Thinking (Te) when under stress. Te is concerned with organizing, systematizing, applying logic, and creating order and structure. Under stress, INFPs may no longer appear to be their usual compassionate and open-minded selves. Instead they may become cold, critical, and judgmental of themselves and/or other people. For example, they may criticize someone for not doing something in a particular way, picking at their errors and flaws.

-INFJs focus on one major insight, while INFPs will bounce around from idea to idea, or experience to experience (particularly on the basis of how that experience relates to them personally).

-INFJs use Fe to tune in to other people’s feelings; and because they are so focused on the feelings of other people, they often have difficulty identifying their own (until those feelings become so strong that they can’t ignore them). INFPs, like INFJs, are highly empathetic - however, they do it in a different way than INFJs. INFPs will tune in to the emotions of others by putting themselves in that person’s shoes, reflecting on how they themselves would feel if such a thing happened to them.

-INFJs desire to be understood. INFPs desire to be validated. INFJs tend to feel marginalized because they understand others so well, but are rarely met with that same understanding themselves. INFPs, on the other hand, may not want to be fully understood, since that may entail losing some of their individuality. Rather than being understood, INFPs would prefer to be validated that their thoughts and intentions are good.

[mbti-comparisons]

ENFP vs. INFP

ENFP: Ne Fi Te Si

INFP: Fi Ne Si Te

-The #1 difference between ENFPs and INFPs is that ENFPs tend to question their extroversion, while INFPs know for sure that they’re introverted. ENFPs often feel conflicted between their love of connecting with people, and their need for alone time to self-reflect. On the other hand, INFPs tend to be very sure about their preference for being in their own company.

-ENFPs, being extroverts (and prone to Ne-Te loops), are more at risk of losing touch with their personal feelings in pursuit of external validation and control, especially when stressed, and may have a tendency to run away from their problems by seeking sensory stimulation. INFPs are more at risk of losing touch with the outside world based in reality - they are more comfortable inside their own head than without, and may feel paralyzed to avoid taking action when under stress.

-ENFPs, who thrive on the energy of novel and exciting ideas and territory as yet  unexplored, can jump into new projects without doing a lot of critical thinking about the logistics ahead of time. INFPs, on the other hand, feel that they need to figure out how things work (and especially how THEY feel about a new venture) BEFORE they’re comfortable jumping in with both feet.

-ENFPs are more likely to enjoy being the recipient of attention (though they may feel a need to retreat from it every once in a while to recharge). INFPs would rather be behind the scenes than in the spotlight.

-ENFPs, who lead with Ne, will speculate and brainstorm first, and then decide how they feel about it second. INFPs, who are more comfortable in their own head, will hang back and decide how they feel about something first, and then brainstorm second. ENFPs will leap before they look, jumping headlong into new projects first before withdrawing to decide how they feel about it. INFPs will first analyze whether the idea or project lines up with their own authentic selves, and only then will they determine which option best reflects who they are.

-When comforting a loved one who is upset, an ENFP will be more likely to offer concrete suggestions that make the person feel empowered in their own ability to get through the hardship. INFPs, on the other hand, will respond by validating that the person’s feelings are legitimate, and try to gently nudge the person into changing the context of the situation so that they feel differently about it (even if the situation itself has not changed).

-ENFPs search for the different physical experiences they can have, and often struggle to settle on just one thing - they don’t want to feel constricted. INFPs instead will fantasize about the emotions associated with concrete experiences.

-ENFPs are friendly, open, and accommodating to new people (although being such does not necessarily mean that they feel comfortable revealing their true selves to others). INFPs take a much longer time to reveal their true selves to others, and will only really do it after they feel that the person is somebody they can trust. ENFPs also tend to come off as energetic and excitable around others, while INFPs are excitable only around people that they know and trust.

-ENFPs prefer to engage with people in order to learn about them, while INFPs are much more comfortable observing from afar.