Recently, I took an online personality test which revealed me to be a 60/40 ENTP/ENFP. What does this mean? Well, accepting the limitations of the 70 question test, and according to the Keirsey/Jungian theory of personality, I am more of an Extravert, iNtuitive Perceiver, with almost equal parts Thinker and Feeler. Bleagh. Whatever. At least it didn’t show me to be a bore. Now why isn’t there an equivalent to show if a person is:
interesting / boring,
stylish / fashion victim,
fabulous / doomed to social failure?
Anyhow…to have more insight to who I am, read the following descriptions of ENTPs and ENFPs. They’re actually uncannily accurate (but then so are horoscopes and fortune cookies):
ENTP / ENFP
The way I see it, it’s just another exercise in self-affirmation. Are we such failures at self-awareness that we have to take a multiple-choice questionnaire to tell ourselves who we are? Sad, isn’t it? It’s also another attempt to pigeon-hole everyone into a bunch of categories (in this case, it’s a tad better than the 12 zodiac signs), and generalise everyone accordingly.
ENTP: Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
ENTPs are inventors, innovators, explorers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries.
ENTPs are always looking over the next horizon, trying to push the edge of
the envelope, and trying to do what other people say can’t be done. What
is — is never good enough. ENTPs have a vision of what could be and a
powerful drive to turn their visions into reality.
ENTPs value progress and change, both in their personal lives and in the
world as a whole. The idea of a static, unchanging life — appealing to some
SJs — is abhorrent to an ENTP. ENTPs are always seeking out new experiences, new ideas, and new achievements. While other types may worry that the world is changing too fast, ENTPs are more likely to be frustrated that the world isn’t changing fast enough — in the direction they want it to move.
Like other NTs, ENTPs tend to have a rational, empirical view of the world
and often have a strong and early interest in science and technology — but
this worldview and these interests are expressed differently in each of the
types.
While an INTP may be content to design a system or even just prove it is
possible to design a system — ENTPs want to design and build the system and see it working with their own eyes. In this way, they resemble INTJs in
their goals — but not in their approach toward achieving those goals. INTJs
tend to work carefully and methodically with a detailed plan of action —
ENTPs are more likely to have bursts of inspiration that are translated into
reality through intermittent periods of extremely intense activity.
ENTPs tend to be sociable — they enjoy interacting with interesting people
and doing interesting things with others. The key word is “interesting”.
ENTPs have a low boredom threshold, and unlike EF-types, they have little
desire to be around other people simply for the sake of being around other
people.
More than other NTs, ENTPs value intense experiences — including emotional
experiences — and are less likely than other NTs to attempt to suppress
their emotions. When ENTPs are up, they’re on top of the world, facing
unlimited possibilities, unbounded horizons, and an exhilarating future.
When ENTPs are down, the universe lacks any redeeming qualities, whatsoever.
ENTPs are risk-takers — flying, skydiving, scuba diving, hang gliding,
mountain climbing, and fast cars all have a strong appeal for ENTPs. Unlike
STP risk-takers, however, ENTPs are less likely to become experts in a
particular activity, and more likely to sample a wide variety of different
experiences.
ENTPs have little respect for rules that fail to serve a useful purpose.
Rules that significantly inhibit the ability to get things done will be
changed, finessed, or simply ignored.
While ENTPs value their personal relationships, they find it easier than some
other types (in particular, NFs and SFJs) to leave those relationships behind.
An ESFJ, for example, might be terrified by the thought of leaving all of
their friends behind and moving alone to a new city. An ENTP in the same
situation may miss those friends, but at the same time be looking forward to
the new people, new places, new experiences, and new opportunities they
may find in their new environment.
Extraverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving
by Marina Margaret Heiss (mmh0m@poe.acc.virginia.edu)
“Clever” is the word that perhaps describes ENTPs best. The professor who
juggles half a dozen ideas for research papers and grant proposals in his
mind while giving a highly entertaining lecture on an abstruse subject is a
classic example of the type. So is the stand-up comedian whose lampoons
are not only funny, but incisively accurate.
ENTPs are usually verbally as well as cerebrally quick, and generally love to
argue–both for its own sake, and to show off their often-impressive skills.
They tend to have a perverse sense of humor as well, and enjoy playing devil’s
advocate. They sometimes confuse, even inadvertently hurt, those who don’t
understand or accept the concept of argument as a sport.
ENTPs are as innovative and ingenious at problem-solving as they are at
verbal gymnastics; on occasion, however, they manage to outsmart themselves.
This can take the form of getting found out at “sharp practice”–ENTPs have
been known to cut corners without regard to the rules if it’s expedient — or
simply in the collapse of an over-ambitious juggling act. Both at work and
at home, ENTPs are very fond of “toys”–physical or intellectual, the more
sophisticated the better. They tend to tire of these quickly, however, and
move on to new ones.
ENTPs are basically optimists, but in spite of this (perhaps because of it?),
they tend to become extremely petulant about small setbacks and
inconveniences.
(Major setbacks they tend to regard as challenges, and tackle with determin-
ation.) ENTPs have little patience with those they consider wrongheaded or
unintelligent, and show little restraint in demonstrating this. However, they
do tend to be extremely genial, if not charming, when not being harassed by
life in general.
In terms of their relationships with others, ENTPs are capable of bonding
very closely and, initially, suddenly, with their loved ones. Some appear to
be deceptively offhand with their nearest and dearest; others are so demon-
strative that they succeed in shocking co-workers who’ve only seen their
professional side. ENTPs are also good at acquiring friends who are as clever
and entertaining as they are. Aside from those two areas, ENTPs tend to be
oblivious of the rest of humanity, except as an audience — good, bad, or
potential.
Famous ENTPs:
U.S. Presidents:
John Adams
James A. Garfield
Rutherford B. Hayes
Christopher Columbus
Wernher von Braun
Richard Feynman
Arthur C. Clarke
Francis Ford Coppolla
Steven Jobs
Thomas Edison
Lewis Carrol
Sir Winston Churchill
Bill Cosby
Alexander the Great
Confederate General J. E. B. Stuart
Sir Walter Raleigh
Fictional ENTPs:
Indiana Jones
Calvin (of Calvin & Hobbes)
Mercutio, from Romeo and Juliet
‘Q’ (ST-NG)
Bugs Bunny
Wile E. Coyote
Garfield
ENFP: Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
[The following comes partially from the archetype, but mostly from my own
dealings with ENFPs.]
General: ENFPs are both “idea”-people and “people”-people, who see
everyone and everything as part of an often bizarre cosmic whole. They
want to both help (at least, their *own* definition of “help”) and be
liked and admired by other people, on both an individual and a humani-
tarian level. They are interested in new ideas on principle, but
ultimately discard most of them for one reason or another.
Social/Personal Relationships: ENFPs have a great deal of zany charm,
which can ingratiate them to the more stodgy types in spite of their
unconventionality. They are outgoing, fun, and genuinely like people. As
SOs/mates they are warm, affectionate (lots of PDA), and disconcertingly
spontaneous. However, attention span in relationships can be short; ENFPs
are easily intrigued and distracted by new friends and acquaintances,
forgetting about the older ones for long stretches at a time. Less mature
ENFPs may need to feel they are the center of attention all the time, to
reassure them that everyone thinks they’re a wonderful and fascinating
person.
ENFPs often have strong, if unconvential, convictions on various issues
related to their Cosmic View. They usually try to use their social skills
and contacts to persuade people gently of the rightness of these views;
his sometimes results in their neglecting their nearest and dearest while
flitting around trying to save the world.
Work Environment: ENFPs are pleasant, easygoing, and usually fun to work
ith. They come up with great ideas, and are a major asset in
brainstorming sessions. Followthrough tends to be a problem, however;
they tend to get bored quickly, especially if a newer, more interesting
project comes along. They also tend to be procrastinators, both about
meeting hard deadlines and about performing any small, uninteresting tasks
that they’ve been assigned. ENFPs are at their most useful when working
in a group with a J or two to take up the slack.
ENFPs *hate* bureaucracy, both in principle and in practice; they will
always make a point of launching one of their crusades against some aspect
of it.
Extraverted iNtuitive Feeling Perceiving
by Joe Butt (jabutt@sacam.oren.ortn.edu)
ENFPs are friendly folks. Most are really enjoyable people. Some of the
most soft-hearted people are ENFPs.
ENFPs have what some call a ‘silly switch.’ They can be intellectual,
serious, all business for a while, but whenever they get the chance,
they flip that switch and become CAPTAIN WILDCHILD, the scourge of the
swimming pool, ticklers par excellence. Sometimes they may even
appear intoxicated when the ‘switch’ is flipped.
One study has shown that ENFPs are significantly overrepresented in
psychodrama. Most have a natural propensity for role-playing and
acting.
ENFPs like to tell funny stories, especially about their friends.
This penchant may be why many are attracted to journalism. I kid one
of my ENFP friends that if I want the sixth fleet to know something,
I’ll just tell him.
ENFPs are global learners. Close enough is satisfactory to the ENFP.
which may unnerve more precise thinking types, especially with such
things as piano practice (“three quarter notes or four … what’s the
difference?”) Amazingly, some ENFPs are adept at exacting disciplines
such as mathematics. Go figure.
Friends are what life is about to ENFPs, moreso even than the other
NFs. They hold up their end of the relationship, sometimes being taken
advantage of by less caring individuals. ENFPs are energized by being
around people. Some have real difficulty being alone, especially on a
regular basis.
One ENFP colleague, a social worker, had such tremendous interpersonal
skills that she put her interviewers at ease during her own job interview.
She had the ability to make strangers feel like old friends.
ENFPs sometimes can be blindsided by their secondary Feeling function.
Hasty decisions based on deeply felt values may boil over with
unpredictable results. More than one ENFP has abruptly quit a job in
such a moment.
Famous ENFPs:
Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain)
Walter Wenchell, radio reporter
Will Rogers, humorist
Ronald Reagan, U.S. President
Theodor “Dr.” Seuss Geisel, children’s author (_The Cat in the Hat_)
Mickey Rooney, actor
Geraldo Rivera
James Dobson, “Focus on the Family”
Andy Rooney, television news commentator
+Paul Harvey, radio announcer
Elizabeth Montgomery, actress (“Bewitched”)
Dom Delouise, actor
Dave Thomas, owner of Wendy’s hamburger chain
Lewis Grizzard, author, newspaper columnist
I. King Jordan, president of Gallaudet University
Robin Williams, actor, comedian (_Dead Poet’s Society_, _Mrs. Doubtfire_)
Dave Coulier (Joey on “Full House”)
Candice Cameron (D.J. ” ” ” )
Fictional:
+ Dr. Doug Ross, _ER_
Balkie (“Perfect Strangers”)
Ariel (_The Little Mermaid_)
Cathy (comic strip character)
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”
(Note from 5 Jan 2007 : Oh dear what do we have here – a personality test. I guess things haven’t changed much in 10 years of blogging. I promise to spare you the agony of reading any more of these kinds of posts…)