ENFP Function Stack (A complete guide)

In this brief guide, we will take a look at the ENFP function stack and other features about the ENFP personality.

What is the ENFP function stack?

The ENFP function stack consists of 4 main cognitive functions that people with this personality type commonly employ, which are: Extroverted Intuition, Introverted Sensation, Extroverted Feeling, and introverted Thinking.

This function stack is derived from the primary need of the ENFP personality, which is an extroverted tendency, that is, to explore and relate to the world outside more so than the inner world.

These function stack of ENFP may be presented, in order of their importance, as such: 

• Extraverted Intuition (Ne) Dominant Function

• Introverted Feeling (Fi) Auxiliary Function

• Extraverted Thinking (Te) Tertiary Function

• Introverted Sensing (Si) Inferior Function

As such, the dominant function in these individuals is the Ne, or extroverted intuition function, due to the fact that they are dominated more by the perceptual processes rather than the judgment processes, therefore, in the function stack sense, the ENFP type may also be known as NeFi.

What is a Function Stack?

According to the Jungian theories of personality, each personality type is run by four primary Cognitive Functions that underlie all behavior, and a collection of these functions is known as the Function Stack.

The purpose of studying or reading about functions stack is that it gives us a glimpse into how someone functions, thinks, or decides to act.

Cognitive Functions direct language in a way that allows them to process information and make decisions, and their order is based on personal differences in how the person approaches life and the environment in front of them. 

The Thinking and Feeling functions in the function stack are used to make decisions and form the process of Judging according to the Myers Briggs theory as well, while intuition and Sensing are used to process information and form the process of Perception, or as it is sometimes known in the Myers Briggs theory, Prospecting.

Each Myers Briggs type of personality is known by or studied according to, their top two functions. 

These functions may also be decided based on whether you are an introvert or extrovert, which plays a role in what direction the functions will be directed in.

Internal or introverted functions are the ones you use in your head, and external or extroverted functions are the ones you use to interact with the world around you.

So according to this, someone with an extroverted function, for instance, may try to seek out a lot of the world around them, like in ESTP, or even ESTJ.

ENFP Function Stack

Let us look at the details of the ENFP function stack now, and what each of them allows the person to do and how they affect our relationships and our environment.

Extraverted Intuition (Ne): Dominant Function

In the ENFP personality, the Extroverted Intuition function is the dominant one, as they are ruled by the perceptual or information gathering processes.

This means that these people are likely very thoughtful and able to understand what others are going through on the basis of just instinct or “gut feeling”.

Extroverted Intuition is the ENFP’s core or dominant function which they use to find patterns and their underlying principles of even to see future possibilities, and in some instances, maybe even to construct theories and frameworks.

Note how all these processes and uses are turned outward and pertain to the external world.

In the introverted version of the same function stack, that is, INFP, these processes would be turned inward, and the person would have very good intuition about what the patterns in their head are like and what they are going through, or feeling, but we will talk more about that under the INFP function stack.

The ENFP uses the Extroverted intuition to form connections as well, between patterns as well as in relationships, as they talk, write, or create; which is another thing that this function helps the ENFP with as they are very creative. 

To many people it seems like ENFPs may have their head in the clouds, constantly thinking up ideas, thoughts, and theories and trying to find ways to make them work and planning and plotting all the time, or even that might not seem like they’re totally in sync with reality. 

This feeling that people get from the ENFP is due to their function stack NeFi, and specifically, the Extroverted Intuition.

The extroverted intuition function is the main function that everything else in the ENFP personality revolves around, and the rest of the functions below are said to “serve” the Extroverted Intuition, or Ne.

This means that most of the time the extroverted intuition way of doing things gets priority and most of the time it will be the most noticeable function as well.

Introverted Feeling (Fi): Auxiliary Function

The introverted feeling or Fi, is the auxiliary function of the ENFP function stack, or NeFi.

Even though it seems that these pertain solely to the internal feelings, introverted feeling deals more strongly with values that come from within. 

The ENFP is deeply sentimental, and the NeFi may cause them to experience a deep well of emotions, but this usually does not form the basis of the introverted functioning, rather, introverted function or Fi makes up part of the decision-making process.

The decision-making process in the ENFP (NeFi) individual makes them very interested in determining their own moral or ethical code and part of their “gut feeling”, which tells them what is right and what is wrong, which one may relate rather well to the enneagram personality type 2 wing 1, who is also extroverted and warm people who have a great interest in the right and wrong and may often obsess over whether what they are doing is the right thing to do. which is often based on how they would like to be treated themselves. 

The ENFP, as a result of the introverted feeling function, may tend to be extraordinarily considerate of others, making sure everyone feels included and everyone has what they need, maybe even coming across a sort of like the mother or caretaker.

Also, this function in the function stack may also make them image-conscious, and they may be highly aware of how they feel other people see them. 

The ENFP ruled by the introverted feeling function may take a long time pondering over their own beliefs to make sure they seem right. 

While the values-refining process may make them very considerate and good people who are unlikely to hurt others around them, it can take quite a bit of time and requires mental solitude, and it may sometimes make them seem introverted or make them seem indecisive, ironic, given that feeling is a judging or decision making function.

The introverted feeling function also causes the ENFP individuals to put authenticity in high esteem and as a result of this, the ENFP may be repulsed by anything that seems dishonest or shallow to them.

Extraverted Thinking (Te): Tertiary Function

The Extroverted Thinking Function is the tertiary function in the ENFP function stack which means that it comes after the intuition and feeling function and seeks to supplement them.

The extroverted thinking function is likely to develop once the individuals have gotten somewhat older, and may not be seen readily in younger people, making them seem quite emotion ruled and maybe somewhat impulsive.

Extroverted thinking refers to a rather logic-oriented way of problem-solving or decision making, which suggests that it is a part of the judging function. 

Sometimes it may seem that the ENFP individual naturally looks towards finding a better solution to any problem that may be posed to them, maybe in the hopes of improving the efficiency of a process, or even to critique and refine what has already been set in motion.

One might remember that they are ruled by the introverted feeling which involves a great deal of thinking and measuring if something seems right or seems like the good thing to do, and this function only enhances it, as it takes care of the things the introverted feeling function has pointed out as wrong or problematic, so to speak. 

As a result of this mingling between the two judging functions of the ENFP, they tend to be balanced between this decisive and efficient way of making decisions once they are done with the pondering due to the value and feeling driven decision-making process of the introverted feeling function. 

The ENFP takes time to make decisions, yes, but it is important that it does not go against their values or self-esteem, and doesn’t seem to hurt anyone, and for this purpose, they use the Extroverted Thinking function to make a decision

Introverted Sensing (Si) : Inferior Function

The introverted sensing function is the least obvious function that the ENFP individual has, and sometimes these individuals may not show this function at all till much later in life, if they do at all.

The Introverted sensing function is the other half of the perceptual processes, which are responsible for information gathering purposes, and in many individuals, these functions may not show up at all, even much later in their life.

That is not to say that the introverted sensing in NeFi does not exist at all, it is just that it seems to exist outside of the view of the person themselves, as it may function subconsciously for the most part, and may allow them to store all the interesting knowledge and insights into people they gather in an organized way.

All this information they gather through the extroverted intuition function and filter through the extroverted feeling function is stored away in their mind for future reference for the thinking process to work on if a decision needs to be made at some point. 

The ENFP is seen to be great at execution or implementation of ideas once they have got or figured out the detailed instructions, which seems to keep the system running smoothly over long periods of time, which is a result of the introverted sensing function in the ENFP function stack. 

It is important to remember, however, that because the Introverted sensing is so far out of the sigh, the ENFP may also struggle with being consistent or reliable, and may learn to better implement ideas once they learn and grow some more.

Conclusion 

In this brief Guide, we took a look at the ENFP function stack and details of the functions that make up the ENFP function stack. Please reach out to us with any questions or comments you may have.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): ENFP Function Stack

Citations

https://personalityjunkie.com/enfp/

http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/16Types/ENFP.cfm