All About The ESFP Personality Type
Have you been exploring personality types and finding terms like ESFP, and INFJ, or an ENTJ? These are personality types from one of the most well-known personality tests: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). Developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Briggs(a mother and daughter), the MBTI assesses a person’s personality using a list of 16 personality types (outlined below). While employers sometimes use the MBTI to assess candidates for employment, some people use it to understand themselves better.
Comprehending your personality may improve your interpersonal relationships and lead to better decisions related to your career and other aspects of life. Below, we’ll explore personality type subsets in alignment with the Myers-Briggs scale, as well as general characteristics of the ESFP personality type.
What are personality types, and how do they impact our lives?
We all have unique personalities, and they can shape our lives in various ways. Each trait, even one we may consider a weaker aspect of our personality, can play a role in influencing our life choices regarding our careers, behavior, and relationships.
While no two people are exactly alike, research suggests that there are 16 individual personality types.
One of the first steps that you may choose to take in your journey of self-discovery is to take a free Myers-Briggs personality test and identify your personality type. Afterward, if you feel that you may need help interpreting your results and building on your strengths or your least prominent aspect, you may choose to reach out to a licensed therapist for additional resources and support.
What are the 16 personality types determined by Myers-Briggs?
The Myers-Briggs test suggests that there are four major personality types divided into four subsequent subtypes each, as outlined below:
Analysts: the architect (INTJ), logician (INTP), commander (ENTJ), and debater (ENTP) subtypes
Diplomats: the advocate (INFJ), mediator (INFP), protagonist (ENFJ), and campaigner (ENFP) subtypes
Sentinels: the logistician (ISTJ), defender (ISFJ), executive (ESTJ), and consul (ESFJ) subtypes
Explorers: the virtuoso (ISTP), adventurer (ISFP), entrepreneur (ESTP), and entertainer (ESFP) subtypes
Overview of the ESFP (entertainer) personality type
Extravert
Some ESFPs are energized by spending time with others. They may be outgoing, expressive, enthusiastic, and have excellent interpersonal skills. They can also be goal-oriented and may enjoy taking the initiative to get tangible things done. Many ESPFs are more focused on the world around them rather than their own feelings or thoughts.
Sensing
ESFPs can be naturally curious, skilled at perceiving new facts, and may prefer the reliability of information rather than relying on intuition. An ESFP-aligned person might not tend to ruminate about something that has not yet happened. Many can handle practical matters well and may prefer using measurable and concrete facts to guide their thought processes. They may choose to live in the present and can find the near or distant future to be less interesting.
Feeling
Emotions and feelings can play a significant role in the ESFP personality type and may be connected to their concern for others. ESFPs can typically prioritize their relationships more than other subtypes can and may keep others in mind when making key decisions. ESFP-aligned individuals may make decisions using an internal system of values and feelings, often considering both other people’s emotions and their own emotions before making a conclusion. In many cases, they are adept at putting themselves in another person’s shoes and seeing things from their perspective.
Perceiving
Due to the nature of their cognitive functions, some ESFPs prioritize freedom of thought and mind and can be highly adaptable. Their way of thinking can also make it easier for them to understand abstract concepts. In addition, their preference may be a spontaneous and flexible lifestyle.
In other tests modeled after the MBTI, like the 16 Personalities Test, there may be additional categories that could slightly alter the type of ESFP a person is defined as. For example, the 16 Personalities Test splits ESFP into two categories: ESFP-A (Assertive) and ESFP-T (Turbulent). These additional categories define whether a person has a stronger sense of calm and higher self-confidence (assertive) or tends to be more anxious or neurotic (turbulent.)
Common ESFP characteristics and themes
Many ESFPs have a love for people and social experiences, and some have a knack for storytelling. For example, you may see ESFP-aligned individuals entertaining a crowd in social gatherings due to their spontaneous and impulsive nature. Because of this natural ability to please others, it makes sense that many ESFP individuals often act as entertainers or actors, sometimes professionally. Famous examples of ESFP entertainers include Marilyn Monroe, Denzel Washington, Judy Garland, Miley Cyrus, and Elvis Presley.
People with this personality type may be action-oriented, prefer hands-on experience, and enjoy living in the moment. ESFPs prefer to avoid repetitive tasks, often gravitating toward new experiences. Their ability to use people skills can work to their advantage. At the workplace, you may find ESFP-aligned individuals serving in socially driven careers and thriving in work-related social situations. ESFPs can enjoy such situations due partly to their adept conversation skills; as a result, they tend to gravitate towards roles that allow them to utilize their conversational abilities.
Below are some common ESFP characteristics and themes that ESFPs may find themselves aligning with as they encounter different experiences.
ESFPs can be practical
Many ESFPs enjoy experiencing the world and may prefer to learn from what they have gone through. Some like facts that are gleaned from experience and may not dwell on theoretical discussions. People with ESFP personality traits may thrive better when interaction is encouraged or requires experience. ESFPs also enjoy giving practical advice based on their own experiences.
ESFPs can be friendly
Many ESFPs enjoy being in the company of other people and generally do not like being alone. It tends to be among the most social personality types, and people in this category often find it easy to make friends because they are a pleasure to be around. ESFPs’ friendships tend to thrive on excitement and spontaneity.
ESFPs often have a genuine love for their friends, which may make their time together exciting and memorable. The active and imaginative minds of ESFPs can help them generate new and exciting ideas, which may make them fun to be around.
ESFPs often have excellent people skills
ESFPs can thoroughly enjoy people and choose to give their all to maintain relationships. The sensitive nature of some ESFPs can help them realize when there are problems in platonic or romantic relationships, encouraging them to act as mediators among friends or colleagues.
ESFPs often enjoy entertaining
Many ESFPs love the company of others and can be the life of the party. They generally appreciate exciting things and may be the entertainers or the center of attention in any social gathering.
ESFP careers and relationship implications
Some ESFPs may feel most fulfilled in jobs that involve a lot of socializing. ESFP personality traits may give them public relations skills that can be useful for a variety of careers. ESFPs may choose to engage in careers in the education or healthcare sector, where they can use their people skills and attention to others.
When in a relationship with a person who aligns with ESFP personality traits, you may experience emotional support, fun, and connection.
ESFPs can be fun-loving and free-spirited and may choose to live for the moment often. However, because of their spontaneous spirit and love for fun, it may be difficult for some ESFP-oriented individuals to have long-term relationships. Some individuals of the ESFP personality type may choose to maintain a connection only if there is excitement and enjoyment. However, this may not always be the case, as everyone’s individual experiences with their unique personality traits and styles can vary.
ESFP strengths
There are many possible strengths that those with ESFP personality types can possess. For example, they may be bold and willing to get out of their comfort zone. They can be frequently observant, which may help them easily pick up on changes around them in their careers or relationships.
ESFPs may also possess strong social skills and a good understanding of people’s emotions; these traits can help them make friends. They can be talkative and are often regarded by many as great conversationalists.
ESFPs can be practical and may enjoy working with facts over baseless or unconfirmed feelings. They also tend to possess strong people skills and enjoy paying attention to people. They can derive satisfaction from spending time with people, especially those who love to join them for fun activities and adventures (whether they be indoor or outdoor adventures).
ESFPs can also be risk-takers who enjoy experimenting to find their preferences across a spectrum of experiences, including relationships. Whenever something feels right, they may choose to go for it, even if it means breaking the rules or taking a risk.
ESFP weaknesses
Every personality type and individual can have unique weaknesses that may or may not correlate with their Myers-Briggs personality type. However, understanding the common areas of vulnerability of ESFPs can give you a starting point to focus on for growth.
ESFPs can be sensitive to emotion and emotional variation. Many may not react well to overly harsh (or even reasonable) criticism, which can cause difficulty later in life.
ESFPs can also sometimes get easily bored or lose interest in a subject quickly. Many may need fun and excitement to feel grounded, present, and authentic.
Due to a strong dislike of confrontation, ESFP-aligned individuals typically try to avoid conflict as much as possible. Due to this conflict-averse personality style, ESFP individuals may have difficulty being honest or addressing sensitive subjects.
How can counseling benefit those with the ESFP personality type?
Individuals with ESFP personality types may want to consider addressing their potential weaknesses to live a more balanced, fulfilling life. Online therapy can help individuals aligned with the ESFP personality type to address areas that they identify as limited or out of balance, such as conflict avoidance and a lack of goal-setting skills.
Many people experience difficulties or long-term consequences that may or may not be related to their personality types. Understanding the benefits of counseling across personality types, preferences, and needs can open up new resources and opportunities for growth.
In-person therapy may be stimulating and engaging for those aligned with the ESFP personality type. However, due to personal schedules and work, there may not be a time in an individual’s life that would allow them to seek in-office therapy. In these cases, online counseling can provide that connection at a more flexible schedule and pace via audio or video chat. They can still get the interaction they tend to enjoy in the outside world, with the added convenience of being able to connect wherever life may take them.
Is online therapy effective in addressing lifestyle changes?
Online counseling can be a flexible and convenient way to implement personal growth strategies that can complement your personality type. Several studies recognized by the American Psychological Association have found that online counseling can be equally effective as in-office counseling. An online therapy platform like BetterHelp can connect you with licensed therapists who can offer you new styles, methods, and resources to address your personal needs.
Takeaway
What kind of person is ESFP?
The dichotomies defined by the ESFP type are extraverted, sensing, feeling, and perceiving. An ESFP person tends to enjoy attention from others. They are often excited and outgoing. ESFPs are likely to be happy and enjoy life. They enjoy working with others to complete goals and often strive to make tedious tasks enjoyable. When given the choice, ESFPs tend to prefer to work with reliable co-collaborators rather than alone. They tend to dislike micromanagement and those who try to rigidly enforce order.
Despite their outgoing exuberance, ESFPs tend to be down-to-earth and prefer realistic approaches to problem-solving. They tend to learn best around others and are often ready to adapt to new challenges flexibly. They likely prefer little structure in their free time, tending to adopt a “go with the flow” attitude. ESFPs are usually in favor of a new adventure or unexpected journey.
An assessment based on the MBTI scoring system, the 16Personalities assessment, adds an additional domain that further clarifies the complexity of the ESFP personality type. The turbulent-assertive domain describes how individuals approach difficult problems. ESFP-As (for assertive) tend to be self-assured and confident when stressful situations arise. On the other hand, an ESFP-T (for turbulent) personality often becomes perfectionistic and may end up bogged down in small details.
How rare is ESFP personality?
According to the Meyers-Briggs Company, the official publisher of the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), ESFPs account for about 6% of the population in the United States. When results are separated by gender, men account for 5.1% of ESFPs, and women account for 6.7%.
That means the ESFP personality type is significantly more common than the rarest type, ENTJ, which accounts for only 1.8% of the population. It is important to note that recent study has slightly shifted the rank order of personality types. ENTJ is now the rarest type, replacing INFJ, which was formerly rarer but now accounts for 2.3% of MBTI test-takers.
The ESFP personality type is also significantly less common than the most prevalent MBTI type, ISTJ. ISTJ personalities account for nearly 16% of all test takers. Out of all 16 MBTI personality types, ESFP is the 9th most rare type.
What are ESFP girls like?
There is insufficient scientific evidence to directly describe differences between ESFP personality types based on gender. ESFPs of all genders tend to be outgoing and friendly and enjoy working with others. They tend to be flexible and work best with a reliable co-conspirator. They also tend to desire social harmony and togetherness.
There is some evidence of gendered differences in personality when examining personality measures other than the MBTI. One study examined personality through the framework of the five-factor model. This well-known and robust personality model describes personality using five broad domains: openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.
The first four domains are similar to what is described by the MBTI. The fifth, neuroticism, is a measure of negative thinking and emotionality and is likely not well defined by the MBTI. Researchers found significant correlations between the five-factor model and the MBTI for the other four factors. The MBTI extraversion domain and the five-factor extraversion domain related strongly, as did the MBTI domains of judging-perceiving, thinking-feeling, and intuition-sensing with conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience, respectively.
One may be able to assume that the MBTI also represents the gender differences described by the five-factor model. According to the five-factor model, women tend to be higher in agreeableness, especially in facets representing compassion and politeness. Women also scored higher in extraversion-related facets like enthusiasm but lower in facets like assertiveness.
This may mean ESFP women are more likely to be compassionate and enthusiastic, while men are more likely to focus on leadership or take a more analytical approach. It may also indicate why the ESFP type represents slightly more women than men. However, empirically valid research is required before gender differences of ESFPs can be accurately described.
Is ESFP an introvert or an extrovert?
ESFPs show a strong preference for extraverted thinking. They tend to get along with others well and desire social interaction. They are outgoing and enjoy trying new things but often prefer tackling challenges alongside others. Unlike many introverts, ESFPs are likely to thrive in group settings. They are often storytellers and welcome opportunities to share their experiences with those around them.
Like many other extraverted-sensing personality types, ESFPs likely thrive in most social settings. Those who prefer to avoid social interaction are often represented by introverted-feeling personality types, but ESFPs may vary in their desire for social interaction.
Does ESFP get angry easily?
The ESFP personality type is not described as being prone to anger. In fact, ESFPs may be less likely to become angry as their personality type is associated with skilled conflict management. Their type indicates they are sensing, feeling, perceiving, and respond well to others. ESFPs are likely empathetic and can easily internalize another person's feelings. They usually desire social harmony and are likely to try to address concerns when conflict arises. Because of their ability to connect with others and resolve conflict, ESFPs are often considered good leaders.
Can an ESFP be shy?
The ESFP personality type is described as outgoing, possessing boundless energy, and intensely desiring social interaction. ESFPs are strong extroverts who enjoy social interaction, meeting new people, and working alongside others. However, while the terms “introversion” and “shyness” are often used synonymously, they are two separate constructs.
Extraversion and introversion represent two ends of a continuum. Highly extroverted people are typical of ESFP personalities, while low-extraversion - or highly introverted - people are the opposite; they don’t desire social interaction and tend to dislike working in groups. The MBTI splits this continuum into a dichotomy; people are either extroverts or introverts. However, evidence suggests a person can land anywhere on the continuum, including directly in the middle. Those who are equally introverted and extroverted are often referred to as ambiverts.
The introversion-extraversion spectrum can be broadly defined as a person’s desire for social interaction. The more they desire to socialize, the more extroverted they will likely be. On the other hand, shyness describes uncomfortable feelings of the self, meaning that shyness is often accompanied by anxiety, worries about being judged, and a lack of confidence in social settings. Introverts may appear shy because they may be withdrawn, but they withdraw due to a lack of desire to interact. They are likely confident in their choice to be alone, whereas a shy person may not be.
Because of this, it is likely possible that extroverts can be shy, especially in situations with which they are unfamiliar. When one further considers the introversion-extraversion continuum and the existence of ambiverts, it is likely that both extraversion and shyness can vary based on many factors.
What are the weaknesses of an ESFP?
According to the Meyers-Briggs Company, ESFPs have several potential weaknesses, though they will vary from person to person. ESFPs tend to get distracted and may struggle to finish tasks, such as sticking to book learning in academic pursuits. They may not enjoy sticking to one path, preferring to keep their options open. They may also struggle to spend enough time planning or to plan ahead for unlikely circumstances. At times, ESFPs may give the impression of being unreliable, especially to more serious MBTI personality types.
ESFPs are also likely to become overstressed when they have too many plans or when projects are too rigid to allow for their characteristic flexibility. They may also get distressed when doing a large amount of solitary work. They likely prefer to make decisions in their own time and may not like being analyzed by others. Analytical details and abstract concepts may be overwhelming for some ESFPs, who tend to prefer a balance between structure and flexibility.
What is the biggest fear of ESFP?
There has not been a scientific investigation into common fears of the MBTI personality types, meaning it is not possible to accurately predict what the greatest fear of an EFSP may be. However, observing the traits of the EFSP personality type may offer insight into what situations an EFSP might find distressing.
ESFPs are highly outgoing and extroverted. They usually desire socializing and tend to draw strength from group interactions. Based on this, a common fear for ESFPs may be loneliness. An inability to interact with others deprives ESFPs of the opportunity to communicate, empathize, and problem-solve in a group setting. ESFPs also value flexibility and opportunities to switch priorities as they see fit. Highly rigid settings, such as a micromanaged workplace, might be another pronounced fear of ESFPs.
Is ESFP socially awkward?
The ESFP personality type is not typically associated with social awkwardness. On the contrary, ESFPs are usually highly sociable and comfortable in groups. However, almost everyone has been in a social situation where they feel nervous, and it is possible that ESFPs can experience the same sensation. If they are in a high-stakes environment, such as a job interview, or they are working against their strengths, like in a highly rigid environment, an ESFP may be socially awkward. In addition, it is possible that more serious or contrasting personality types may find an ESFP’s behavior awkward in certain contexts.
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