Extroverts. Outgoing. Talkative. Good at small talk. Full of energy. They draw people to them, and they break people out of their shells. There are lots of notions like these about extroverts in pop culture. But the Jungian definition has been taken out away from the popular notions. In Jung, the definition has become a question of where you get your energy. From the world around you, or from the inside world?
Still, the old ideas about the types keep trailing along. And by connecting the popular definitions to the different letters, we can speculate on which type is the “most” extroverted, because truth is, extroversion and introversion goes much beyond being an I or an E personality type.
In Jung, every type letter is connected to the idea of objectivity and subjectivity, two words closely related to extroversion and introversion. That allows me to make a list to settle the issue “which type is the most extroverted (objective) and which is the most introverted (subjective)”
The Letters Behind ESTJ and INFP
E vs I: Jungian extroverts draw energy from observing the world around them. Introverts draw energy from reflecting internally on their experiences.
S vs N: Sensors are more interested in strong sensations and concrete experiences. Intuitives care more about the subtle, hidden, and uncertain things, making them more introverted. Are they really here, or are they thinking about something weird again?
T vs F: As a feeler, you are more interested in qualities, experiences, and stories and your relative experience of the world. You require active self-reflection and personal processing. Thinkers are more interested in the objective, measurable, concrete actions of the world, making them more extroverted.
P vs J: Judgers have an instinct and a need to act, to stir, to move the world in some way or form, driving them to interact with and take the world in their own hands. As a perceiver, you can be extroverted, but you need to be activated by someone or something. You need to hear something interesting that gets you interested in the thought of action. You wouldn’t start up something just for the sake of starting something in itself, no. Perceivers need a reason.
Feeling types can appear extroverted in the sense that they can be interested in people– but all feelers mention that interacting with others brings up emotions in them that they need to process. Being around others can awaken thoughts in them that pull them away from others. Still, the letters F and T have the least to do with extroversion and introversion.
Which type is the most extroverted?
So let’s find out together which type is the most extroverted. But let me first explain that by extroverted I mean how much a type is drawn out into the world. Extroverted thinking may seem less people-able than extroverted feeling, but feeling is a process that draws a type away from others, making you more concerned with your personal, relative experience than with objective reality.
The most extroverted type
ESTJ – Extroverted thinking is the most objective cognitive function there is. Introverted sensing is also very objective, but not as objective as extroverted sensing. Still, this type rounds out in the top. You will find ESTJs are amazing conversationalists that have a strong need to talk out loud because it helps their thinking process.
The Extroverts
ENTJ – Introverted intuition makes this type more subjective, but still extroverted thinking truly pulls this function to direct action in the real world. ENTJs are actually the most likely type to talk to themselves, even when nobody is there!
ESFJ – Extroverted feeling is a very stereotypically extroverted function, but still, extroverted feeling requires you to sometimes process personal experiences. While the ESFJ needs to reflect on their experiences from time to time, extroverted thinkers can keep the conversation running. And an ESFJ will actually stop talking if others aren’t listening.
ENFJ – Like the ESFJ, but sometimes their intuition makes them tune out from the world.
ESTP – In the company of others, they may never shut up. But if there’s nobody around, this type can actually be remarkably mindful and quiet.
ESFP – Introverted feeling is really starting to weigh down on this type, making it one of the least extroverted extroverts.
The Ambiverts
ENTP – Like the ESTP, but they only like talking if you’ve sparked their curiosity.
ENFP – Like the ENTP, but often pulls away to process their emotions and feelings. The ENFP is the least extroverted extrovert, but their bubbly curiosity still manages to drag them out into the world.
ISTJ – Draw energy from their inner world and thoughts, but outgoing, observant and with their heads focused on reality. Their strong familiar connections to their community and their need to talk out loud to manage their thoughts is always going to pull them right into the action, even if it drains their energy somewhat.
INTJ – If it weren’t for their proactive and achievement-oriented traits, they might never leave the house. Still, this type’s ambition often drags them out into the world.
The Introverts
ISFJ – Like the ISTJ, but somewhat more prone to daydreaming.
INFJ – Very reclusive types, but their desire to impact the world and their strong ability to care for others drags them out of their own heads.
ISTP – Introverted intuition is more subjective than introverted thinking, but extroverted feeling is more objective than extroverted sensing, making the ISTP barely out-introvert the INFJ.
INTP – Like the ISTP, but constantly stuck in their own imagination and ideas.
ISFP – Like the ISFJ, but needs others to activate them.
The most introverted type
INFP – If they didn’t push themselves to, I don’t think these types would leave the house.
So which type is the most extroverted or introverted according to you? Would you put any type slightly ahead of mine?
Of course, any individual ENFP (for instance) can be less or more extroverted than in this list. I just wanted to give a portrayal of how an average ENFP would score on this list. Truth is, by developing your functions, regardless of your type preference, you can come to be more extroverted or introverted than your type usually is.
