The Four Types of Extraverts in MBTI
The world is supposedly built for them and the internet loves to hate them. But what is an extravert, really?
If you’re an extravert, you probably think you’re an ambivert. Perhaps because you like time alone just as much you like to socialize, or perhaps because those “loud, obnoxious extravert whose sole purpose is to make introverts uncomfortable” stereotype doesn’t quite fit you.
The popular belief is that extraverts are people who get their energy from other people, while introverts recharge by being alone. Now, while there is some truth to this, it’s a bit more nuanced than that.
What Makes Someone an Extravert?
When I speak about extraversion and introversion, I am referring to Carl Jung’s definition where extraversion is energy directed outwards, while introversion is energy directed inwards.
In his book Psychological Types, Jung described eight mental processes that people use to perceive information and make decisions. He called these processes cognitive functions. They are Sensing (S), Intuition (N), Thinking (T) and Feeling (F).
Each of these functions has an extraverted version that is oriented towards the outer world, away from the subject, and an introverted version that is oriented towards the inner world of the subject. So, in total there are four extraverted functions and four introverted ones.
Because this article is about extraverts, we will be focusing on the four extraverted ones. Even though we all use each of these eight functions in a different order, an extravert is someone whose dominant cognitive function — the primary lens through which they look at the world — is extraverted.
This is also the theory that the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is based on. By ordering the functions according to a clearly observable pattern, Isabelle Briggs-Myers and Katherine Briggs were able to outline 16 personality types.
So, according to this model, there are four main types of extraverts, each oriented towards different aspects of the objective, external world. I have given them little monikers to make them sound a bit more human.
While it is true that extraverts get their energy from the outer world, which also includes other people, how they see people and the kind of energy they get from them is what makes them different. So, let’s take a closer look.
Social Extraverts — Extraverted Feelers
These are the classic extraverts who are primarily oriented towards people and get a lot of their energy from social interaction. They are highly attuned to the emotional energy of a room, the vibes and inner dynamics of a group, the norms and niceties of their society, and the emotional needs of other people (often at the expense of their own).
They are driven by the need to bring people together and create group harmony, and they often achieve their desired social outcomes in different situations. Not only do these extraverts deeply care about other people, they are also highly adept at caring for them. They are often friendly, warm, expressive and charismatic social chameleons who make excellent activists, teachers, leaders, hosts, and mentors, as well as coaches and counselors. Because their feeling function is oriented outwards, they usually prefer to process their emotions out loud. Bouncing their feelings off other people makes it easier for them to gain insight and clarity. And since they are also quite empathetic, they are more than happy to return the favour.
In MBTI, they are the ENFJ and ESFJ personality types. At a party, they are probably the host, the de facto life coach or the person making sure that everyone’s needs are taken care of.
The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Extraverted Feeling (Fe).
The archetype that fits them best is the Caregiver.
Potential Social Extraverts:
Oprah Winfrey, Martin Luther King Jr., Maya Angelou (ENFJ)
Dolly Parton, Hugh Jackman, John Updike (ESFJ)
Experiential Extraverts — Extraverted Sensors
While Social Extraverts focus more on people and social dynamics, Experiential Extraverts focus on a variety of activities and experiences that engage their physical senses. These extraverts are in tune with their bodies and physical environments and are quick to act and react. They are often artists, performers, designers, first responders, entertainers and athletes as well as thrill-seekers, adventurers, and travelers.
They are usually the fast-paced, spontaneous extraverts who don’t like to sit still for very long. For them, life is meant to be experienced directly. They love to be out in the real world, engaging with it fully, and navigating its many opportunities. They are also witty, entertaining, and charming. Because they tend to have such keen physical senses, they are highly observant of everything that is going on around them. They can easily read a room and create exciting and unforgettable experiences for themselves and other people. At a party, they will likely be found on the dancefloor or shooting fireworks into the sky. But, for all intents and purposes, the Experiential Extravert is the one who brings the party. You could even say that the Experiential Extravert is the party.
In the MBTI, they are the ESTP and ESFP personalities. The dominant function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Extraverted Sensing (Se).
The archetype that fits them best is the Hero.
Potential Experiential Extraverts:
Miley Cyrus, Elvis Presley, Margaret Mitchell (ESFP)
Samuel L. Jackson, Angelina Jolie, Ernest Hemingway (ESTP)
Pragmatic Extraverts — Extraverted Thinkers
These are your fast-talking, straight-shooting, hard-working extraverts who get shit done. They have sharp, analytical minds that tend to favour applied logic above drawn-out contemplation and people’s sensitivities. Although these extraverts can be interested in people, their minds are oriented towards the systems and structures that operate in the external world.
They enjoy organizing data and testing out ideas to see if they work effectively in the real world. They are interested in designing, structuring and implementing their ideas to achieve a desired vision or outcome. They can be focused on innovation and improvement or maintenance and preservation.
Their style of communication is blunt, direct, and straightforward — and when you talk to them, they generally want you to cut the fluff and get to the point. At times they can seem cold and insensitive, but at heart, they want to help. They are trying to come up with the best systematic solutions that will benefit the group, community or society as a whole.
They tend to have excellent organizational, managerial, and leadership skills because they can easily see how all the external parts fit together, what needs to be prioritized, how to delegate tasks effectively, and get things done most efficiently. Honestly, they are probably your boss.
At a party, they are likely to be found networking, organizing activities or telling you how you can do pretty much everything better.
In MBTI, they are the ENTJ and ESTJ personalities. The dominant function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Extraverted Thinking (Te).
The archetype that fits them best is the Ruler.
Potential Pragmatic Extraverts:
Franklin D. Roosevtelt, Margaret Thatcher, George Bernard Shaw (ENTJ)
Alec Baldwin, Michelle Obama, Tom Clancy (ESTJ)
Intellectual Extraverts — Extraverted Intuitives
While Experiential Extraverts live in the world of opportunities, Intellectual Extraverts live in the realm of possibilities.
These types are usually the least extraverted extraverts, and many will initially identify as introverts because their minds are not necessarily oriented towards tangible reality, social dynamics or getting things done.
Instead, they are focused on potentials, ideas, theories and concepts. They are quick-witted, broad-minded and imaginative thinkers who can juggle a multitude of ideas at a time, draw comparisons and connections between them and expand on them with relative ease.
This capacity often drives them towards intellectual pursuits and more introverted lifestyles. However, they are still extraverts because they require a lot of external stimulation and prefer to gather and explore information from the outer world.
They are often writers, actors, directors, comedians, as well as college professors, scientists, psychologists and philosophers.
While they often do enjoy an adventure, they are rarely in it for the experience itself. They want to know what it means about themselves, other people and the universe at large. And sometimes, the mere thought of an adventure can be just as exciting for them as the actual experience.
External stimulation for these extraverts could come from books, movies, podcasts and courses, or from conversations with other people where they exchange ideas and bounce their thoughts off of one another. For them, people are often a fascinating source of information and so they genuinely enjoy interacting with them.
They are often enthusiastic, charming, gregarious and maybe even a little eccentric. At a party, they are probably engaged in deep discussions with various people about their latest interests.
In the MBTI, they are the ENTP and ENFP personalities. The dominant cognitive function of these types — the waters they swim in — is Extraverted Intuition (Ne).
The archetype that fits them best is the Jester.
Potential Intellectual Extraverts:
Russell Brand, Greta Gerwig, Oscar Wilde (ENFP)
Socrates, Sarah Silverman, Leonardo da Vinci (ENTP)
Of course, these are very general descriptions and not everything will apply to everyone. You may also relate to more than one description because they all share some similarities with one another.
That said, I hope this article helped you understand yourself and the extraverts around you a little bit better.
Take care, guys.
Hi, I’m Noemi, a certified relationship coach. I help you understand your patterns and cultivate self-love, confidence, and compassion to create the deep, fulfilling conscious relationships your heart desires.
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