From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
This article is about the Myers-Briggs personality type. For the Socionics ESFj, see Ethical Sensory Extrovert.


From Jung's work, others developed psychological typologies. Jungian personality assessments include the MBTI assessment, developed by Isabel Briggs Myers and Katharine Cook Briggs, and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter, developed by David Keirsey. Keirsey referred to ESFJs as Providers, one of the four types belonging to the temperament he called the Guardians. ESFJs account for about 9–13% of the population.[2][3]

The MBTI instrument[edit]




  • E – Extraversion preferred to introversion: ESFJs often feel motivated by their interaction with people. They tend to enjoy a wide circle of acquaintances, and they gain energy in social situations (whereas introverts expend energy).[6]
  • S – Sensing preferred to intuition: ESFJs tend to be more concrete than abstract. They focus their attention on the details rather than the big picture, and on immediate realities rather than future possibilities.[7]
  • F – Feeling preferred to Thinking: ESFJs tend to value personal considerations above objective criteria. When making decisions, they often give more weight to social implications than to logic.[8]
  • J – Judgment preferred to Perception: ESFJs tend to plan their activities and make decisions early. They derive a sense of control through predictability. [9]

Characteristics of ESFJs[edit]

ESFJs focus on the outside world and assess their experiences subjectively. They largely base their judgments on their belief system and on the effects of actions on people. ESFJs are literal and concrete, trusting the specific, factual information gathered through their physiological senses.

ESFJs project warmth through a genuine interest in the well-being of others. They are often skilled at bringing out the best in people, and they want to understand other points of view. They are serious about their responsibilities, seeing what needs to be done and then doing it. Generally proficient at detailed tasks, they enjoy doing little things that make life easier for others. They value tradition and the security it offers.

Easily hurt, ESFJs seek approval. They take pleasure in other people's happiness. They give generously but expect appreciation in return. Sensitive to the physical needs of others, they respond by offering practical care. As expert people readers, ESFJs often adapt their manner to meet the expectations of others. However, they may have difficulty recognizing the shortcomings of loved ones.

ESFJs tend to be vocal in expressing their sense of right and wrong. Their judgments in regard to the external world are often based on interpersonal ethics, with attention to social give and take. Compared to their ENFJ counterparts, ESFJs' values tend to be based more on those of their social group than on an independent internal set of ethics. ESFJs raised in an environment of high ethical standards tend to display true generosity and kindness. However, those who grow up surrounded by a skewed set of values may develop a false sense of integrity and use their people skills to selfishly manipulate others—particularly if their intuition is poorly developed, leaving them unable to foresee the consequences of their actions.

ESFJs seek structured, controlled environments, and tend to be good at creating a sense of order. They generally feel insecure in an atmosphere of uncertainty. They value the rule of law and expect the same of others. ESFJs may be less interested in understanding the concepts behind the rules, tending to shy away from the abstract and impersonal.[10]

Correlation with Enneatype[edit]

According to Baron and Wagele, the most common Enneatypes for ESFJs are Helpers and Skeptics.[11]

Cognitive functions[edit]





Dominant: Extraverted feeling (Fe)[edit]


Auxiliary: Introverted sensing (Si)[edit]


Tertiary: Extraverted intuition (Ne)[edit]


Inferior: Introverted thinking (Ti)[edit]


Shadow functions[edit]

Later personality researchers (notably Linda V. Berens)[17] added four additional functions to the descending hierarchy, the so-called "shadow" functions to which the individual is not naturally inclined but which can emerge when the person is under stress. For ESFJ these shadow functions are (in order):



  2. ^ " Portrait of the Provider". Retrieved 10 January 2010. 
  10. ^ "Personality Page ESFJ". Retrieved 2009-02-12. 
  11. ^ * Wagele, Elizabeth; Renee Baron (1994). The Enneagram Made Easy. HarperOne. ISBN 0-06-251026-6. 
  17. ^ "". Retrieved 2008-05-21. 

External links[edit]