The 4-Letter Code

Not sure how ENFP and NeFi can be the same thing? Confused by all these letters?

With our type theory we place a heavy emphasis on the functions. In most other circles, functions are secondary. When we talk about a particular type, we call them by their top two functions. For example, Beck is "TiNe" and Bre is "FiSe".

Most other type circles use a 4-letter code that's done a little differently (think Myers-Briggs or Keirsey). They use four letters and the types look like INTP, ENFJ, etc.

Because we are starting with the functions instead of mentioning them as an afterthought, it's actually more cumbersome to go by the 4-letter code that others use. We tend to stick to our top-two-functions-as-the-nickname plan to keep things simple.

However, it can be helpful to know what your closest match would be in other type circles. And it's also helpful to know what functions are being talked about when we say "ENFP" or another 4-code name. So here's the basic concept of how the two separate code systems interact.

As you probably know, the usual 4-letter code works like this:

E or I
N or S
F or T
P or J

You pick one of each and stick the letters together, meaning you end up with something like ENFP or INTJ.

When I look at it, this is what I see:

 

E / I

This letter tells you whether the first function is extroverted or introverted.

N / S

This letter tells you which perceiving function is higher in the stack.

F / T

This letter tells you which judging function is higher in the stack.

P / J

The tells you whether the first extraverted function is a judging function or a perceiving function.

Knowing this, you can figure out the function stack for a 4-letter code. Or you could figure out the 4-letter code for a function stack. Here's how to do both:

4-letter code to Function Stack

So let's say you're trying to figure out the functional stack represented by the abbreviation, ENFP.

You start by knowing this type has all 4 letters: S, N, T, and F. (Sensing and iNtuition being the two ways of processing information and Thinking and Feeling being the two ways of making decisions)

Scratch pad:

S, N, T, F

Because the first letter is E, we know the first function will be extroverted. And because of the alternating rule, we know it'll be eiei.

S, N, T, F

e
i
e
i

Because the next two letters are N and F, we know that those are going to be the top two functions. (We're still not sure which comes first, though.)

S, T

We know N and F will be the top two...

e
i
e
i

The last letter is P, which tells us that the first extraverted function will be the perceiving function.

S, T

We know N and F will be the top two...

e << (first extraverted function)
i
e
i

We know that the top two must be N and F, so we see that N must be the first extraverted function, and F will be the next.

S, T

Ne
Fi
e
i

Finally, the last two letters are easy to place, since we have the "PJJP or JPPJ" rule.

And you're done!

Ne
Fi
Te
Si

 

Function Stack to 4-letter Code

So let's say you're trying to figure out the 4-letter code for this functional stack:
Ni
Fe
Ti
Se

(Also abbreviated NiFe.)

So far, all we know is the function stack.

Scratch Pad:

4-Letter code: XXXX
(unknown so far)

The first two functions are Ni and Fe, so we know that N and F are the middle letters.

XNFX

We see that the first function is introverted (Ni) so we know that the first letter is going to be I.

INFX

And finally, we look at the first extraverted function, and ask, "is it perceiving, or judging?"

It's Fe, which is a judging function, so we know the last letter is J.

And you're done!

INFJ