Type Comparison: SLI (ISTp) and SEI (ISFp)

Socionics Characteristics

Observable Differences in Behavior

  1. SLI are more likely to make decisions based on logical reasons than SEI, who are more likely to make decisions based on their own feelings.
  2. SEI are often better at solving and minimizing interpersonal problems, where as SLI often struggle understanding them.
  3. SLI are often more interested in studying systems, structures, and functionality than SEI.
  4. SEI tend to prefer using persuasion as a means of convincing others to do something, where as SLI prefer to use argumentation as a means of convincing others.
  5. SEI are more vulnerable to logical manipulation than SLI. However SLI in contrast, are often more vulnerable to emotional or ethical manipulations than SEI.
  6. SLI place greater value on their interests than SEI. For example, SLI will maintain high levels of energy and focus on an interest they value, even deprioritizing their other resources to maintain the interest. For example, SLI may spend a large amount of energy on an interest they value, often to the detriment of their time, sleep, relationships, money, etc.
  7. SEI place greater value on their resources than SLI. For SEI, resources like their money, time, sleep, etc., fall into their "inner personal space," and the SEI will be more likely to deprioritize an interest if it starts to drain these resources too much.
  8. When developing a plan of action or process, SEI tend to see themselves as "within the process"; they are immersed in it. Often because of this, they have more difficulty managing several plans at once. On the other hand, SLI tend to place themselves "outside of the process"; they dissociate from it. For them the process or situation is something external from themselves.
  9. When working on a project, SLI experience more discomfort (than SEI) if the project does not have a clearly delineated end-goal or result. This happens because SLI have more difficulty monitoring and understanding how the project is developing than SEI because they are outside of the process.
  10. When conversing, SEI types are inclined to communicate in the form of monologues, where each party has "its turn." Because of that they subconsciously attempt to transform a dialogue into a series of monologues. Conversely, SLI tend to prefer more of a question and answer style format.
  11. SLI are relatively better at assessing the emotional atmosphere occurring in a group or during an activity than SEI.
  12. When meeting someone knew, SLI are not as likely as SEI to perceive "getting to know somebody" as a special kind of activity. SLI know very well whey they are getting acquainted (i.e., what the purpose of the relationship is, be it business, personal, travel, etc.). SLI, in contrast with SEI, do not divide the process of getting acquainted into consecutive stages; rather SLI immediately establish the necessary emotional distance in contact and can regulate it if needed. To bridge the gap between poorly acquainted people in a group SLI amp up the emotional tone; this can be mutually experienced happiness or misfortune. The name and title of the person are of secondary relevance to SLI and their relationship with the other person.
  13. SEI are more likely to believe in objective truths than SLI. That is, SEI are more likely to believe there is a correct or best way of doing something than SLI.
  14. SLI are more inclined to believe there are relative truths than SEI. That is, this relativity is perceived by SLI as an extenuation of the differing beliefs, opinions, intentions, etc. of each person.
  15. When something is perceived by SEI as being incorrect, they are more likely (than SLI) to tell the person who made the error what they did wrong and how to do it the right way. SEI are focused on who made the error and helping them to correct the mistake.
  16. When something is perceived by SLI as being incorrect, they are more likely (than SEI) to ask why it was done that way. Instead of necessarily trying to correct the person who made the error, SLI attempt to understand the person's reason for their decision/action.
  17. SEI tend to internally combine emotional exchanges with other activities rather than separating them out like SLI. E.g., SEI see having fun occurring simultaneously with other activities, such as work or even serious affairs. SLI are more likely to internally separate out having fun with other activities, although the two can be interchanged at a high frequency.
  18. The "comparison and verification of concepts" is a more common phenomenon among SLI than SEI. This comparison not only concerns SLI methods, but also their understanding, terminology, etc. SLI are attuned to the fact that different people might understand and interpret different concepts and terms differently. They perceive terminology as well as actions of other people as part of the subjective concept inseparable from personal opinion, position, intent, etc. In contrast to SEI who perceive terminology as "objective," SLI understand personal differences behind terminology (this applies even to well established terms) and they attempt to compare and verify them.
  19. SEI are not as inclined to compare and verify concepts as SLI. SEI assume that these can have only one unique interpretation (the "correct" interpretation), and SEI often do not think about the fact that the other person may be interpreting them differently. Much more than SLI, SEI apply concepts such as "objective reality," "unequivocal facts," and de-emphasize concepts; SEI consider that they know the "right" way of doing things, how something "truly is," etc.
  20. SEI are more likely (than SLI) to use special rituals or other culturally accepted formalities when forming relationships with others. What that means is that the emotional proximity and relationship status for SEI be more externally predetermined. Additionally, SEI generally progress in relationships through stages, and therefore are more familiar with these stages than SLI. SEI tend to be more linear in their relationship progression than SLI, and SEI assign importance to the formalities of recognizing the start and end to each of these stages.
  21. SLI are more likely than SEI to perceive and distinguish themselves primarily through personal qualities. SLI focus on individualism more than SEI.
  22. SLI attitude towards a specific person (more so than SEI) is based on their personal characteristics (authority, intellect, personal achievements, etc.) SLI recognize superiority of certain individuals drawing from their personal qualities
  23. SEI, more than SLI, frequently perceives and defines themselves and other people through group associations. SEI focus on collectivism over individualism.
  24. When SEI form opinions of others, these opinions are formed under the influence of their attitude towards the group to which the person belongs. To SEI, it is incomprehensible how it is possible to belong to two opposing groups at the same time:, i.e., "you're either with us, or with them and against us."
  25. SEI are often able to form quicker opinions of others they have just met than SLI. This is based on the ability of SEI to draw conclusions about the person based on the groups the person belongs to; SLI are more reluctant to make these inferences.
  26. SLI are more likely (than SEI) to seek new and novel experiences rather than returning to something already lived through. They will generally only re-read a book, re-watch a movie, or revisit the same place if they have forgotten it or are hoping to learn something new from it.
  27. SEI are more likely than SLI to use "emotional anchors" that resonate with their internal emotional condition. These emotional anchors could be a book, a movie, a place, a song, etc. SEI use these anchors to strengthen their inner emotional state and thus will repeat the experience: e.g., re-reading a book, re-watching a movie, continually going back to a place to experience the emotions associated with it.
  28. SLI pay more particular attention to aspects of a situation or plan that are insufficient or lacking. This can be interpreted by others as SLI having a negative assessment of various situations and events (.e.g, "the glass is half empty). On the other hand, SEI pay more attention to what is actually present in a situation, and this can be interpreted as an affirmative or positive manifestation of the surrounding world, situations, possibilities, and prospects (e.g. "the glass is half full").
  29. When assessing an option or available choice, SEI tend to focus more on how the choice could benefit them (what it would potentially yield) than SLI would. On the other hand, SLI would be more cognizant of the potential risks and potential losses that may accompany the decision that SEI may unconsciously minimize.

Compare/Contrast Sociotypes