Document Text Contents
Page 1
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions
by http://www.reddit.com/user/glabius
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 1 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
Hey guys, I've been meaning to write something like this for a while. I've been interested in
Myers Briggs for about 3 years, and its something that has always been on my mind. I've been
working on this post for a few days (and for a long time as I've thought about it).
I find MBTI interesting, useful, and eye-opening for a few reasons
1. Knowing that different people are different and why can help you relate better to others.
2. You can understand yourself better, and how you function.
3. You can use the information to get what you or a group wants by compromising to what
people want (because you actually know what people want now)
Now for some people are going to be skeptics. I've heard it all before, "A personality test cannot
define me!" "MBTI is just horoscopes!" and to a certain extent this is true. The tests that you will
find online are BAD Furthermore, the stereotypes you will find online are simply that,
stereotypical.
Of course the stereotype that relates to your type will be easy to fit into, but honestly a lot of the
stereotypes will be easier to see yourself as because they are generally positive reviews.
But the basis for MBTI, the function analysis, is very useful. And although people will say "these
personality tests are bull, everyone is different," I have personally NEVER found anyone who
does not fall into one of the 16 function orders. The fact of the matter is MBTI is NOT a specific
test. It measures TWO things, and two things only.
1. How do you perceive information from the world
2. How do you use that information to make decisions, in what way.
Since most people (all mentally stable individuals) fall into one of the 16 orders, you CAN make
"stereotypes" that will sound like those individuals, but there is DEFINITELY more to your
personality and character than that. But, the function order that MBTI gives us can REALLY
help us learn more about specific people.
In this I'm going to break down what the "letters" mean, and what each function means. You
can't learn JACK about MBTI until you have learned the functions. People get all caught up in
the letters when really they mean nothing. For example, people will say "Am I an ENTJ or
ENTP?" when an ENTJ and ENTP are almost complete opposites.
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Page 2
How Intro/Extraversion and Judging/Perceiving
Affect Function Dominance
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 2 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
How the Letters Work
E/I Distinction - Are you an extrovert or introvert? Now, this is one thing that a lot of people get
caught up on ("I'm both!!") in terms of MBTI theory. This does not mean if you are social, not
social, or whatever.
Generally, in other personality theories (not MBTI) the E/I distinction means where you get your
energy from:
1. Can you feel restless when not interacting socially? Do you enjoy or are not bothered by
crowds of people? Are you energized by being around people? Probably extrovert.
HOWEVER extroverts that are socially awkward and have bad social experiences may
mistype themselves as introverts.
2. Do you like being around people, but more generally in smaller settings? Do you feel like
you need to recharge after being out with people? Do you feel uneasy sometimes if you
spend every day of a weekend out with groups of people? Probably an introvert.
Sometimes introverts will mistype themselves as extroverts because they are good socially.
Sometimes extroverts will mistype as introverts because they are socially awkward.
DESPITE all of these I/E shenanigans, it is not really important in terms of MBTI theory. For
example, an INTP and ENTP are actually quite similar, with just a difference in their function
orders. Don't worry too much about E/I.
P/J Distinction - This is another part that doesn't really mean what people think it means.
The common thinking is: P means that you're disorganized, spontaneous, spastic, type B. J
means you're organized, anal, Type A, always on time, etc. etc.
THESE STEREOTYPES OF P/J MEAN NOTHING. They are GENERALLY true, but that
doesn't mean jack; people just make this generalizations because it can apply to more people and
is easier to figure out what people are.
Now to the meat & potatoes part, the actual functions
So wait, why did you tell us about E/I and P/J distinctions?
The E/I Distinction and P/J Distinction are the letters that HELP aid your function ORDER.
There are 8 Total functions:
Perceptive Functions
Se: Extroverted Sensing
Si: Introverted Sensing
Ne: Extroverted iNtuition
Ni: Introverted iNtuition
Judging (or decision making) Functions
Te: Extroverted Thinking
Ti: Introverted Thinking
Fe: Extroverted Feeling
Fi: Introverted Feeling.
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Page 6
What the Perceiving Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 6 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
probable outcomes, or even predict an unusual outcome by perceiving that an assumption is
incorrect and replacing it with a new, true assumption.
Ni doesn't exactly "randomly connect information." The process isn't random. There is a reason
that you are connecting the information. The feeling of randomness arises from the conclusions
often being surprising and ironically "non-intuitive." Especially in the case of Ni discovering
false assumptions, the new true assumption will imply things that could never have been derived
from the false assumption.
Similarly, Ni acts as that "metaphorical x-ray" by zeroing in on false assumptions, and
determining true assumptions that, in the case of an Fe user, would determine the true
motivations of others, or in the case of a Te user, would determine a truth about how a process
(natural or manmade) really works.
Ni is not mysterious in and of itself, but the way it works easily eludes explanation, because,
well, it's intuition, and intuition is full of guesses and hunches whose cause cannot easily be
addressed. However, the kinds of things it does can be understood after the fact, especially in the
INTJ case using Te: Ni quickly arrives at a correct solution, and Te can objectively analyze
initial data and assumptions, final data and correct conclusions, and show how the ideas all
relate. (With Fe, it tends to retain a mysterious character, because the observations are
subjective.)"
Good video comparing Ne and Ni
Se Extroverted sensing (SPs more pronounced, first or second function and NJs, less
pronounced, third or fourth function)
Se is a function that is used to fully experience the outside world. Se takes in relevant facts in a
concrete context from the outside world. Se users are very in touch with things that are literally
happening within their senses. Touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing. Se users are constantly trying
to get in more information from the physical world (similar to Ne, who are constantly trying to
get information from the abstract world). These people live completely in the moment.
Si Introverted Sensing (SJs more pronounced, 1st or 2nd function and NPs, third or fourth
function)
Introverted sensors take up about 60ish% of our population. Introverted sensing is the function
that takes relevant senses, and compares them with previous occurrences. This is why your SJ
types (introverted sensors) are the traditionalists. They are constantly comparing things and how
they used to be or how they should be. They say, "how does this compare to how it was before"
constantly.
Good video describing Si vs Se
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Page 7
What the Judging Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 7 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
Judging/Decision making functions:
Te Extroverted Thinking (TJs more pronounced, first or second function, and FPs less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
The extroverted decision making functions are going to be about manifestation in reality.
Extroverted thinking is more: how can I make this work, how can I do this efficiently, what steps
can I use to do this in the best way. Te is about the results and how to achieve them. Te is about
using reliable methods to get predictable and noticeable results.
Ti Introverted Thinking (TPs more pronounced, first or second function, FJs less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
Introverted thinking is much more about consistency, analysis of all the little ideas, and
comparing them to other ideas and processes to determine what is valid and what isn't. Ti is
looking for the actual deep logical truth, to get to the very core of what something is logically. Ti
is about finding the exact word or phrase or thought processes to explicitly explain what
something is and why. Ti will look at different sides of an issue and determine where the logical
inconsistencies are.
Here is a good video comparing Ti and Te
Fe Extroverted Feeling (FJs more pronounced, first or second function, and TP s less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
Deals with emotions, but in an outward way. Fe will show in its need to have other people
around them to be happy. Fe users will be happy when the people around them are happy. These
are people that are likely to be quite good with group situations, working together, or in
situations where they are helping people. Extroverted feelers (especially FJs). Fe will manifest
itself in ways such as cheering people up, making compromises to make everyone happy, Fe is
more like sympathy whereas Fi is more related towards empathy.
The differences between Fe and Fi are similar to Te and Ti. Fe is more practical and efficient
about feelings. It's about seeing tangible results in others and yourself in a group being happy. Fi
on the other hand will be more absolute, and about internal feelings and consistency.
Fi Introverted Feeling (FPs most pronounced, first or second function, TJs, less pronounced,
third or fourth function.)
Fi is more about ethics, internal emotions, and how they relate their internal feelings and
harmony with the world. It will be more absolute. Just how Ti checks the logical constancy with
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
Page 8
What the Judging Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 8 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
internal logic, Fi checks the emotional and value driven consistency with personal feelings. You
will find Fi users will want to make decisions based on how it will interact with how they feel
internally, rather than how it would make others feel around them (Fe). Fi is a type much more
likely to do what THEY personally feel that they want to do, whereas an Fe type might do
something even if they don't want to because it will make others feel better.
Fi is also another function quite hard to describe like Ni, but here is a good link.
Rounding things out, here is doctorjuice1's last comparison video, for Fi and Fe
----------------------------------------------
So now that we've given a pretty apt description of the functions. How
can we use this to type people, relate to people, etc. etc.?
The good thing is that the BEST way to type people is function by function. Read all the
stereotypes you want on the internet, this might help somewhat just because its more knowledge
about the system, and just lets you learn more in general. but if you really want to be able to
type people accurately, you need to learn the functions
So what are good ways to discover peoples functions??
How to notice certain functions
A note before I write some descriptions to notice the functions is that its good to remember that
certain functions always work together. If you have Te, you are an Fi user. If you are an obvious
Se user, then you definitely have Ni. This is good to know because it will let you eliminate
certain possibilities. If you are POSITIVE that someone uses Se, then you will know that they
are NOT a NP or SJ type.
Also One thing you will notice is that extroverted functions will generally be easier to notice,
because they are extroverted in nature. When you can find the most dominant functions that
someone uses, (first and second) you can tell their type to an accuracy, because of the pattern it
follows (last function is opposite of primary function, second function is opposite of third
function).
Learning the functions is the #1 important thing, and with typing people it only gets easier
because you can start to notice how functions manifest more and more.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions
by http://www.reddit.com/user/glabius
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 1 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
Hey guys, I've been meaning to write something like this for a while. I've been interested in
Myers Briggs for about 3 years, and its something that has always been on my mind. I've been
working on this post for a few days (and for a long time as I've thought about it).
I find MBTI interesting, useful, and eye-opening for a few reasons
1. Knowing that different people are different and why can help you relate better to others.
2. You can understand yourself better, and how you function.
3. You can use the information to get what you or a group wants by compromising to what
people want (because you actually know what people want now)
Now for some people are going to be skeptics. I've heard it all before, "A personality test cannot
define me!" "MBTI is just horoscopes!" and to a certain extent this is true. The tests that you will
find online are BAD Furthermore, the stereotypes you will find online are simply that,
stereotypical.
Of course the stereotype that relates to your type will be easy to fit into, but honestly a lot of the
stereotypes will be easier to see yourself as because they are generally positive reviews.
But the basis for MBTI, the function analysis, is very useful. And although people will say "these
personality tests are bull, everyone is different," I have personally NEVER found anyone who
does not fall into one of the 16 function orders. The fact of the matter is MBTI is NOT a specific
test. It measures TWO things, and two things only.
1. How do you perceive information from the world
2. How do you use that information to make decisions, in what way.
Since most people (all mentally stable individuals) fall into one of the 16 orders, you CAN make
"stereotypes" that will sound like those individuals, but there is DEFINITELY more to your
personality and character than that. But, the function order that MBTI gives us can REALLY
help us learn more about specific people.
In this I'm going to break down what the "letters" mean, and what each function means. You
can't learn JACK about MBTI until you have learned the functions. People get all caught up in
the letters when really they mean nothing. For example, people will say "Am I an ENTJ or
ENTP?" when an ENTJ and ENTP are almost complete opposites.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
http://www.docudesk.com
Page 2
How Intro/Extraversion and Judging/Perceiving
Affect Function Dominance
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 2 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
How the Letters Work
E/I Distinction - Are you an extrovert or introvert? Now, this is one thing that a lot of people get
caught up on ("I'm both!!") in terms of MBTI theory. This does not mean if you are social, not
social, or whatever.
Generally, in other personality theories (not MBTI) the E/I distinction means where you get your
energy from:
1. Can you feel restless when not interacting socially? Do you enjoy or are not bothered by
crowds of people? Are you energized by being around people? Probably extrovert.
HOWEVER extroverts that are socially awkward and have bad social experiences may
mistype themselves as introverts.
2. Do you like being around people, but more generally in smaller settings? Do you feel like
you need to recharge after being out with people? Do you feel uneasy sometimes if you
spend every day of a weekend out with groups of people? Probably an introvert.
Sometimes introverts will mistype themselves as extroverts because they are good socially.
Sometimes extroverts will mistype as introverts because they are socially awkward.
DESPITE all of these I/E shenanigans, it is not really important in terms of MBTI theory. For
example, an INTP and ENTP are actually quite similar, with just a difference in their function
orders. Don't worry too much about E/I.
P/J Distinction - This is another part that doesn't really mean what people think it means.
The common thinking is: P means that you're disorganized, spontaneous, spastic, type B. J
means you're organized, anal, Type A, always on time, etc. etc.
THESE STEREOTYPES OF P/J MEAN NOTHING. They are GENERALLY true, but that
doesn't mean jack; people just make this generalizations because it can apply to more people and
is easier to figure out what people are.
Now to the meat & potatoes part, the actual functions
So wait, why did you tell us about E/I and P/J distinctions?
The E/I Distinction and P/J Distinction are the letters that HELP aid your function ORDER.
There are 8 Total functions:
Perceptive Functions
Se: Extroverted Sensing
Si: Introverted Sensing
Ne: Extroverted iNtuition
Ni: Introverted iNtuition
Judging (or decision making) Functions
Te: Extroverted Thinking
Ti: Introverted Thinking
Fe: Extroverted Feeling
Fi: Introverted Feeling.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
Page 6
What the Perceiving Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 6 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
probable outcomes, or even predict an unusual outcome by perceiving that an assumption is
incorrect and replacing it with a new, true assumption.
Ni doesn't exactly "randomly connect information." The process isn't random. There is a reason
that you are connecting the information. The feeling of randomness arises from the conclusions
often being surprising and ironically "non-intuitive." Especially in the case of Ni discovering
false assumptions, the new true assumption will imply things that could never have been derived
from the false assumption.
Similarly, Ni acts as that "metaphorical x-ray" by zeroing in on false assumptions, and
determining true assumptions that, in the case of an Fe user, would determine the true
motivations of others, or in the case of a Te user, would determine a truth about how a process
(natural or manmade) really works.
Ni is not mysterious in and of itself, but the way it works easily eludes explanation, because,
well, it's intuition, and intuition is full of guesses and hunches whose cause cannot easily be
addressed. However, the kinds of things it does can be understood after the fact, especially in the
INTJ case using Te: Ni quickly arrives at a correct solution, and Te can objectively analyze
initial data and assumptions, final data and correct conclusions, and show how the ideas all
relate. (With Fe, it tends to retain a mysterious character, because the observations are
subjective.)"
Good video comparing Ne and Ni
Se Extroverted sensing (SPs more pronounced, first or second function and NJs, less
pronounced, third or fourth function)
Se is a function that is used to fully experience the outside world. Se takes in relevant facts in a
concrete context from the outside world. Se users are very in touch with things that are literally
happening within their senses. Touch, taste, smell, sight, hearing. Se users are constantly trying
to get in more information from the physical world (similar to Ne, who are constantly trying to
get information from the abstract world). These people live completely in the moment.
Si Introverted Sensing (SJs more pronounced, 1st or 2nd function and NPs, third or fourth
function)
Introverted sensors take up about 60ish% of our population. Introverted sensing is the function
that takes relevant senses, and compares them with previous occurrences. This is why your SJ
types (introverted sensors) are the traditionalists. They are constantly comparing things and how
they used to be or how they should be. They say, "how does this compare to how it was before"
constantly.
Good video describing Si vs Se
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
Page 7
What the Judging Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 7 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
Judging/Decision making functions:
Te Extroverted Thinking (TJs more pronounced, first or second function, and FPs less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
The extroverted decision making functions are going to be about manifestation in reality.
Extroverted thinking is more: how can I make this work, how can I do this efficiently, what steps
can I use to do this in the best way. Te is about the results and how to achieve them. Te is about
using reliable methods to get predictable and noticeable results.
Ti Introverted Thinking (TPs more pronounced, first or second function, FJs less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
Introverted thinking is much more about consistency, analysis of all the little ideas, and
comparing them to other ideas and processes to determine what is valid and what isn't. Ti is
looking for the actual deep logical truth, to get to the very core of what something is logically. Ti
is about finding the exact word or phrase or thought processes to explicitly explain what
something is and why. Ti will look at different sides of an issue and determine where the logical
inconsistencies are.
Here is a good video comparing Ti and Te
Fe Extroverted Feeling (FJs more pronounced, first or second function, and TP s less
pronounced, third or fourth function.)
Deals with emotions, but in an outward way. Fe will show in its need to have other people
around them to be happy. Fe users will be happy when the people around them are happy. These
are people that are likely to be quite good with group situations, working together, or in
situations where they are helping people. Extroverted feelers (especially FJs). Fe will manifest
itself in ways such as cheering people up, making compromises to make everyone happy, Fe is
more like sympathy whereas Fi is more related towards empathy.
The differences between Fe and Fi are similar to Te and Ti. Fe is more practical and efficient
about feelings. It's about seeing tangible results in others and yourself in a group being happy. Fi
on the other hand will be more absolute, and about internal feelings and consistency.
Fi Introverted Feeling (FPs most pronounced, first or second function, TJs, less pronounced,
third or fourth function.)
Fi is more about ethics, internal emotions, and how they relate their internal feelings and
harmony with the world. It will be more absolute. Just how Ti checks the logical constancy with
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
Page 8
What the Judging Functions Do
Comprehensive Explanation of Cognitive Functions Page 8 of 10
from http://www.reddit.com/r/mbti/comments/182ri9/comprehensive_mbti_post/
internal logic, Fi checks the emotional and value driven consistency with personal feelings. You
will find Fi users will want to make decisions based on how it will interact with how they feel
internally, rather than how it would make others feel around them (Fe). Fi is a type much more
likely to do what THEY personally feel that they want to do, whereas an Fe type might do
something even if they don't want to because it will make others feel better.
Fi is also another function quite hard to describe like Ni, but here is a good link.
Rounding things out, here is doctorjuice1's last comparison video, for Fi and Fe
----------------------------------------------
So now that we've given a pretty apt description of the functions. How
can we use this to type people, relate to people, etc. etc.?
The good thing is that the BEST way to type people is function by function. Read all the
stereotypes you want on the internet, this might help somewhat just because its more knowledge
about the system, and just lets you learn more in general. but if you really want to be able to
type people accurately, you need to learn the functions
So what are good ways to discover peoples functions??
How to notice certain functions
A note before I write some descriptions to notice the functions is that its good to remember that
certain functions always work together. If you have Te, you are an Fi user. If you are an obvious
Se user, then you definitely have Ni. This is good to know because it will let you eliminate
certain possibilities. If you are POSITIVE that someone uses Se, then you will know that they
are NOT a NP or SJ type.
Also One thing you will notice is that extroverted functions will generally be easier to notice,
because they are extroverted in nature. When you can find the most dominant functions that
someone uses, (first and second) you can tell their type to an accuracy, because of the pattern it
follows (last function is opposite of primary function, second function is opposite of third
function).
Learning the functions is the #1 important thing, and with typing people it only gets easier
because you can start to notice how functions manifest more and more.
PDF Created with deskPDF PDF Writer - Trial :: http://www.docudesk.com
