'I often wonder how introversion/extraversion can make that much of a difference to a function.  Don't you think that Ni and Ne are much more similar to each other than Ne and Se for example?  I don't...|||Sorry to interrupt the theorizing here, but in response to your original post simulatedworld, couldn't it be possible that the auxilliary function is just introverted for introverts, rather than...|||I've re-read parts of Psychological Types and I believe I understand now.  But I have to say, this makes me feel incredibly pessimistic about the future of humanity.  What hope do people have if they...|||While you say that the functions are attitudes rather than activities, couldnx92t it be said that they are attitudes that can be used, so in fact they are activities? A function is by definition an...|||You're probably right there.  And I relate a lot to disliking small talk and switching off when people are talking to me.  I work in a customer service job and sometimes I don't know how I make it...|||I think the problem is that Ne works unconsciously.  People always see Ni as a 'mysterious' function that no one seems to be able to describe properly, but it is often forgotten that Ne is...|||I don't think that was exactly the question I was asking -to be honest I'm not even sure what I was confused about now!  But I appreciate your answers.  I understand the cognitive functions very...|||My definitions of extraversion being objective and introversion being subjective are based on Jung's descriptions, so perhaps this is where I have caused confusion. For example, this is part of...|||I'm not sure if this is the sort of answer you are looking for, but the first thing that came into my head was eye-contact.  ISTPs seem to make much more eye-contact with me when speaking than INTPs...|||Your type: INFP  INFP: - I have only recently met someone, for the first time ever, who I believe to be INFP.  I feel we would get on extremely well if we actually opened up to each other, but both...|||Sorry for my late response Wien.  This sounds right to me -I'm wondering if describing other similar functions would make it easier to undersand Ni:  Si - Using facts in their inner world (use of...|||This makes sense thanks. But I think the main thing that puzzles me is this: why are INTJs/INFJs generally more decisive than most other types?  Does an INTJ 'explore' their unconscious in the same...|||I suppose what I meant was that a 'rational' type will use their perceiving function for a reason (because 'irrational' literally means 'without reason').  So when you say:    -I assume that...|||This was actually a reply to a thread moved from another section, so that was why I used the words as you said. I wondered where my post had gone! I didn't have the chimp picture there either -so...|||Myers Briggs - A Simple Explanation  http://personalitycafe.com/image1/asimpleexplanation.jpg   I - Subjective (Using inner information) E - Objective (Using external information)  N - Being...|||I think what you are describing is a result of Fi, so I guess all INFPs feel this way. In one description of Introverted Feeling, I like this part the most:    I always feel motivated to do...|||I bought Beren's book after you mentioned her descriptions in that other thread, so thank you for that. But although I think Beren's descriptions are clearer, I don't think Myers misunderstood Jung's...|||Actually I think we are optimistic and this causes us to be negative.  With Fi as our dominant function, we have values -ideals of how thinks should be, how we want them to be.  So when things don't...|||Thank you.  I think this is more or less what I was trying to say when talking about ESTJs.  To judge the external world with Te, they must have to use Se/Ne to perceive it at the same time.  I...|||I think I was just trying to explain my own way of seeing how people make decisions.  Ignoring all personality theories, I was simply saying that people cannot make a decision before perceiving...|||I am aware of this, but I meant that I didn't understand how any type can use a judging function before a perceiving one.  You said before:    When you say that a judgement is 'already in...|||Could you (or anyone else) explain how other theories then, such as Socionics or Beren's types, use dichotomies differently?  I don't see how any other method could be used to create a theory.  ...|||The problem is that we usually seem so calm and relaxed. So when we show people that we are actually capable of experiencing anger, they think that it's what we are hiding all the time. I live in a...|||This is why it seems to me that Myers has made a mistake. She seems to make expression and thought process the same thing, so that Fi means to both get information from one's own mind, and also be...|||I did read that a while ago actually. But despite my love of quoting things, I'm pretty bad at taking in information I read :tongue:.   Yes I should have known this. I always tend to focus too...|||And these origins are pretty ancient.  The words Artisan (SPs), Guardian (SJs), Idealist (NFs) and Rational (NTs) are translations of Plato's types from 340 B.C.|||This was written by David Keirsey:  Myers's E-I scale is badly flawed because she inherited Jung's error of confusing extraversion with observation (S) and introversion with introspection (N)|||This has actually been really hard for me to work out. When I take tests that measure my preferred functions, Fi and Ni are always equally my dominant ones. It seems that it's only because my Ne is...|||I think Keirsey's idea was that these pairings are the most 'useful' to each other.  For example, the ENTJ can give clear direction to an INFP's 'cause'.  I'd imagine (and kind of hope) that the...|||David Keirsey mentioned that we have different 'values'. For 'seeking' he said that:  SJs seek Security SPs seek Stimulation NFs seek Identity NTs seek Knowledge  And for 'yearning' he said:...|||Actually I think the main problem is that it has been written by someone else.  If it had been an autobiography (as opposed to a biography), then you would have a good point about him being...|||Myers wrote in a preface to 'Gifts Differing' that her mother (Briggs) was INFJ, and that she used her introverted intuition as insight into the meaning of type.|||I don't know about Jung, but Isabel Myers was INFP and Katharine Briggs was INFJ (according to Myers herself)|||I understand everything you've said apart from this:    If you imagine someone without any intuition at all (obviously no people like this exist, but just to help explain).  'Theory' would be a...|||You're right, I didn't take that into account.  But I think TreeBob implied that sensing can be used in a discussion of theory, so I'd like to know how this is possible.|||I don't see how sensing can be used in a discussion of theory.  Surely a sensing type still has to use intuition to even know what a theory is?    I agree with this, but I meant that sensing...|||I don't think it is really possible for us to type you from reading a forum like this.  MBTI is a theory, so it is a 'N subject'.  Whether people on here are S types or not, we all mostly have to use...|||I understand what you mean. It needs to be worked out what exactly the different theories are measuring, because they can't all be measuring the same thing. I feel that would be best left to someone...|||Within socionics theory ofcourse you are correct. Fi is the inferior function. I was saying that this differs to Jung's idea, who stated in Psychological types that the inferior function is opposite...|||On page 18. The whole chapter is called Extensions of Jung's Theory  By the way, I think we should take Socionics right out of the picture. I think Socionics' descriptions of the functions are...|||Sorry I don't understand where you have read this. To quote from Gifts Differing:  ...he lets his passion for the abstract betray him into concentrating on cases of pure introversion. He not...|||Sorry I edited my post so you didn't see this question before you replied:    This is why I don't see Myers as incorrect. She doesn't seem to have changed the definitions of each function, so...|||I posted about this here, and it made me doubt MBTI theory -Until I read Myers' Gifts Differing, which explains that Jung's descriptions ignored the auxilliary functions. I still have doubts though...|||But couldn't an Ni type come up with something amazing as well by using unconnected bits of information?  Sometimes I get so confused by how the functions work, especially how they work with each...|||I've read this too, and I think it's something all INFPs should read.  I think Buddhist values are very similar to the values we have, and thinking like they do is probably the best way to make us...|||I agree with all of these comments because I can relate to them myself.  I think my reason for asking was because I was expecting him to have an interest for these same reasons, and was surprised...|||Earlier today I was explaining MBTI theory to an INTJ (I got him to take the test a while ago but he has never known about the actual theory). He seemed very interested at first, but after some time...|||Yeah that's a good point.  So the 'evil' doesn't lie within humans themselves, but in what they have created -modern society.  Even though it was created with good intentions.|||I often think about this too -it seems like a common INFP thing to feel like you are the protagonist in the story of life. Of course the chances are we never will change the world on a grand scale,...'