Si and Ni - how to tell the difference?

[wanderlust]

I've been trying to type some of my friends, and most of the extroverts can usually tell whether they're Se or Ne, and so can I, but the some of the introverts are having trouble. They relate to both descriptions.

I guess it's easier to know which you have a preference for yourself, and I can't really tell which they have a preference for being on the outside. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, I'm just seeing them as a whole?

So I was wondering if you guys could give me some example of the differences between Si and Ni. Please don't just say abstract or concrete, because they can relate to both of those depending on the situation.

I was hoping for some questions I could ask them so we could become more clear to what each of them has a preference for. Also maybe some situational or conversation examples, so it would be easier for me to tell from the outside?

Thanks so much to anyone that helps! I'm pretty new at this, and a bit lost.

 

[Frank]

I've been trying to type some of my friends, and most of the extroverts can usually tell whether they're Se or Ne, and so can I, but the some of the introverts are having trouble. They relate to both descriptions.

I guess it's easier to know which you have a preference for yourself, and I can't really tell which they have a preference for being on the outside. Maybe I'm not looking hard enough, I'm just seeing them as a whole?

So I was wondering if you guys could give me some example of the differences between Si and Ni. Please don't just say abstract or concrete, because they can relate to both of those depending on the situation.

I was hoping for some questions I could ask them so we could become more clear to what each of them has a preference for. Also maybe some situational or conversation examples, so it would be easier for me to tell from the outside?

Thanks so much to anyone that helps! I'm pretty new at this, and a bit lost.

This could be way off but one area that always stood out as difference to me between sj and nj is the views on tradition and authority. I am not sure if it is a decisive factor but you may want to see which side of the fence you fall on for those issues to give you a better idea.As far as describing the difference between si and ni, I'm not the one for that.

 

[Cimarron]

I love when people give me this reminder, so maybe it will useful to you, too: Remember that Si and Ni are not decision-making processes. They're information-gathering processes, so they happen before you ever make a decision. Even though I know this about the theory, I forget it sometimes when I'm caught up in analyzing things.

Si is about recalling things that actually happened or existed, as people say. But not just that, also remembering how it "seemed" or "appeared" or "felt to me." Sentimentality can involve Si, I think. Maybe phrases like "this reminds me of (some event or experience they went through)" could be indicators? I think of it like Grandpa on his rocking chair, telling stories of his youth.

What I've noticed with recent Si-moments is that when I recall something, the people I'm telling remember it, too. They just might not have pulled up that memory on their own. With Ni, the people in the room probably won't see it also. But maybe I just think that because I'm not very in touch with Ni, and neither is my family.

I hope I haven't said anything misleading.

Here is a thread where we tried to explore Si: http://www.typologycentral.com/foru...-matrices/11217-describe-si-more-clearly.html

 

[EcK]

As an Entp my Ne runs wild.

I'll try to give a few elements that may be related to my Ne.
I See things as systems rather than isolated facts.
For example, today I did a psych test while watching a movie. So i'm not focused on the structure of the test or each individual questions and more or less answering on autopilot.
Yet when my 'Ti' processes the information, i'll effortlessly notice if the test was biased and why. Even if I won't recall 'individual examples' or something like that.

Ne seems to be a less 'specific' information gathering system. But it's very good at recognizing paterns out of what seems to be 'random connections'.

About my time perception, again maybe it's just me but: I almost never ever think about past events. And what I 'learned' from my past experience is just a part of my 'present state', but I'll never compare two situation directly in a conscious way.

Compared to S types, I find intuition very unconscious for lack of a better word

 

[am_i_evil666]

I'd like to hear more on this topic. I'm sorry though I can't provide any helpful answer....I'm quite incapacitated when it comes to mbti functions and theory.

 

[The Ü™]

Si is the awareness of personal comfort and aesthetics -- sensations that relate to the self as opposed to objective awareness of sensations (Se).

Ni is the awareness of the imagery of the mind -- but rather than extroverting their visions like Ne would, Ni muses upon them.

Si types often seem very calm and passive, Ni types often look more melancholy with a sense of longing.

 

[Cimarron]

Personal comfort, true. Sensations as related to the self, describes it well, if you think about it.

 

[FDG]

The first step to understanding the problem correctly and easily is to see that Si types are not the SJ's in general, but ISTP ISFP ESTJ ESFJ (thus changing the S/N axis gives the correspondent intuitive group - INTP INFP ENTJ ENFJ). Then you will notice how all of them prefer to relate descriptions of physical(if ISTP or ESTJ) or emotional(if ISFP or ESFJ) phenomena to systems (cause-effect systems) that are "direct" and "immediately observable". Ni types instead relate physical (if INTP or ENTJ) and emotional (if INFP or ENFJ) phenomena to systems that are "symbolic" or "abstract". If it's an example that you need, I will give you one of ENTJ and ESTJ.

First, where an ESTJ strategy is successful and an ENTJ strategy is not:
ESTJ: "My tooth is aching because I have eaten sugary food"
ENTJ: "My tooth is aching because of the conjugate action of a quantity of self-replicating bacteria interacting with each other"
Then, where an ENTJ strategy is successful and an ESTJ is not:
ESTJ: "The stock market went up because they decided to bail out GM"
ENTJ: "The stock market went up because of the systematic expectations of the agents on the behavior of their neighboring agents, which is in line with what was predicted by the diffusion model"

 

[wanderlust]

What I've noticed with recent Si-moments is that when I recall something, the people I'm telling remember it, too. They just might not have pulled up that memory on their own. With Ni, the people in the room probably won't see it also.

Why do you think this is?

Thanks for the link BTW.

Si types often seem very calm and passive, Ni types often look more melancholy with a sense of longing.

So are Ni types more liking to daydream then? Or zone out during a conversation or class?

 

[cascadeco]

So are Ni types more liking to daydream then? Or zone out during a conversation or class?

Probably.

Even recently, when I was taking a spanish class with 3 other students, at the end of the week the teacher threw some expressions on the board, one of which was: "...estar en la luna", which basically means daydreaming or lost in thought. And she pointed at me, and everyone laughed (including myself! I was thinking...wow...it's not that I'm not paying attention, I just tend to space out quite a lot, and my mind starts drifting to other topics while the teacher is talking about stuff! It's involuntary, it just happens.)

Comparing my ISFJ friend (Si dominant) to myself, I'd say she's much more preoccupied with day to day matters, and tasks, and getting things done around her house and helping her grandson and daughter out in tangible ways. Me, I don't get as much done; not as task-oriented as she, I don't think. I tend to muse a lot more, just think about stuff, and day-to-day things tend to annoy me. Whereas I think it gives her pleasure to scratch things off her to-do list.

Also, when describing her weekend, she'll go into incredible detail, and she'll *speak about the details* and she remembers everything. Me, I am quite vague, I don't think the details are terribly important (or even interesting) and sometimes have to think hard to remember what I did two days ago -- because the little things aren't as important to me, so I don't make it a point to remember, maybe.

 

[The Ü™]

So are Ni types more liking to daydream then? Or zone out during a conversation or class?

Yes.

 

[Apollanaut]

So are Ni types more liking to daydream then? Or zone out during a conversation or class?

I'm sorry, what was the question again? I totally zoned out

 

[Skyward]

Also, when describing her weekend, she'll go into incredible detail, and she'll *speak about the details* and she remembers everything. Me, I am quite vague, I don't think the details are terribly important (or even interesting) and sometimes have to think hard to remember what I did two days ago -- because the little things aren't as important to me, so I don't make it a point to remember, maybe.

Ni seems to remember what impeded or sparked the imagination. Discomforts like cold, headaches, et c and great things (Like a concert of great musicians).

Ni also is more vague, and less sure when describing things, Si has concrete evidence, and thus is sure of themself (Though the evidence might be wrong). Ni might see what might be missing and gets less sure.

Si can spot contradictions a mile away. Ni doesn't see them often (At least in my case)

I'm sorry, what was the question again? I totally zoned out

That kind of thing gets me in so much trouble in chemistry labs

 

[Skyward]

INFJs seem more concerned with having loved ones grow and become better people while ISFJs seem more concerned with keeping their loved ones safe and comfortable and happy.

 

[wanderlust]

I'm sorry, what was the question again? I totally zoned out

HAHAHA I do this alllllll the time. I feel so bad too.

Si can spot contradictions a mile away. Ni doesn't see them often (At least in my case)

Why do you think this is? Ni is more likely to be open to possibilities beyond one realm?

 

[Apollanaut]

INFJs seem more concerned with having loved ones grow and become better people while ISFJs seem more concerned with keeping their loved ones safe and comfortable and happy.

That's so true!

 

[A Schnitzel]

Why do you think this is? Ni is more likely to be open to possibilities beyond one realm?

The Si internal model is more rigid, since it deals with tangible rules.

 

[edcoaching]

Also, when describing her weekend, she'll go into incredible detail, and she'll *speak about the details* and she remembers everything. Me, I am quite vague, I don't think the details are terribly important (or even interesting) and sometimes have to think hard to remember what I did two days ago -- because the little things aren't as important to me, so I don't make it a point to remember, maybe.

This is key. Si is usually sequential on such details as well. Ni tells the most interesting thing first and may get on to themes rather than what actually happened.

Other tiebreakers...Most Si's know where they park at malls, where they put their keys, why they store things where they store them, etc.

If you ask a question like, "If you could be part of any tv show, which one and why?" Si's often give practical answers--host on a travel show or being part of an ideal family, etc. Ni's immediately think of Star Trek or other fantasies...

Si also is generally aware of social norms, traditions, and needs. Ni's have to work really hard at staying attentive to such things. My mom (ISFJ) had rules like not allowing us to stir chocolate sauce into our ice cream (to make a malt in our bowl...) without asking permission for fear we would do it at Grandma's house...

 

[Cimarron]

Si can spot contradictions a mile away

even if we're not sure right away what the contradiction is, we can sense one. Someone has disturbed our comfort zone, our stability.

One thing I was just thinking about. On a relationship thread, some of us ISJs (strong Si) were saying that we waited for a relationship to just "feel right," and people were asking "what exactly are you waiting for?" This, along with other problems I try to solve, I think starts out with the info-gathering phase being loosely structured like that. And this might be when it kind of looks like Ni. Si tries to collect and soak in as much data and info as possible, then lets it settle down to get a general impression. Once Si has built that impression out of the all the info, Te or Fe goes to work structuring and organizing it, and making a decision or plan.

What do you guys think?

Si is usually sequential on such details as well. Ni tells the most interesting thing first and may get on to themes rather than what actually happened.

Yeah, Si remembers details in a sequential and direct way. This is what I meant when I said that once you pull up that detail, everyone will see it and understand it. Because it's more direct.

 

[edcoaching]

even if we're not sure right away what the contradiction is, we can sense one. Someone has disturbed our comfort zone, our stability.

One thing I was just thinking about. On a relationship thread, some of us ISJs (strong Si) were saying that we waited for a relationship to just "feel right," and people were asking "what exactly are you waiting for?" This, along with other problems I try to solve, I think starts out with the info-gathering phase being loosely structured like that. And this might be when it kind of looks like Ni. Si tries to collect and soak in as much data and info as possible, then lets it settle down to get a general impression. Once Si has built that impression out of the all the info, Te or Fe goes to work structuring and organizing it, and making a decision or plan.

What do you guys think?

That's pretty accurate. In fact if I'm coaching ISJ executives and they're mulling decisions too long, I force them out of their office, make them interact in the environ,ment that will be affected by the decision, and dang, Te or Fe kick in and they figure out how the data adds up to the best choice...