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Introverts and stereotyped functions

raz

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Given that all introverts have one of four functions as their dominant:


  • Introverted Sensing
  • Introverted Intuition
  • Introverted Feeling
  • Introverted Thinking
Do you believe a lot of extraverts or people in general stereotype introversion toward a certain function, given its nature? I was thinking about this the other day. I had a feeling that the general public might correlate introversion with the nature of Introverted Feeling or Introverted Intuition, given the type of no holds barred depth that it has.

I mean, Introverted Sensing is focusing on the past, and an ISxJ's inner life is going to be focused on what they know. An IxTP's introverted function, Ti, is focused more on understanding things by establishing an internal ruleset. However, Introverted Intuition and Feeling are functions that go against the norms the most, intuition mostly, because of its nature of looking outside of the box.

I was just wondering about this when thinking about the inner life of an INxx or IxFP compared to an ISxJ. It just seems like the ISxJ stays in their head, but maintains sensational impressions rather than abstractions or depth of feeling to give off that off the wall vibe. Do you think other people, when they try to think of an introvert's inner life, they tend to think of it more toward Ni or Fi?
 

spirilis

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It's a good point. I'd tend to think that a person makes assumptions on another person's inner life based on whatever introverted functions they've found most use, e.g. an ESFJ might cast an Si-colored filter on every introvert he meets, an ENFJ might assume Ni, etc.
 

entropie

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I think yes to some degree.

Fi and Ti are strong things one can tend to realise pretty fast. Ti is a thing most commonly noticed in certain work situations. My colleagues for example rock at planning the planning and talking loudly and lengthy about their wish to finally build a website. I am the one in the end, who gets the job done. If you compare them to me, you definitly notice different thinking patterns. They are highly competent in their fields, like strategy and communication, but when it comes to technical matters or understanding any system in general, they are very likely to readily capitulate.

Fi I imagine to work equally. People with primary Fi seem to me to be pretty bond to their feelings. Its hard to help them if they feel sad or to make them smile. Thats because they seem to activate certain feelings only by themselves. And you as an outstander have not much chance to influence.

Ni at its highest is a rolemodel introvert function. Someone babbling out of this function can create the greatest ideas and views about a certain thing, but noone can follow. Or he can get caught so deeply in a certain idea he had that he wont be remembered at some point. But the user of Ni is not quite necessary to be perceived as an introvert. He can just be seen as someone, whose imagination went highwire or who has hobbies.

The primary Si I picture as the creature of habit. Who can besides that totally get lost into an exciting movie. He is in my opinion the least likely to be stereotypically viewed as an introvert, because most people dont really know what this Si really is and therefore do not notice that there is something big going on behind the fascade. Primary Si's are too the ones, who can have the strongest value system and can appear to be very rigid about seeing their morales to be fulfilled. This can be seen as stereotypical introvert, like the classical Bruce Willis saving the world alone one more time. But I dont think it would have the negative connotation that is generally connected with introverts, by general public. (Like they are alone, failed to find meaning in life, etc.).
 

NewEra

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Yeah, I think most people think of Fi more than anything else for introverts. Just because the introverted feeling has a lot of traditionally introvert qualities.
 

Quinlan

Intriguing....
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Yeah they're all quite different functions and lumping them together as "introvert" is kinda dumb, thanks Myers Briggs.
 

nightning

ish red no longer *sad*
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I'm going to be contrary and say NO.

For a typical person, introversion or more specifically being an introvert means the same thing regardless of your type.

The word introversion and extroversion has definitions defined outside of MBTI. It just so happens that the meanings for the two runs along similar lines.

Think for a moment, how many people in the general population know about MBTI? 30%? Less? Of those 30% who has heard of MBTI... how many of them knows about cognitive functions and what they mean? 10%? 30%*10% = 3% of the general population. We might as well say introversion as defined by Si, Ni, Fi, Ti doesn't "exists" to most people.

So instead what does introverted means? The general definition... of being quiet, prefer to spend time alone or with just a few close friends etc. The extra stuff about introversion as pertaining to specific types is just an add on.
 

527468

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I actually don't like the MBTI definition of introvert (or even the dictionary version). It makes introverts seem shy or at least untalkative.

Introvert from root means directed inwards. That means introverts are into the representation of themselves more than the world around them. It shouldn't mean they are necessarily less talkative. They are bound to be as social, but who wants to hear about I, I, I especially when those of that function would rather hear about I, I, I coming from inside context? Someone who talks more is bound to not value Fe, because there would be no perception of this emotional factor when they speak. Introverts thus can be quite talkative. Especially in the many realms of sane interest, psychology and any other intrapersonal field.

The functions should match this. Introverted intuition should be perception of self on a future plain, technically where all things are possible since there is no outer world weight, so this translates into an imagination of sorts. Ni also compares the field of events to find a correlation, planning, predictions etc. Extroverted intuition on the other hand means gaining insights from the outer world. Because extroverts are quite interested in the outer world, Ne users are bound to gain many aspective possibilities regarding what their interest is. Ti on the other hand is like matching inner thoughts with outer objects.

So to answer your question, yes the typical introvert can be any one of these 4 (sensing feeling think intuition.) In order to make sense of it you need the correct terminology, and to find the correct terminology you need the correct mindset. I'm done trusting dead people with their ill-explained research.
 

raz

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What I meant was that when the general population thinks of introversion on a level deeper than reserved and distant, do they tend to think of introversion in terms of specific functions and then lump that into the category of introversion ignoring the existence of the other functions?
 

Azseroffs

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I think the general population of extroverts believe introverts think too much about everything in general. I don't believe they think of it in terms of any function.
As an introvert, this is the way even I thought about it before I learned about MBTI.

Then again, I am an ITP which means I do think too much about everything in general, so my opinion is biased.
 

Orangey

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What I meant was that when the general population thinks of introversion on a level deeper than reserved and distant, do they tend to think of introversion in terms of specific functions and then lump that into the category of introversion ignoring the existence of the other functions?

I'm inclined, like someone else before me in this thread, to say that the stereotyped function would be Fi (the external manifestations of Fi). Or maybe Fi for girls, at any rate. An example of this would be when people automatically assume that the introvert is the shy, blushing type that is super sensitive and delicate. I used to get this a lot when I was younger...until I would say or do some awful thing that would quickly disabuse them of this notion.

Of course, this is coming from my experience only. As a concrete example: when I was in high school, no matter what I did to the contrary, I was always viewed as a "sweet" student. This despite my awful suspension record (I had a suspension at least once per semester, either due to lateness or skipping), my mischievousness, and my utter (often vocal or demonstrated) lack of regard for the rules.

In one case, we had this ridiculous substitute teacher for an English class, and for fun I threw a crumpled piece of paper at his back while he was turned. He became irate and demanded that the culprit give his/her self up, or else he was going to write the whole class up. I then raised my hand to confess, and he promptly "told" me that I was lying. I just shrugged. If you're introverted and you're a girl, you can do no wrong (at least in my case).

Similarly with a photography teacher of mine. I staid after school to develop some film for my project, and another teacher (that I had for another class) walked into the room to talk with the photo teacher. After a while, the other teacher directed her attention towards me to finish scolding me for something I'd done during a field trip we recently had (I threw ice out of the bus window...don't ask why). The photo teacher then voiced his astonishment that *I* would have done anything like that at all. This all on the outward introvert appearance, since he knew nothing else about me.
 
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