[Jungian Cognitive Functions] Ni - What the hell is it?

[Norexan]

If you think cognitive functions are simple, you are either a psychological genius or way too simplistic.

I don't think cognitive functions are simple.
I think how they operate for each case can be simple explain.

 

[Ashtart]

Right.

I use my Fe and Se to pick up on details about a person's mood. Ni and Ti work together to form theories as to why said person is acting said way. Oftentimes, my Ni conclusions never leave my head, but if the opportunity arises, say a friend in need starts talking about their struggles, then I will willingly engage my Fe in a manner which I think will best suit their needs. But yeah, Ni is weird because it's not very public at all, even when we use it, because when we use our Ni wisdom, we are still considerate of the feelings of the other involved, so we may carefully word things so as not to make the other uncomfortable. For example, if a friend is struggling with a relationship, I'm not just gonna say "it's cuz you have shit self-esteem and your dad was a piece of crap so you don't know how to accept authentic love and instead keep trying to earn it from assholes." Although I know all of this because of Ni, I'm going to be very careful with how I approach the situation because of Fe.

I will try to give you my perspective. I have a rather underdeveloped Fe (Ni-Ti loop kinda), so things may not work for me exactly like how it works with the "INFJ standard". I collect information of things with my Se (and with "things" I really mean things, I don't pay that much of attention to people in general, not rn). Then, with some sort of data of information that I've collected with my Se, my Ni begins to work to turn all the information into one idea/theory. Of course my Ti helps in the process of judging all this information and, because of the fact that it is a heavy Ti, my judgments may come out as more logical/harsh. Then, my Fe put these ideas/theories out, but they have a very clumsy nature because I have some issues with my Fe atm. When in a more healthy state, I really notice a difference in the way I act socially/interact/demonstrate my ideas.

I hope I didn't make much of a mess with this explanation. Having to explain what your brain is thinking is a hard process for a strong Ni user and I assume you know all too well what I'm saying.

 

[Peter Deadpan]

I will try to give you my perspective. I have a rather underdeveloped Fe (Ni-Ti loop kinda), so things may not work for me exactly like how it works with the "INFJ standard". I collect information of things with my Se (and with "things" I really mean things, I don't pay that much of attention to people in general, not rn). Then, with some sort of data of information that I've collected with my Se, my Ni begins to work to turn all the information into one idea/theory. Of course my Ti helps in the process of judging all this information and, because of the fact that it is a heavy Ti, my judgments may come out as more logical/harsh. Then, my Fe put these ideas/theories out, but they have a very clumsy nature because I have some issues with my Fe atm. When in a more healthy state, I really notice a difference in the way I act socially/interact/demonstrate my ideas.

I hope I didn't make much of a mess with this explanation. Having to explain what your brain is thinking is a hard process for a strong Ni user and I assume you know all too well what I'm saying.

And you've ruled out ISTP as your type? Just wondering if that's an angle you've examined. I haven't been active lately so I definitely don't know you well enough to theorize.

 

[Ashtart]

And you've ruled out ISTP as your type? Just wondering if that's an angle you've examined. I haven't been active lately so I definitely don't know you well enough to theorize.

Yes, ISTP definitely is not my type. I get that a lot, actually. But I've been for more than 7 years studying MBTI now and I'm quite confident about my INFJness. Also, I believe that, in MBTI, the dichotomies mean something. I'm not a sensor, not a thinker and even less a perceiver.

 

[Norexan]

How INFJs judge people...

 

[Ashtart]

How INFJs judge people...

That seems highly scientific.
Anyway, that image holds some truth. Still, it is too simplified to explain how actually 4 functions work to operate a cognitive process.

 

[Dreamer]

Right.

I use my Fe and Se to pick up on details about a person's mood. Ni and Ti work together to form theories as to why said person is acting said way. Oftentimes, my Ni conclusions never leave my head, but if the opportunity arises, say a friend in need starts talking about their struggles, then I will willingly engage my Fe in a manner which I think will best suit their needs. But yeah, Ni is weird because it's not very public at all, even when we use it, because when we use our Ni wisdom, we are still considerate of the feelings of the other involved, so we may carefully word things so as not to make the other uncomfortable. For example, if a friend is struggling with a relationship, I'm not just gonna say "it's cuz you have shit self-esteem and your dad was a piece of crap so you don't know how to accept authentic love and instead keep trying to earn it from assholes." Although I know all of this because of Ni, I'm going to be very careful with how I approach the situation because of Fe.

I personally find the differences between how types read people and learn to truly understand them absolutely fascinating! I feel that must be a trademark of Ni/Se, is to read people based on external signs, gestures, behaviors and the such. That Se is seeing all this data right in front of you and the Ni is what puts it all to use to see the bigger picture. It makes so much sense to me, but I just don't, and quite frankly, can't do that. Even if someone were to tell me of their personal ticks and mannerisms, I wouldn't be astute enough to pick up on them. Leave me alone to pick up on people's mannerisms and good luck, call me dead. I noticed over the years, that I tend to understand people best through their creations, through their words, their thoughts. My Ne constantly picks out the Fi that I know of my own world, laced and weaved into absolutely everything that permeates from within a person. When I see a painting of theirs, a song they've written, even someone's avatar they choose on this site, I am reading their outwardly expressed emotions. I find these differences interesting because I feel like I am "seeing" someone very indirectly in this way, as if I am reading their signature. Whereas with INFJs, INTJs as well, they tend to read people directly.

 

[Norexan]

That seems highly scientific.
Anyway, that image holds some truth. Still, it is too simplified to explain how actually 4 functions work to operate a cognitive process.

I draw it this image. I can draw it for any type. It is so funny by the way...

Well my theory is...
You are the starship!

Dom is the Capitan - who navigate starship where they will go.
Aux is your No 1 - who constantly cooperate with Captain in healthy ship of-course .
Ter is your Counselor - who talk when something must deeply research , also when something is wrong with ships or the Captain himself...
Inf is Engineer who maintain that everything is work perfectly. Usually his voice is down as long as everything is ok and sometimes nobody listen to him...

 

[Population: 1]

I personally find the differences between how types read people and learn to truly understand them absolutely fascinating! I feel that must be a trademark of Ni/Se, is to read people based on external signs, gestures, behaviors and the such. That Se is seeing all this data right in front of you and the Ni is what puts it all to use to see the bigger picture. It makes so much sense to me, but I just don't, and quite frankly, can't do that. Even if someone were to tell me of their personal ticks and mannerisms, I wouldn't be astute enough to pick up on them. Leave me alone to pick up on people's mannerisms and good luck, call me dead. I noticed over the years, that I tend to understand people best through their creations, through their words, their thoughts. My Ne constantly picks out the Fi that I know of my own world, laced and weaved into absolutely everything that permeates from within a person. When I see a painting of theirs, a song they've written, even someone's avatar they choose on this site, I am reading their outwardly expressed emotions. I find these differences interesting because I feel like I am "seeing" someone very indirectly in this way, as if I am reading their signature. Whereas with INFJs, INTJs as well, they tend to read people directly.

A person's music library is a window into their soul too. A lot of my emotions dwell within the music I listen to.

Sorry, back to Ni which baffles and amazes me. A very interesting discussion.

 

[Ashtart]

I draw it this image. I can draw it for any type. It is so funny by the way...

Well my theory is...
You are the starship!

Dom is the Capitan - who navigate starship where they will go.
Aux is your No 1 - who constantly cooperate with Captain in healthy ship of-course .
Ter is your Counselor - who talk when something must deeply research , also when something is wrong with ships or the Captain himself...
Inf is Engineer who maintain that everything is work perfectly. Usually his voice is down as long as everything is ok and sometimes nobody listen to him...

You need clearly improvement in your theory, but it is a good start. As you perfect it, keep me updated.

 

[Forever]

How INFJs judge people...

Lol

 

[Norexan]

QUESTION TIME.
Why ENTJ are called Executives?

 

[Forever]

QUESTION TIME.
Why ENTJ are called Executives?

Omg

 

[Norexan]

QUESTION TIME.
Why INTJs think they are some of sort of gods?

 

[Siúil a Rúin]

Jung describes Ni as an "abstraction of an abstraction", and yet I keep hearing people apply it in such concrete ways (not referring to this thread, but just generalized, random comments). It is a completely different way of relating to reality.

Last night I sat next to an INFJ at my work meeting and she was talking about her dissertation committee and whether or not she was going to be completing her degree. She had the most fanciful way of telling the story, and remarked that her committee didn't know what to do with her ideas and that the word "esoteric" came up, after which she laughed.

Ni is not jumping to conclusions about social interactions. It is not jumping to conclusions about ideas. It is an entirely abstracted way of interacting with the world that is quite unmistakable when encountered.

 

[deathwarmedup]

Ni - What the hell is it?

Isolating the concepts from labels and context, perceiving them afresh.

 

[Peter Deadpan]

Isolating the concepts from labels and context, perceiving them afresh.

Where do you people who have been here 5 years but have 50 posts come from?

 

[great_bay]

All of these descriptions are confusing as heck. Here is a simple one given by this site.


"Ni is about Foreseeing implications, transformations, and likely effects."
INTJs and their 8 cognitive functions

Ni foresees an implications. Ni tells a person what's going to happen. Simple as that, really. INTJs are called masterminds because they can foreseen an implication. INTJ can foresee what's going to happen is.

I technically use Ni as my sixth function and it feels amazing and I feel like I am XNTJ. It feels like a secret side of my personality that I never knew existed. I feel like I am a mastermind for a brief period of time.

 

[Dashy CVII]

Here are two links on Ni and the other functions that ignore "preferences," and concern more with the cognitive distinction between opposite types. For instance, for a while it has been thought that INTJ and INTP are not 1 letter difference apart, that there is a spectrum of more accurate information to focus on, where J/P preference doesn't work for primary functions and can go ignored. Cognitive functions are in theory there to provide a much deeper understanding of how a type thinks. I am going to post the concise version next.

Functions > Preferences - Official Thread
How You Use Your Brain - Based On Your Myers-Briggs(R) Personality Type - Psychology Junkie

 

[Dashy CVII]

I don't like to make too many extra assumptions on Ni, because it's a simple function and there are people who type as Percieving who are Ni dominants who may get confused at the Judging definitions of Ni. Ni and Ne are primary Perceiving functions that adhere to open possibilities. The difference is that, Ni refers to possibilities and ideas in inward perception, devoid of outward perception (Pe), while Ne refers to possibilities and ideas in the external moment and external things happening. It is outward perception. I think the foundation for this is well-described in the links in my signature as well as Lenore Thomson's book. So these are the easiest base descriptions with, I believe, no extra assumptions. Whether you're an Ni type or Ne type (in MBTI as well as Socionics) is not something you'll know from an MBTI preference test, I think it's just something you realize for yourself.

Introverted Intuition - from Personalityhacker.com and Dario Nardi
"You naturally perspective-shift to understand a problem or situation from all possible angles. People haven't spent nearly as much time as you thinking about various angles to something. You find it intrinsically rewarding to refine ideas and concepts where others don't, and because of this you are naturally insightful. When given a problem or mystery, your brain tries to harness every neocortex region together in order to “realize” an answer from different angles. Each brain region provides a different perspective, and you're able to reconcile various unusual perspectives to find a best-fit answer or strategy to a problem or puzzle. You naturally observe your own mind forming patterns, and easily get into the perspective of others. One relevant example of Ni is "There are different perspectives for categorizing people in a typology system like MBTI. People have different perspectives on their own systems and takes on the functions. Thus, for an Ni dominant, it makes it hard to get too caught up in one way over another."

Extroverted Intuition - from Personalityhacker.com and Dario Nardi
You naturally find connections between disparate things in the outside world, pushing buttons and looking for patterns. By opening up to all possibilities, you are able to create connections between people, ideas, objects, or places that discover new and unheard-of ways of thinking. You love to ask the question “What if?” and few things are as satisfying as blazing a new trail, often in both a literal and metaphoric sense. While most personality types focus in on related brain regions to answer certain questions, you naturally use trans-contextual thinking to include brain regions that seem to be unrelated to the question at hand. This helps you discover unusual relationships between situations. Most people, for instance, upon hearing the words “dog” and “cat” will evoke auditory regions and perhaps some visual or memory regions. However, you get busy trying each region at a time …for instance, you suddenly imagine a story about two brothers, one of whom is faithful and sociable (like a dog) while the other is independent and quiet (like a cat)."