This makes sense in theory but it seems baffling that someone could have a dominant function and not be skilled in using it. It would seem particularly destructive. I wonder what kind of environmental influence would lead this to happen. One example might be parents or peers who did not value or trust the function and were highly critical or dismissive when it was used.
I don't find it baffling at all. It's merely a preference and preference doesn't equal skill. I'm not going to lie to you, I laughed when I saw a bunch of INTJs in another forum asking what Ni was. If you have to ask what something is, it's highly unlikely you're skilled at it. When is the last time you heard a cardiologist ask what angioplasty is?
For what it's worth, the INTJ who doesn't trust his Ni is a very smart young man. I anticipate a bright future for him. He's only around 20, so as he ages he may develop a trust in Ni that he hasn't had before. I have no doubt he will do great things. Crappy Ni, or not.
By the way, a friend of mine is a retired psychologist. He doesn't have much respect for MBTI and he immediately noted how likely it is for people to answer questions as they would like themselves to be, rather than how they actually are.
I know Sherlock tried to make a test for the processes that proved to be a real pain in the ass for him/her, but even though it was a hassle, I think it should have led some people to wonder about their processes and their strength. I may have scored a 16 on Ni, but does that really tell us about my "skill"? No. Hell, no. It was nothing but a superficial score, one that could easily change on some other "test." See my point? Only we know our personal strengths and weaknesses. And all the tests in the world will never reveal them in any meaningful way - least of all, Ni.
I suggest people look at what I posted in that Ni Quick Reference and honestly ask themselves how much they identify with it. I think it's a more sincere way of looking at our strengths, than continuing to take misleading tests that are actually fooling people into believing the results are a measurement of their strengths, when in reality it is just the strength of their
preference. Not skill.
One last thing - we can develop a lot of strength in non-preferred FA's. If there is an environmental demand it's bound to happen, or just happen naturally as one ages. Environment matters - home, school, and work. Along with those demands will come the development of our processes - some we might not expect.
I know I posted this link a couple months ago, but it really is worth posting again. It will get people thinking about what they may have developed along the way, and perhaps why. It will certainly get them to realize that type isn't as clear-cut as they once thought.
http://www.teamtechnology.co.uk/mmd-growth/mmd-growth.htm