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Call and Response functions, instead of Conscious and Unconscious functions?

Pionart

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,024
MBTI Type
NiFe
I'm suggesting that the first 4 functions be called the "call functions", and the latter 4 be called the "response functions".

The term "unconscious" has likely been a misnomer since the beginning.

Regarding the latter 4 functions, we are still aware of their usage, and can wield them intentionally, even if this is relatively difficult compared to the first 4 functions. What I do notice, however, is that the latter 4 functions often occur as a response to the first 4. For example, a reponse of Te might show the applications of a theoretical principle from call Ti. A response Ti might make a principle of some procedure enacted by call Te. (and so on for the other pairs of functions).

This seems true of myself in many ways in which my latter 4 functions operate, at least as far as I have observed.

What do you think? Does this alternate terminology fit your experience/understanding?
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,706
MBTI Type
ZNTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Lately I have tended to frame it more as many people will not show complete I/E differentiation of at least one of their functions, and so in this case, they are able to access both in a sense. But I still think it is like a teeter totter, like the more a function is differentiated, the more its I/E counterpart is going to be pushed away by necessity.
 

Pionart

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,024
MBTI Type
NiFe
Lately I have tended to frame it more as many people will not show complete I/E differentiation of at least one of their functions, and so in this case, they are able to access both in a sense. But I still think it is like a teeter totter, like the more a function is differentiated, the more its I/E counterpart is going to be pushed away by necessity.

I think there are all sorts of things that can happen with cognitive functions. I don't think we're purely just one type. So I'm INFJ, but sometimes I'm INFP. That means my Fi gets a lot of strength, and might rival my Fe. But it's not that my Feeling is undifferentiated, but rather that I can access both quite well (although my Fi needs work).

I don't know what an undifferentiated function would be like. So, it's Feeling, for instance, but without being Fe, or Fi, it's just "F"? I guess that sounds like it would be a thing, but I've never given it much thought.
 

lunalum

Super Senior Member
Joined
Dec 20, 2008
Messages
2,706
MBTI Type
ZNTP
Enneagram
7w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I think there are all sorts of things that can happen with cognitive functions. I don't think we're purely just one type. So I'm INFJ, but sometimes I'm INFP. That means my Fi gets a lot of strength, and might rival my Fe. But it's not that my Feeling is undifferentiated, but rather that I can access both quite well (although my Fi needs work).

I don't know what an undifferentiated function would be like. So, it's Feeling, for instance, but without being Fe, or Fi, it's just "F"? I guess that sounds like it would be a thing, but I've never given it much thought.

Yes that's what undifferentiated would mean. Your point makes sense though, that like if you have a function that's strong enough that you would also have access to it's I/E counterpart.

Would you say the phenomena for you is mainly for Fe/Fi or also for some of your other functions?
 

Pionart

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Joined
Sep 17, 2014
Messages
4,024
MBTI Type
NiFe
Yes that's what undifferentiated would mean. Your point makes sense though, that like if you have a function that's strong enough that you would also have access to it's I/E counterpart.

Would you say the phenomena for you is mainly for Fe/Fi or also for some of your other functions?

I think my Ne is a fair bit weaker than my Ni and my Te is a fair bit weaker than my Ti. My Si probably isn't as bad as I have been telling myself it is.

It's got to do with secondary types - the way we're not purely one type, but a blend of all of them. Perhaps generally, one particular type stands out as the primary.

INFJ has INFP as a frequent secondary type, so often have strong Fi, but not so strong Ne in comparison. Likewise INTP has INTJ primary, so would have Ni.

There are other function combinations that can exist too; I don't know the full structure that the cognitive functions manifest in, I mainly use the 8 functions x 16 types matrix.
 
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