Eight Function Analysis of INTPs

[Xander]

FYI, they are the sources quoted for the INTJ analysis, which prompted Jen's INTP analysis.

I meant more in terms of who they are. I'd kinda guessed what they did. Perhaps the distinction is a little fine but no matter it's irrelevant now. Thanks.

 

[ssrprotege]

<placeholder: Last Two Shadow functions here>

Interesting analysis. Where are the two last shadow functions?

 

[Totenkindly]

Interesting analysis. Where are the two last shadow functions?

uh... don't ask me. I wrote this 10 months ago, and apparently I forgot to finish it.

Got some ideas? feel free to contribute.

 

[Xander]

Right well reading through this certainly makes me feel like a pillock. I wondered where Elfinchilde got her whole analysis process from and what it meant. Also re-reading this lot concrete's why I'm different from other INTPs in rather unexpected ways...

Please do finish it Jennifer. I am now like Prince Charles crossed with an elephant.

 

[Little Linguist]

5. One-Dimensional Opposing Personality

This is a construct representing the unconscious oppositional personality that holds up a "stop sign" when you encounter something you're uncomfortable with. For an INTP, this is Extroverted Thinking (Te).

Fortunate INTPs have been forced to develop the ability to create closure and conclude tasks in the external world. However, types that strongly use Te (such as ExTJ and even IxTJ) can be frustrating to deal with because they are driving towards the completion of goals: They are cutting things off, clamping them down, playing with the Procrustean bed, so that goals can be accomplished. They seem rough, brutal, even pointlessly violent.

Introverted Thinking allows INTPs to understand what they are doing and why… but because their priority is to bring closure (rather than accurately “define” something and its boundaries), these actions seem to violate the spirit and essence of the very things they are manipulating. This is a violation of “reality” to INTPs, leaving whatever achievements made sometimes seeming very hollow.

Thus, negative reactions of INTPs will sometimes pop up unexpectedly when someone is seemingly riding roughshod over the nature of things, or impose stifling order upon organic chaos, or trying to control people who deserve autonomy, and so on -- the negatives reactions are spontaneous, and they arise because of the Ti/Te conflict.

6. Witch/Senex (same sex)
Males will have a Senex (wise old man) function, the archetypal inner critic; females will have a corresponding “witch.” Criticism that is offered can be constructive or destructive.

For INTPs, Introverted Intuition (Ni) can be devastating because it instinctively undermines the entire Thinking process. After we have collected data and sifted through our evaluations and come up with what we think are definable truths, the senex/witch will appear and say, “You can’t prove any of this, you know. All of your rules are based on assumptions. There are no actual rules because reality depends on where you stand. And all the patterns that you’ve seen are just that – patterns that have no inherent meaning.”

For a type that derives truths from the outside world, assuming it to be the source of reality… well, this sort of concept seems like madness, if not completely offensive. In the eyes of Ni, everything is arbitrary; to a Ti running off Ne, nothing is arbitrary.

This response of frustration is most noticeable in INTPs when they finish offering a wonderful argument for something… and someone responds with, “Well, of course, that’s just YOUR way of looking at it.” Immediately the blood boils… because to Ti, the argument was anything BUT a mere “perspective” – it was the utter truth in a nutshell, and someone who says things like this often draws the label of “fool” from the INTP.

Still, Ni does not have to be an enemy. Ni is a godsend in the sense that Ti can sometimes deteriorate and get stuck in a rut. Ni shakes things up, reminds us that it’s possible to have different orientations towards a problem/thing, and then we can step into one of those other orientations and recalculate our answers from THAT perspective, to see if we arrive at a different answer.

It is much like the notion of a photo and camera: Two people can photograph the same scene, but the picture will look different, and sometimes different information can be “gleaned” from the picture. Perhaps there is just one true “reality” somewhere, but the INTP hasn’t necessarily found it, and viewing things from another orientation can add to the big picture of what is truly going on.

[Personal example: My spiritual beliefs. For many long years, I had used my TiNe combination to prove to myself that my then-current faith had been “correct.” But eventually Ni dragged me out of that comfort zone, and I realized that all of my assumptions had been wrong or at least not as trustworthy as I had hoped. So I was forced to recalculate. I floundered for so long and was depressed/hopeless over the loss of faith… yet getting rid of the preconceptions helped me to view faith from different angles and gain whole new perspectives. So perhaps I had to “start over,” but anything I believe in now is more stable than what I had been believing in the past.]
So Ni is either the critic to which INTPs are hypersensitive or else the wise council that helps INTPs get beyond any of their own preconceptions and apply their thinking in new ways.

<placeholder: Last Two Shadow functions here>

This is a really, really great analysis. Could people do this for the other personality types as well? That would be fabulous!!!! <pats Jennifer on the back> Good job!

 

[Eric B]

From Berens:
"May Trick with extraverted Sensing (Se):
They can fool temselves and others with a misguided focus on the perceived realities of a situation. Under stress, they tend to be deceived into taking impulsive action. Yet at times...they may laugh at their own lack of comfort in dealing with the physical."

I know I'm always missing things visually, looking at the wrong things, etc.

"May become destructive with Introverted Feeling (Fi):
They are usually slow to choose what is important to them. They may...misjudge the relative importance of things. When really stressed, they likely wind up spending money and time on things that are their undoing. Yet on occasion they tap into universal values that in the context of their lives can transform."

Does seem to come up mostly when things are wrong, but at the end gives some sort of comfort.

You can also check out elfinchilde's "MBTI Dissection" (which also seems to be with more INTP's than anything else).

It would also be good if someone did these for all types, from the four different perspectives:
1) What in general brings up the shadows (example: become stressed and feel defensive, and then go into oppositional mode)
2) How another's use of the function affects you (Someone uses your oppositional function with you, innocently, and it feels like you're being attacked)
3) How you use the shadow function on others (become stubborn and argumentative with your oppositional function)
4) How your own use of it affects you ("become destructive with destructive function")

Berens focuses mostly on the last 2 (and the last one mainly for the deceiving and destructive roles). The INTJ site mentions #1 for that type, and then in people's discussions, I see #2.
All of this is from John Beebe, who I've heard has not written it in books, but only talks about it in lectures. So maybe we need to see if any of his lecures are sold anywhere.

 

[Ilah]

I find the whole original post (or maybe I should say two posts) very facinating.

Right now I am pondering the 4th function which is Se for me. I identify with the aspirational part as art seems to be one of my mine focuses right now, even though it is based of my 4th fuction.

What I can't quite figure out is that reverse gender part of it. What does that mean it practicle terms? Does that mean that my tastes in this area would be masculine? That I would like a more masculine style art? That for exercise or physcial activity I would choose something masculine?

Ilah

 

[entropie]

6. Witch/Senex (same sex) , gosh that is disgusting xD

 

[Gabe]

This is a general eight-function analysis of INTP based on John Beebe's works (plus Berens).

I've been working on this for a few days and just need to bite off things in manageable chunks. This is still a rough, though.

The conscious personality (first four functions) comes first. I'll finish the subconscious personality (four shadow functions) later and add it here.

This is based partly on the INTJ eight function analysis here.

Function 1. Heroic
This is the cognitive process you're most comfortable using, your primary. It develops first and is called the "Heroic" because it is generally in charge (the leading function) and the 'star of your story' any time you have to engage a situation.

In the case of INTP, the Heroic is Introverted Thinking (Ti), which manifests as the defining and prioritizing of principles of the real world -- forming and comprehending the definitions of things and how they systematically interact based on those definitions.

Things (objects, organizations, people, processes, etc.) are defined by what they've done in the past and what they are doing now; and Thinking can predict (with the appropriate probability attached) what they might do in the future. Definitions are constantly being updated based on new information, and objects are constantly being reduced to their 'essential qualities.'

Ti itself is an evaluation process, rather than a direct view of an object itself. The rules used by the INTP hold more priority than the actual outcome of applying those rules. The output/answer is always based on what is fed into the Thinking hopper.

Function #2. Good Parent
This archetype usually operates in a supportive/protective role, helping the Heroic function as needed. In terms of interaction, it is the 'parental role' -- how we generally contribute to others.

The INTP 'good parent' is Extroverted Intuition (Ne), which instinctively sees all the connections among things and leapfrogs about to unlock the potential of what might happen or how things are related. It is the sense that finds “patterns” in the outer world, and these patterns then are fed into the Ti hopper for processing, to distill general principles from the patterns.

Incidentally, Ne supporting Ti is what makes INTPs so good at theoretical thought, because Ne allows for the perception of all the possible truths/connections, while Ti ensures that the connections being made are all prioritized and scaled as accurately as possible – i.e., placed in context and pitted against each other. Unlikely connections are flagged as improbable, more likely connections are accredited more weight, and meanwhile no options are closed off prematurely (if ever), in case new information might come to light.

When INTPs parent, they do tend to use the Ne approach. They focus on delivering information to their children, giving them opportunities to explore, pointing out potential connections or routes the child could take to reach new relevant ideas. They like to give context and setting to the child when they offer advice, but hate (unless the stakes are high enough) just imposing certain decisions upon them; it is more important for the child to become autonomous and learn a process by which good decisions can be made.
An INTP parent believes their role to be in helping the child see clearly – not just what is out there but what reasonably COULD be out there – and then providing an evaluation process for those possibilities.

(Note: Internally, the place where an INTP “parents herself,” she often will end up using the Ti process to evaluate her own behavior instead of the external Ne. Thus, the INTP as a self-parent is much more critical of herself and does not usually offer herself the same flexibility as she offers other people whom she is advising. One route for change is for the INTP to credit herself with a more positive Ne life coach, not the scathing Ti test corrector.)

3. Child (Jungian "Puer/Puella" -- or "Boy/Girl")
Represents the archetypical child in all of us. We use this trait in a more "child-like" (i.e., unnuanced/uncomplicated/immature) ways. Beebe suggests this means the function can act in an inflated or deflated way.

In the case of INTP, Introverted Sensing plays the “child” role, which means that our sense of our (1) internalized body sensations and an (2) internal roadmap to life are not as well developed as our TiNe combination.
In other words, we are good at distilling truth from the outer world and seeing what is reasonable to expect and drawing truthful principles from that; and the role that Si plays is as a repository for our past conclusions, which can become calcified over time depending on how fearful we happen to be and unwilling to take risks in engaging the world via Ne.

The Child is simplistic compared to the first two functions. In regards to situation #1 (our body), it is easy for an INTP to both underemphasize or overemphasize the body’s signals. Ignoring our body often leads to the “disembodied mind” syndrome SO common to INTPs – we can easily run our bodies into the ground by treating them as superfluous appendages that get in the way of our intuition and thinking processes. On the other hand, we can also become suddenly too locked onto our bodies’ signals and essentially become hypochondriacs about each little pain and twinge and discomfort, wondering what dreadful sign those signals are foretelling… whereas aches and pains are quite common to people who are more used to examining their body signals.

In regards to Situation #2, INTPs have a tendency to use our internal sense of “what is” – the map we’ve grown accustomed to – to avoid using our Ne any longer and take risks that might force us to change the conclusions we’ve drawn with Ti. So we symbolically “hole up like a child” in the back corner of our internal closet and refuse to come out, indulging instead in our little fantasy world where everything works just like we’ve supposed it does.

(In conclusion, TiNe needs to parent the child, not let the child parent her!)

Si can be developed but only when it is subjected to good TiNe. It records our past so that we have something stable to draw from, and it provides input about the condition of our bodies, reminding us of our humanity and that our mind/thinking *is* impacted by our physical condition. So taking care of ourselves helps us function better.

4. Anima/Animus (opposite sex)
Males have an anima (female archetypal counterpart) which represents the feminine side of the man. Females have an animus (male archetypal counterpart). It generally means at best one's aspirational side or at worst one's negative projections.

In the case of INTP, the dreaded Extroverted Feeling function acts as the anima/animus. There is a love-hate battle going on between expressions of emotion, as well as expressions of commitment/relational responsibilities. This is the same love/hate pull that drives early attraction between individuals (“falling in love” – we are drawn to the “mysterious other”).

So INTPs either tend to glorify those who show Fe (seeing it as an ideal for us to aspire to) or else label the "monster" that can be blamed for the host of human evils.

INTPs might love it at first when someone showers emotion on us and gives us the commitment we need to feel secure; but other times we despise it, feeling like we need to shower ourselves afterwards to get clean again or even cut loose ties altogether to retain the objectivity of Ti. Fe is mysterious and potentially deadly, and perhaps that is the power of its enticement.

INTPs can consciously learn to develop Fe – it is the judging function that should interfere least with Ti when expressed. (Ti can determine principles, Fe gives the INTP a social voice with which to speak those derived principles. It makes the INTP effective in society and grounded.)

One thing: the genders of the archetypes aren't always as layed out in this model. My guess is, further in the future, when people don't have much of a gender identity, the genders of the archetypes will be irrellevant. I also hope that will be the case.
Jung pretty much equated the anima with all male emotion, but none of us has to be that stupid.
On the other hand, it is still fun to play with the gender-aspects of the model. I bet there's some significant number of, say (arbitrary example) bisexual Te's out there who attracted to Fis of the opposite sex and Ti's of the same sex (or vice versa).

 

[entropie]

One thing: the genders of the archetypes aren't always as layed out in this model. My guess is, further in the future, when people don't have much of a gender identity, the genders of the archetypes will be irrellevant. I also hope that will be the case.

I hope too, bud.

Your analysis of the eight is awesome. But it lacks one key point. There is nothing about beer in it.

I just cant understand, how someone can dare analyzing a 8 without mentioning beer. That is just disgusting

 

[entropie]

I find the whole original post (or maybe I should say two posts) very facinating.

Right now I am pondering the 4th function which is Se for me. I identify with the aspirational part as art seems to be one of my mine focuses right now, even though it is based of my 4th fuction.

What I can't quite figure out is that reverse gender part of it. What does that mean it practicle terms? Does that mean that my tastes in this area would be masculine? That I would like a more masculine style art? That for exercise or physcial activity I would choose something masculine?

Ilah

quit pondering individual functions, start concentranting on their working altogether. Individual functions just do not exist, how in any POSSIBLE way would a human work without feelings, thinkins, intuition or sensing ?

 

[Xander]

One thing: the genders of the archetypes aren't always as layed out in this model. My guess is, further in the future, when people don't have much of a gender identity, the genders of the archetypes will be irrellevant. I also hope that will be the case.
Jung pretty much equated the anima with all male emotion, but none of us has to be that stupid.
On the other hand, it is still fun to play with the gender-aspects of the model. I bet there's some significant number of, say (arbitrary example) bisexual Te's out there who attracted to Fis of the opposite sex and Ti's of the same sex (or vice versa).

I disagree on the whole removal of genders. Personally I'm more of the opinion that there will always be what is now referred to as "male" thinking and so on but in time people will learn not to use the term's male and female in regard to such things as they will see that neither is limited perfectly by biology.

quit pondering individual functions, start concentranting on their working altogether. Individual functions just do not exist, how in any POSSIBLE way would a human work without feelings, thinkins, intuition or sensing ?

Very Ni. Of course the individual functions exist individually, just in context and relation to others. You do not exist as you are now without other things..

Tree in wood.... timber!!!!

 

[Totenkindly]

...Please do finish it Jennifer. I am now like Prince Charles crossed with an elephant.

Is that an African elephant or an Asian one?
(It matters!)

I hope too, bud.

Bud normal, or bud light?
(It matters!)

Your analysis of the eight is awesome. But it lacks one key point. There is nothing about beer in it. I just cant understand, how someone can dare analyzing a 8 without mentioning beer. That is just disgusting

Domestic beer, or imported beer?
(It matters!)

quit pondering individual functions, start concentrating on their working altogether. Individual functions just do not exist, how in any POSSIBLE way would a human work without feelings, thinkins, intuition or sensing ?

True. Functions are facets, but a facet does not exist on its own, it exists in relation to the whole. A lot of typing problems occur because people try to isolate functions, then "build the person." The "dissect the patient, then all the parts added together = whole" model I don't think is effective in typing, it's too complex and there's too much that we will NEVER realize about a person. Information and the chain of cause/effect over the myriad of detail is always lacking. We are a chaotic system at core, with small things at one point having large impact (potentially) later in life / development.

It's more about how a particular combination of functions works together that tells you the strength of each function, whether it is more "natural" or something that's dysfunctional, etc.

 

[Totenkindly]

"May Trick with extraverted Sensing (Se):
They can fool themselves and others with a misguided focus on the perceived realities of a situation. Under stress, they tend to be deceived into taking impulsive action. Yet at times...they may laugh at their own lack of comfort in dealing with the physical."

We see what we want to see.

INTPs, when stressed or after having really invested in a particular outlook, are just like everyone else: Seeing only what supports their view and missing other details that could throw things into whack. The fact INTPs are conceptualizers doesn't help either, because when you conceptualize, you're SUPPOSE to junk detail that doesn't seem indicative of the overall pattern.

In any case, Se usually gets junked as frivolous and unimportant -- existing mostly to confuse us. Ti is timeless in its thinking, Se is immediate and "now" and is mostly credited with just providing an insane amount of data that wants to drown us. If anything, the Ne is preferred -- what the data insinuates, not the data itself. It's not uncommon for INTPs to view Se pursuits as "base" on some level, and perhaps even carnal and distracting.

"May become destructive with Introverted Feeling (Fi):
They are usually slow to choose what is important to them. They may...misjudge the relative importance of things. When really stressed, they likely wind up spending money and time on things that are their undoing. Yet on occasion they tap into universal values that in the context of their lives can transform."

This is the one I can most easily write about, of the two. I might come back later and dump a lot here because I've *had* to think about it.

Ti is preferred, the "impersonal assess." The rules seem to be derived externally or at least are outside the thinker. INTPs usually share a similar "logical process" and differences usually occur from priming the pump with different information to begin with.

Fi is the personal assess and the person basically picks the rules coming from an INTERNAL desire / source of satisfaction. Or the information fed into the judging hopper also is chosen on a more personal level.

This is extremely uncomfortable for an impersonal thinker. There's no way to prioritize the rules. Everything feels "wrong" because the Fi rules are based on inner desires/leanings, not externally justifiable ones. And they conflict horribly sometimes with the impersonal assess.

Yet some situations (especially later in life, where the person HAS to engage relationally) demand that Fi runs the show, to help create healthy boundaries where Ti would let others run roughshod.

So either the INTP uses Ti in a situation that allows themselves to be relationally violated, or they try to use Fi and are completely naive in how they do it... and so they go out of whack and/or usually feel completely unsettled anyway by the whole experience.

All of this is from John Beebe, who I've heard has not written it in books, but only talks about it in lectures. So maybe we need to see if any of his lectures are sold anywhere.

if we could find some, that would be cool. I remember researching him like mad last summer/fall and could only find a few magazine articles or lecture transcripts, as you have said. it was frustrating.

 

[Metis]

Will you do this with ENTP?

 

[zago]

This is excellent.

 

[Xander]

Re reading this thread I have a question oh wisened one.

What is a "grounded" INTP?

You mentioned social and grounded in your original post and though I've heard the term many times it seems that no one has ever really expanded upon such a suggestive phrase.

What I'm wondering is what would you observe as the difference between a well grounded and socialised INTP as opposed to one who is not well grounded or socially adept?

I'm seeking answers as it relates to personal improvement, a favourite sub section of psychology for me.

 

[Llewellyn]

Jennifer, this is a really good thread.

I read it once ago. Now I came back to it since I've come to be witnessing several of the unconscious functions, and the sexes even match.

This helps me in explaining these things. And in reaching an ever better relaxation and becoming more whole.

 

[Jack Flak]

It seems to be fine, just fine...Except for one major issue, which is the achilles heel of every function order/use description: Behaviors are forced into function categories in which they don't belong. The result being a type description which is scarcely related to the Jungian functions themselves--As it should be, except for the claim of relation.

 

[Totenkindly]

It seems to be fine, just fine...Except for one major issue, which is the achilles heel of every function order/use description: Behaviors are forced into function categories in which they don't belong. The result being a type description which is scarcely related to the Jungian functions themselves--As it should be, except for the claim of relation.

Without bothering to reread this thread (and I don't even remember what I wrote at this point -- talk about necro thread), you're suggesting the type descriptions are seemingly good on their own but simply not a a good reflection of true Jungian function theory?