What the function?!

[KarenParker]

I was thinking about the different functions and sometimes I hear things when I read about the different personality types, for example, that INFJs tend to be really close on P and J because of some function they have. How? What in their functions describes that? And also that INTJs seem to be the most intuitive and abstract out of all the times. How exactly does that work and what are the different things like that, that each type has? Breakdown:

ISFJ - Si, Fe, Ti, Ne
ESFP - Se, Fi, Te, Ni
INTP - Ti, Ne, Si, Fe
ENTJ - Te, Ni, Se, Fi
INTJ - Ni, Te, Fi, Se
ENTP - Ne, Ti, Fe, Si
INFJ - Ni, Fe, Ti, Se
ENFP - Ne, Fi, Te, Si
INFP - Fi, Ne, Si, Te
ENFJ - Fe, Ni, Se, Ti
ISTP - Ti, Se, Ni, Fe
ESTJ - Te, Si, Ne, Fi
ISTJ - Si, Te, Fi, Ne
ESTP - Se, Ti, Fe, Ni
ISFP - Fi, Se, Ni, Te
ESFJ - Fe, Si, Ne, Ti

 

[Seymour]

I was thinking about the different functions and sometimes I hear things when I read about the different personality types, for example, that INFJs tend to be really close on P and J because of some function they have. How? What in their functions describes that? And also that INTJs seem to be the most intuitive and abstract out of all the times. How exactly does that work and what are the different things like that, that each type has? Breakdown:

ISFJ - Si, Fe, Ti, Ne
ESFP - Se, Fi, Te, Ni
INTP - Ti, Ne, Si, Fe
ENTJ - Te, Ni, Se, Fi
INTJ - Ni, Te, Fi, Se
ENTP - Ne, Ti, Fe, Si
INFJ - Ni, Fe, Ti, Se
ENFP - Ne, Fi, Te, Si
INFP - Fi, Ne, Si, Te
ENFJ - Fe, Ni, Se, Ti
ISTP - Ti, Se, Ni, Fe
ESTJ - Te, Si, Ne, Fi
ISTJ - Si, Te, Fi, Ne
ESTP - Se, Ti, Fe, Ni
ISFP - Fi, Se, Ni, Te
ESFJ - Fe, Si, Ne, Ti

So, for INFJs, I think the issue is that they can appear less stereotypically J than some types.

If you think about what "J" means, it really means some extraverted judging function is in the top two functions (primary for extraverts, secondary for introverts). Therefore "J-ness" is really the commonality between (Te or Fe) + (Si or Ni) in some order.

So, for introverted Js, their strongest function is their perceiving function, even though is an introverted function. This makes them, on some level, less judging and more flexible than extraverted judgers.

As far as individual functions one could see that Te might be more obvious because it is focused on logically getting things done. This leads to an ordering of things and resources (including people). It's easy to observe whether things are organized or whether someone is obviously directing. Fe is more relationship and people focused and so represents a "softer" influence than Te does. It tends to be a little more subtle (though not always), and since it's more people focused it's effects are more difficult to tell at a glance.

Also, Si is a more straight-forward, understandable perceiving process than Ni is (although no less powerful). Si also deals more in the concrete than Ni does. Ni involves shifting perspectives and making connections across contexts.

So, for an INFJ you put together the "softer" power of Fe (especially as the secondary function), with the indirectness of connections and shifting perspectives of Ni (primary function). This combination seems pretty far away from a broadly stereotyped "J" (which often seems to have a lot of the characteristics of the the ESxJs).

 

[ygolo]

[...] for example, that INFJs tend to be really close on P and J because of some function they have. How? What in their functions describes that? And also that INTJs seem to be the most intuitive and abstract out of all the times. How exactly does that work and what are the different things like that, that each type has?

I am not sure that INFJs really do tend to be close on P and J. Not am I sure that INTJS seem the most intuitive and abstract.

Could you let me know what source you got this info. from?

The functions, in general, are supposed to provide a more dynamic picture of personality. Like anything else that provides a more dynamic model, it is also harder to understand (I have been trying to understand them for sometime and so far only have a limited grasp of the concepts). I think you need some background in psychoanalysis to fully understand how the functions "work" (in theory).

What the functions do depends not only what they are (Si, Se, Fe, etc.), but also what "role" (leading, nurturing, relief, etc.) they play.

Making things more complex is the idea of function "order" (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.). My understanding is that this is different from the strength of function preference. For instance, as an INTP, my function order is (from first to eighth)Ti,Ne,Si,Fe,Te,Ni,Se,Fi. However, my strength of preference is different. For instance, my Ni and Fi are pretty strong preferences, despite them being 6th, and last in my order.

To find out your strengths of preferences, try out this test:
http://www.cognitiveprocesses.com/assessment/develop_old.html

The order really relates to the "roles," rather than strength of preference.
Here are the positve aspects of the roles:
1st-leading
2nd-nurturing
3rd-relief
4th-aspiration
5th-back-up
6th-discovery
7th-comedy
8th-transformation

The roles are explained here:
The 16 Type Patterns


You can learn more about the functions here:
Understanding the Eight Jungian Cognitive Processes / Eight Functions Attitudes