Immaturity, Type and Function

[BlueSprout]

This is just a question I thought I would ask because I don't understand the connection between functional and personal development over time as well as I probably should: How might immaturity manifest itself differently with regards to each of the types/dominant functions? What are the consequences?

For instance, what does ESFP immaturity look like when compared to ESTP immaturity? What does an immature Ti dom look like and what are the challenges of dealing with immature Ti? How might a person deal with an immature INFP versus an immature ISFP? Should one just try to engage their auxiliary function?

For that matter, is immaturity largely marked by overreliance on the dominant function - and is balance among the first few functions the hallmark of maturity?

To what extent does maturity/immaturity make it easier or more difficult to type someone? If maturity is balance, are functionally balanced people necessarily a greater challenge?

These are just examples. I realize that this is kind of a broad question, so feel free to contribute anything you think is relevant or that you would like to share.

 

[VagrantFarce]

I subscribe to the viewpoint that says that unhealthy types rely too much on their Tertiary Function:

Tertiary Temptation

The examples there aren't perfect, but I identify with its description of Tertiary-Si right down to the bone, so I think the idea is solid.

 

[BlueScreen]

I've heard that it is using the auxiliary to serve the will of the dominant function rather than audit it. Which normally makes either the perception slave to judgement or the judgement slave to perception, both of which are weak and biased approaches.

For ESTP they get stuck in Se and seeking experience and thrills. Ti becomes just a way to find new experiences, rather than analyse the decisions in depth. The same happens with Ne types and they get stuck increasing possibilities or having new ideas, and never analyse or make anything of them.

For an INTP they might become very rigid in their views and logic. Rather than using Ne to constantly check and disprove their theories, they can end up only listening to the parts which confirm them. ie. push away the unwanted perceptions. This is similar for Fi dominants when they push away things that don't agree with their ideals rather than take the differing opinions on board like Ne or Se should.

INFJs are hard for me to explain. But Fe becomes extremely judgemental and they pick out the perspectives which will defend and justify themselves. The healthy process which most INFJs would follow is see all perspectives and use Fe to do what is best for people or the group. So maybe the Fe becomes self focussed because it answers to the subjective Ni rather than trying to objectively find the best case for the group. A similar loss of objectivity happens in other Pi dominants.

ENTJs will become focussed on their objective judgement. Rather than see and consider all perspectives and make best case decisions like they would at a mature healthy level, the ENTJ will assume their ideas are the right ones and use Ni to see and find perspectives which support this. They might give orders without considering that other people might not agree. A similar thing can happen for other Je dominants.

Overall, it seems that healthy mature use of functions plays off the functions against each other and has them seek independence and cross check data. Basically they audit each other without bias. Unhealthy immature use seems to be when a function dominates the personality and the other functions become its slave to justify it.

I'll note that I mixed immature with unhealthy here. Immature might be more lack of a developed auxiliary. So less of the bad combinations, but maybe the same get stuck in the dominant function problem. It does sound a bit like we're all insane until a certain age, which obviously isn't true .