I'm unsure of my cognitive functions (Ti, Ni)

[Amalie Muller]

Ok, INTP then.

Uh, no. Any type can enjoy puzzles and challenges.

But I'm sure you know that.

 

[Mal12345]

Uh, no. Any type can enjoy puzzles and challenges.

But I'm sure you know that.

Yes. But what KIND of puzzles and challenges? Climbing a mountain without a rope is a physical challenge, but this is a mental challenge.

 

[Amalie Muller]

Yes. But what KIND of puzzles and challenges? Climbing a mountain without a rope is a physical challenge, but this is a mental challenge.

Any personality type can enjoy MENTAL challenges too. AND physical challenges.

Of course, generally some types go one way in their interests, and others go towards the other. But on an individual basis, there are no strict rules.

Also, I'll point out some physical challenges are also mental challenges -- some sports, for example. There aren't two perfectly distinct categories.

 

[Mal12345]

Any personality type can enjoy MENTAL challenges too. AND physical challenges.

Of course, generally some types go one way in their interests, and others go towards the other. But on an individual basis, there are no strict rules.

Also, I'll point out some physical challenges are also mental challenges -- some sports, for example. There aren't two perfectly distinct categories.

Jungian functions are perfectly distinct categories. If we don't use them, and instead, allow ourselves to be constantly confused by the infinite vagaries that humans are prone to, then there's no point in doing typology.

 

[Amalie Muller]

Jungian functions are perfectly distinct categories. If we don't use them, and instead, allow ourselves to be constantly confused by the infinite vagaries that humans are prone to, then there's no point in doing typology.

Firstly, we don't "use" cognitive functions.

Secondly, "cognitive functions" don't actually exist as perfectly distinct categories, but are a very simplified way of describing and understanding something extremely complicated and indistinct -- the human psyche.

Thirdly, there is no "point" in doing typology anyway, is there. Other than for the fun of it.

 

[Mal12345]

Firstly, we don't "use" cognitive functions.

Secondly, "cognitive functions" don't actually exist as perfectly distinct categories, but are a very simplified way of describing and understanding something extremely complicated and indistinct -- the human psyche.

Thirdly, there is no "point" in doing typology anyway, is there. Other than for the fun of it.

Of course we use cognitive functions. We use them to categorize personalities and behaviors. What did you think I meant? And did I say that functions actually exist as distinct categories, as with a pure type? There are no pure types in reality. But if you think typology is so much fun, then why are you so adamant about taking the fun out of it for me?

 

[stephsharik]

How are we meant to help? You give no reasons why you think you're Ti or Ni!

That's true and my bad.

What was really confusing me was that I would read about the cognitive functions and feel that they all applied to me in certain ways at certain times.

Ti: I have a storehouse of information that can be likened to a structure. I find myself often coming to valid but unsound conclusions - usually because my starting premise was a bit off. I have esoteric and seemingly random knowledge about any given number of topics and have no trouble recalling them.

Ni: I make connections between ideas very quickly and sometimes in ways that others couldn't, for some reason. I often tie together a wide range of information to come to conclusions. I often know, without using any sort of deduction, what a person is going to say just before they say it. I pick up on trends and get a rough "feel" for what's going to happen soon.

Both are a part of my everyday life. I don't really experience them in conjuction.

 

[Amalie Muller]

That's true and my bad.

What was really confusing me was that I would read about the cognitive functions and feel that they all applied to me in certain ways at certain times.

Ti: I have a storehouse of information that can be likened to a structure. I find myself often coming to valid but unsound conclusions - usually because my starting premise was a bit off. I have esoteric and seemingly random knowledge about any given number of topics and have no trouble recalling them.

Ni: I make connections between ideas very quickly and sometimes in ways that others couldn't, for some reason. I often tie together a wide range of information to come to conclusions. I often know, without using any sort of deduction, what a person is going to say just before they say it. I pick up on trends and get a rough "feel" for what's going to happen soon.

Both are a part of my everyday life. I don't really experience them in conjuction.

Could you also list reasons you DON'T relate to these function descriptions?

And doing the same for the other six functions would be helpful too.

 

[Amalie Muller]

That's true and my bad.

What was really confusing me was that I would read about the cognitive functions and feel that they all applied to me in certain ways at certain times.

Ti: I have a storehouse of information that can be likened to a structure. I find myself often coming to valid but unsound conclusions - usually because my starting premise was a bit off. I have esoteric and seemingly random knowledge about any given number of topics and have no trouble recalling them.

Ni: I make connections between ideas very quickly and sometimes in ways that others couldn't, for some reason. I often tie together a wide range of information to come to conclusions. I often know, without using any sort of deduction, what a person is going to say just before they say it. I pick up on trends and get a rough "feel" for what's going to happen soon.

Both are a part of my everyday life. I don't really experience them in conjuction.

Most of what you describe in the Ti section is probably Si, or a side-effect of Te.

Those Ni examples could also describe Ne. It's just intuition generally.

 

[Mal12345]

That's true and my bad.

What was really confusing me was that I would read about the cognitive functions and feel that they all applied to me in certain ways at certain times.

Ti: I have a storehouse of information that can be likened to a structure. I find myself often coming to valid but unsound conclusions - usually because my starting premise was a bit off. I have esoteric and seemingly random knowledge about any given number of topics and have no trouble recalling them.

Ni: I make connections between ideas very quickly and sometimes in ways that others couldn't, for some reason. I often tie together a wide range of information to come to conclusions. I often know, without using any sort of deduction, what a person is going to say just before they say it. I pick up on trends and get a rough "feel" for what's going to happen soon.

Both are a part of my everyday life. I don't really experience them in conjuction.

That's Ne, not Ni.

 

[Amalie Muller]

That's Ne, not Ni.

Agreed. It describes intuition generally, but mainly in its Ne direction.

Also, the Ti part hints at Si. So this person may be a Ne-Si type instead of a Se-Ni type.

 

[Mal12345]

Agreed. It describes intuition generally, but mainly in its Ne direction.

Also, the Ti part hints at Si. So this person may be a Ne-Si type instead of a Se-Ni type.

It's common for Ti to hint at Si, because of the INTP's tertiary.

 

[Amalie Muller]

It's common for Ti to hint at Si, because of the INTP's tertiary.

But in this case, his "Ti" examples hint more at Si than Ti. So I'm hesitant to say INTP.

 

[Mal12345]

But in this case, his "Ti" examples hint more at Si than Ti. So I'm hesitant to say INTP.

I see, so you were saying that the Ti description below sounds more like Si:

Ti: I have a storehouse of information that can be likened to a structure. I find myself often coming to valid but unsound conclusions - usually because my starting premise was a bit off. I have esoteric and seemingly random knowledge about any given number of topics and have no trouble recalling them.​

Thanks for pointing that out, as I was more focused on the alleged Ni part. It's true that since he is describing the content, and not the methodology, it would have more to do with a perceiving function.

 

[stephsharik]

Could you also list reasons you DON'T relate to these function descriptions?

And doing the same for the other six functions would be helpful too.

I relate to all cognitive functions. Not equally, of course. I am almost certain that Si is in my function stack and not Se. The familiar gives me foundation, and in times of stress it helps me relax and brings me comfort. I am frequently nostalgic. (Si)
I have no internal compass and am often oblivious to my surroundings. I don't care much for food, or exploring new sensations (touch, taste, smell, etc). I enjoy new things as much as anyone, but I tend to get over the novelty faster than most.

But I feel like I'm being pulled in two directions because I also cannot stand monotony. Doing the same thing over and over again for the rest of my life....death would be preferable. I cannot keep eating the same food, or listening to the same song. Soon it becomes bland and loses color/flavor. "Traditions" make me want to gag. I can be sentimental, but I always get over it (e.g. keeping some trinket that had some meaning and throwing it away a few weeks later).

Ne/Ni is hard. Apparently I don't understand the difference.

Te/Ti: I've watched videos and read this or that...but I cannot definitively say which one applies in my case. I guess this is another one I am unsure about.

Fe/Fi: Feeling is either my tertiary or inferior. Sometimes I care about propriety. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I care about a person's feelings. But usually not for the sake of their feelings but because my relationship with them can be beneficial (in terms of company, intimacy, shared knowledge/information, social validation, material support, etc)

 

[Amalie Muller]

I relate to all cognitive functions. Not equally, of course. I am almost certain that Si is in my function stack and not Se. The familiar gives me foundation, and in times of stress it helps me relax and brings me comfort. I am frequently nostalgic. (Si)
I have no internal compass and am often oblivious to my surroundings. I don't care much for food, or exploring new sensations (touch, taste, smell, etc). I enjoy new things as much as anyone, but I tend to get over the novelty faster than most.

But I feel like I'm being pulled in two directions because I also cannot stand monotony. Doing the same thing over and over again for the rest of my life....death would be preferable. I cannot keep eating the same food, or listening to the same song. Soon it becomes bland and loses color/flavor. "Traditions" make me want to gag. I can be sentimental, but I always get over it (e.g. keeping some trinket that had some meaning and throwing it away a few weeks later).

Ne/Ni is hard. Apparently I don't understand the difference.

Te/Ti: I've watched videos and read this or that...but I cannot definitively say which one applies in my case. I guess this is another one I am unsure about.

Fe/Fi: Feeling is either my tertiary or inferior. Sometimes I care about propriety. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I care about a person's feelings. But usually not for the sake of their feelings but because my relationship with them can be beneficial (in terms of company, intimacy, shared knowledge/information, social validation, material support, etc)

Probably INTP.

 

[Mal12345]

I relate to all cognitive functions. Not equally, of course. I am almost certain that Si is in my function stack and not Se. The familiar gives me foundation, and in times of stress it helps me relax and brings me comfort. I am frequently nostalgic. (Si)
I have no internal compass and am often oblivious to my surroundings. I don't care much for food, or exploring new sensations (touch, taste, smell, etc). I enjoy new things as much as anyone, but I tend to get over the novelty faster than most.

The last part appears to be Se inferior. If so, then Ni is your dominant function. Being oblivious to your surroundings COULD mean that your focus is more conceptual than sensual, and that your focus is on internal concepts and not external concepts. This distinguishes Ne from Ni. The Ne likes to conceptualize the external realm, whereas the Ni likes to conceptualize the internal realm. That could be the main focus of your interest in typology, in bringing some sense and order to the chaos of internal concepts ("I have no internal compass").

The next question is whether your auxiliary is Fe or Te. It's not unusual for the INFJ (Ni/Fe) to have even less of an internal compass than the INTJ (Ni/Te). Te is focused on traditional values, whereas you stated that traditions make you want to gag, and one of the Feeling functions is somewhere in your function stack although you're not sure where. The INFJ type often favors tertiary Ti over Fe and can give the impression of being the INTP type, but this is because Ni focuses on internal concepts and introversion has a negative impact on the auxiliary Feeling function. On the other hand, Ti lends an internal compass which you stated you lack, in the case of the INTP, it is an internal conceptual or logic compass. Moreover, the Fi-dom does not lack an inner compass either.

The fact that the familiar brings you comfort wouldn't surprise me as, being an INFJ, you are in the risk-aversive category. This category would include any Si-dom, Ni-dom, Te-dom or Fe-dom. An INTP does not find comfort in the familiar but tends to denigrate it.

in terms of company, intimacy, shared knowledge/information, social validation, material support, etc

Company, intimacy, and social validation are ideas from the Feeling realm. Shared knowledge/information and material support come from the Intuitive and Feeling realms.

 

[stephsharik]

The last part appears to be Se inferior. If so, then Ni is your dominant function. Being oblivious to your surroundings COULD mean that your focus is more conceptual than sensual, and that your focus is on internal concepts and not external concepts. This distinguishes Ne from Ni. The Ne likes to conceptualize the external realm, whereas the Ni likes to conceptualize the internal realm. That could be the main focus of your interest in typology, in bringing some sense and order to the chaos of internal concepts ("I have no internal compass").

I just want to clarify here:
I can be oblivious, but I am not predominantly oblivious to my surroundings. Also, my obliviousness is always a result of something capturing my interest and attention to such a degree that my surroundings seem to "fade away" temporarily.

By "internal compass" I meant "no internal sense of direction".

The next question is whether your auxiliary is Fe or Te. It's not unusual for the INFJ (Ni/Fe) to have even less of an internal compass than the INTJ (Ni/Te). Te is focused on traditional values, whereas you stated that traditions make you want to gag, and one of the Feeling functions is somewhere in your function stack although you're not sure where. The INFJ type often favors tertiary Ti over Fe and can give the impression of being the INTP type, but this is because Ni focuses on internal concepts and introversion has a negative impact on the auxiliary Feeling function. On the other hand, Ti lends an internal compass which you stated you lack, in the case of the INTP, it is an internal conceptual or logic compass. Moreover, the Fi-dom does not lack an inner compass either.

Whether Fe or Fi, I'm pretty sure it isn't high in the order of my functions, if not my inferior. (Unless it is auxiliary and severely underdeveloped)
I have a couple INFJ friends. When I suggested to one of them that I might be INFJ, she laughed. She thought I was kidding.

The fact that the familiar brings you comfort wouldn't surprise me as, being an INFJ, you are in the risk-aversive category. This category would include any Si-dom, Ni-dom, Te-dom or Fe-dom. An INTP does not find comfort in the familiar but tends to denigrate it.

You seem intent on cherry-picking the things I say.
While the familiar CAN bring comfort, and, at times, does, it just as often suffocates me.

Company, intimacy, and social validation are ideas from the Feeling realm. Shared knowledge/information and material support come from the Intuitive and Feeling realms.

Company, intimacy and social validation were examples of the benefits of keeping relations cordial or even amicable, not necessarily things I value or desire above all else.

 

[stephsharik]

Probably INTP.

Would you please expand on your reasoning and the process by which you came to that conclusion? It helps my comprehension.

 

[Mal12345]

The part where you accused me of "cherry picking" was out of line. I gave mention to everything in that post. If I missed anything, that's not due to cherry picking, that's called "over-looking." I made an effort. Now please go off yourself.