What are the Cognitive Functions of the 16 Personalities? | Cognitive Functions Explained

Introduction to Cognitive Functions

• Cognitive functions enhance understanding of Myers-Briggs personality types.

• Traditional types (four letters) offer limited insight; cognitive functions provide deeper knowledge of personality.

Concept of Cognitive Functions

• Originated from Carl Jung’s "Psychological Types"; they are mental processes used to perceive and judge reality.

• Two primary categories:

  • Perceiving functions: How we take in information.

    • Sensing (S): Focus on facts, details, and provable information.

    • Intuition (N): Focus on concepts, patterns, and possibilities.

  • Judging functions: How we make decisions.

    • Thinking (T): Logical decision-making based on consistency and outcomes.

    • Feeling (F): Value-based decision-making based on appropriateness.

Types of Cognitive Functions

• Cognitive functions are divided into eight types by combining the four functions with introverted (i) and extroverted (e) attitudes:

  • Sensing:

    • Introverted Sensing (Si): Organizes information and experiences from an internal perspective.

    • Extroverted Sensing (Se): Focuses on immediate experiences and new information in a broader context.

  • Intuition:

    • Introverted Intuition (Ni): Narrows down information into a few key abstract concepts.

    • Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Gathers broad and diverse connections and ideas.

  • Thinking:

    • Introverted Thinking (Ti): Personal logical decision-making.

    • Extroverted Thinking (Te): Logical decisions based on external inputs and results.

  • Feeling:

    • Introverted Feeling (Fi): Decisions based on personal values and beliefs.

    • Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Decisions based on societal values and appropriateness.

The Cognitive Function Stack

• Each personality type comprises a stack of four cognitive functions: one dominant, one auxiliary, one tertiary, and one inferior function.

  • Dominant Function: The primary function that influences the personality (one of the via eight).

  • Auxiliary Function: Supports the dominant function; balances personality.

  • Tertiary Function: Opposite of the auxiliary, used less frequently, can emerge with maturity.

  • Inferior Function: The most suppressed and least preferred function; can be a source of stress.

The Importance of Function Pairs (Axes)

• Cognitive functions exist in pairs: each function is linked to its opposite (e.g., Si paired with Ne, Ti paired with Fe).

• Understanding this pairing helps identify the cognitive function that contributes to the personality's dynamics.

Determining Dominant and Auxiliary Functions

• Balance concept: If one function is introverted, the other must be extroverted.

• Example breakdown:

  • For an ISFJ:

    • Dominant Function: Introverted Sensing (Si).

    • Auxiliary Function: Extroverted Feeling (Fe).

  • For an ENFP:

    • Dominant Function: Extroverted Intuition (Ne).

    • Auxiliary Function: Introverted Feeling (Fi).

Example Breakdown of Personality Types

• ENFJ:

  • Dominant: Extroverted Feeling (Fe).

  • Auxiliary: Introverted Intuition (Ni).

• ENTP:

  • Dominant: Extroverted Intuition (Ne).

• INFJ:

  • Dominant: Introverted Intuition (Ni).

  • Auxiliary: Extroverted Feeling (Fe).

• INTP:

  • Dominant: Introverted Thinking (Ti).

  • Auxiliary: Extroverted Intuition (Ne).

The Non-Preferred Functions

• The tertiary function is less developed but can be utilized when needed.

• The inferior function signifies suppressed energies and can be a source of conflict if ignored.

  • Example: INTP may struggle with Extroverted Feeling (Fe) due to its inferior status compared to their dominant Introverted Thinking (Ti).

Final Thoughts

• Understanding cognitive functions significantly enhances comprehension of personality types.

• Engage with varying personality types by determining their cognitive function stacks to deepen insight.

• Cognitive function mastery can fundamentally shift perceptions of the 16 Myers-Briggs personalities.