Please consider making this into a series. It was incredibly informative, and I especially like how well it drives home the idea that we use all the functions.
Infp: Very true. I've learned more in my later years to trust my own conclusions by my reasoning rather than being told and less proned to accepting conclusions from ideologies or authorities.
I’m an INTJ and 8:55 explains my problem perfectly!!!! That’s the only problem I have with myself, I cannot compromise with myself when I know what I’m chasing would be worth all the while . I can honestly admit it’s satisfying to have what you envisioned perfectly executed. But it’s soo much work getting there and I’ll admit sometimes I don’t even do the work to get what I desire. It’s ANNOYING
Harry, I would love such a video on Using Extroverted Feeling! Could you please consider making one? Extroverted Feeling might be the most underrated function in our society. I think there is a bias toward the introverted feeling orientation in our society because feeling is steriotypically understood as something which is our own, subjective, on the inside as well as empathy often being mistaken for sympathy while people also tend to ascribe a kind of mythical, magical aura to mirror empathy.
I know this video is old but seriously thank you for this. I got into this stuff a while back and have been trying to type myself. I realized I align a lot with INFJ but assumed I was just falling into the clickbait way it's portrayed online, or the human desire to feel rare. Your part about an unhealthy INFJ really drove it home for me that I have a problem with Ni. Very eerily accurate for me. Your video served as a great reminder of not only the things I was aware of, but also gave me new realizations and helped me see a more healthy future for myself. Again, thanks a bunch.
Divergent ENFJ so Ti-Ni convergent here who can totally sympathise with how you're feeling. I wonder whether I'll ever concretise my philosophical theories into concrete reality - I just spend near on 24/7 in my head reformulating & at 38 years old despite the multiple degrees this doesn't bode well with me: I've never published, never made a true impact, no one is listening etc. I sometimes wish I wasn't a divergent subtype as this wouldn't be as much of a problem or perceived as a problem by me. I think having oppositional Ti doesn't help either as there's a need to get this stuff out there as quickly as is possible.
Well done! I can recognize so much of my friends in these descriptions as an infj, since I have Ni-dominant. This description of how the other types can fail to manifest Ni cooresponds to the issues I have with my friends. Suppose that a persons dominant function dictates what they are looking for in another human being - and gets annoyed if that function is underdeveloped... So esfp would get annoyed by me for instance, since I have poor Se and is reluctant to have new experiences...
An ESFP with a lack of internal dialogue would find us potentially annoying, but ESFPs with an active internal dialogue and awareness of self tend to have a great back and forth with an INFJ, so long as there are mutual interests :) That's awesome to hear btw! I find with myself so long as a type has manifested Ni we can have a great and mutually beneficial conversation, but can find myself at an impass in those with low-Ni activation!
Ouch I'm an INFJ and I really related to the living in my own reality, thinking I don't need anybody and then wondering why I feel bad. But I really enjoy your videos, even if I still don't understand exactly how the functions work in reality together when they are authority, oppositional or unconscious etc.. Even though I read your book but it's just a lot of theory I have to understand. But I really enjoy to think about it and to keep learning :) But I must say you are talking very fast. English is not my first language, so I have sometimes a bit trouble to follow you xD
Thank you for this comment! There'll be more videos tying it all together for sure :) So glad you've read the book! There's definitely a lot to take in and I know for myself I need extended periods of time to let things float around in my head. Heh, yes I'm gradually working on reducing the tempo of my monologues :D
39:41 This one hit pretty hard. Especially when I was younger, I wouldn't necessarily outright ask what I should do to have a healthy emotional life, but I would constantly gague my social and emotional reactions to those around me, specifically my emotional authorities, AKA, my parents. It would always troubke my parents who both use Fi, and to a cetrain extent, my brother, who is more cinvergent and dominant in his Fe usage. I was the kid who would creepily stare at other people to assess how I should react, say, during a movie or event. It got to the point that the more I used my strange childhood Ti to analyze Fe matters that I would become overly boistrous and overreactive. I was a sort of class clown for a while in my high school career, and I based my entire identity off of what would maintain the most harmony/what would make people the happiest. It caused me to become overly sensitive and overly concerned with appeasing my authority figures on an emotional level, almost to the point of manipulation. It was hard, trying to control soemthing I never fully understood. I'm honestly glad to have parents who managed to instill their Fi-ness into me. They never really addressed my chameleonic nature unless it were in quick humerous remarks, but I think it sort of rubbed off on me, because as soon as I discovered MBTI, I entered this immense search for personal identity and self-meaning. It's a topic me and my brother talk about a lot. He's basically a perfect example of an Ni developed ENTP that you described. I probably would've turned out a lot more unbalanced that I somehow already am if it weren't for the almost perfect types to balance it out. An INFP mom to help ground my identity into the concrete, an ENTP brother who can relate to my struggles with Fe, and an ESTJ dad who I can bounce off of and debate with on a logical level.
this was incredibly insightful - no pun intended haha! i did the personality junkie's test you suggested and once again came up as entp and I can definitely relate to what you said. having been able to successfully type some of my close family and friends i can also see these manifestations of introverted intuition and unfortunately in some cases the lack thereof in them as well. as for myself, when i was younger i most definitely defined myself by what i could "do" and the problem came in when i was no longer able to "do" what i had defined myself as being anymore. it really forced me to reassess who i am/want to be and what i actually value/want in life. though i must say it was a terribly painful and long process that took many years (almost 7) and sometimes i still fall into the trap of thinking im only worth the sum of what im capable of offering the world and the fear that i will not be able to live up to my full potential or make a positive difference in the lives of those around me. fortunately these struggles only occur on bad days and there are always silver linings. im curious to know though, how could someone develop introverted Intuition when its a subconscious function? is it like a gut instinct?
That sounds like a real struggle! Yes I think the utility aspect will always to some degree be a part of you but I'm glad to hear it only gets hard to manage once in a while! Ni activation will definitely help as it allows Ti to switch with Fi more easily - as someone who has Ne in this position, it involves engaging with the outside (so in your case inside) world but avoiding focusing on details (S) - this way my brain is forced to take a holistic approach (Ne) that can feel surprisingly natural and fluid. So learning to 'let go' of both S and T can give you a less hazy perspective of your emotional world.
@@CognitivePersonality that sounds really difficult to do ahahaha! But Thank you! I will most definitely try to stop thinking too much and listen to my inner voice. I have noticed that things tend to go down a bad road when I do suppress this 'gut feeling' and because I don't realise I'm depressed/stressed until I'm literally unable to communicate coherently I try to avoid ignoring that aspect and try to check in regularly with what I value or 'feel' is very important even if it's uncomfortable. I don't like being emotional 😅
@@taydupreez8555 It's frightening and uncomfortable at first but definitely gets easier! I know I'm enjoying gradually getting acquainted with my Ne-Te side and it does feel like I've let a suppressed side of myself free, so I can only imagine it would be the same for you!
This was a perfect exemplification, in true Ni-Ti convergent fashion, of the ENFJs convergent usage of Ni. Ironically, I feel that I am somewhat of a hyper convergent type; I am constantly reappraising my Ti frameworks & adjusting my Ni goals accordingly, in fact dare I say I don't have a goal in mind due to the ever changing terrain of my Ti perhaps, paradoxically this bipolarity can give rise to a kind of insidious anxiety as I never settle on anything. I wander if, irrespective of subnetwork theory & cognitive fluidity, we always feel the pull of the authority function, even if I am a divergent subtype. It can be difficult being what can sometimes feel like the solo voice of antagonism to existing theoretical ideas when you have what appears to be an innate predisposition to re formulate the established status quo & concretise this in reality. In saying that this also requires the right context, which I'm partially responsible for. I sometimes feel like the main protagonist in Franz Kafka's The Castle when in reality I'm merely extra number 102 in someone else's film 😂. I hope I look back on this post one day when and if I've concretised my Ti-Ni in reality. The irony also is that with regards the acceptance of some theoretical substrate, let's take epistemologies of autism & the intersection with CPT for example, some people blindly accept Te 'metrics' or what is presented as objective truth as a means of solidifying their identity when the truth, even though a arduous task and a hard truth to handle, is much better for people in the long run - at least from my subjective perspective. I hope this Ti-Ni splurge made some sense to someone!
Thank you, Harry! Amazing video! Now i can say with 100% certainty that I'm an ESFJ type. And when my behavior is like an ESTJ, it's the result of my professional activity and looks like a mask more. Look forward a new content.
Thanks, this video deepened my knowledge of this system a lot. As ENFP, I feel my Ni is pretty developed. However, I’m wondering if I confuse others because I know my speech can sound like broad, overly simplistic or binary statements. To me, this feels like I’m just naming a broadly encompassing pattern, and it doesn’t occur to me other’s think I’m negating the complexities and intricacies of patterns and issues within that pattern. Because there’s no agenda for me in speaking in this way. I’m not proposing a “simple” or “reductionist” solution. I’m not justifying my personal choice to either participate or not participate actively in a political cause. If someone asked me how I think we should best solve a global/social issue I would not name the broad pattern as a “solution” . If someone asked why I don’t get involved in a political cause, I would not name this broad pattern as any excuse or justification for my personal behavior, but instead take full responsibility and accountability for the feelings, needs, and values within myself that led to that choice. This is helping me see why I sometimes feel misunderstood.
This video is AWESOME! Harry, I commend you; not only on the insightful and useful content, but also on your ability to *mildly* rush through some of the talking, so that the video time can be managed (42 minutes, where it could have easily been over an hour without good edits/cuts and streamlined dialogue). Great job, man-- I can't wait to buy the e-Book! ^_^
Thanks Matt! Haha I always try to jam pack my videos with as much information as possible (I've yet to decide whether this is preferable to the alternative) so if I don't emphasise concission it would go on for at least as long as you mentioned! On the other hand I understand some people would like less information and more examples so this is something to consider too - but for these info-dense videos said concission is top priority! :)
I find your take on the MBTI personality types and how they use the cognitive functions very interesting and innovative! I rethink a lot of the things I've learned about personality psychology so far. The more "classic" and restrictive ways of developing ones type really gave me headaches sometimes. As an INFJ I heard about developing Fe more. About a tendency to overuse Ti. And about all the restrictions around "inferior" Se and that we should focus more on our strength (Ni and Fe) instead of our weaknesses. It just didn't seem healthy to me. I think, your take on finding a balance in all the functions makes much more sense. There are INFJs teaching Se - related skills. Yoga, martial arts. And I'm a singing teacher. We couldn't do this jobs, if we couldn't overcome it to be a "weakness". There's nothing that helped me more with my personal growth than meditation. And that means practicing to stay present in the here and now and in touch with your body as a basic. Personal growth means finding balance between the extremes. I need Se to help my Ni stay rooted to the world. And I need Ti's clarity and detachment to balance my wanting-to-heal-and-help-everyone- Fe. I also agree to your idea of the introverted and the extraverted funktion to be the same, just coming from opposite directions. We need balance there too. I thought a lot about Fe and Fi and noticed, that neither of these are healthy in their extreme. Fi only seeing the self, Fe only seeing others. When they develope, Fi starts to empathize with others and Fe starts to empathize with the self, understanding that the individual well-being matters for the well-being of everyone. It's like Fe becoming more Fi-like and vice versa. I'd really love to see videos about other functions and how the 16 types use and develope them. These days I'm still especially interested in Fi and Fe.
Thank you for the great comment!! As you say, the answer to a healthy psyche is one of balance, with neither extreme of a single function being particularly healthy. I've also done martial arts in the past, and am also a musician - both these activities require a healthy Se anchor. We're definitely on the same page! I also employ meditation to help retain this balance and manage stress :) I'll definitely do another video like this!
My conflicts with ESTPs and ENFPs explained in the same video. Love the way you put functions in pairs. As an INTP, my Te and Se are both my weak links, and now it makes sense why, since the 5th and 7th are tied together.
INTP here. I've just turned 18, so I live with my parents and all, which requires that I do work and help around the house more than I typically would otherwise. I'm often directed and asked to clean up large messes and piles of clutter, and I'm terrible at it without supervision. I can grasp the directions in the moment, but I almost immediately forget those instructions almost immediately. But I've found I work well with simple tasks that require minimal complexity, as well as positions of a mentor or advisor, fleshing out the details of someone's plan or idea and simply counseling people on what they should do. Of course, I don't have any experience with such matters, I'm young and I generally don't understand strategy in that way. However, I generally love to abstractly contribute to the macrochasm of the world around me.
Thanks for that video ! Amazing work. I was wondering: you talk a lot about the "mechanical world" with the INTJs. To What exactly do you refer to by that? You mentioned technology but I was wondering if you could give perhaps other examples? Thanks again for your content !!
Hi, my pleasure! Mechanic is a term I present to distinguish between logical order and social order - it can refer to anything revolved around the object, such as construction, coding, mathematics, science and design :)
29:20 not being aware that I’m unhappy is genuinely what haunts me. I’ve grown in the past year and now can at least sense myself slipping into episodes of depression. But again, I would have to ask myself why that’s happening. I see my emotions as something I discover and then have to work my way back and ask why it happened. Like finding an object in your room that you don’t remember placing there. “Who put this here? Is it here because I needed it? Why did I need it? What caused me to feel this way?” It’s like the emotions happened subconsciously, and by the time my conscious self is aware of them it’s already pushed the threshold into being a problem. Now it’s my job to address the problem (figuring out what the problem is is always the hard part)
There's one thing that I'd like to add about living with 'Ni-dom' w.r.t. its pairing with 'Fi'. I'd like to represent it via this line from 'The Matrix Reloaded' movie, where The Oracle tells Neo that: "You didn't come here to make the choice, you've already made it. You're here to try to understand 'why' you made it.. We are all here to do what we are all here to do". I don't believe in the concept of being "healthy/unhealthy" at least regarding my personality, no matter how I might get/feel isolated in my own world. That however is something that I learned the hard way. I tried to escape, tried to change, but the result was a disaster. After all, passion means suffering, right?! I know all of this may sound like a person with a serious 'delusional grandiosity' condition. Those who think this is the case, should note that in fact all humans were kinda like this up until around 2500 years ago, when gods and goddesses were telling them what to do according to their fates [look into Homer's Odyssey for example]. As a disclaimer for the armchair psychologists, this does NOT mean that I hear voices or like I'm schizophrenic, that's not the case at all and it's far beside the point. Anyway, I'm ramblings a lot already (you know expressing these stuff properly is very hard), so that's it for now :)
Very much appreciating the Matrix reference :) I think for some types an undeveloped Ni is more likely to lead to a certain lack of what could be loosely described as 'mental wellbeing' than in others, but I certainly don't think it is an absolute prerequisite for happiness even in those cases.
@@CognitivePersonality Sure thing, Matrix is a documentary you know :) I agree with your remark, noting that 'happiness' is super-relative/context dependent concept. I'd like to quote a relevant line (which is attributed to my favorite philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Although its source is unknown, it matches with his mindset perfectly) :) "I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves." P.S. I noticed that your channel's abbreviation is CPT. In high energy physics, one of the basic requirements for a successful theory of fundamental interactions (except gravity) is that it should satisfy the CPT theorem! C for charge conjugation, P for parity and T for time reversal :)
@@CognitivePersonality I'm glad to find someone who's not only familiar with what I'm familiar with, but also appreciates what I appreciate the most (so far so good) :)
Not in the hierarchical sense - rather, I see the axis as something far more fluid. For example, my Ni constantly dips into my Si in order to focus on specific concrete details in my mind, while the conscious influence of Se-Fe feeds my dominant stack with external information. If I were to use Se-Fe convergently (to act rather than observe), this would be akin to swivelling on an axis as I am changing my stack temporarily to that of an ESTP. While I believe the magnetic pull of my Ni is far greater than my Se (which certainly affects consciousness and the role of a function within the ego-complex), this doesn't make my Extraverted Sensing an 'inferior function' as a default - rather, Se is performing an extremely divergent role in order to instill a sense of consequence and hold me accountable to the external concrete world. So I don't use a list of functions used in order of preference (nor assign functions numerical values), and while there is an axis between opposing functions I see this as something more fluid. I believe the attitudes (convergent vs divergent) have a far greater effect on the 'role' a function plays within a type than degrees of use :)
Love your content and detailed explanation so much. I would like to support you by buying the ebook. Do you have epub version of the book? Not a fan of Kindle.
@@princetonwong2 Send me an email through the about section and I'll send you the version pre-smashwords :) Apologies, I checked the document myself and it was fine before I uploaded it there!
INFPs can access a fair degree of Ni from the dominant position to be honest - as Fi dips into Ti so does Si into Ni. Otherwise your Ni will tend to be unconsciously feeding you ideas! Se is on an axis with Ni so this can definitely help too, so long as Se inspires insights :)
In an extravert the Convergent Stack is comprised of their two Extraverted Functions :) The Introvert is the opposite, with the Convergent Stack being Introverted and the Divergent Stack being Extraverted. Convergent is positive and egocentric, whilst Divergence is negative and instills consequence. Hope that helps!
@@CognitivePersonality What do you mean by "instill consequence"? 🙂 English is not my mothertongue and I can't grab the meaning by a direct translation. Can you describe it in other words?
I'm enjoying your take. I'm just curious if you are < or >30 yrs of age? I'm a 37 yr old (on paper lol) INFJ Type 5 Male. Currently working on a new typing instrument...any statistics are appreciated.
I started a podcast where I explore introverted intuition as my dominant function and how I use it in the physical world. www.listennotes.com/podcasts/your-ni-dom/cognitive-functions-2vUO8MSgPTz/
That's very interesting indeed! There will always be some overalap due to individual variation, but I would say having one's identity informed by concrete experiences in a manner similar to these two types would be more indicative of Se/Si Divergent Auxiliary :) The INFJ identity tends to be more hardcoded and co-informed by abstract thought. My name's Harry Murrell - I had that as my channel name but realised promoting CPT was more important!
@@CognitivePersonality Harry, taking this theory one step further, would you ever be tempted to outline practices to help those of us without facil knowledge of our feelings to aid people to reap the benefits you describe for each Type in this video?
@@rory8585 That's the long game :) I'd love to do everything at once but I have to maintain patience while getting the underlying theory fully presented before I can start applying it to self development as it's intended :)
@@CognitivePersonality You're truly gifted. I'm loving your stuff right now. Want to hear more about INFJ procrastination. All this stuff is truly fascinating.
@@rory8585 Thank you so much! That's an interesting concept for sure and feel I could do it for all N-dominant types in one swoop - will get thinking :)
15:45 did you just say INTJ can mature into empathetic creatures, actively relating to the emotional needs of others? Umm could you expand on that theory please? Maybe in a way that immature INTJs with no clue about other peoples emotions, might connect to, or find the path to that "empathy" thing they dont believe in? This is crazy news.
That entp description there got me🫠 Entps are often described as ever changing, which is true for many areas (especially those we are conscious of) But we can be pretty set in our ways oftentimes, repeating the same patterns over and over again, finding it hard to change them because they are hard-wired into us (seeing as they are divergent functions) Figuring out ni-fi and gazing within is easier said than done because what does that even mean? 😭 gazing outside is easy because it’s what’s literally there, everybody can see it But gazing within is so vague and very individual to a point where I can lose trust in my own perception, again relying on fe here to validate my observations, which I need to learn to stray away from Very insightful contribution
So how do I develop Ni (I’m an ISFP... I think.........) my first instinct is to look at people who are doing it well and to try to reverse engineer lol
ISFP Ni is largely developed by relating the self to the world, and projecting visions of an ideal future. The more intense the limbic dialogue, the quicker the type will activate their convergent auxiliary.
I disagree with ENTP and ENFP on developing Ni , it's Ne Si working together , which is not a common behaviour , the Ni is a force , that have center that check the patterns source and where it came from , this is impossible for Ne Dom , because Ne a an output force that spread patterns outside and won't allow any patterns to stay in the center. ENTP
Hi! It seems we may have differing systems so no worries at all if there is no allignment. I would say that CPT follows the law of opposition and therefore Ni and Ne will indeed not be active at the same time. An activated Ni within an Ne dominant will allow the type to direct their plethoric convergence to their own emotions rather than that of others, but while dipping from one to another is possible these two cognitive activities will never be happening simultaneously :)
@@CognitivePersonality well if you notice i didn't speak about any system , i was describe the intuition and how it works , and i didn't understand why you brine the emotions , maybe because you are INFJ :D and it's your core interest i guess , but for me i understand things from Ti and i care a lot about the truth from Ti perspective, that why i disagreed with you about Ne dom and how they use Ni , ENFP and ENTP when they want to apply their vision in reality , they do it by the law of Si , they learn wisdom - organize - calmness - focus - goals from Si , there is no place for Ni in personality types like ENFP ENTP , and i'm here not talk about any system but more than understand the core of the functions , for example , the fire can't have the element of the water , it's impossible to use it or have some of it , once i tried to see the Ni as version but i couldn't , i did something different to see how Ni person see or feel or think by looking at the Si than flip to patterns perspective and imagination without losing the calm and the forces of Si , and yes i see it but it take a lot of focus in this process to see how a person see with Ni dom , we always can claim people can use the opposite of their own function but the proof from reality very weak , the function not real tools to play with , it born with us and shape us in different natures.
Fire can be the yin and Water can be the Yang (and vice versa). Fire can be the Sun, Water can be the Moon. It can be formed inside in one body - Astrology
Please consider making this into a series. It was incredibly informative, and I especially like how well it drives home the idea that we use all the functions.
Infp: Very true. I've learned more in my later years to trust my own conclusions by my reasoning rather than being told and less proned to accepting conclusions from ideologies or authorities.
The healthy estp sounds a lot like my boss. He said he hasnt always been like he is, hes really worked to make himself better
That's awesome! I also know a couple of ESTPs whose minds have opened over the years as their minds became more interested in true understanding.
I’m an INTJ and 8:55 explains my problem perfectly!!!! That’s the only problem I have with myself, I cannot compromise with myself when I know what I’m chasing would be worth all the while . I can honestly admit it’s satisfying to have what you envisioned perfectly executed. But it’s soo much work getting there and I’ll admit sometimes I don’t even do the work to get what I desire. It’s ANNOYING
Thanks for this comment! Glad I hit the nail of the head and, yes, I imagine this can be very frustrating to contend with!
Harry, I would love such a video on Using Extroverted Feeling! Could you please consider making one?
Extroverted Feeling might be the most underrated function in our society. I think there is a bias toward the introverted feeling orientation in our society because feeling is steriotypically understood as something which is our own, subjective, on the inside as well as empathy often being mistaken for sympathy while people also tend to ascribe a kind of mythical, magical aura to mirror empathy.
I know this video is old but seriously thank you for this. I got into this stuff a while back and have been trying to type myself. I realized I align a lot with INFJ but assumed I was just falling into the clickbait way it's portrayed online, or the human desire to feel rare. Your part about an unhealthy INFJ really drove it home for me that I have a problem with Ni. Very eerily accurate for me. Your video served as a great reminder of not only the things I was aware of, but also gave me new realizations and helped me see a more healthy future for myself. Again, thanks a bunch.
Divergent ENFJ so Ti-Ni convergent here who can totally sympathise with how you're feeling. I wonder whether I'll ever concretise my philosophical theories into concrete reality - I just spend near on 24/7 in my head reformulating & at 38 years old despite the multiple degrees this doesn't bode well with me: I've never published, never made a true impact, no one is listening etc. I sometimes wish I wasn't a divergent subtype as this wouldn't be as much of a problem or perceived as a problem by me. I think having oppositional Ti doesn't help either as there's a need to get this stuff out there as quickly as is possible.
Well done! I can recognize so much of my friends in these descriptions as an infj, since I have Ni-dominant. This description of how the other types can fail to manifest Ni cooresponds to the issues I have with my friends.
Suppose that a persons dominant function dictates what they are looking for in another human being - and gets annoyed if that function is underdeveloped...
So esfp would get annoyed by me for instance, since I have poor Se and is reluctant to have new experiences...
An ESFP with a lack of internal dialogue would find us potentially annoying, but ESFPs with an active internal dialogue and awareness of self tend to have a great back and forth with an INFJ, so long as there are mutual interests :)
That's awesome to hear btw! I find with myself so long as a type has manifested Ni we can have a great and mutually beneficial conversation, but can find myself at an impass in those with low-Ni activation!
@@CognitivePersonality Yes very much so. :-)
aniokay gq
Ouch I'm an INFJ and I really related to the living in my own reality, thinking I don't need anybody and then wondering why I feel bad.
But I really enjoy your videos, even if I still don't understand exactly how the functions work in reality together when they are authority, oppositional or unconscious etc..
Even though I read your book but it's just a lot of theory I have to understand. But I really enjoy to think about it and to keep learning :)
But I must say you are talking very fast. English is not my first language, so I have sometimes a bit trouble to follow you xD
Thank you for this comment! There'll be more videos tying it all together for sure :)
So glad you've read the book! There's definitely a lot to take in and I know for myself I need extended periods of time to let things float around in my head.
Heh, yes I'm gradually working on reducing the tempo of my monologues :D
39:41 This one hit pretty hard. Especially when I was younger, I wouldn't necessarily outright ask what I should do to have a healthy emotional life, but I would constantly gague my social and emotional reactions to those around me, specifically my emotional authorities, AKA, my parents. It would always troubke my parents who both use Fi, and to a cetrain extent, my brother, who is more cinvergent and dominant in his Fe usage. I was the kid who would creepily stare at other people to assess how I should react, say, during a movie or event.
It got to the point that the more I used my strange childhood Ti to analyze Fe matters that I would become overly boistrous and overreactive. I was a sort of class clown for a while in my high school career, and I based my entire identity off of what would maintain the most harmony/what would make people the happiest. It caused me to become overly sensitive and overly concerned with appeasing my authority figures on an emotional level, almost to the point of manipulation. It was hard, trying to control soemthing I never fully understood.
I'm honestly glad to have parents who managed to instill their Fi-ness into me. They never really addressed my chameleonic nature unless it were in quick humerous remarks, but I think it sort of rubbed off on me, because as soon as I discovered MBTI, I entered this immense search for personal identity and self-meaning. It's a topic me and my brother talk about a lot. He's basically a perfect example of an Ni developed ENTP that you described. I probably would've turned out a lot more unbalanced that I somehow already am if it weren't for the almost perfect types to balance it out. An INFP mom to help ground my identity into the concrete, an ENTP brother who can relate to my struggles with Fe, and an ESTJ dad who I can bounce off of and debate with on a logical level.
I hope you do more of these type of videos. I enjoy learning how each function is used across the types.
I shall, cheers :)
As an ESFP, you nailed it. Well done. Glad I found you, I will certainly be soaking up your wisdom over the next couple days!
Thanks a lot!!
this was incredibly insightful - no pun intended haha! i did the personality junkie's test you suggested and once again came up as entp and I can definitely relate to what you said. having been able to successfully type some of my close family and friends i can also see these manifestations of introverted intuition and unfortunately in some cases the lack thereof in them as well. as for myself, when i was younger i most definitely defined myself by what i could "do" and the problem came in when i was no longer able to "do" what i had defined myself as being anymore. it really forced me to reassess who i am/want to be and what i actually value/want in life.
though i must say it was a terribly painful and long process that took many years (almost 7) and sometimes i still fall into the trap of thinking im only worth the sum of what im capable of offering the world and the fear that i will not be able to live up to my full potential or make a positive difference in the lives of those around me. fortunately these struggles only occur on bad days and there are always silver linings.
im curious to know though, how could someone develop introverted Intuition when its a subconscious function? is it like a gut instinct?
That sounds like a real struggle! Yes I think the utility aspect will always to some degree be a part of you but I'm glad to hear it only gets hard to manage once in a while!
Ni activation will definitely help as it allows Ti to switch with Fi more easily - as someone who has Ne in this position, it involves engaging with the outside (so in your case inside) world but avoiding focusing on details (S) - this way my brain is forced to take a holistic approach (Ne) that can feel surprisingly natural and fluid.
So learning to 'let go' of both S and T can give you a less hazy perspective of your emotional world.
@@CognitivePersonality that sounds really difficult to do ahahaha! But Thank you! I will most definitely try to stop thinking too much and listen to my inner voice. I have noticed that things tend to go down a bad road when I do suppress this 'gut feeling' and because I don't realise I'm depressed/stressed until I'm literally unable to communicate coherently I try to avoid ignoring that aspect and try to check in regularly with what I value or 'feel' is very important even if it's uncomfortable. I don't like being emotional 😅
@@taydupreez8555 It's frightening and uncomfortable at first but definitely gets easier! I know I'm enjoying gradually getting acquainted with my Ne-Te side and it does feel like I've let a suppressed side of myself free, so I can only imagine it would be the same for you!
@@CognitivePersonality oooh that does sound exciting! I'm looking forward to exploring this!
You have helped me understand my teen children better. Thank you.
This was a perfect exemplification, in true Ni-Ti convergent fashion, of the ENFJs convergent usage of Ni. Ironically, I feel that I am somewhat of a hyper convergent type; I am constantly reappraising my Ti frameworks & adjusting my Ni goals accordingly, in fact dare I say I don't have a goal in mind due to the ever changing terrain of my Ti perhaps, paradoxically this bipolarity can give rise to a kind of insidious anxiety as I never settle on anything. I wander if, irrespective of subnetwork theory & cognitive fluidity, we always feel the pull of the authority function, even if I am a divergent subtype. It can be difficult being what can sometimes feel like the solo voice of antagonism to existing theoretical ideas when you have what appears to be an innate predisposition to re formulate the established status quo & concretise this in reality. In saying that this also requires the right context, which I'm partially responsible for. I sometimes feel like the main protagonist in Franz Kafka's The Castle when in reality I'm merely extra number 102 in someone else's film 😂. I hope I look back on this post one day when and if I've concretised my Ti-Ni in reality. The irony also is that with regards the acceptance of some theoretical substrate, let's take epistemologies of autism & the intersection with CPT for example, some people blindly accept Te 'metrics' or what is presented as objective truth as a means of solidifying their identity when the truth, even though a arduous task and a hard truth to handle, is much better for people in the long run - at least from my subjective perspective. I hope this Ti-Ni splurge made some sense to someone!
I love this approach to a function. It helps my understanding about Ni so much.
Thanks!
Thank you, Harry! Amazing video! Now i can say with 100% certainty that I'm an ESFJ type. And when my behavior is like an ESTJ, it's the result of my professional activity and looks like a mask more. Look forward a new content.
Wonderful! Yes there can be a lot of overlap in terms of behaviour but they experience life in very different ways :)
I have a similar relationship with my role Fi as an INTP.
Thanks, this video deepened my knowledge of this system a lot.
As ENFP, I feel my Ni is pretty developed.
However, I’m wondering if I confuse others because I know my speech can sound like broad, overly simplistic or binary statements. To me, this feels like I’m just naming a broadly encompassing pattern, and it doesn’t occur to me other’s think I’m negating the complexities and intricacies of patterns and issues within that pattern.
Because there’s no agenda for me in speaking in this way. I’m not proposing a “simple” or “reductionist” solution. I’m not justifying my personal choice to either participate or not participate actively in a political cause.
If someone asked me how I think we should best solve a global/social issue I would not name the broad pattern as a “solution” . If someone asked why I don’t get involved in a political cause, I would not name this broad pattern as any excuse or justification for my personal behavior, but instead take full responsibility and accountability for the feelings, needs, and values within myself that led to that choice.
This is helping me see why I sometimes feel misunderstood.
Ahh yes, there may be a lost in translation factor for sure!
I have definitely gone down the reductionistic road- its so easy to say the problem is a simple world issue and reduce our personal responsibilities
Heh, thankfully most ENFPs I know, including yourself, have a developed Ni function and as such escaped this particular pitfall!
This video is AWESOME! Harry, I commend you; not only on the insightful and useful content, but also on your ability to *mildly* rush through some of the talking, so that the video time can be managed (42 minutes, where it could have easily been over an hour without good edits/cuts and streamlined dialogue). Great job, man-- I can't wait to buy the e-Book! ^_^
Thanks Matt! Haha I always try to jam pack my videos with as much information as possible (I've yet to decide whether this is preferable to the alternative) so if I don't emphasise concission it would go on for at least as long as you mentioned!
On the other hand I understand some people would like less information and more examples so this is something to consider too - but for these info-dense videos said concission is top priority! :)
I find your take on the MBTI personality types and how they use the cognitive functions very interesting and innovative! I rethink a lot of the things I've learned about personality psychology so far. The more "classic" and restrictive ways of developing ones type really gave me headaches sometimes. As an INFJ I heard about developing Fe more. About a tendency to overuse Ti. And about all the restrictions around "inferior" Se and that we should focus more on our strength (Ni and Fe) instead of our weaknesses. It just didn't seem healthy to me. I think, your take on finding a balance in all the functions makes much more sense. There are INFJs teaching Se - related skills. Yoga, martial arts. And I'm a singing teacher. We couldn't do this jobs, if we couldn't overcome it to be a "weakness". There's nothing that helped me more with my personal growth than meditation. And that means practicing to stay present in the here and now and in touch with your body as a basic. Personal growth means finding balance between the extremes.
I need Se to help my Ni stay rooted to the world. And I need Ti's clarity and detachment to balance my wanting-to-heal-and-help-everyone- Fe.
I also agree to your idea of the introverted and the extraverted funktion to be the same, just coming from opposite directions. We need balance there too. I thought a lot about Fe and Fi and noticed, that neither of these are healthy in their extreme. Fi only seeing the self, Fe only seeing others. When they develope, Fi starts to empathize with others and Fe starts to empathize with the self, understanding that the individual well-being matters for the well-being of everyone. It's like Fe becoming more Fi-like and vice versa.
I'd really love to see videos about other functions and how the 16 types use and develope them. These days I'm still especially interested in Fi and Fe.
Thank you for the great comment!!
As you say, the answer to a healthy psyche is one of balance, with neither extreme of a single function being particularly healthy. I've also done martial arts in the past, and am also a musician - both these activities require a healthy Se anchor.
We're definitely on the same page! I also employ meditation to help retain this balance and manage stress :)
I'll definitely do another video like this!
My conflicts with ESTPs and ENFPs explained in the same video.
Love the way you put functions in pairs. As an INTP, my Te and Se are both my weak links, and now it makes sense why, since the 5th and 7th are tied together.
INTP here. I've just turned 18, so I live with my parents and all, which requires that I do work and help around the house more than I typically would otherwise. I'm often directed and asked to clean up large messes and piles of clutter, and I'm terrible at it without supervision. I can grasp the directions in the moment, but I almost immediately forget those instructions almost immediately. But I've found I work well with simple tasks that require minimal complexity, as well as positions of a mentor or advisor, fleshing out the details of someone's plan or idea and simply counseling people on what they should do. Of course, I don't have any experience with such matters, I'm young and I generally don't understand strategy in that way. However, I generally love to abstractly contribute to the macrochasm of the world around me.
@@andyroobrick-a-brack9355 That sounds very INTP-like. But what were you trying to say about my comment. I can't find the connection.
@@rickrivers2021 perhaps their (INTP's) experience with the weak link of their Te and Se as well?
this is incredible, you are great.
Thank you!
Can you make a video on differentiating between ISFP and INFJ?
This is soooo needed; the vast majority of ISFPs I know mistype as INFJs
Thanks for that video ! Amazing work. I was wondering: you talk a lot about the "mechanical world" with the INTJs. To What exactly do you refer to by that? You mentioned technology but I was wondering if you could give perhaps other examples?
Thanks again for your content !!
Hi, my pleasure! Mechanic is a term I present to distinguish between logical order and social order - it can refer to anything revolved around the object, such as construction, coding, mathematics, science and design :)
29:20 not being aware that I’m unhappy is genuinely what haunts me. I’ve grown in the past year and now can at least sense myself slipping into episodes of depression. But again, I would have to ask myself why that’s happening. I see my emotions as something I discover and then have to work my way back and ask why it happened. Like finding an object in your room that you don’t remember placing there. “Who put this here? Is it here because I needed it? Why did I need it? What caused me to feel this way?”
It’s like the emotions happened subconsciously, and by the time my conscious self is aware of them it’s already pushed the threshold into being a problem. Now it’s my job to address the problem (figuring out what the problem is is always the hard part)
Well played man.
ENFP - Alan Watts was brilliant Ni-activated ENFP. Favorite philosopher.
Thank you man - great example! I absolutely love the Ni of the ENFP!
Me as INFP: MY God, I need to develop this function, quick!
There's one thing that I'd like to add about living with 'Ni-dom' w.r.t. its pairing with 'Fi'. I'd like to represent it via this line from 'The Matrix Reloaded' movie, where The Oracle tells Neo that: "You didn't come here to make the choice, you've already made it. You're here to try to understand 'why' you made it.. We are all here to do what we are all here to do". I don't believe in the concept of being "healthy/unhealthy" at least regarding my personality, no matter how I might get/feel isolated in my own world. That however is something that I learned the hard way. I tried to escape, tried to change, but the result was a disaster. After all, passion means suffering, right?! I know all of this may sound like a person with a serious 'delusional grandiosity' condition. Those who think this is the case, should note that in fact all humans were kinda like this up until around 2500 years ago, when gods and goddesses were telling them what to do according to their fates [look into Homer's Odyssey for example]. As a disclaimer for the armchair psychologists, this does NOT mean that I hear voices or like I'm schizophrenic, that's not the case at all and it's far beside the point. Anyway, I'm ramblings a lot already (you know expressing these stuff properly is very hard), so that's it for now :)
Very much appreciating the Matrix reference :)
I think for some types an undeveloped Ni is more likely to lead to a certain lack of what could be loosely described as 'mental wellbeing' than in others, but I certainly don't think it is an absolute prerequisite for happiness even in those cases.
@@CognitivePersonality Sure thing, Matrix is a documentary you know :) I agree with your remark, noting that 'happiness' is super-relative/context dependent concept. I'd like to quote a relevant line (which is attributed to my favorite philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. Although its source is unknown, it matches with his mindset perfectly) :) "I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves."
P.S. I noticed that your channel's abbreviation is CPT. In high energy physics, one of the basic requirements for a successful theory of fundamental interactions (except gravity) is that it should satisfy the CPT theorem! C for charge conjugation, P for parity and T for time reversal :)
@@xkagutaba I LOVE this!
Ahh another reference I am familiar with - this time appreciating the Wittgenstein reference!
@@CognitivePersonality I'm glad to find someone who's not only familiar with what I'm familiar with, but also appreciates what I appreciate the most (so far so good) :)
for a video that is almost an hour long i feel as if you just scratched the surface and i think i need more info on this subject
ESTP Ti/Ni seeking holistic understanding of reality. Perfect.
Thanks for this comment!
Maybe do a video on Ne?
Great idea!
Is this also the “type” to “wing it” the most in for example important presentations etc?
Hah, on occasion!
So you don't go with the functional 'Axis' of the first and forth? Intuition>Sensing or Feeling>Thinking? or am I misunderstanding?
Not in the hierarchical sense - rather, I see the axis as something far more fluid.
For example, my Ni constantly dips into my Si in order to focus on specific concrete details in my mind, while the conscious influence of Se-Fe feeds my dominant stack with external information.
If I were to use Se-Fe convergently (to act rather than observe), this would be akin to swivelling on an axis as I am changing my stack temporarily to that of an ESTP.
While I believe the magnetic pull of my Ni is far greater than my Se (which certainly affects consciousness and the role of a function within the ego-complex), this doesn't make my Extraverted Sensing an 'inferior function' as a default - rather, Se is performing an extremely divergent role in order to instill a sense of consequence and hold me accountable to the external concrete world.
So I don't use a list of functions used in order of preference (nor assign functions numerical values), and while there is an axis between opposing functions I see this as something more fluid. I believe the attitudes (convergent vs divergent) have a far greater effect on the 'role' a function plays within a type than degrees of use :)
Love your content and detailed explanation so much. I would like to support you by buying the ebook. Do you have epub version of the book? Not a fan of Kindle.
Hi, cheers! I have an epub version up on Smashwords you can find via google search, and will have a store to sell multiple formats soon too :)
Also, if there are any formatting problems let me know and we'll sort it out :)
Cognitive Personality Theory Yes. There seems to be formatting problem on the headings.
@@princetonwong2 Send me an email through the about section and I'll send you the version pre-smashwords :)
Apologies, I checked the document myself and it was fine before I uploaded it there!
As an INFP do I develop my Ni by putting myself into Se? Live in the moment and be detail oriented? What is your number one tip for Developing my Ni?
INFPs can access a fair degree of Ni from the dominant position to be honest - as Fi dips into Ti so does Si into Ni. Otherwise your Ni will tend to be unconsciously feeding you ideas!
Se is on an axis with Ni so this can definitely help too, so long as Se inspires insights :)
@@CognitivePersonality thanks!
Wow! Super helpful.
I relate to 90% of this video, should I be concerned?
Another enjoyable video, always makes me laugh why people put the downward thumb 😀
Hah the downvotes are often a void of mystery to me!
I don't understand what you mean by convergent and divergent?
Convergent stack Se to Te?
Divergent stack Ni to Fi?
In an extravert the Convergent Stack is comprised of their two Extraverted Functions :)
The Introvert is the opposite, with the Convergent Stack being Introverted and the Divergent Stack being Extraverted.
Convergent is positive and egocentric, whilst Divergence is negative and instills consequence.
Hope that helps!
@@CognitivePersonality Thanks!
@@CognitivePersonality What do you mean by "instill consequence"? 🙂 English is not my mothertongue and I can't grab the meaning by a direct translation. Can you describe it in other words?
I'm enjoying your take. I'm just curious if you are < or >30 yrs of age? I'm a 37 yr old (on paper lol) INFJ Type 5 Male. Currently working on a new typing instrument...any statistics are appreciated.
Thanks!
>30 :)
A new typing instrument? Sounds like a cross between a keyboard instrument and a typewriter - perhaps something like an accordion.
That's the first time I ever heard of someone saying that ISTJ could and should develop Ni. Is that really possible? Can you expand on that?
I started a podcast where I explore introverted intuition as my dominant function and how I use it in the physical world. www.listennotes.com/podcasts/your-ni-dom/cognitive-functions-2vUO8MSgPTz/
Could mechanism be defined a little more vague and in general terms?
New too your channel very interesting topic !
Thank you Mike!
@@CognitivePersonality You're welcome
Ni connected to Fi for the INTP
I totally agree!
Awesome! Thanks for your comment!!
Ne is my favorite . Just sharing..
Are these claims in the class of "astrology"?
Thank you
No problem :)
Wow, I'm INFJ but identified with the undevelope ISFPs and ESFJs. By the way, what's your name?
That's very interesting indeed! There will always be some overalap due to individual variation, but I would say having one's identity informed by concrete experiences in a manner similar to these two types would be more indicative of Se/Si Divergent Auxiliary :)
The INFJ identity tends to be more hardcoded and co-informed by abstract thought.
My name's Harry Murrell - I had that as my channel name but realised promoting CPT was more important!
@@CognitivePersonality Harry, taking this theory one step further, would you ever be tempted to outline practices to help those of us without facil knowledge of our feelings to aid people to reap the benefits you describe for each Type in this video?
@@rory8585 That's the long game :)
I'd love to do everything at once but I have to maintain patience while getting the underlying theory fully presented before I can start applying it to self development as it's intended :)
@@CognitivePersonality You're truly gifted. I'm loving your stuff right now. Want to hear more about INFJ procrastination. All this stuff is truly fascinating.
@@rory8585 Thank you so much!
That's an interesting concept for sure and feel I could do it for all N-dominant types in one swoop - will get thinking :)
15:45 did you just say INTJ can mature into empathetic creatures, actively relating to the emotional needs of others?
Umm could you expand on that theory please? Maybe in a way that immature INTJs with no clue about other peoples emotions, might connect to, or find the path to that "empathy" thing they dont believe in? This is crazy news.
13:00
That entp description there got me🫠
Entps are often described as ever changing, which is true for many areas (especially those we are conscious of)
But we can be pretty set in our ways oftentimes, repeating the same patterns over and over again, finding it hard to change them because they are hard-wired into us (seeing as they are divergent functions)
Figuring out ni-fi and gazing within is easier said than done because what does that even mean? 😭 gazing outside is easy because it’s what’s literally there, everybody can see it
But gazing within is so vague and very individual to a point where I can lose trust in my own perception, again relying on fe here to validate my observations, which I need to learn to stray away from
Very insightful contribution
I'm an ignoramus
So how do I develop Ni (I’m an ISFP... I think.........) my first instinct is to look at people who are doing it well and to try to reverse engineer lol
ISFP Ni is largely developed by relating the self to the world, and projecting visions of an ideal future. The more intense the limbic dialogue, the quicker the type will activate their convergent auxiliary.
Cognitive Personality Theory perfect. Because I just made my very first vision board and I think that’ll help :D thank you!!
The ISTJ timestamp in the description has a period instead of a colon.
Thank you, shall check it out!
I disagree with ENTP and ENFP on developing Ni , it's Ne Si working together , which is not a common behaviour , the Ni is a force , that have center that check the patterns source and where it came from , this is impossible for Ne Dom , because Ne a an output force that spread patterns outside and won't allow any patterns to stay in the center.
ENTP
Hi! It seems we may have differing systems so no worries at all if there is no allignment.
I would say that CPT follows the law of opposition and therefore Ni and Ne will indeed not be active at the same time. An activated Ni within an Ne dominant will allow the type to direct their plethoric convergence to their own emotions rather than that of others, but while dipping from one to another is possible these two cognitive activities will never be happening simultaneously :)
@@CognitivePersonality well if you notice i didn't speak about any system , i was describe the intuition and how it works , and i didn't understand why you brine the emotions , maybe because you are INFJ :D and it's your core interest i guess , but for me i understand things from Ti and i care a lot about the truth from Ti perspective, that why i disagreed with you about Ne dom and how they use Ni , ENFP and ENTP when they want to apply their vision in reality , they do it by the law of Si , they learn wisdom - organize - calmness - focus - goals from Si , there is no place for Ni in personality types like ENFP ENTP , and i'm here not talk about any system but more than understand the core of the functions , for example , the fire can't have the element of the water , it's impossible to use it or have some of it , once i tried to see the Ni as version but i couldn't , i did something different to see how Ni person see or feel or think by looking at the Si than flip to patterns perspective and imagination without losing the calm and the forces of Si , and yes i see it but it take a lot of focus in this process to see how a person see with Ni dom , we always can claim people can use the opposite of their own function but the proof from reality very weak , the function not real tools to play with , it born with us and shape us in different natures.
@@MetalGearIV fire and water have an "oxygen' element 🤔
Fire can be the yin and Water can be the Yang (and vice versa). Fire can be the Sun, Water can be the Moon. It can be formed inside in one body - Astrology
What’s wrong with your eyes bro. Don’t take too much psychedelics. Wait before you try that again for a long long time time bro.
Sure thing bro
Time stamps? 🧐🥺