I've been thinking again. Yes, I know how dangerous this is.
One of the most defining factors for whether or not someone is an introvert or an extrovert is how they 'recharge'. Do you gain energy from being alone or around others? This sensibility is fairly well established and accepted, and from what I've seen is very valid.
However, if this theory is valid and cognitive function preference theory is also valid, then they have to overlap. Cognitive function theory states that people have dominant and secondary functions. One of them is introverted and the other extroverted. The assumption is that the orientation of the dominant function dictates how someone recharges. If their dominant function is introverted then the person recharges by being alone. If their dominant function is extroverted then the person recharges by being around other people.
Here comes the paradigm shift... as I bring both of these theories into focus with one another and expand them...
If the above statements are true, as they seem to be, then this means the individual is actually feeding their cognitive functions directly, not their inherent nature. For example, an INFJ who has very clear function preference will need to recharge their Ni most often by being alone and allowing it to process. But, they will also need to recharge their Fe by being around others in proportion to how well developed it is. Then they will need to withdraw to recharge their Ti, and if need be recharge their Se by engaging the world.
Each of these functions has a recharge need in proportion to their preference and usage because the opposite is also true. Being around others drains introverted functions, and being alone drains extroverted functions. The more an Ni dominant person is around other people, the more they will need to recharge their Ni by withdrawing because being around people is very taxing to Ni's need to focus on all the little details. However, being alone is very draining on Fe's need to care about others. Meanwhile, being around people is draining on Ti because it needs to understand how everything works on the most intricate scale possible, and withdrawing is very draining on Se because it needs to see the world.
These principles explain the ebb abd flow of introversion and extroversion in people. Obviously, no one is 100% introverted or extroverted, and all of us shift back and forth between needing contact with the outside world and withdrawing to collect ourselves. The difference in our needs for these factors is in proportion to our individual preferences and development with our functions. The more developed someone's introverted functions are, the more they need to withdraw and process. The more developed someone's extroverted functions are, the more they need to engage the world around them.
I think the best proof of this theory is ambiversion. The more cognitively developed people become, the more they develop both introverted and extroverted functions, and therefore a need to recharge each of them. The more these functions are developed, the more balanced the ebb and flow of need to withdraw and engage. Over and over again, we see this as people develop and mature.
So, to recap, and extrapolate...
The stronger your functions are, the more you need to feed them in order to recharge them, and you can take a reverse self inventory by assessing how often you have to recharge them. If you have to withdraw a lot, then you probably need to work on developing your extroverted functions. If you have to engage the world a lot, then you probably need to work on engaging your introverted functions.
One of the most defining factors for whether or not someone is an introvert or an extrovert is how they 'recharge'. Do you gain energy from being alone or around others? This sensibility is fairly well established and accepted, and from what I've seen is very valid.
However, if this theory is valid and cognitive function preference theory is also valid, then they have to overlap. Cognitive function theory states that people have dominant and secondary functions. One of them is introverted and the other extroverted. The assumption is that the orientation of the dominant function dictates how someone recharges. If their dominant function is introverted then the person recharges by being alone. If their dominant function is extroverted then the person recharges by being around other people.
Here comes the paradigm shift... as I bring both of these theories into focus with one another and expand them...
If the above statements are true, as they seem to be, then this means the individual is actually feeding their cognitive functions directly, not their inherent nature. For example, an INFJ who has very clear function preference will need to recharge their Ni most often by being alone and allowing it to process. But, they will also need to recharge their Fe by being around others in proportion to how well developed it is. Then they will need to withdraw to recharge their Ti, and if need be recharge their Se by engaging the world.
Each of these functions has a recharge need in proportion to their preference and usage because the opposite is also true. Being around others drains introverted functions, and being alone drains extroverted functions. The more an Ni dominant person is around other people, the more they will need to recharge their Ni by withdrawing because being around people is very taxing to Ni's need to focus on all the little details. However, being alone is very draining on Fe's need to care about others. Meanwhile, being around people is draining on Ti because it needs to understand how everything works on the most intricate scale possible, and withdrawing is very draining on Se because it needs to see the world.
These principles explain the ebb abd flow of introversion and extroversion in people. Obviously, no one is 100% introverted or extroverted, and all of us shift back and forth between needing contact with the outside world and withdrawing to collect ourselves. The difference in our needs for these factors is in proportion to our individual preferences and development with our functions. The more developed someone's introverted functions are, the more they need to withdraw and process. The more developed someone's extroverted functions are, the more they need to engage the world around them.
I think the best proof of this theory is ambiversion. The more cognitively developed people become, the more they develop both introverted and extroverted functions, and therefore a need to recharge each of them. The more these functions are developed, the more balanced the ebb and flow of need to withdraw and engage. Over and over again, we see this as people develop and mature.
So, to recap, and extrapolate...
The stronger your functions are, the more you need to feed them in order to recharge them, and you can take a reverse self inventory by assessing how often you have to recharge them. If you have to withdraw a lot, then you probably need to work on developing your extroverted functions. If you have to engage the world a lot, then you probably need to work on engaging your introverted functions.
