Fi = anger?
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No.
Emotions and functions are only loosely related. Fi and Fe are more closely attuned to emotions and often use emotions as part of their reasoning processes, but unto themselves emotions are not cognitive functions.
It would be like saying vision = Se and hearing = Si.
These things are elements that the functions use to operate, but they are not the same.
According to the theory, the dominant and secondary functions are tied to the Ego, while the inverse shadow functions are represented by the Super Ego. It seems that these things could cause anger within ourselves, as the Ego and Super Ego often clash in frustration. For INFJs, these would be Te and Si, but again this isn't to say that these functions equate to emotion, simply that they could cause emotion.
Not any more than from any other function.
I think the expression of the anger is usually through the extroverted judging functions: Te and Fe, which every type has, but the origin may be from any function.
Observation suggest that anger is either antecedent to stress or post-stress related, not stress itself. I suppose, this is where the difference between exploding and "imploding" comes in. When it is antecedent to stress, it is by those who reject the concept immediately. And when it is post-stress, it is by those who "bottles it up." The latter often being the result of "hope," "second chances," "open mind," "doubt," and so on, you name it.
This should prove my- as well as your- point, that anger has nothing to do with the functions. However, it could be something about how we perceive and process the information; The change of focus between the dominant/auxiliary and tertiary/inferior functions, when we either believe we will be affected by stress (exploding), or have endured stress for a long amount of time (imploding).
And I guess, this makes 'them' philosophers right after all, that exploding is much more healthier than imploding. Not because imploding might cause more harm to others, but to oneself. Being judgmental, being narrow, rejecting concepts, is actually much healthier to the human mind.
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Just as introversion and extroversion in MBTI do not mean what those words in casual conversation, so is it also that Feeling in cognitive function theory does not mean the same thing as feeling in casual conversation.
cheers,
Ian
"Feeling" in the cognitive function sense means "reasoning that is based on ideals, emotions, and the non-verbal". It got called Feeling because it is essentially right brained reasoning (and for those who want to argue Lenore Thomson's notions that Fe is left brained - She's wrong. That's the end of it.)
Here's an example of Feeling as reasoning that doesn't involve emotion. Let's say you're cooking. You taste test, and feel that you need more of a certain spice. It's not emotional. It's aesthetic, but the best way to describe how you came to the conclusion was 'feel'. It's actually a form of thinking in a literal sense, but in Cognitive Functions, the term 'Thinking' refers to the left brained analytical reasoning. In other words, "Thinking" and "Feeling" are exaggerations and not literally the definition of these words.
I have lately been thinking that INFPs are often angry without a cause, or without a cause that others might celebrate. They think of themselves as the ultimate arbiters of truth, and often blow steam without anybody else being on their side or understanding their issue as they do. INFJs on the other hand try to think, is what I'm feeling called for, is it Fe, too? I think this helps them keep things more proportionate at least in terms of the expression of the feeling. I don't think people should just pop the cork as they lose too much champagne.
Everyone are better off ignoring shadow functions, as shadow functions have no effect on the conscious mind. When we are influenced by a stressful situation e.g. a conversation going horribly wrong, and respond to it as of stress, it is not our shadow functions that appear, it is still the work of our primary four functions. When we speak of stress we speak of a situation that is almost if not entirely endangering your welfare, whether physically or psychologically. As an INTJ your most natural response would be Se|Fi>Te|Ni.
All of the senses are used BY Se and Si. Ne and Ni use input from the senses as well. The mind's ability to process the information we take in is the definition of the Perception functions. A good analogy is a webcam, and the drivers that operate it. The senses are like the input device. The Perception functions are the software that run them.
Anger comes from no cognitive function. That's not what they do. They're independent of things like emotions, sensory input, and any other factors. They interact with and use those things to make their deductions and inductions, and can even cause them, but they're not the same. For example, Fi could make a conclusion that leads to anger. However, so could Fe, Te, or Ti. Have you ever seen an INTP flip out because someone said something imprecisely? Our perception functions can process things that are directly upsetting, and possibly skip reason altogether, leading straight to anger. Your Se spots your spouse holding hands with someone else. Your Si notices someone else's lipstick on his collar. Your Ni picks up on a subtle pattern that implies your spouse is cheating. All of these could lead directly to an instinctive anger response. The same is true of any emotion. They're often associated with the Feeling functions, but they're not the Feeling functions.
Interesting! I was thinking that an hour ago. I actually opened this thread because I realized that the INFPs I know have this certain kind of anger which is almost rage. They somehow explode all of a sudden. And with INTJs, their Fi could be pure (someone called it "baby Fi"), but it could also be a nuclear bomb.
Look up hypothalamus...
I don't think you could map Fi to the hypothalamus, because this part of the brain controls arousal or reaction to the environment.
Fi is not reactive.. it is a reasoning function.
I don't think you could map Fi to the hypothalamus, because this part of the brain controls arousal or reaction to the environment.
Fi is not reactive.. it is a reasoning function.