- Nov 12, 2008
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This has been percolating in my mind for a little while (EDIT: actually the equation bit is completely new, that just "came to me" while writing this and I was initally writing this in a completely different direction), and I want to sort of clear out ideas about different functions and how they are used within individual types. A long while back I believed that each person had access to each of the eight functions with conscious control. Well, earlier this year I came to the (rather personally unpleasent) cunclusion that this truly is wrong. It doesn't fit with in MBTI theory, and further does not accurately describe people. I wanted to use all 8 functions to account for the disparities found in useage from person to person. However, I have an idea that might put more light to this.
I really do think that each person has four function in a locked order. This order does not change, but rather the length of time the process remains in focus and use is very different. I am going to relate three different terms to a simple physics equations used in electromagnetic theory. You have function power, function efficiency, and functional position. In physics, the equation that relates current voltage and resistance is I=V/R (I is power, V is voltage, R is resistance). I believe that the function use patterns can be related to this. Functional power relates to V, Functional efficiency relates to I and functional position relates to R. I do have to change the equation for the purposes of this, and add a fudge factor of sorts. I=V/Rn. I also do understand "power" fits better with I (amps), but if I switch them my idea won't worry. Sorry for all you physics people if it bothers you (it bothers me too).
V = Functional Power is the pure strength and power at which a function is used. In essence, how much a person actually is able to use a function. This is what a person sees when someone uses a function. You can see it in their behavior, their speech, their movement, etc. all of the factors you can see when you watch someone. This is something that we have a decent conscious control over. We can over time train ourselves to use a specfic function to higher and lower capacity either by sheer will, forced by our environment. When you see someone who has Ne that stands out very strongly, for example, you can't miss it from what they say and do. What you see is the power of the function. How strong it is. This fluxes and changes over time the most quickly. Other function effect it's strength. However, just because someone uses a function strongly, does not mean the function is going to work well. Overusing the amount of power put in also creates a high strain on the person. Ideally, the lowest power needed should be used. Overuse will increase n over time.
I = Functional efficiency is how well someone uses a function. How efficient a function is, and how quickly, cleanly, and clearly it will output (or intake) something. One can use all the power in the world but if their efficiency is very low, what good will it do. You can have a 600volt battery, but if it's only a single amp (I, and yes I realize a single amp in relative terms is quite large) it won't be able to do very much at all. If anything it will just be a burden. You can see someone using a particular function, and it might not stand out much, however you can see how well they are using it. How it is balanced with each other functions linked to it. One does not have conscious control over how efficient their functions are. That comes with years of experiences and simply living life. Further it is dependent and strongly related to functional posistion, and the effector (R and n respectively).
R = Functional position. This is simply whether a function is dominant, auxilliary, tertiary, or inferior. Each are linked with a specefic value that does not change. This value increases from slot to slot (and might differ from person to person). Thus their dominant function will have very low R due to it's "ease of use" at its posistion. Thus they can use the function with very little power, and will output a high efficency value. R value increases until inferior which is highest. You must input a lot of power in order to output high efficiency. Personally I believe a persons type "locks" early in life, and I believe that R's lock shortly after that. Different people will have different R values, and their scales relative to each other will be different. However, one can overcome (or subbcumb) to R with an effector, n.
n = The Effector. This is simply the factor that effects how strong or weak R is, which effects how much power is needed to a function in order to output high efficency use. This n value is effected quite strongly by many factors, some more quickly then others. Further, n is the value at which an individual has the most direct and imiediate effect on. However, only has subconscious control over this (thus has hemi-control, but the most control). This n likely could be defined deeper into another equation in and of itself, but that is another idea for later. The general idea is, is that development is either going to increase or decrease this value. Increasing n results in more power needed for a high efficency function. Some people might feel an urge to try and overcome this factor, and will put tremendous power levels into this. However, as with when you heat a resister, it can break or increase in resistance by virtue of heat and too much amperage. Simply overpowering this can make things far worse, and can effect other functions in the circuit. You could also think of this as a rearangement of many resistors in a circuit, putting them in series and parallel. Development will dictate where they go and how that sets the overall n effected R value. Ideally one will strive to acheive a low n value this requiring less effort for a function to function with high efficiency.
Tying this all together, the idea is that, a persons persona within their type is defined by how each function is used, and it is defined by this equation. I=V/Rn. Each function has it's own individual equation. However the total efficency of all four equations will effect how "Well" a person works. Some people have higher efficiency then others. This comes from the power the put in, their inate R value, and the effector n (based off many factors). Different functions respond different to each dymanic change, and it's also related. As one example, this also explains dom-tert loops that people enter (I myself experience a form of this). Individuals may place stronger and stronger power (V) into a function, but this can and does raise n value, creating a vicious cycle. Until the power is turned down for a while, and is rested, n may not decrease. Each equation must work in line with each other. If the I value for a persons auxillary is below that of their tertiary, problems can arise. Unfortonately I can not think of a mathamatical relationship to "prove" this at this time, but I can say Id>Ia>It>Ii (d=dom, a=aux, t=tert, i=inf). If this series and equation is not true, then n values will increase. This gives a little more solidity to it.
In summary, I believe that individual people can be refined down and have their function use explained in terms of these values. This would put more solid ground to the development of a person. Some people have higher efficency (i.e. are more "developed") due to several different factors. Mind you I just came up with this idea and I will need to work on it more. In particular defining more of what effects n in what ways and how (again I feel an equation could be developed from it). This does need work and I am going to mill over on it for a while. For that, I appologize for any errors I have made, or anything that was not explained well.
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It's time like these that I wish I was majoring in psych, or going into this type of research. How I wish I could go into qualatative research, collect data (stories) and begin to abstract data from this, and begin to develop a mathimatical relationship between functions and output and development of a person. ...I think I came a little just thinking about it! And who knows, if this were accepted I might have to call this "Indigo's Law" :tongue1:.
Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Discuss.
I really do think that each person has four function in a locked order. This order does not change, but rather the length of time the process remains in focus and use is very different. I am going to relate three different terms to a simple physics equations used in electromagnetic theory. You have function power, function efficiency, and functional position. In physics, the equation that relates current voltage and resistance is I=V/R (I is power, V is voltage, R is resistance). I believe that the function use patterns can be related to this. Functional power relates to V, Functional efficiency relates to I and functional position relates to R. I do have to change the equation for the purposes of this, and add a fudge factor of sorts. I=V/Rn. I also do understand "power" fits better with I (amps), but if I switch them my idea won't worry. Sorry for all you physics people if it bothers you (it bothers me too).
V = Functional Power is the pure strength and power at which a function is used. In essence, how much a person actually is able to use a function. This is what a person sees when someone uses a function. You can see it in their behavior, their speech, their movement, etc. all of the factors you can see when you watch someone. This is something that we have a decent conscious control over. We can over time train ourselves to use a specfic function to higher and lower capacity either by sheer will, forced by our environment. When you see someone who has Ne that stands out very strongly, for example, you can't miss it from what they say and do. What you see is the power of the function. How strong it is. This fluxes and changes over time the most quickly. Other function effect it's strength. However, just because someone uses a function strongly, does not mean the function is going to work well. Overusing the amount of power put in also creates a high strain on the person. Ideally, the lowest power needed should be used. Overuse will increase n over time.
I = Functional efficiency is how well someone uses a function. How efficient a function is, and how quickly, cleanly, and clearly it will output (or intake) something. One can use all the power in the world but if their efficiency is very low, what good will it do. You can have a 600volt battery, but if it's only a single amp (I, and yes I realize a single amp in relative terms is quite large) it won't be able to do very much at all. If anything it will just be a burden. You can see someone using a particular function, and it might not stand out much, however you can see how well they are using it. How it is balanced with each other functions linked to it. One does not have conscious control over how efficient their functions are. That comes with years of experiences and simply living life. Further it is dependent and strongly related to functional posistion, and the effector (R and n respectively).
R = Functional position. This is simply whether a function is dominant, auxilliary, tertiary, or inferior. Each are linked with a specefic value that does not change. This value increases from slot to slot (and might differ from person to person). Thus their dominant function will have very low R due to it's "ease of use" at its posistion. Thus they can use the function with very little power, and will output a high efficency value. R value increases until inferior which is highest. You must input a lot of power in order to output high efficiency. Personally I believe a persons type "locks" early in life, and I believe that R's lock shortly after that. Different people will have different R values, and their scales relative to each other will be different. However, one can overcome (or subbcumb) to R with an effector, n.
n = The Effector. This is simply the factor that effects how strong or weak R is, which effects how much power is needed to a function in order to output high efficency use. This n value is effected quite strongly by many factors, some more quickly then others. Further, n is the value at which an individual has the most direct and imiediate effect on. However, only has subconscious control over this (thus has hemi-control, but the most control). This n likely could be defined deeper into another equation in and of itself, but that is another idea for later. The general idea is, is that development is either going to increase or decrease this value. Increasing n results in more power needed for a high efficency function. Some people might feel an urge to try and overcome this factor, and will put tremendous power levels into this. However, as with when you heat a resister, it can break or increase in resistance by virtue of heat and too much amperage. Simply overpowering this can make things far worse, and can effect other functions in the circuit. You could also think of this as a rearangement of many resistors in a circuit, putting them in series and parallel. Development will dictate where they go and how that sets the overall n effected R value. Ideally one will strive to acheive a low n value this requiring less effort for a function to function with high efficiency.
Tying this all together, the idea is that, a persons persona within their type is defined by how each function is used, and it is defined by this equation. I=V/Rn. Each function has it's own individual equation. However the total efficency of all four equations will effect how "Well" a person works. Some people have higher efficiency then others. This comes from the power the put in, their inate R value, and the effector n (based off many factors). Different functions respond different to each dymanic change, and it's also related. As one example, this also explains dom-tert loops that people enter (I myself experience a form of this). Individuals may place stronger and stronger power (V) into a function, but this can and does raise n value, creating a vicious cycle. Until the power is turned down for a while, and is rested, n may not decrease. Each equation must work in line with each other. If the I value for a persons auxillary is below that of their tertiary, problems can arise. Unfortonately I can not think of a mathamatical relationship to "prove" this at this time, but I can say Id>Ia>It>Ii (d=dom, a=aux, t=tert, i=inf). If this series and equation is not true, then n values will increase. This gives a little more solidity to it.
In summary, I believe that individual people can be refined down and have their function use explained in terms of these values. This would put more solid ground to the development of a person. Some people have higher efficency (i.e. are more "developed") due to several different factors. Mind you I just came up with this idea and I will need to work on it more. In particular defining more of what effects n in what ways and how (again I feel an equation could be developed from it). This does need work and I am going to mill over on it for a while. For that, I appologize for any errors I have made, or anything that was not explained well.
------------
It's time like these that I wish I was majoring in psych, or going into this type of research. How I wish I could go into qualatative research, collect data (stories) and begin to abstract data from this, and begin to develop a mathimatical relationship between functions and output and development of a person. ...I think I came a little just thinking about it! And who knows, if this were accepted I might have to call this "Indigo's Law" :tongue1:.
Thoughts? Ideas? Opinions? Discuss.
