Inner voice projection

[VH]

Another of my infamous 'aha' moments...

I just realized that the reason people tend to misunderstand and misconstrue so much via text is that everyone reads text with their own inner voice.

If I tell you something in person, you can see my facial expression, hear my inflections, and all those other non-verbal communication cues that according to some 'experts' constitute up to 90% of 'communication. However, in text, the we thing you have to go on is purely our words themsleves (well, maybe the implications of emoticons, layout, etc. but I digress). What this creates is a void. When something is missing that needs to exist, the mind fills in the blanks - this is one of the predictive functions of 'Intuition'. When we are reading text, we fill in the blanks of body language, tone of voice, inflection, etc... all the non-verbal communication cues.

However, we do this with our own inner voice!

This is where the cognitive functions really show themselves. People of the same MBTI type often 'get where they are coming from' while other types tend to misinterpret them in proportion to the degree of difference in functions. A classic example of this is INFJs and ENTPs. In person, I can follow them very well and generally find them amusing, funny, and charming even when we're debating. However, online, the things they write can seem terribly inflammatory - even if the exact same words are used! Why? Because in person, I'm seeing their playful grins, enthusiasm, and laughter. Online, I'm reading their text with my own inner voice and applying the body language, tone of voice, etc. that I would have to have in order to be using those words - and this changes the inflection (and therefore meaning) drastically.

 

[lostintranslation]

If some types read too much in-between the lines it could turn out to be a problem... I've had that happen to me

 

[VH]

If some types read too much in-between the lines it could turn out to be a problem... I've had that happen to me

I've noticed that there seems to be a communication barrier between Fe and Fi users via text. What normally wouldn't cause issues in person tends to cause problems in text. I'd wager that a lot of non-verbal communication stems from what our F functions are expressing.

I've also noticed that S types are much more prone to "What do you mean by that?" sorts of questions. Maybe they aren't as able to see the inflections as well as us, or maybe they have the good sense not to assume. In any case, I think the N types are more predictive in what they read. Could work for us or against us.

 

[not sure]

Another of my infamous 'aha' moments...

I just realized that the reason people tend to misunderstand and misconstrue so much via text is that everyone reads text with their own inner voice.

<snip>

This is where the cognitive functions really show themselves. People of the same MBTI type often 'get where they are coming from' while other types tend to misinterpret them in proportion to the degree of difference in functions.

So, true. It takes practice to write in a neutral style. I try my best to do it but it usually requires writing, then proofreading and editing out anything that can appear emotional. Even then things go wrong. I like your ENTP example because they in particular seem to find it very difficult to recognize how their text could convey negative connotations. Usually, if you question them on it, they'll give a reasonable explanation but often I find what they write to be initially shocking. Somewhere, someone is thinking the very same thing about my own writing.

 

[Divine Wannabee]

Though when i see your facial expressions body language etc, it would be unnessesary in the sense that i often perceive earlier
Through intuition before observing the dynamics of body language to ensure the intuitive information is accurate.

by this way, you can see in a way I, as many others im sure do this, work from the end result to the begining. back to front,
finesh to start, "get it?"

I am perceiving what the flow of motion has given as both an essential and nessesary skill to poses