Ne or Ni and reading into things

[Gaze]

So, I think Ne has the tendency because it imagines so many possibilities to read into things.

As an INFP, and probably more so for ENFPs since they are Ne dominants, this can be bothersome function.

Do you find as a Ne, that you read into things easily?

Or Nis, how do you prevent yourself from getting caught in that cycle?

 

[Paladin-X]

The best example I've heard about Ne vs Ni is that Ne is a supernova of ideas and possibilities. Ni is a singularity that pulls in relevant information into it.

What's funny/interesting to me is discussing problems and ideas with my INFP buddy. We both have the same mental image that represents how well our Ne vs NI work together. It is a diamond symbol. I present a point, he expands the point in a multitude of ways, and I draw back in all of the pertinent ideas back into the single point to form a new whole. And back and forth we go until we have a large web of interconnected ideas and such.

 

[Nixie]

I like to think in terms of the amount of possibilites being narrowed down by probabliity by using a careful examination of the underlying clues. I can postulate a zillion scenerios but can quickly narrow them down to a managable few. I always think of that scene from terminator where he's at the motel and the guy knocks on the door and says something like "you got a dead cat in there or something" and the terminator clicks through this menu of answers unti he reaches "fuck you". That is how my brain works a lot of the time. A large menu of ideas floods through my brain until I zero in on the few answers that have the most potential for being true.

I find that I am always figuring underlying subtext to what is being said or done. If I fail it is generally in a less personal environment...online, on the phone....In person, I'm pretty good about catching the underlying vibe. The only caveat is that I must be interested in the goings on and be paying attention. I have a frightening ability to tune out things I deem unimportant if my mind is occupied with something else. It is an obnoxious habit but I can't/don't want to seem to break it.

 

[Gaze]

I like to think in terms of the amount of possibilites being narrowed down by probabliity by using a careful examination of the underlying clues. I can postulate a zillion scenerios but can quickly narrow them down to a managable few. I always think of that scene from terminator where he's at the motel and the guy knocks on the door and says something like "you got a dead cat in there or something" and the terminator clicks through this menu of answers unti he reaches "fuck you". That is how my brain works a lot of the time. A large menu of ideas floods through my brain until I zero in on the few answers that have the most potential for being true.

I find that I am always figuring underlying subtext to what is being said or done. If I fail it is generally in a less personal environment...online, on the phone....In person, I'm pretty good about catching the underlying vibe. The only caveat is that I must be interested in the goings on and be paying attention. I have a frightening ability to tune out things I deem unimportant if my mind is occupied with something else. It is an obnoxious habit but I can't/don't want to seem to break it.

*envy* One of the toughest things is to screen out unimportant information. It just seems like everything is always important. I tend to see value in almost anything so it's tough to know what's relevant or what's not sometimes. This is why I tend to ask a ton of questions or feedback, so that I can narrow it down. If I don't, I'll get lost in all the details.

 

[acd]

I try to piece things together when I don't have the full story or all the information... Who doesn't?
I feel like I can make a pseudo-judgment or pseudo-assessment based on an estimation, but I remain open to changing my mind if presented other evidence or ideas.
Sometimes, I'll have many mini-scenarios going on at once and then one by one, I'll have to eliminate each assessment when faced with contradictory evidence.
It's why I usually prefer to observe things and be reserved...and take a long, slow, agonizing time to make a real decision.

 

[dudemanbro]

I like to think in terms of the amount of possibilites being narrowed down by probabliity by using a careful examination of the underlying clues. I can postulate a zillion scenerios but can quickly narrow them down to a managable few. I always think of that scene from terminator where he's at the motel and the guy knocks on the door and says something like "you got a dead cat in there or something" and the terminator clicks through this menu of answers unti he reaches "fuck you". That is how my brain works a lot of the time. A large menu of ideas floods through my brain until I zero in on the few answers that have the most potential for being true.

I find that I am always figuring underlying subtext to what is being said or done. If I fail it is generally in a less personal environment...online, on the phone....In person, I'm pretty good about catching the underlying vibe. The only caveat is that I must be interested in the goings on and be paying attention. I have a frightening ability to tune out things I deem unimportant if my mind is occupied with something else. It is an obnoxious habit but I can't/don't want to seem to break it.

I think you're an INTP who is in touch with their feelings (unlike seemingly most of intpforum.com users). In this case it would make sense that you have a greater tendency than others to "tune out things I deem unimportant" and so on. Your "Terminator" things sounds like extroverted intuition to me.

Now I'm typing people on the internet, so I'm likely to be wrong (there's a 1/16 chance I'm not).

 

[sassafras]

You guys are forgetting that Ni and Ne are not conscious processes. As an intuitive, Ni and Ne are instinctual complements to either the introverted or extroverted expression of Te/Fe or Ti/Fe, respectively. The thoughts that the brain articulates are actually your judging functions at work. You are not aware that Ne or Ni is happening, much the same way you are not aware of Si or Se happening; rather, they are the perspectives and impressions from which you pluck your conclusions.

Therefore, the question of 'reading into things' and 'how do you prevent yourself from [doing so]?' should zero in on the judging function responsible for interpreting the data offered up by the subconscious Ni or Ne. In the OP's example for ENFP and INFP, the culprit is actually Fi, not Ne. Unlike introverted judging functions paired with extroverted sensory perception, the introverted judging paired with extroverted intuition's main challenge is getting lost in their head space by not checking in with external references. This is especially the danger for INTP and INFP's, as their extroverted judging function is their inferior. The solution depends on looking for ways to develop your tertiary and inferior functions to ground you in reality; this could be as simple as surrounding yourself with people who have their feet firmly the ground or scheduling your time and giving yourself tasks and activities that require you to make use of your time efficiently and encourage you to trust your instincts.

 

[BMatt]

My metaphor for Ne vs Ni is that they both see a tree from a distance.

Ne sees that it is a tree, and that it might be a fruit tree. It could be an apple tree, a pear tree, or an orange tree. And wow, look at all those branches that it has, there could be one of those fruits on any one of them!!!! The introverted judging function is then used to filter these ideas and come up with the correct answer.

Ni sees an apple tree with three apples ready to be picked on the leftmost branch. Which usually works. . . except when they get closer and realize those were pears. Then the judging function has to try to figure out what the hell went wrong with the apple assumption.


B