Thoughts on IxFJ

[youngandbaroque]

[Disclaimer: This has been cross-listed in PersonalityCafe forums. I wanted to get an opinion from people who may personally know more about these functions. Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place, I'm new here]

So after a year of researching MBTI and bouncing around from almost all of the introverted types*, I have come to the conclusion that the two functions I readily see myself using are Extroverted Feeling and Introverted Thinking. This brings me to IxFJ.

Thinking about Ni**
- I am a big picture person. I think. I feel like I am terrible at explaining things because I always give very general guidelines and assume my listeners will make the connections that I have made in my head. It's quite frustrating actually because I feel like it takes a lot of effort for me to reveal what I am thinking and feeling to others because the things that just click for me internally don't always translate the way I want them to.
- Even as child, I always remember being able to kind of see through people. I easily understand the motives behind peoples words or actions. Similarly, I've always felt that one of my strengths as a person is my ability to readily see, understand, and accept multiple perspectives that differ from my own. It has made my search for self particularly difficult***. As a result, authenticity is very important to me, and I can sense bullshit from a mile away.

Thinking about Si
- I see myself using Si in the little things, but then again, I'm not even entirely sure how Si operates...anywho, when it comes to figuring out problems I do like to compare/contrast. This is Si, I think. If I can't figure something or if something is not making sense to me, this is often what I resort to. Sometimes I will just play around with the problem, but often my frustration and/or attention span will get the best of me.
- I remember details. I remember things that people have said to me years ago, even if it is unimportant. My memory isn't exactly "vivid" when it comes to imagery, but I am an extremely nostalgic person, and my feelings associated with a certain memory is always vivid. As a result of this sort of Si use****, I am pretty sensitive to change. I can sense and notice when things in my environment are different.

So those are my two musings on myself and Ni/Si. I hope they are somewhat informative, if not I can provide more...thanks

_________________________________________________
*I acknowledge the fact that this could be my problem. I rarely look at the extroverted types because I consider myself to be a very private person, although I know that a lot of my friends who are introverts would consider me an extrovert because I'm pretty blunt and like going out and meeting people.
**I also acknowledge the fact that I don't have the best understanding of either Ni or Si so please correct me if I am wrong!
***I am one of those people who has bi-annual existential crises that last for months...yeah : /
****Once again, speculation

 

[Razare]

[Disclaimer: This has been cross-listed in PersonalityCafe forums. I wanted to get an opinion from people who may personally know more about these functions. Sorry if I'm posting in the wrong place, I'm new here]

So after a year of researching MBTI and bouncing around from almost all of the introverted types*, I have come to the conclusion that the two functions I readily see myself using are Extroverted Feeling and Introverted Thinking. This brings me to IxFJ.

Thinking about Ni**
- I am a big picture person. I think. I feel like I am terrible at explaining things because I always give very general guidelines and assume my listeners will make the connections that I have made in my head. It's quite frustrating actually because I feel like it takes a lot of effort for me to reveal what I am thinking and feeling to others because the things that just click for me internally don't always translate the way I want them to.
- Even as child, I always remember being able to kind of see through people. I easily understand the motives behind peoples words or actions. Similarly, I've always felt that one of my strengths as a person is my ability to readily see, understand, and accept multiple perspectives that differ from my own. It has made my search for self particularly difficult***. As a result, authenticity is very important to me, and I can sense bullshit from a mile away.

Thinking about Si
- I see myself using Si in the little things, but then again, I'm not even entirely sure how Si operates...anywho, when it comes to figuring out problems I do like to compare/contrast. This is Si, I think. If I can't figure something or if something is not making sense to me, this is often what I resort to. Sometimes I will just play around with the problem, but often my frustration and/or attention span will get the best of me.
- I remember details. I remember things that people have said to me years ago, even if it is unimportant. My memory isn't exactly "vivid" when it comes to imagery, but I am an extremely nostalgic person, and my feelings associated with a certain memory is always vivid. As a result of this sort of Si use****, I am pretty sensitive to change. I can sense and notice when things in my environment are different.

So those are my two musings on myself and Ni/Si. I hope they are somewhat informative, if not I can provide more...thanks

It's hard to describe Si perfectly, since I do not use it, but I know what it is. It is data storage in a more complete and correct form than non-Si users are capable of. Memories with associated feelings and experiences, is something Se memory does. Se is not normally associated with memory, but after reading Adymus's viewpoint on it, and reflecting on how I remember things, I've decided that Se is capable of acting as an introverted memory function.

Se memory isn't as complete nor as accurate as Si, though. Se memory is very subjective while Si memory tends to store very objective, concrete facts. This happened like this, that happened just like that. This is true, and this is not true because of this specific experience.

Ni users have more difficulty drawing up the concrete specifics of why they believe this or that. Try and argue with an INTP and you'll see. They require every bit of data and every step in logic to be perfect in order to convince them.

You sound like you could be a very intelligent ISFJ, but I can't rule out INFJ from what you've posted either. You're likely using every function in your personality to a great degree, which actually makes distinguishing your personality more difficult. When you can competently use all functions, you can switch modes and operate on different levels. INFJ's can become ESTP's for short periods. An ISFJ should be able to become a ENTP for a short period (if their morals could cope with that hahaha).

In cases like this, you have to rewind to your childhood years and dissect your original behavior which should represent your top two functions. I'm guessing it's going to be ages 8 to 12, since you can develop Ti in your teens.

If you can narrow down your strongest function, that might also work... are your Ni qualities stronger or your Si qualities?

 

[Broken705]

Se memory isn't as complete nor as accurate as Si, though. Se memory is very subjective while Si memory tends to store very objective, concrete facts. This happened like this, that happened just like that. This is true, and this is not true because of this specific experience.

That's interesting, because I have frequently read that all extraverted functions are objective and all introverted functions are subjective. But then again, I never would have thought of an extraverted function serving as memory.

Anyway, I have questioned if I use Si for basically the same reasons as the OP. It's difficult for me to understand.

 

[bickelz]

Thinking about Si
- I see myself using Si in the little things, but then again, I'm not even entirely sure how Si operates...anywho, when it comes to figuring out problems I do like to compare/contrast. This is Si, I think. If I can't figure something or if something is not making sense to me, this is often what I resort to. Sometimes I will just play around with the problem, but often my frustration and/or attention span will get the best of me.
- I remember details. I remember things that people have said to me years ago, even if it is unimportant. My memory isn't exactly "vivid" when it comes to imagery, but I am an extremely nostalgic person, and my feelings associated with a certain memory is always vivid. As a result of this sort of Si use****, I am pretty sensitive to change. I can sense and notice when things in my environment are different.

None of this seems like Si to me, rather, a mix of other functions like Fe and Se.

 

[88chaz88]

None of this seems like Si to me, rather, a mix of other functions like Fe and Se.

How?

 

[bickelz]

How?

Well, the Op said they compare/contrast things and that could be Si. Well, that could be Ni, Ti or Fi. Even a combination of them.

Remembering details isn't always Si, you can do that through Se, it just depends on how accurate things are. Being nostalgic could be a manifestation of Fi or Fe as well.

When you're sensing changes in the environment, that's Se.

 

[youngandbaroque]

Well, the Op said they compare/contrast things and that could be Si. Well, that could be Ni, Ti or Fi. Even a combination of them.

Remembering details isn't always Si, you can do that through Se, it just depends on how accurate things are. Being nostalgic could be a manifestation of Fi or Fe as well.

When you're sensing changes in the environment, that's Se.

So what specifically distinguishes compare/contrasting with Ni from Si? Or Ti from Fi?
Also, could you explain a little more about how Si functions

 

[Razare]

That's interesting, because I have frequently read that all extraverted functions are objective and all introverted functions are subjective. But then again, I never would have thought of an extraverted function serving as memory.

Well, it's hard to say... Se users also possess Ni. Se/Ni memory may be a combination of those two functions at play.

The thing is, ESTP's have crisper memories than INFJ's. Their memories tend to be more objective, Si-like... but different since they focus on the experience itself rather than the data of the experience. Se memory, if that's what it is, is reliving the moment. It's like turning on a film recorder and playing it back in your head... Si-types can do this too, but I think how it's done differs. Si videos will likely focus on data-points even if that data is relevant or not. Like if the guy on TV tells a joke, they'll remember the joke, where an Se type might remember how funny the joke was and the experience as a good one, but forget exactly how the joke was constructed.

From what VH posted, Se and Si are located in similar regions of the brain, I believe... but in different parts of that region.