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Crash Course On MBTI: The Eight Functions (Part 1)

Crash Course on MBTI: The Eight Functions (Part 1)

I was thinking of things to do on this blog, besides just character typings, and I thought about how to explain the basics of MBTI to people who may know nothing about MBTI, or people who are only aware of 16 personalities. So I will be doing a three part series on the very very basics of MBTI.

Understanding each cognitive function by itself is the first step of understanding MBTI as a whole, so that’s what this post will focus on. Part two will focus on stacking, and part three will focus on the types as a whole.

What is a cognitive function?

Cognitive functions are the bones of each Myer-Briggs type, the way each type operates in the world around them. Cognitive functions can be divided into two groups- judging and perceiving. The functions are as followed:

Judging (Thinking & Feeling)

Fi (Introverted Feeling)

Fe (Extroverted Feeling)

Ti (Introverted Thinking)

Te (Extroverted Thinking)

Perceiving (Sensing & Intuition)

Ni (Introverted Intuition)

Ne (Extroverted Intuition)

Si (Introverted Sensing)

Se (Extroverted Sensing)

As we explore in part two, everyone has two of each, and each function is paired with their opposite. For example, you will always see an Fi paired with Te, you will never see Fi paired with Ti. And both pairs of cognitive functions will make your MBTI type.

If you’re confused by how this works, we will definitely learn more in part two.

Introverted Feeling (Fi) vs. Extroverted Feeling (Fe)

The main difference between Fi & Fe, is how they project their emotions. Given the names, Fi users feelings come from within themselves, whereas Fe users feelings come from within. So what does this mean?

The most simple explanation, is that Fi users value personal values, while Fe users value community values. This however, does not mean that Fi users are selfish, or that Fe users don’t have personal values, however.

An example of a healthy Fi user, is Lucy Gray Baird, from a Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes. She cares about other people, she seems the good in other people, but she shows her love by having a strong moral code. She doesn’t lie to others, because it’s not right. She values trust, which she upholds on her end.

However, a good example of an unhealthy Fi user, is Penelope Featherington from Bridgerton. She is raised in a very unhealthy household in general, and feels like her feelings are unvalued, so therefore, she expresses her emotions through a gossip column. She often sits on her emotions for so long, without action, to the point where she ends up making horrible choices.

A good example of a healthy Fe user is Moana. Her values are community based, and she is not easily swayed by her own interests. She had her own goals- everyone does- but she consistently pushes them aside for the sake of her village. Eventually, however, she is able to find a balance, a way to reach her goals and to make herself and others happy, instead of simply sacrificing her own happiness for others.

An example of an unhealthy Fe user is Gretchen Wieners, who is obsessed with being liked and social status. She is mean to the other girls to maintain her role as Regina’s right hand, and she is constantly giving up parts of herself for the sake of Regina. Her hooped earrings, for example.

Ti (Introverted Thinking) vs. Te (Extroverted Thinking)

The simplest way I’ve heard Te and Ti described is Te is objective logic, while Ti is subjective logic. What this means is that Te users trust systems that give them clear, observable and objective results, where as Ti users explore logic for the sake of knowledge. Ti users may come up with their own theories and systems of logic to understand the world around them, as well as arguing against commonly accepted logic. Te users feel most comfortable using data and systems that are presented to them and seem to work, and tend not to go against what they know.

A good example of a healthy Ti user is Kristoff from Frozen. He abides by his own systems of logic, and uses this to challenge Anna with her own flawed logical system, due to her isolation. He also has a good handle on his Fe, despite being so low in his stack, which means his logic is somewhat grounded in reality.

An example of a character who is an unhealthy Ti user, is Leo Valdez in the Heroes of Olympus series. Leo, like Kristoff has his Fe very low on his stack, and tends to be so caught up in his own Ti, that he ignores the feelings of others, or ignores his need for social interaction altogether, because it’s harder for him.

A good example of someone with healthy Te is Tiana, from the Princess and the Frog. Though she gets healthier through the course of the movie, her want for results and her need to achieve her goals never gets in the way of her being a nice person. She doesn’t step on people on her way to achieving her goals, she just wants to achieve them on her own terms.

An example of someone with unhealthy Te is Abuela Alma from Encanto. She is controlling over her family, even when she thinks it’s what’s best for them. She doesn’t address her own feelings, which causes her to be rather harsh when it comes to how she addresses the family. She wants results, but she doesn’t stop to think about the real reason the Encanto and the gifts are so important to her anyways.

Ni (Introverted Intuition) vs. Ne (Extroverted Intuition)

Intuitive functions, in my opinion are very hardest ones to explain, especially to those who have no idea what I’m talking about, so I’ll do my best. Ne is divergent / scattered ideation, while Ni is linear ideation. Both focus on your inner world, and concepts a lot of times involving the future, but they are different in doing so.

Ni has a singular focus, a way to get from point A to point B. A specific way they see certain events conspiring, and rarely stray away from said idea, until it is either proven false, or no longer relevant to them.

Ne users bounce from idea to idea very easily, and lose interest in ideas very quickly. They usually keep their options open, and to them they see many different ways a situation could go.

When thinking about the future, an Ne user may go, “This may happen in the future” or “This is a possible scenario.” Ni users may go, “This will happen in the future,” or “This is the right scenario.”

A good example of a healthy Ni user is Annabeth Chase from Percy Jackson. While she can be quite arrogant at times, she also has the ability to narrow in on one thing and move on when information is no longer relevant. She is able to notice what’s going on in the world around her, and somewhat leans into her Se to work with her Ni.

An example of an unhealthy Ni user is Orpheus from Hadestown. Orpheus is oftentimes way too hyper fixated on his own goals and his own ideas, that he ignores his Se altogether. He doesn’t notice Eurydice leave, because he is so focused on finishing his song, because that’s the only idea he has to bring summer back. He is also so hyperfixated on the idea that Hades is betraying them, that he looks back.

A good example of a healthy Ne user, is Hiro Hamada from Big Hero 6. Hiro has a plethora of ideas, and he doesn’t necessarily commit to one, but his ideas are somewhat grounded in reality. Though some of his ideas seem far fetched to other people, he also uses his experience in robotics to justify it.

An example of an unhealthful Ne user is Luna Lovegood. Ne isn’t her dominant trait, but it is high in her stack, and alot of times, her ideas are not grounded in reality at all. She is so obsessed with multiple views of the world around her, that she doesn’t really stop to think critically about the information she’s spewing.

Se (Extroverted Sensing) vs. Si (Introverted Sensing)

Se and Si both rely on the outside world, but Se observes and reacts as it happens, Si focused on information we already know about the outside world. Most people describe it mainly as observation vs. experience.

Si users, especially high Si users, may rely on routines, and traditions to guide their decisions. Oftentimes, they may be more comfortable sticking to a routine and experience than they do reacting to new information. In some cases Si users may come off as obsessed with past events, and lean very heavily on these past events to make decisions.

Se users react to information as it is given to them. They focus on the present, and may be intrigued by things such as aesthetic, and the world around them. They may be easily stimulated by physical experiences, such as exercise or thrill rides.

An good example of a healthy Si user is Cosette from Les Miserables. Though she has a sad childhood, and she does use her experiences to define the present, she also has a strong relationship with her Ne. Her experiences are very important to her, so are her personal traditions with Marius, but she rarely lets herself be defined by her past solely, and is able to have a dose of optimism about new experiences

An unhealthy Si user is Elsa from Frozen, specifically in the first movie. Throughout the movie, we not only see Elsa be defined by her past, but she gets stuck in a routine, and she is really unable to push aside this routine out of fear. She is defined by her past, and struggles with breaking out of her cycle. She believes pretty much everything she has been told her entire life, and struggles to break her specific routine, and instead, finds a new routine in the castle she built.

An example of a healthy Se user is Jasmine from Aladdin. Jasmine wants freedom and loves to explore the world around her, and while she makes in-the-moment decisions, these decisions oftentimes gets her out of trouble. She is also able to enjoy the world around her without being incredibly impulsive.

However, an example of an unhealthy Se user, would be Pepa Madrigal. Though not her fault, due to circumstances, she is constantly on fight or flight mode with her environment. She reacts to her environment in a negative way by suppressing her emotions through “clear skies” and is simply unable to react to her environment in a healthy way.

How to Apply this to Yourself & Other Characters

Learning and understanding your type takes practice. In the next two parts, I will explain how to determine your type based on these functions. Keep in mind this is a very watered down version of each function, and it takes more than reading a singular post to become aware of these functions.

This being said, it can be really hard to type yourself, because as humans, we are complex. Just because we use Fe doesn’t mean we don’t have any traits of Fi. Shadow functions, in my opinion are a bit complex to a beginner, but it does take a while to understand yourself enough to find the right type.

For the longest time, I though I was an INFP, because parts of myself that I thought were Fi were actually Ti. Also, due to stereotypes (which will be part 3), I was struggling to understand how I could be emotional and a thinker (I was like, 16 at the time), but everyone shows emotions.

So take your time to understand the functions, and eventually you’ll be able to understand yourself and your type a lot better.