Jack Flak's Function System Adventure

[Jack Flak]

Yet another way to describe the sixteen types, and one with far less conjecture than MBTI function theory. Influenced by Jung, MBTI, Socionics, and others, but tied to no system I'm aware of. All differences are intentional, not errors. I do believe this to be more accurate than the above systems, but if nothing else, this may illustrate that they aren't set in stone.

If you are familiar with MBTI functions, please consider the extraverted and introverted components of a function to be combined into one function, for the purposes of this theory. For example, Ni and Ne are combined into Intuition, which is both, and neither, but closer in definition to Ne.

Introversion and Extroversion are considered to define the types separately from their Primary and Support functions. The Primary function typically occupies the concentration of individuals. The Support function is the most dominant function of either Perceiving or Judging nature, the opposite of the Primary function. All individuals use all four functions, but use of the two "reserve" functions is not specifically defined in this system. The sum of the characteristics defines the type for the purposes of this theory.

INTP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Thinking

ENTP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Thinking

INTJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Intuition

ENTJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Intuition

INFP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Feeling

ENFP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Feeling

INFJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Intuition

ENFJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Intuition

ISTP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Thinking

ESTP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Thinking

ISFP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Feeling

ESFP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Feeling

ISTJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Sensing

ESTJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Sensing

ISFJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Sensing

ESFJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Sensing

Glossary:

Perceiving function: A function used to gain information. Intuition and Sensing are perceiving functions.
Judging function: A function used to assign value. Thinking and Feeling are judging functions.
Intuition: Acquisition of information other than what can be directly sensed with the five senses. Synonymous with Perception in other contexts.
Sensing: Acquisition of unmodified information gathered with the five senses.
Thinking: Logical processing of information.
Feeling: Emotional processing of information.

The following post is essential. Thank you, Orangey.

Originally Posted by Orangey

Okay, I am going to attempt to explain why I think that Jack's theory here is convincing. This is my interpretation of what he's written. But first, one thing need to be clarified in order to proceed.

The function order beyond a primary and support is not important, since even with regular MBTI it's so speculative that it's almost useless.

Let us proceed, then...

Part I: MBTI

In MBTI, judging and perceiving, or the J and the P, indicates which function, T - F - N - S, we direct towards the outside world, or extrovert. Some people direct their perceiving functions (N/S) to the outside, and others direct their judging functions (T/F) to the outside. Keep in mind that the italicized use of the words perceiving and judging are not the same as the perceiving and judging that J and P denote.

This is the basis for the descriptions of J's and P's, because a person with a preference for J will direct their judging function outward, making decision-making an important priority for them, and a person with a P preference will direct their perceiving functions outward, making the gathering of information an important priority for them.

Alright, so far so good. That seems to make sense intuitively. But then along comes introversion and extroversion, which for some reason must correspond to the direction of the primary function. So if you are an introvert, your primary function must be introverted. This overrides the J and P such that whichever of the preferred functions corresponds to introversion or extroversion gets to be the primary function. So even if your preferred way of interacting with the world, or extroverting, is through judgment (T/F), because you are a J, your orientation towards introversion or extroversion, in the E or I sense, demands that the function corresponding to that direction become the primary function. Case in point: if you know someone is a J because they are good at making decisions and are natural organizers, that they are a T, and that they are introverted (by the descriptions, energized by being alone, etc...), then the introversion demands that intuition, or the introverted perceiving function, and not thinking, be the primary function. Thus, the extroverted, thinking, judger will retain the judging function as the primary function, but the introverted, thinker, judger will not. (Doesn't this seem rather arbitrary, given that the only observable difference between the two is that one is quiet and the other is probably not? Why does that constitute a shift in the primary function?).

Now, even if we keep the function directions, it seems to me that there is no good reason why the I/E should be more important than the J/P. In other words, the reason why the primary function (in terms of direction) needs to correspond to the introversion or extroversion of an individual seems rather arbitrary. And in fact, the type descriptions tend to emphasize the difference more in terms of J/P than I/E, especially for types who share the I or the E but have different J or P.

Part II: Jack's System

In Jack's system, both of these complications are elided because the distinction between outward oriented and inward oriented functions is collapsed. The only factor that is of importance is the J/P distinction because it determines the primary function (if someone is a J, they use their judgment function more, and if someone is a P, they use their perceiving function more).

I and E can be seen as separate functions (or if you don't want to call them functions, then orientations). So someone is introverted, not because they use their dominant function in an introverted way, but because they exhibit behaviors attributed to introverts...namely, they are in general quiet, like to have alone time, get energized by solitude, and so on. Similar ways are used to determine extroversion, only in this case using exuberance, social effusiveness, and gregariousness as determinants.

This leaves the direction of the functions used to be determined by the situation, and by overall preference for introversion or extroversion. This clears up problems that come up with, say, I's using many of the functions in an introverted way (with me, this is Ti, Fi, Ni, even though Fi and Ni are supposed to be way down there in use). It also skips over a lot of the ambiguity involved in determining what use of the function is introverted, and which is extroverted (and don't tell me this is something easy...it may be in the function descriptions, but in practice it is rarely clear).

And, like I've said 'til I'm blue in the face, it corresponds more closely to the type descriptions, because judging and perceiving play a more observable role in the way functions are used than introversion or extroversion.

I hope this helps, and everyone is welcome to pick apart this analysis.

And here is a brief post of mine regarding the practical analysis applications: Jack Flak's Function System Adventure

[Bella]

Oh. I thought mine was the other way around...

[disregard]

They are the other way around according to MBTT, but Jack made his own system.

[Bella]

Why?

[Haight]

I knew I was an INTP!

[wildcat]

Originally Posted by Jack Flak

Yet another way to describe the sixteen types, and one with far less conjecture than MBTI function theory. Influenced by Jung, MBTI, Socionics, and others, but tied to no system I'm aware of. All differences are intentional, not errors. I do believe this to be more accurate than the above systems, but if nothing else, this may illustrate that they aren't set in stone.

If you are familiar with MBTI functions, please consider the extraverted and introverted components of a function to be combined into one function, for the purposes of this theory. For example, Ni and Ne are combined into Intuition.

Introversion and Extroversion are considered to define the types separately from their Primary and Support functions. The Primary function typically occupies the concentration of individuals. The Support function is the most dominant function of either Perceiving or Judging nature, the opposite of the Primary function. The remaining two are considered relatively unimportant, and their use is not specifically defined. The sum of the characteristics defines the type for the purposes of this theory.

INTP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Thinking

ENTP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Thinking

INTJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Intuition

ENTJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Intuition

INFP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Intuition
Support function: Feeling

ENFP:

Extroverted.
Prmary function: Intuition
Support function: Feeling

INFJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Intuition

ENFJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Intuition

ISTP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Thinking

ESTP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Thinking

ISFP:

Introverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Feeling

ESFP:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Sensing
Support function: Feeling

ISTJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Sensing

ESTJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Thinking
Support function: Sensing

ISFJ:

Introverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Sensing

ESFJ:

Extroverted.
Primary function: Feeling
Support function: Sensing

Exactly.

[YourLocalJesus]

I like this. In fact, I like it a lot. You explained yourself pretty good, but please elaborate.
You make my brain horny.

[Bella]

^ It's like pulling chicken teeth, I tell you.

[Bella]

Did Meyers-Briggs actually get it all wrong?

[Colors]

So, Socionics. Minus facial recognition.