Leanor Thomson's Theory and INFP cognitive functions

[heart]

From this thread.

Originally Posted by BlueWing

Because the T energy can only come from the Te.

Essentially. We have the four functions stationed in our psyche.. Fi Ne Si Te, the rest are in between and can only exist as shadows..

When you deal with impersonal matters, you take an Fi approach, as you naturally do to everything. Yet the real T energy has to come from your T station--the Te. So the Te supplies the Fi with analytical energy, and hence the Fi performs better whilst dealing with T oriented matters. When doing the analysis, however, the INFP is much more like the TJs than TPs, as their Thinking function is externally focused. The only reason the INFP seems like it has Ti is because he/she makes solutions internally, with the external function only supporting the Fi. Yet if we seperate the two, we will see that that the Fi and Te are seperate entities and the Te looks like a Ti because of the internal influence of the Fi.

A more pertinent example of this would be the INFJ. They are much more comfortable with conceptual analysis than organization (Te), and how ENTPs (Ti-Fe), are more comfortable giving emotional support externally rather than devising a private system of ethics, and making assessments based on internal values.

Essentially, Thompson's assertion that Fi and Ne are both right brained functions seems to be without foundation. Because she has established this, she assumes that the other Introverted Judging function (Ti) and the other Extroverted perceiving function (Se) is also. It would make more sense to say that perceiving functions are right-brained and judging are left-brained. Yet those of us with the Extroverted right-brained function tend to apply judging functions to the right-brained 'world'. And vice versa for the left-brained.

Moreover if we apply Thompson's model,

Fi
Ne
Ti
Se

The INFP

And the ENFP

Ne
Fi
Se
Ti

What we get is that the INFP is more adept with Thinking than the ENFP despite Thinking being the inferior function of the INFP and tertiary of ENFP. That sounds counter-intuitive doesn't it?

Hence the types that struggle with Thinking arent the ones with the inferior Thinking faculty, but those with a tertiary for some reason? A more plausible resolution to draw from this would be that the dominant Judging function types tend to do better with decision making, as they apply either Thinking or Feeling to nearly all scenarios of life, whilst the dominant perceiving types have more difficulties applying a judging function because it is their secondary. With Thompson's model, Thinking and Feeling seem to be inseparable from one another, as the Ti necessarily follows the Fi. This is antithetical to Jung's initial model that he borrowed from Schopenhauer where Thinking and Feeling are opposites and so are Intellect (N) and Will (Sensation-S). Because we have established that Thinking and Feeling could not be part and parcel of the same essence, I posit that the image of the Fi following the Ti is illusory.

To recapitulate, you only look like an Introverted Thinker because Introverted Feeling is similar to Introerted Thinking on a superficial level. The facade is the same, as they are both properties of introverted judgment, but their essence is different.

Okay, so that theory explains part of my confusion about my own cognitive profile, the Ti is really just Te coming through a Fi filter according to this theory.

Why would my Ni be higher than the Si or Ti, since it should be a shadow function for me? Si coming through a Ne filter?

Originally Posted by heart

This always confuses me because Ni comes out higher than Si and shouldn't I be higher in Te than Ti as an INFP?

It makes me lose faith with the whole system.

extraverted Intuiting (Ne) (50.8)
excellent use

introverted Feeling (Fi) (48.4)
excellent use

introverted Intuiting (Ni) (41.1)
excellent use

introverted Thinking (Ti) (31.2)
good use

introverted Sensing (Si) (23.9)
limited use

extraverted Thinking (Te) (19)
limited use

extraverted Feeling (Fe) (14)
unused

extraverted Sensing (Se) (11.8)
unused

[SolitaryWalker]

Originally Posted by heart

From this thread.


Okay, so that theory explains part of my confusion about my own cognitive profile, the Ti is really just Te coming through a Fi filter according to this theory.

Why would my Ni be higher than the Si or Ti, since it should be a shadow function for me? Si coming through a Ne filter?

Here is the skeleton of your temperament.

F
N
S
T

At this level, it is identical with the ENFJ. The only difference is that one is aimed inwards and the other outwards. We develop each side of the four functions simultaneously. So while the Fi and Fe grow at a similar rate, the Fi progresses faster than Fe. Ne faster than Ni. And so on. But those functions are not far behind.

Hence, this is the order that they shall be in..

Fi
Ne
Fe
Ni
Si
Se
Te
Ti

There is a greater difference between Si and Te than between Fi and Ne, for this reason Se follows Si and not Te.

Technically, I should correct myself to say that there is a Ti for the INFP, but it always follows behind the Te. The Te is the only function of the two that is accessed directly, Ti can only have a voice implicitly through Te. Not all functions that are not involved in the foundational four are shadows. We have all 8, yet those that are not in the original four, always grow behind one of the originals.

So Ni is basically a shadow of Ne in a way that it must always follow behind the Ne and can only influence your psyche through the Ne, the same is the relationship of Te and Ti. Again, by the word shadow, I do not imply non-existence, but posteriority.