INFJ Functions: Introverted Intuition, Observation and Ni

INFJ Functions: Introverted Intuition, Observation and Ni openphotonet_DSCF1461_2-300x300 INFJ & MBTI As an INFJ having an inferior Se function and lacking a Si function, I always felt like INFJs see the world through a different set of eyes then other people. Most people are largely dependent on their senses and observe the world in detail through their vision, smell, touch and hearing. They take in all the sensory details about their surroundings and are quick with observing changes. Intuitive’s and especially Ni dominants take in their surroundings in a different matter. We see the external in it’s whole, it feeds our intuition with sensory data which sort out the hidden meanings  and details than can be hidden from the normal senses. Our inferior Se function feeds our Ni information and often we are not conscious of everything we see because our Ni sorts out the important parts in an unconscious process.

The perk of our Ni is that it gives us unique insights from our senses in connecting the dots between what is going on in front off us and behind the scenes. We might be slow in analyzing what is going on in our environment consciously, but we see things for what they really are and not only how they appear to us. This is the beauty of Ni, which is why it can be very hard to lie or trick an Ni dominant personality since we look past what our senses tells us and connect to the core of things.

Taking in all of this information can be exhausting and because we operate in such a fashion always, we might need more alone time then other types of introverted personalities. This unique way of analyzing the external is why INFJs can be such good psychologists or artists. Not only do we have the power to emphatically see things from the same angle as other people, we can also see it from angles others cannot. Ni is the reason why symbolism appeal to us so much. Symbols are something that can appear in one way but mean something entirely different, which is basically how our Ni operates in understanding things from our senses.

Many times in my life I’ve been suggested to have psychic abilities when I have been able to predict actions of people or what they feel about things. For example being in a bar I can always tell who is interested in who, if a guy is trying to hit on a girl and will succeed or not. Just recently a friend of mine made a bet with me that his friend was going home with this girl from the bar. He was hitting on her the whole evening and they where talking and kissing. I did not know any off them that well. I told him that she would not go home with him, my intuition was telling me that something was off. They left the bar together and my friend was convinced that he had won the bet. About 30 minutes later she came back to the bar alone and joined us again, getting a last drink and calling a cab. The guy left alone.

This kind of observations comes naturally to me but when it is concerning how I act myself, it is much harder. I think the reason we can be so expressive with emotions and what we think sometimes (our Fe, extroverted feeling function), is to balance up our nature of understandings others. We understanding others but others not understanding us is not a very balanced nature of being. We naturally don’t like lying or not acting genuine and we have a knack for sensing when others do this. To me this feels like observing a clear evolutionary pattern that nature have evolved in us INFJs, which shows that all our functions are there for a reason and to reinforce our way of functioning with other beings.

Comments

  1. s says

    what you wrote here about our intuition about people is pretty right on.

    i think INTJs dislike the most is lies.

    I always know if it’s there. i also don’t lie to myself. no matter how ugly or hurtful the truth, i’d rather come clean during my recharge time.

    Self delusional is one of the biggest human foibles in my world. i hate to see it in people but most of all in myself.

    i believe this is also why INFJs become more rounded and better as we age. We are brave in facing our own weaknesses and strive to find ways to overcome.

    no one is perfect. we are born with a set of traits that make us unique. instead of fighting, we should embrace. we are special and we know it. isn’t it just precious?

    • Alex says

      Yeah I was delusional quite a big part of my life, thinking things about myself that was not true. Yet the INFJ mind questions everything and eventually get’s to the bottom of it. I’ve made so much progress the last 6 years that people could not believe the difference in who I am as a person. We indeed always find a way to overcome our weaknesses. Thanks S!

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