Hello everyone and welcome back to another INTJ University video! Today, we are taking a closer look at one of the most important topics when it comes to personality types: What makes a personality type a personality type? And more specifically: What makes an INTJ an INTJ?
The answer lies in what's called the "cognitive function stack", and in this video, we're exploring what that is, how it creates the INTJ personality type, and what exactly it means when it comes to how the INTJ brain works.
But – before we get started, please make sure to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more INTJ content!
So... if you are as ready as we are, let's dive in:
What Are Cognitive Functions?
The concept of cognitive functions was developed by psychologist Carl Jung in the early 20th century. He described them as the mental processes that allow us to interact with our environment and make sense of our experiences. They enable us to take in information, process it, draw conclusions, and come up with new ideas or solutions.
In total, there are 4 different categories of cognitive functions: Thinking, Feeling, Sensing, and Intuition. All of these functions exist in their extraverted and introverted form, which creates a total of 8 different cognitive functions. These mental processes are all interconnected and work together to help an individual make sense of their environment and develop ideas or solutions for problems.
Thinking is the process of using logic to analyze information and make decisions. It's a more rational way of processing data that involves breaking down complex ideas into simpler pieces and then putting them back together in a logical order.
Feeling is a subjective process that relies on emotion rather than logic to interpret information. It involves empathy, understanding others' perspectives, making moral or ethical judgments, and making decisions based on what feels right or wrong rather than what makes logical sense.
Sensing is about taking in information from our external environment – noticing details, recognizing patterns, and remembering facts. It's our primary way of perceiving the world around us and helps us understand physical reality.
Finally, Intuition is about understanding abstract concepts or ideas without relying on factual evidence or existing knowledge. It's the ability to think outside the box to come up with creative solutions or insights that may not be immediately obvious.
These 8 cognitive functions form the foundation for any personality type – including INTJs – as they work together to create unique ways of perceiving the world around us and interpreting different situations.
Now, it's important to note that while everyone has all of these cognitive functions in their brain, they are expressed differently depending on the individual. This is what is called the cognitive function stack.
The Cognitive Function Stack
The idea of the cognitive function stack is that each personality type has a unique combination of four functions – dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior.
The dominant function is the one that is most active and powerful in an individual’s life. It is the “primary” mode of thinking, feeling, and behaving.
The auxiliary function is what comes into play when the dominant function isn't enough. It helps to fill in any gaps in understanding or thought processes and can add additional support for decision-making or problem-solving.
The tertiary function is less developed than the other three functions but can provide a valuable perspective on certain situations. It's not as active as the other functions, but it can come into play during certain moments when it's needed.
Finally, the inferior function is usually seen as something of an Achilles' heel for people because it tends to be underdeveloped or even suppressed at times due to its weaker nature compared to the other three functions. It can become active during high-stress or emotionally charged situations when we require extra support from our cognitive processes.
The Shadow Functions
The shadow functions are the four cognitive functions that are less developed in an individual's personality type. In Jungian psychology, they are considered to be "shadow aspects" of a person's psyche. They represent traits and behaviors that may be hidden from conscious awareness or neglected. The shadow functions exist for each type in a different order than the primary cognitive functions.
The shadow functions have general characteristics that can help us better understand why they are important when looking at our individual personalities. For starters, shadow functions show us how we may perceive information differently than others. They can also indicate areas of development where we may need to focus on to become more well-rounded individuals. Additionally, they can provide insight into areas where we may be lacking in terms of creativity or understanding of various topics.
The shadow functions tend to manifest themselves in certain ways that set them apart from the primary cognitive functions. Shadow functions often lack coordination and efficiency compared to the dominant and auxiliary functions, making them feel weak or awkward when tried out in real-life situations. This is because these functions have not been practiced enough for us to become proficient in them yet, meaning that when challenges arise, it can be difficult for us to come up with solutions quickly or efficiently as we would with our primary cognitive processes.
These processes also tend to involve more risk-taking behavior as opposed to being cautious like the primary cognitive processes might dictate. When using a shadow function, an individual may become more inclined toward taking chances due to their unfamiliarity with this way of thinking, which could lead them into unfamiliar territories if caution is not taken beforehand.
Finally, shadow functions tend to bring about novel insights about ourselves which we otherwise wouldn’t have noticed if it weren’t for these less-developed mental processes kicking in under certain circumstances and providing us with different perspectives from which we can work from. This is why understanding our shadow processes can be beneficial - it allows us to gain better insight into ourselves by gaining access to potential talents and thought patterns that haven't necessarily been developed yet, but still exist within us nonetheless.
In conclusion, INTJs can benefit from understanding their cognitive functions and shadow functions to become more well-rounded individuals. The primary cognitive processes offer a strong foundation for decision-making and problem-solving, while the tertiary and inferior functions act as support systems that can be tapped into when necessary. Additionally, the shadow functions provide us with unexplored potential talents and insights which we may not have otherwise noticed without their aid. With a better understanding of these processes, INTJs can gain greater insight into their personalities and become more effective at adapting to different situations in life.
What Cognitive Functions Do INTJs Use?
Let's get to the juicy part of the video and talk more about the INTJ. The cognitive stack of the INTJ personality consists of Introverted Intuition as their primary function, Extraverted Thinking as their auxiliary function, Introverted Feeling as their tertiary function, and then Extraverted Sensing as their inferior function. This "stack" of functions creates a unique perspective and way of thinking that can be seen throughout all aspects of an INTJ's life.
Introverted Intuition is the INTJs most dominant cognitive function, and it's what allows them to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions or insights that may not be immediately obvious. It helps them understand abstract concepts and ideas without relying on factual evidence or existing knowledge, which makes them particularly adept at problem-solving.
Extraverted Thinking is the next strongest function for INTJs, and this helps them analyze information logically and make decisions based on facts instead of emotions. This is an external process that allows INTJs to analyze information and make logical, rational decisions. It allows INTJs to organize facts and data, weigh the pros and cons of different options, and make well-informed choices. It gives them an objective approach to understanding the world around them, which can also help them make well-informed decisions quickly and efficiently.
After Extraverted Thinking comes Introverted Feeling - a subjective process that relies on emotion rather than logic to interpret information. This cognitive function helps INTJs empathize with others' perspectives, as well as make moral or ethical judgments. They can use this intuitive understanding of emotions to navigate difficult social situations more effectively than many other personality types.
Finally, there is Extraverted Sensing. This is an external process that allows INTJs to understand the physical world. It helps them take in information from their external environment such as noticing details, recognizing patterns, or remembering facts. Although this is not an INTJ’s strongest cognitive function, it still plays an important role in helping them interact with their environment more effectively.
So when we combine all these different functions – introverted intuition plus extraverted thinking plus introverted feeling plus extraverted sensing – we get the unique perspective of an INTJ personality type.
How INTJs See The World
The combination of their primary and auxiliary processes gives INTJs a unique way of looking at the world around them. The logical approach of Extraverted Thinking provides a foundation for understanding data, while the intuitive nature of Introverted Intuition opens up possibilities for considering alternative perspectives or coming up with innovative solutions. This duality also helps INTJs consider multiple viewpoints when making decisions or exploring new ideas, allowing them to develop a more comprehensive understanding of any given situation.
When combined with their tertiary function - Introverted Feeling - this cognitive stack creates a powerful mix that allows INTJs to be both rational thinkers as well as empathetic individuals who have an innate understanding of people's emotional needs. While they may not necessarily act on these feelings right away, this additional layer of insight gives them a deeper level of awareness when it comes to navigating interpersonal relationships or difficult social situations. Finally, their inferior function - Extraverted Sensing - adds further balance by giving INTJs an appreciation for tangible details in their environment like noticing patterns or remembering facts.
In summary, INTJs have a unique cognitive stack that allows them to think both creatively and logically. Their intuitive nature combined with their logical thinking helps them develop a comprehensive understanding of any given situation. And their ability to empathize with others' feelings gives them an extra layer of insight into interpersonal relationships or difficult social situations.
The INTJs' Shadow Functions
Now let's talk about the shadow functions of the INTJ personality. Although they may not be as dominant, these cognitive functions still play an important role in shaping how an INTJ perceives the world and makes decisions.
The first is Extraverted Intuition. This is similar to Introverted Intuition except it focuses on understanding relationships between different concepts and seeing possibilities instead of interpreting abstract ideas. It can help INTJs understand how different events or ideas could interact with one another in order to create a bigger picture perspective.
Next comes Introverted Thinking, which helps INTJs analyze information logically and make decisions based on facts rather than emotions. It allows them to organize their thoughts and break down complex problems into smaller, more manageable parts.
After that is Extraverted Feeling, which helps INTJs empathize with and understand other people's emotions. It allows them to connect with others on a deeper level, as well as make decisions based on the emotional repercussions of their actions.
Finally comes Introverted Sensing - an internal process that focuses on understanding details and recognizing patterns in familiar situations. This can help INTJs notice trends or connecting points between different events or ideas that may not be obvious at first glance.
In summary, the shadow functions of the INTJ provide an additional layer of insight into their inner workings. While these processes may not always be present in the decisions they make, understanding how they work can help INTJs explore all aspects of a situation thoroughly and come to more informed conclusions.
Conclusion
So there you have it – a quick overview of the INTJ's cognitive functions. Although they may seem complex at first, understanding how these processes work can help INTJs gain a deeper appreciation for their own unique thought process. Hopefully this video helped you understand what makes the INTJ brain so special and gave you some insight into your own thinking patterns!
And now it's your turn: Let us know in the comments below how you notice your cognitive functions in your daily life.
Also, don't forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel for more INTJ content.
Thanks for watching, and see you again next time! Bye!