Model for Ni and Si

I've been thinking about the introverted perceiving lately, and I think I have figure out a decent way of looking at them. I would appreciate any feedback on this, and whether it fits with people's personal experiences.


Both Ni and Si function like huge databases of associations. Ni builds associations for contexts and perspectives, while Si builds associations for sensations and images.

So, when Si "notices" something, it will pull up whatever is associated with it. For example, an Si dominant might notice a scent (say, of strawberries) and have it bring to mind any number of related experiences (gathering strawberries with family in the summer, eating strawberry pancakes, etc).



On the other hand, when Ni "notices" something, it will bring up the state of mind / way of thinking associated with what it notices. For example, an Ni dominant might notice that there is a crack in a pavement, which will make them think about ways of looking at or thinking about things with cracks (how to fix them, what hazards they pose, etc.). On a more complex level, an Ni dominant studying a system would notice various features of the system, which will bring up multiple perspectives... and then find a way to reconcile these perspectives together. If that succeeds, they end up with a comprehensive way of looking at the entire system, which explains the "aha" moments that Ni is famous for (at the moment that Ni manages to merge the perspectives together, it comes up with a new perspective which makes everything clear).

This made sense to me. Thank you.

Wow… Me (ISTJ) and my best friend (INTJ), this lets me see how him and I both act.

There's more to it but if you're only contrasting Ni and Si -- then yes, you got the very important bit.

Deleted. My post is irrelevant.

I think it would be better to use the same stimuli as an example to contrast the Pi functions.

Here is my revision.

Originally Posted by Lozan

Both Ni and Si function like huge databases of associations. Ni builds associations for contexts and perspectives, while Si builds associations for sensations and images.

Si

On the basic Pi level, when Si "notices" something, it will pull up whatever memories are associated with it. For example, an Si dominant might notice a scent (say, of strawberries) and have it bring to mind any number of related experiences (gathering strawberries with family in the summer, eating strawberry pancakes, etc). via how those experiences related to the Si user and what they meant in context.

On a more complex level, an Si dominant would then subconsciously associate their perceptions as memory recognition, which will bring up multiple sensory memories... and then sift through those memories to find the one most applicable to the current situation. At that point, they end up with a model by which to operate in the new context, which explains the consistency that Si is famous for (at the moment that Si chooses the most applicable memory, it comes up with an existing perspective which makes everything clear).

Ni

On the basic Pi level, when Ni "notices" something, it will bring up the state of mind / way of thinking associated with what it notices. For example, an Ni dominant might notice a scent (say, of strawberries) and have it bring to mind any number of related associations (gathering strawberries with family in the summer, eating strawberry pancakes, etc) via how those associations related to the Ni user and what they meant in context.

On a more complex level, an Ni dominant would then subconsciously associate their perceptions as pattern recognition, which will bring up multiple perspectives... and then find a way to reconcile these perspectives together into the one answer that is most like the new condition to create a prediction. If that succeeds, they end up with a comprehensive way of looking at the entire situation, which explains the "aha" moments that Ni is famous for (at the moment that Ni manages to merge the perspectives together, it comes up with a new perspective which makes everything clear).

Urgh, all this "context" for Si! Si looks at things independent of time and place. It's almost a "pure" conception of it, in that way.

Tell me "strawberry" and I envision a strawberry. Not the juicy one from summer, nor the lukewarm one from spring, but a, I suppose I could say, "idealized" strawberry. To me it isn't idealized though because there is nothing to idealize it off from. It is simply a strawberry. Real life strawberries are simply specific instances of it. This is where the association part comes in.

@Owfin:
Your example demonstrates that you associate hearing the word "strawberry" with just a generic strawberry. Is this still the same when you actually experience the strawberry in some way (taste, smell, see, etc)?
@Nobleheart:
What do you mean when you say "on the basic Pi level"?
@Lunarprox:
Could you elaborate on what I missed?

Originally Posted by Lozan

@Owfin:
Your example demonstrates that you associate hearing the word "strawberry" with just a generic strawberry. Is this still the same when you actually experience the strawberry in some way (taste, smell, see, etc)?

Yes. I also may identify it with some idea of, for example, taste, such as "sweet".

Originally Posted by Lozan

Nobleheart:
What do you mean when you say "on the basic Pi level"?

The areas in which Ni and Si overlap as Introverted Perception (Pi).

Originally Posted by Owfin

Yes. I also may identify it with some idea of, for example, taste, such as "sweet".

Odd. All of the Si users I know have very vivid sensory associations with their memories. Are you sure you're not an ISTP? Sounds more like you're clarifying the concept of strawberry than making sensory associations.