# Fi-dom & expressiveness.



## kaleidoscope (Jan 19, 2012)

http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/117830-fi-vs-fe-real-life-visual-i-d.html

According to this thread, Fi-doms tend to be inexpressive of their emotional states. Everything is felt intensely, but underneath the surface, rarely bubbling over. 

I don't think I can relate to that, and yet Fi is without a doubt the function I use most. I'm a desperately transparent person, especially to those who know me. I can't hide what I'm feeling for the life of me. When I'm mad, or disappointed, or just spacing out - or even happy and excited - it all shows all over my face, whether I'm aware of it or not. By that, I mean that I'll think I have done a good job hiding how I feel, only to find out I failed miserably.

I guess I'm wondering how accurate this behavioral representation of being a Fi-dom is.


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## leafling (Dec 15, 2011)

Hmm. Yeah. I don't know if I seem cold all the time, but I do know I seem to have a perpetually sad face, even when I'm not sad. I've heard "You look so sad", "What's wrong?" and other variations since I was a kid. I think I'm not very aware of how I come off, I have no way of controlling my expression. 

I do get expressive, though. It's usually only around people I know and/or trust. When I feel comfortable, it all comes out, enthusiasm, excitement, I think even sadness...I don't even think about it. It just happens.


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## Adasta (Nov 22, 2011)

kaleidoscope said:


> I guess I'm wondering how accurate this behavioral representation of being a Fi-dom is.


I think INFPs are more inclined to show their reaction to their emotion rather than the emotion itself.

In this sense, the Fi is hidden.


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## Kito (Jan 6, 2012)

I naturally hide my emotions, even to those closest to me... not sure why. They're just something I want to keep to myself. Sometimes it's impossible to hide it (anger is the hardest for me to deal with) but otherwise it's possible. Sometimes I get asked what's wrong when there's literally nothing wrong at all, though. That frustrates me to no end.

I don't think it has to be a general rule of Fi, though. If you ask anyone who knows stuff about Jung, I think they'd say it has little effect on expressiveness.


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## Mammon (Jul 12, 2012)

I get the 'Are you sad/angry? You look so depressed? Please don't hit me! *cowers* thing quite often with people who do not know me well. Heck, even if they know me they sometimes still ask me, especially when I'm thinking.

Once on a bus home from school I was randomly staring at a few girls sitting in a group while in deep thought when my brother who didn't have a place to sit came up to me and said 'I heard those girls saying to eachother what a scary tough guy look you have' I was like 'wut?' and thinking *Shit... not again -.-*
Pretty embaressing

But when I'm excited a bit come through though. Or when I'm really angry, I'll flame throw your face off.

But just like @Kito I doubt it has to do with Fi. It's just the way I roll


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## Glenda Gnome Starr (May 12, 2011)

I am very expressive. I can't hide my feelings. When I try to, I look as if I ate something that I didn't like, lol.


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## Fretful_Mused (Oct 6, 2012)

Yeah, I can relate to all of the above. I find it almost impossible to smile in public. Unless I am around those I feel comfortable with. Even then, I expect that is rare. 

I can feel excitement and enthusiasm about something inside but I am not usually able to outwardly express this. I can never sound truly positive or certain about anything. I can be wanting to go somewhere and do something that has been suggested, but I won't always make it sound obvious - it can seem like I am so carefree and not bothered. This is so far from the truth!


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## kaleidoscope (Jan 19, 2012)

sheisopaqu3 said:


> Yeah, I can relate to all of the above. I find it almost impossible to smile in public. Unless I am around those I feel comfortable with. Even then, I expect that is rare.
> 
> I can feel excitement and enthusiasm about something inside but I am not usually able to outwardly express this. I can never sound truly positive or certain about anything. I can be wanting to go somewhere and do something that has been suggested, but I won't always make it sound obvious - it can seem like I am so carefree and not bothered. This is so far from the truth!


.. You're an F*e* user.


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## Fretful_Mused (Oct 6, 2012)

Well, according to tests I have taken, I have highly developed Fi. Even though I am a supposed INFJ. I relate more to Fi than Ne. Yes, it is very confusing but that is how it is. I cannot explain it myself.


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## Fretful_Mused (Oct 6, 2012)

I meant Fe not Ne.


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

Most of the time, unless I want to hide something intentionally I am very expressive.


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## voicetrocity (Mar 31, 2012)

Eck! Sorry, I just noticed you asked for replies from Fi DOMS.


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## kaleidoscope (Jan 19, 2012)

voicetrocity said:


> Eck! Sorry, I just noticed you asked for replies from Fi DOMS.


Well Fi is still your secondary function, so I'd love to know your perspective! :happy:


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## Cajole (Jul 15, 2012)

What I let out depends on the emotion involved. Happy, goofy, silliness cant help but escape. If I think something is funny I cannot help but laugh. However, sadness, despair and generally yucky feelings can be lurking beneath the cheery facade. The odd thing is that I don't feel all that misery unless I engage it. Most of the time I can dissociate from negative feeling and outwardly appear as if I am always happy and in those moments I actually feel good. I've had patients of mine ask me if I am always happy. Uhm, no...I'm in the middle of a divorce. 

I am afraid to cry in front of people, to let the truth out because my feelings possess such a ferocious intensity. There is an imaginary edge I fall off of. Its like I stuff all the bad stuff in an imaginary place and then later I fall into it. What starts as normal crying builds and then I get past a certain point were I can feel myself sliding off that edge but can no longer stop it. Then I'm plunged into a well of turbulent cathartic emotional pain that seems to hold everything I've refused to feel, not just what I'm feeling. I usually feel much better when its over, but I fear doing that in front of someone.

What you see...:happy:
What I'm really feeling....:shocked::crying::tongue::laughing::sad::happy:

Or if you push this button...:angry:, then you get :angry::angry:, don't flip the INFP crazy switch.

(Note: I test consistently in the middle of the J/P divide, most often INFP, sometimes INFJ. Averaged cognitive function tests show FiNeNiFeSiTeTiSe. Sloan 5 middle of the road on orderliness...all with a dash of salt and a slight lean toward P.)


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## kaleidoscope (Jan 19, 2012)

I'm very similar to you @Cajole. It's *very *hard for me to express negative emotions. I feel very embarrassed crying in public for example, or making a scene. If you can see me cry, you're probably a very special person. I keep to myself, and would rather withdraw until I feel better. I think what I'm struggling most with here, is how Fi-doms are portrayed as these expressionless people, which I'm really not. Happiness, excitement, curiosity, shock - all of these show on my face clearly. When it comes to pain, I'll try to mask it behind a smile and act like nothing's wrong. This often doesn't fool people who really know me. My friend can instantly tell when something's off.. so I guess it does slip past my mask of smiles.

PS: I love how you write :happy:


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## voicetrocity (Mar 31, 2012)

kaleidoscope said:


> Well Fi is still your secondary function, so I'd love to know your perspective! :happy:


Ok then!

My outward expression of emotion rarely ever seems to match what's going on internally; with the exception of anger, which seems to always exceed my internal emotions. It really all depends on the situation/who I'm with. I find it really easy to "poker face" when someone is trying to upset me, to maintain control of the situation. Otherwise, I'm a lot more expressive than the description would lead someone to believe, even with Fi being my secondary function. When I get on a kick about something, it's pretty much on. 

I've had A LOT of therapy though; and I've, admittedly, spent a lot of time working on being "ok" with expressing myself and trying to hone how to express myself more appropriately. 

The article is certainly true of my INFP sibling though. I've often accused them of being inexpressive and have even had trouble believing them when they tell me they're having an emotional reaction to something, since they're extremely passive.


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## StellarTwirl (Jul 1, 2012)

I've noticed that Fi-dom faces under-express their troubles. And this can range from blankness to a false smile, but their happiness seems to present itself pretty readily. 


(I'm not this way. Anyone can see my emotions, because I don't know how to hide them. The best way to keep them private is to leave!)


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## JungyesMBTIno (Jul 22, 2011)

Most of the examples here can apply to any Fi type. Fi is no different per type - it just influences their egos differently.


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## kaleidoscope (Jan 19, 2012)

JungyesMBTIno said:


> Most of the examples here can apply to any Fi type. Fi is no different per type - it just influences their egos differently.


Sorry, I don't understand what you're trying to say. Can you clarify a bit more?


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## Kynx (Feb 6, 2012)

@kaleidoscope have your taken the SLOAN/Big5 test? The rluai type and the rcuai type results are supposed to correlate with INFPs. If correct, it would indicate that INFPs could be further divided by levels of emotion, which obviously isn't included in Jung/MBTI. 

I don't remember if emotional expression came under the 'Limbic' side of things.


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