# Determining Ne vs. Se



## evilputty (Jul 31, 2014)

Here are some images that depict Ne fairly well.


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## QueenSuzanna (Dec 21, 2014)

I know the perfect thing for you! @Spastic Origami showed me this video when I was confused about the difference and it really helped!


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## Greyhart (Oct 13, 2014)

Hmm... so I'm curious, have you tried checking description of types as children? In high school I've overused my Fe (that just kind of showed up out of nowhere and took a charge) and Si (extreme amount of memorization and repetition). I'd find it hard to determinate my type by then current behavior but child ENTP description fit myself as kid perfectly.



i_really_hate_decisions said:


> But that doesn't mean I can't entertain myself with my thoughts/ideas, but when I do, it's usually when I have nothing to interact with. Hell, I can entertain myself with a calculator, if need be.


I've always preferred going into head mode than looking for physical things to entertain me. Like I used to write short stories on boring lessons. Or look outside the window, pick some detail (car, animal, tree) and spin a story out of it.


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## aloneinmusic (Mar 1, 2014)

From what I've analysed, Se and Ne are similar in the sense that they involve seeing tons of possibilities and living in the moment. But Se is more grounded, the ESTPs/ESFPs I've known have big goals but they are kind of realistic goals and they have a real down-to-earth concise edge to their personality. I can't describe it in any way, if someone is going out of control in randomness, they'll be the ones to just raise their eyebrows and be like "nah mate". I've seen an ESTP do this lol.

The ENFPs/ENTPs I've known, particularly the ENFPs, I've literally heard one of them burst out into talk of rainbows and goats. They see possibilities everywhere but take them way out of reality bounds. The ENTPs I know are a little bit more chilled but they still have that intuitive edge to them. But ENTPs seem to have this skill at making anything sound possible and legit, no matter how unrealistic it is, yet ENFPs tend to just thrive on the excitement of new possibilities.

If this is no help, these are two different explanations I've found of each function:

*Extraverted Intuiting (Ne): Exploring the emerging patterns. Wondering about patterns of interaction across various situations. Checking what hypotheses and meanings fit best. Trusting what emerges as you shift a situation’s dynamics.

Extraverted Sensing (Se): Immersing in the present context. Responding naturally to everything tangible you detect through your senses. Checking with what your gut instincts say. Testing limits and take risks for big rewards.*


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## Acadia (Mar 20, 2014)

No function is standalone. 

Look at how Se-Ni work together, and look at how Ne-Si work together. 

You also want to think about what you natural fall back onto. Any person well-accustomed to society can wear any number of masks; but when push comes to shove, how do you act? what do you do?


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## Word Dispenser (May 18, 2012)

Here's what I think.

If you stumble around, oblivious to your environment and unable to move furniture, or notice things, unable to pressure people (aka: Liable to be a bit of a doormat), and unable to stand up for yourself: Probably INTP.

If you tend to be ambivalent about novelty, and tend to look down on Ne types in general, seeing it as flakey and shallow, without any real purpose, and a dislike of jumping around from idea to idea: ISTP.

That's really simplifying it though.

The thing is: INTPs are really bad at Se. And ISTPs are really bad at Ne. Whether you believe it or not, Se and Ne are very, very different.

Se is what makes ISTPs very capable in their environment, of focusing in on physical phenomenon, breaking it apart and putting it together again. Honing in on particulars.

Ne is what makes INTPs very _not _capable in a physical environment-- Of focusing on unrelated abstract phenomenon, breaking it apart, and putting it together again. Honing in on possibilities and interest.

ISTPs often actualize their goals. INTPs can spend a lot of time ... _Not _actualizing. Just thinking about it.

I doubt this brings you any closer to understanding.

I advise reading up on Socionics. :kitteh:


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## Zee Bee (Aug 19, 2014)

i_really_hate_decisions said:


> You really believe I don't have enough self sufficiency to do that before I ask people to help?
> I took tests already, why wouldn't I? But it gets a bit confusing when you consistently score IxTP or INTP/ISTP with the Sensing/Intuition at a 1-2% difference.
> 
> So, the logical thing to do would be ask people who have a more in depth knowledge about the subject. Apparently, that allocates to nothing really.
> ...


*
Take it from me:
Assume you are INFP until proven otherwise!
Only we (INFP) could blow up in public when another type behaves how they should

*


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## Entropic (Jun 15, 2012)

QueenSuzanna said:


> I know the perfect thing for you! @Spastic Origami showed me this video when I was confused about the difference and it really helped!


This video is trash and doesn't say much, if at all, about N vs S. It says a lot about what judgement functions people prefer, though.


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## i_really_hate_decisions (Dec 7, 2014)

heartofpompeii said:


> No function is standalone.
> 
> Look at how Se-Ni work together, and look at how Ne-Si work together.
> 
> You also want to think about what you natural fall back onto. Any person well-accustomed to society can wear any number of masks; but when push comes to shove, how do you act? what do you do?



Well... depends on the situation I guess... I can't really say.


And to everyone else: good info, but it doesn't really help me out...


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## Acadia (Mar 20, 2014)

i_really_hate_decisions said:


> Well... depends on the situation I guess... I can't really say.
> 
> 
> And to everyone else: good info, but it doesn't really help me out...


it can be really tough to figure it out. if you look around long enough you'll see long-term members slip into 'unknown personality' mode because we are all capable of doing all kinds of things. and as we grow and notice those different traits developing in ourselves, we start doubting. 

on top of the cognitive functions, there's also enneagram, which roughly guestimates our motivators; and those can have an impact on the way we act and behave as well. I'm a 7w8 ISFP, so I'm going to be pretty outgoing for an introvert. I'll tell jokes. I'll laugh. I'll spontaneously up and leave to pursue a goal without much thought about the impact it will have. But is Se my dominant function? No, absolutely not. I wish it were, but I'm still dominated by introverted feeling. 

two ISFJs I know, my cousin and a friend, are tremendously different. I think my cousin is probably a 5w4 which makes him inquisitive and artistic; whereas my friend is probably a 2w1. they're super different; and yet there's an emphasis on Si and Fe. 

It can be expected, then, that Se and Ne users may actually have less in common with each other than is always thought.

I could get into Jung and talk about concrete sensation, but it's almost redundant at this point. it seems like you get that. so let me put it this way; are you reactive? is it your instinct to be quick? {even if you don't always do it well?} if somebody throws something at your face unexpectedly are you likely to catch it, swat at it, hit it away? or will it hit you in the face? 

are you a spiderweb thinker? do you get ideas from hearing yourself speak? can you talk circles around others and hold a conversation with yourself? {the two Ne-doms I know irl are both very skilled at this.} can you jump from topic to topic and more often than not, trace those ideas back? 

and even if you do both of those things--which feels more natural to you? which feels instinctive? which feels learned?


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## i_really_hate_decisions (Dec 7, 2014)

heartofpompeii said:


> it can be really tough to figure it out. if you look around long enough you'll see long-term members slip into 'unknown personality' mode because we are all capable of doing all kinds of things. and as we grow and notice those different traits developing in ourselves, we start doubting.
> 
> on top of the cognitive functions, there's also enneagram, which roughly guestimates our motivators; and those can have an impact on the way we act and behave as well. I'm a 7w8 ISFP, so I'm going to be pretty outgoing for an introvert. I'll tell jokes. I'll laugh. I'll spontaneously up and leave to pursue a goal without much thought about the impact it will have. But is Se my dominant function? No, absolutely not. I wish it were, but I'm still dominated by introverted feeling.
> 
> ...


Well the last time someone threw something at my face from near point blank, the most I managed was turning my head and moving it to the side so rather than hitting my eye it hit the top of my head. (It was a juice bottle cap).

If I'm somewhere I KNOW I need to be alert, I have pretty damn good relfexes, but I have to block most of my thoughts out. But if I'm somewhere I feel comfortable (school), I'm usually pretty relaxed.

I can definitely do that second part. I have conversations with myself all the time, and I love debates.


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## Acadia (Mar 20, 2014)

i_really_hate_decisions said:


> Well the last time someone threw something at my face from near point blank, the most I managed was turning my head and moving it to the side so rather than hitting my eye it hit the top of my head. (It was a juice bottle cap).
> 
> If I'm somewhere I KNOW I need to be alert, I have pretty damn good relfexes, but I have to block most of my thoughts out. But if I'm somewhere I feel comfortable (school), I'm usually pretty relaxed.
> 
> I can definitely do that second part. I have conversations with myself all the time, and I love debates.


I love debates too; not necessarily an Ne or Ti sort of thing; but spiderweb thinking tends to be an indicator of Ne. Because you skim the surface of many ideas and then formulates as it addresses different perspectives. 

Ni latches onto meaning, rather; it's almost analytical because it wants to know why. And once it figures out why, it will continue on. If you're an ISTP, your Ni would probably be at least somewhat developed and likewise if you're an INTP, your Si, somewhat well developed. 

Si focuses on comfort; reflects on the past to gain understanding of the present {this does not, however, mean reminiscence or memory--rather makes comparisons everywhere} it likes routine, and is fairly pragmatic and structured. Si-users are more likely to be traditional {though not always} or at least be aware of how it is acting against tradition; and more likely to hesitate before trying something new because it hasn't been there before; it doesn't know what that new activity is going to be like; it hasn't got anything to compare it to. 

Se focuses more on the immediate moment. It can like fuzzy blankets and hot cocoa as much as the next person, but it's constantly engaged in its environment and will often enjoy "doing something". Even if you're an introvert, Se will like going rock climbing, or hiking, or fixing a car, or cooking {not me though not a fan of cooking} or throwing a baseball or painting or playing hockey or going for walks or even playing video games; it wants to be engaged in something. Since it's constantly aware of its environment, it likes participating in its environment.


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## ferroequinologist (Jul 27, 2012)

i_really_hate_decisions said:


> You really believe I don't have enough self sufficiency to do that before I ask people to help? No sh*t I took tests already, why wouldn't I? But it gets a bit confusing when you consistently score IxTP or INTP/ISTP with the Sensing/Intuition at a 1-2% difference.
> 
> So, the logical thing to do would be ask people who have a more in depth knowledge about the subject. Apparently, that allocates to nothing really.
> 
> Yeah, people don't know me, you don't say? But it really isn't difficult to ask a few questions that may determine the type.


When you get going on an idea, to you talk it out, and talk and talk and talk? Or do you shut up and do?


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## i_really_hate_decisions (Dec 7, 2014)

ferroequinologist said:


> When you get going on an idea, to you talk it out, and talk and talk and talk? Or do you shut up and do?


Lots of talking. Usually. Depends on the situation. Yeah if I have a group project; lot's of talking about ideas... then procrastinating.

But still, I like being involved in my environment.


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## owlboy (Oct 28, 2010)

Watch ''Community''. The difference between Se and Ne is the difference between Jeff and Abed.


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## B3LIAL (Dec 21, 2013)

lackofmops said:


> If I were you, I'd take the FREAKING PERSONALITY TEST THAT IS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE YOUR PERSONALITY TYPE.
> 
> People on this forum don't know you, so they won't be able to type you as accurately as you can type yourself.


The tests aren't a great way to determine your type. They're good enough to narrow it down to 2 or 3 types, but only you can figure out your cognitive functions.

Just because the tests are designed to accurately type you, doesn't mean they're always successful in doing so.

The questions can be misleading.


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## david251 (Sep 9, 2014)

I m in the same situation as you are. I have concluded that not deciding whether you have Ne or Se as your auxiliary is because Ne and ti are similar and that makes it difficult for you to understand if you are using ti or Ne in a particular case. By "ti and ne are similar" I refer to the description of ti and ne on most sites, ti and ne are very different in nature, I m just saying it's a bit confusing to spot that difference sometimes because of the vague descriptions.

I also suspect that Jung was right, maybe intp's cognitive functions are ti>ne>se>fe and istp's are ti>se>ne>fe. that would make it even harder to decide if your ne is more developed than your se or the contrary. I think the hint is that if we have both ne and se then the key is to understand which one is more "archaic" according to Jung's terms. this is just a hint I think might offer some insight, if you find out a better way *please* let me know .


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## uncertain (May 26, 2012)

GreyJedi said:


> @_i_really_hate_decisions_ Both Sensors and Intuitives are perceivers which mean that they don't fit information from the outside world into any context. Additionally, both Se and Ne are extraverted functions which mean that they take outside information as objective rather than subjective.
> 
> Se is the most factual and the most "in the moment" of all the functions. They are really aggressive at taking in all information they can find. Sensors in general doesn't really see the need for theories as they go by elementary facts meaning what is already concrete and the building blocks of all other knowledge. Which means, Se users will aggressively gather up information and take them as they are. For example, they see an artwork. What they perceive is also an artwork. They will however notice all the details within it. Nothing more nothing less.
> 
> Ne users on the other hand doesn't care much about details. They see the object but what is important is the possibilities or associations with that said object. Se users are thinking of the box. Ne users think of what could be of the box. With that said, Ne perceives what is not readily known (this is not the 6th sense). Ne tends to see a small portion of the object and conclude its overall image based on its intuition. So you can say that sensors see things clearly and in detail while intuitives see things in a blurry fashion. Sensors are a microscope while Intuitives are binoculars.


I mostly identify with Se and I agree with this mostly. It seems like a basic description in the way that Se-users are not going to do what Ne does, but it's a bit too absolute and simplifying when it comes to how a person feels about his own functioning.

I guess because we also use Ni or Si besides Se and Ne, there would be more work going on beyond just taking it in as it is. And if your tertiary is well-developed, it can cause confusion... While there are certainly times that I just absorb things and feel, I sometimes (not sure how often) think more about it then just taking in what's in front of me. Ni would quietly put things together, and I have aha moments and realization every once in a while, or a deeper understanding of things after I stop doing it for a while and come back on the topic a couple months later.

That also shapes an attitude Se-users have toward the world, "it is what it is, (and you should explore if you want to live to the fullest.)"


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