# ISTJ with Fi stronger than Si?



## mrgreendots (May 21, 2011)

I'm really confused how this could be but I've taken two Cognitive functions tests and in both my Fi scored slightly higher than my Si which was my second strongest. Could it be based on my mood? Or does my Enneagram type come in to play? Has this happened to other ISTJs?


extraverted Sensing (Se) ***************** (17.9)
limited useintroverted Sensing (Si) **************************************** (40.2)
excellent useextraverted Intuiting (Ne) ************************** (26.2)
average useintroverted Intuiting (Ni) *********************** (23.1)
limited useextraverted Thinking (Te) ********************************** (34.3)
good useintroverted Thinking (Ti) ********************************* (33.1)
good useextraverted Feeling (Fe) ************************ (24)
limited useintroverted Feeling (Fi) ***************************************** (42)
excellent use


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## Sixty Nein (Feb 13, 2011)

Even in tests such as those. I usually test as an ISTP or INFJ. When I first took that test, without even knowing what cognitive functions were. I honestly don't really trust those sorts of tests. Those questions were generally more Fe = Caring about other people. Si = Traditional function, and uses the Thinking functions as not really attitudes, but actual skill sets. Some of the "Ti"-ish questions sounds rather Te, because of it's objective? nature.

Then again, I honestly don't know what I am talking about. I have a lot more shit to read. Just...don't trust tests. Even if you are 100% honest in them.


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## Randroth (Nov 25, 2010)

Cognitive function tests tend to asses how "strong" your functions are, tending to treat them as tools at person's disposal instead of the lenses that shape our view of the world, while Jung's theory is all about the level of consciousness of each function. This thread should be of some help. http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/105682-your-ti-stronger-than-mine.html


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## Herp (Nov 25, 2010)

First thing: Don't rely on tests. These assessments are not all that reliable to the model we all learn about the function stacking of a type, and therefore, are normally inconclusive to determine a person type.

Secondly, I would suggest you to take a personal stand on this. Do you understand the principles of both Fi and Si? If you don't, read about them and their opposites (Te and Ne, respectively). Think about how your personality is revolved between the pushes and pull of both (An IxFP may feel threatened and inferior in situations where they must rely on Te, an ISxJ may feel threatened and inferior in situations where they must rely on Ne) and leave at the dominant-inferior dynamics for a while. This part may take a while and you may find that you're not even a user of any of these functions.

Third, how much life experience do you think you have? How did you feel in a distressing situation? What made you feel distressed and what were your coping mechanisms? How often do you leave your perceived comfort zone? And how often do you feel personally exposed to the elements? What are your feelings and priorities in these situations?

Think about it - evaluate yourself, your reasons, your goals and your motivations and understand how they shape your personality (While on the motivation topic, give enneagram a try!). After you are able to evaluate yourself and say "I rely on these mechanisms because I am afraid of these others", you'll have a glimpse of your dominant/inferior pairs.

I wouldn't bother much about the auxiliary until you actually comprehend the nature of the aforementioned pair. After you get a grip on this, everything will fold out much easier. 

And remember, don't be an ass about typing. Everyone's different and have different experiences, motivations and goals than you.


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## mrgreendots (May 21, 2011)

I have researched the Functions fairly well and I do agree that Fi and Si are the functions that most influence my life (at least from what I can tell).
I wouldn't say I have a lot of experience with life since I'm still young so I've only experienced distressing situations on a smaller scale. Usually when I'm distressed I usually feel stuck because something that I insisted on doing in a certain way because I deemed it best according to my morals, wasn't working or was making it more difficult on myself because of the conflicting views of the people around me.
I usually only rely on my thinking function when it is appropriate, which is in situations when logic should be used (i.e. planning, sciences, math etc). I think I rely more on Fi when I'm solving social problems or conflicts between people, it seems more logical.

The one thing I know for sure is that my intuition is least used and I understand it the least. Sometimes I'm not sure how much my thinking function influences my life either..


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## Herp (Nov 25, 2010)

mrgreendots said:


> I have researched the Functions fairly well and I do agree that Fi and Si are the functions that most influence my life (at least from what I can tell).
> I wouldn't say I have a lot of experience with life since I'm still young so I've only experienced distressing situations on a smaller scale. Usually when I'm distressed I usually feel stuck because something that I insisted on doing in a certain way because I deemed it best according to my morals, wasn't working or was making it more difficult on myself because of the conflicting views of the people around me.
> I usually only rely on my thinking function when it is appropriate, which is in situations when logic should be used (i.e. planning, sciences, math etc). I think I rely more on Fi when I'm solving social problems or conflicts between people, it seems more logical.
> 
> The one thing I know for sure is that my intuition is least used and I understand it the least. Sometimes I'm not sure how much my thinking function influences my life either..


I hope you don't get me wrong, but these answers aren't for me. Take the questions with you as you go and experience life as it is. 

I'm saying that because I thought I knew all about myself, until I actually found out I didn't. And I maybe don't even know yet, I just have this picture of me, for the first time, that isn't concerned about "Who I am", but instead, it simply is.

At the risk of sounding hippie (And I really don't like sounding hippie): Go and explore thyself! :wink:


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## mrgreendots (May 21, 2011)

Randroth said:


> Cognitive function tests tend to asses how "strong" your functions are, tending to treat them as tools at person's disposal instead of the lenses that shape our view of the world, while Jung's theory is all about the level of consciousness of each function. This thread should be of some help. http://personalitycafe.com/cognitive-functions/105682-your-ti-stronger-than-mine.html


I've skimmed through the first page or so of this thread and from what I got, it seems like they're implying that a person must have one judging and one perceiving function in the dominant pair. So then in my case it would mean that while both Fi and Si could be equally strong for me, only one of them would actually have to be in my dominant pair?
Did what I say make any sense?


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## mrgreendots (May 21, 2011)

Herp said:


> I hope you don't get me wrong, but these answers aren't for me. Take the questions with you as you go and experience life as it is.


No no, it's fine I just wrote it down in case someone could provide further insight with the information.


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## Figure (Jun 22, 2011)

The dominant function of a person/type has the highest jurisdiction in the psyche over any of the others. So, this situation would be a matter of identifying with one of three options. First, as one who uses Fi as a dominant function, therefore the type would be ISFP or INFP. Second, that the OP is an ISTJ with very strong Fi, who doesn't use it as a dominant function since strength =/= use. The third, and the one I would place money upon if I had to, would be that the way the OP answered the questions overvalued Fi. 

#3 could be the cause of several things, including skewed questions, overemphasizing answers to certain questions (this is particularly common when you've already taken the test before and come to a new realization about yourself while you're in the middle of the test), and enneagram type. In any case, this is a very common situation that can be solved by understanding which mental patterns you tend to depend on most when you're in everyday thought. 

An Si dominant will find it difficult to _not _have a sense of the physical differences between what they can sense, and what's in the environment around them. Taste, smell, visuals, you name it - many Si doms are amazing when it comes to being aware of "what's there" and "what's missing" because they can sense the difference. Si doms are actually "perceivers" in a Jungian sense - they compare input from their world to a mental storehouse of sensory information they've gathered, _then _judge it using Te or Fe. If you relate with the above, you're probably an Si dom. 

An Fi dom will have a static sense of personal identity and ethics - they're actually Jungian "judgers" and will tend to make conclusions and make corrections in relation to their values before collecting information as the Si dom would. 


Determining which dominant type you are will require determining which process you rely on most - not necessarily which one you think about most, or think is most interesting, which can be very tricky to pick apart.


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## mrgreendots (May 21, 2011)

@LXPilot Thank you, that was very helpful. While I think I still rely on Si a lot more I'll have to watch myself more closely to make sure. My INFP friend seems a lot more set on her values than I think I ever could be.


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