# Telltale signs of Ni vs Ne dominance/use



## Villette (Jul 18, 2014)

dyeats said:


> Yes haha. I can relate. I can't imagine having Fe-aux though. I know one INFJ male and he is teaching linguistics (nice teacher!). He does the stare thing without moving eyes as you mentioned earlier. I also do this. Is it like you stare at something but you see nothing?


Exactly. It's when my Ni takes over and I'm processing inside my head. Though sometimes I stare in a different way, when someone interests me and I'm analyzing them, picking up every detail and looking right into them. Perhaps that's Ni again, feeding itself with information. But Fe tells me not to do it so openly because I suspect it's disconcerting!


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## Strelok (Aug 16, 2013)

Villette said:


> My daughter pointed out the other day that when I'm in my own world, sifting through thoughts/information in my mind, my eyes sometimes dart around here and there. I'm not actually looking at anything, I am moving between different ideas inside my head, and my eye movements just reflect how I am identifying separate ideas and connecting them up. It feels like joining the dots of a web-like puzzle. It must look crazy to observers. Sometimes I also mutter to myself at the same time...


Me too, and I don't think it has anything to do with cognitive functions. I don't mutter to myself though.


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## The Nameless Composer (Sep 20, 2014)

Villette said:


> Yes, I also work with a guy who I think is ENFP. When we discuss things, he will bounce ideas around and churn out loads of random possibilities. It's fun and I love to hear them, but can't always respond to his ideas straight away. I might take them away, think them over and connect them into a grand plan, as you say.


For an introvert I sometimes talk without thinking that much haha. I guess when I start talking more and more ideas will snowball into a semi-coherent monologue which makes it sound like the words are tumbling out barely keeping up with the ideas.


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## The Nameless Composer (Sep 20, 2014)

Villette said:


> I would identify with that. I have an ability to sound like I know what I'm talking about without in-depth study or knowledge. It's an ability to pick out key concepts and terms, and connect them up into an answer. Very useful in exam situations! Not so much in real life, when lack of in-depth understanding can trip me up.


Me too, but I'm INFP. People always see me as a braniac because of my general knowledge, but I don't consider myself exceptional. I can just read a few wiki articles and a book and seem like an expert about something. I'm a newbie at MBTI but sound like an expert to some people lol.


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## TuesdaysChild (Jan 11, 2014)

Ne - if I sound decisive.... just wait a minute. I'll change my mind.


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## ConspiracyTheory (Apr 13, 2014)

AlliG said:


> Ne - if I sound decisive.... just wait a minute. I'll change my mind.


Hahaha.

My spouse doesn't believe in evolution. He was talking about why he doesn't believe it. I kept arguing with every point he made. After a few minutes I said "I don't believe it either, I'm just pointing out flaws in your points."

If anyone is wondering, I believe evolution is only a snippet of the entire equation.


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## Strelok (Aug 16, 2013)

ConspiracyTheory said:


> If anyone is wondering, I believe evolution is only a snippet of the entire equation.


Which equation? What might be the rest of it?


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## ConspiracyTheory (Apr 13, 2014)

*even*

Physics admits they can't explain everything. It's just a system for what we know as of now. I don't have a set explanation, but I consider these points:

Human beings are the spirit that is densified.
I've heard nature is connected to humans and intelligently guides which of our genes are activated.
The psyche has a role in all existence.
I believe "God" exists but the idea that he's a person is wrong. He/it is an invisible thread that exists in all things.
Dreams are actual things, not just part of the resting state.. Dreams are the archetypes, the eternal awareness.
Archetypes are the primordial psyche and the essence of all creation.


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## Winegums (Sep 8, 2014)

Ne vs Ni ... hmm

The best example I can give is comparing ENTP/ENFP vs INTJ/INFJ. 

When speaking to the two types you'll notice the Ni Doms are going to stick to one topic and develop it. This causes problems as rapidly changing topics in a group setting can frustrate the Ni dom who desires depth into one topic. Ni doms like to pick up ideas one at a time and shape those ideas into the best they can be. This means the Ni dom can also get stuck on topics, driving them into the ground when others are long tired of the discussion.

Like others have said classic signs of an Ni dom are:

Serious attitude and outward appearance.
A know it all attitude, seeing many things as obvious
Staring around the room when thinking/ staring through things.
Intense focus on what they're doing, often oblivious to their surroundings.
Obsession with the truth and getting to the core of things.

Having spoken to Ne doms I've noticed that they can easily stray off the topic and into another. Ne covers a broad amount of ground very quickly, picking up topics and examining them briefly before moving on. This habit of moving from topic to topic also applies to activities, where the Ne user will seek out novelty in what they're doing. I find this makes them restless and prone to abruptly abandoning an activity for something else. The upside of Ne doms are they never seem to run dry of things to talk about, bringing much needed air into a stale conversation. 

Signs of a Ne dom:

Finds abstract connections between topics
Desire for novelty, easily grows bored doing one thing
Dreamy demeanor, unfocused disconnection with reality.
Difficulty holding on to one topic in conversation


As you can see Ni and Ne are opposites one is focused and the other unfocused. One free to explore anything, one stuck exploring one single thing. Both are very powerful and both have their advantages and disadvantages.


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## Bugs (May 13, 2014)

If you are discussing a topic the...

...Ni dom will want to deep dive into it and 'unlock' its total meaning. They are looking for something that is already there but not easy to find. 

... Ne dom will better understand the topic by relating it something else. As an Ne dom I best learn things by creating my own understanding of it rather than trying to search for established knowledge.


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## imaginaryrobot (Jun 11, 2013)

I only really have one thing to add to this and it's from personal experience.

One way I can usually guess that someone uses Ne rather than Ni is if I have the sense that if I were to bring a topic up that we discussed before, that the person would get somewhat annoyed or impatient. Like, there is still more that I want to uncover but he/she has already moved on and wants to talk about something else. They usually don't even have to say this to me - I can just get a feel for whether or not it would be boring for them.

And then there are the people who I think would appreciate extending the conversation... I get the impression they use Ni. Ni typically won't reject getting more and more info on something. They want to look for things that they missed before.


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## umop 3pisdn (Apr 4, 2014)

Ni = Significance. Think about the difference between a 'sign' and what is signified. Ni is always trying to get at the significance behind things, and will use signs or archetypes to leverage meaning.

Ne = Possibilities, Potentialities, Alternative Outcomes.


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## Tridentus (Dec 14, 2009)

@_masamune1_

You just described dominant intuition, i.e. finding patterns. Ne is exactly the same.

The main difference in my understanding is that Ni commits to working on a definitive and long-serving concept of how things work. Ne needs to constantly build concepts from fresh- which is why ENxPs are so attracted to novelty. Once a concept/pattern feels complete to an ENFP, we tend to feel compelled to stop focusing on it and seek something else. It's also why ENFPs always seem to be refreshing their personality with new aspects, whereas INFJs stay much more consistent.


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## TuesdaysChild (Jan 11, 2014)

Ni: 1+1=2

Ne: 1+1=2
Also....
.5X4=2
9-7=2
10/5=2

1. Pick a number 
2. Multiply by two 
3. Add 12 
4. Subtract 8 
5. Halve it (Divide by 2) 
6. Subtract original number
7. Equals 2

Ni: 1+1=2

In a nutshell.....


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## Zora (Sep 21, 2014)

Well, to quote:



> Ni is like a sniper, it's precise, but takes a long time to aim. Ne, on the other hand, is like a High-Explosive grenade. You throw it in there and it gets the job done quickly, but it's very messy.


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## TuesdaysChild (Jan 11, 2014)

Winegums said:


> Ne vs Ni ... hmm
> 
> The best example I can give is comparing ENTP/ENFP vs INTJ/INFJ.
> 
> ...


It does help to match up where Ne/Ni is placed in the stack, which I gather is why you made the delineation between ENTP/ENFP and INFJ/INTJ. I find a much more natural flow and silent understanding between myself and an INTP than, say, an INFJ, even though we are both NFs. That's not to say I don't like INFJs. The couple that I know are quite lovely people. But I do find a certain rhythm that is more congruent with an INTP, who is also Ji-Ne, than another NF type.

But I also strive to see the utility in both, as you also pointed out, rather than devaluing one to glorify the other.


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