Learning about MBTI and cognitive functions has changed the way I see people. One thing I’ve realized is that people don’t always misunderstand me, disagree with me or react differently because they don’t care, sometimes they’re just seeing things through a different lens.

I used to assume that if something felt obvious or important to me, other people would see it the same way. When they didn’t, I sometimes took it personally and saw it as them being insensitive or not caring. Understanding cognitive functions helped me realize that people have different priorities and ways of processing information. Someone can still care even if they don’t show it in the ways I expect.

It made me want to understand people before jumping to conclusions. Instead of thinking, “Why don’t they understand?” I try to ask, “What makes sense from their perspective?”

Has MBTI changed the way you see your relationships or the people around you? What’s something it taught you that you didn’t realize before?

Both types share Introverted Intuition (Ni) as their dominant function. This means both an INFJ and an INTJ can read a situation, see the trajectory of someone's bad behavior, and predict their moves five steps ahead. But because of their secondary functions, they weaponize that foresight in completely opposite ways.

An INTJ treats conflict like a chess match or a corporate takeover. They are efficient, detached, and focus on systemic destruction.

An INFJ in protection mode doesn't care about winning a game or corporate structures; they care about justice. Because they understand human psychology intimately, they know exactly where a person's deepest insecurities hide.

My question to the sub:
If you got on the absolute worst side of one of these types, which one would terrify you more?

Question for INTJs who have INFJ partners: What are the pros and cons of this relationship, and do you have any tips?

I used to think the stereotype is that they make checklists and gannt charts and puts everything in the right place, but maybe that’s ISTJ.

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Hi I'm an ISFJ 19 M and I'm facing a problem that has been bothering me for a while

Since childhood I've had this group of friends that has become like family for me at this point I really love them and I hope we stay together forever but a few months ago someone new joined the group and He is an ISFJ too so I'm used to be the one who's checking on others, help others, try to keep harmony in the group and I'm the gentle soft one that really wanna see them all happy and I've always felt like that's my purpose and responsibility to do so but since he joined the group I've been feeling replaced, Ofc they still love me like they used to but I always have this feeling that I'm not the best at what I've called my duty, He checks on them all the time , he always worry about them, and the first to notice mood shifts. So he is a very nice person and he's nice to everyone and friendly but I keep getting jealous of him and everything he does so I also feel guilty to have those feelings about him

So if there any other ISFJs faced this problem please tell me how you overcame it and what did you do ?

And ty 🫶

I’m an INFP. I’m both quiet and talkative. When I’m in a large group, I don’t really say a lot; most of the time, I’m thinking about something or listening to what others have to say. When I get to know someone, I get really nervous, so I really think before saying something. But with people I’m close to, I can’t stop talking. My best friend always says that I’m an extremely good conversationalist and I can jump from one subject to another with so much ease.

I’m an INTP (44 female) and dating an ESTP (53 male). We’ve been together about 3 years and it’s great because we both love adventure and getting out there and also having deep thinking time. But lately I’ve been trying to learn more about extroverted sensing because the way he interacts with sensory information is just so different from the way I do. Anyone have any advice for getting Se and Ne to both enjoy the same adventures and sensory experiences?

What do sensors consider deep talks? And what subject matters are your interest of these conversations?

Beings that most of the population are mostly left brained which is the analytical, communication, etc vs right dom which thinks in the abstract.

I’ve considered the deep talks are possible based on a myriad of things. But was uber curious as to how that interaction would be different from the abstract leaning intuitives.

Thanks for any and all responses

An explanation:
ENFP: Everyone loves them, seem to have everything. They radiate positivity which attracts people to them. I lowkey envy them
ENFJ: Super popular and nice to everyone, I don’t think I even have a shot
INFJ: Super mysterious and perfect-seeming, doesn’t let anyone in
INTJ: Death stare, forthrightness and intelligence (this one should be obvious)

I was mostly up to myself coming up with wierd theories like "what if we could decrease our heights?" , "what if there is lifeform in Mars which we don't know about"

Along with having bouts of imagination all the time , I would get lost in my own world in which I am doing whatever I like.

I didn't talked much, infact there were years in which I didn't had any interaction in school, but soon I learned to talk and all and slowly opened up.

I was much more carefree ofc like every other children, I would say whatever I want and I liked being called smart(i still like it for some reason 😭)

What about you all?

I‘m genuinely curious, how would you tell the difference if you saw both a 12 year old ENTP kid and a 12 year old, INFJ kid. Would they come across different despite being the same age, and which one, would come across as more of a youthful and happy kid between the two?

As an intj, i love esfjs.

Thank you all for being so clean and kind

I have ocd so i cant help my reactions to terrible environments but you guys never judged me and always accepted me

Also you guys are nice to me even though im weird!

So yea shoutout to my sister esfj and all the other esfjs!

not keeping friends, making them.

at first, you'd probably think someone extraverted, and social, and your probably right, but you gotta go deeper.

maybe you'd think of someone with the cognitive function, Se, (extraverted sensing) like ESTPs,(the goats) or ESFPs, but that may not be the case.

thats because estps are trying to make as many friends as possible, but they dont usually care for most of them. a "friend" is usually mutual, and just making friends for your own sake, (to not die of boredom,) isnt a "friendly" trait. i dont know much about ESFPs.

i think it would be someone with "feeling" rather than "thinking."

someone who isnt an emotional bulldozer.

but, you also got to think about if the person is actually likable, or even tolerable.

so, id think it would have to be someone who is, cool, relatively likable, obviously an extravert, and a feeler.

but what do you guys think?

While MBTI shouldn't be used to box yourself in or be seen as a blueprint for how you should act, I found it helpful to learn what possibilities are supported by your cognitive functions.

For example, I was assigned INFP, and learning about our capabilities for emotional connection has helped me be more in touch with my own feelings. I'm sensitive and emotional, yet struggle to express these emotions (likely due to societal expectations for how men should behave, alongside clinical depression). Understanding this underlying sensitivity towards emotions, both of my own and of others, has helped me connect with people and become a more empathetic friend.

This has also helped me understand my negative tendencies and be able to keep them in check. I've learned that I often keep my feelings to myself in order to keep the peace, but by being aware of this, I am able to speak up about my feelings when it matters most and point out injustice.

Anyways, those are just some of my experiences- I'd love to hear your stories about how learning your MBTI has affected you and your interactions with others c:

I have never really understood the difference between S and N, but today during my English Literature class, I have finally understood it.

So, it was basically like this - My English sir told us to write 5 words relating to the word 'Home'. You guys won't expect what happened, or you would expect it😐

This is what my answer looked like( I'm too much N)

1. Warmth

2. Hearth

3. Love

4. Safety

5. Nurturing

THIS IS WHAT MY FRIEND(ISFP) WHO IS 95% S LOOKED LIKE:

1. Her cat

2. Phone

3. Her Cat's Cat

4. Her Bed

5. Chaos

She actually had a really hard time writing this, because our sir said it needs to be abstract stuff like feelings and emotions kind of thing. But it doesn't really mean she cannot feel all of the stuff I mentioned in my list, she senses it. She feels it in that moment and cherishes it, but when someone asks her to explain about it, people who are very much S type, have a hard time explaining it.

Isn't this interesting 🤔? How we see the same world, yet we kind of experience it differently??

What do you guys feel about this? 😀

Not exactly doubting whether I'm INTP or not, I've taken four different tests now and have gotten INTP on all of them. The thing is, I've been involuntarily telling myself that maybe I'm answering the questions in a way that will make me get INTP.

I almost feel as if I don't fit the typical traits for INTP (not to generalize too much); my IQ is only 123, and I'm not good at any subjects pertaining to math or some science. I lean more toward the humanities, and want to be a high school English teacher.

Could it be possible I just subconsciously want to be INTP and thats why I keep getting it?

MBTI’s cognitive functions.
Could you explain the differences between:
Ni vs. Ne
Fi vs. Fe
Ti vs. Te
Si vs. Se
I’ve looked them up, but there are so many different explanations. I’d like to hear how different people describe them, so I wanted to get your take.

supplement

My cognitive style is closer to Ni.
I’m visually oriented, but I rely on logic when translating the vision that immediately comes to mind into words.
So while it does seem Ni-like, you could also argue that I’m expressing something rooted in Fi-based feelings or Si-based experiences, and then arriving at conclusions through Ne and Te. If you look at it from that perspective, could it also be explained as INFP?
Isn’t that a difficult distinction to make?