INFJ Cognitive Functions Compared to Each Type

When getting to know your personality type, it’s important to have an accurate understanding of the INFJ cognitive functions. These are the roots of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. These functions help us understand how our brains take in information and make decisions.

In a previous blog post, I explained how INFJs use each of the eight cognitive functions. This blog post is meant to be used as a quick reference guide when reading about the 16 personality types and their cognitive functions. It also provides tables showing the cognitive differences between the INFJ and other personality types. Feel free to bookmark this page for reference.

(Want more information about your personality type? We recommend the TypeFinder Personality Test.)

Short Explanations of the Eight Cognitive Functions

There are eight Jungian cognitive functions that make up the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types. Each personality type uses all eight functions but has a preference for the top four.

Here are short explanations of each of the cognitive functions.

Introverted iNtuition (Ni): Introverted iNtuition receives insights and ideas that seem to come from nowhere. Data and information are perceived through the unconscious. Ni-users are skilled at recognizing symbols and patterns.

Extraverted iNtuition (Ne): Extraverted Intuition is focused on seeing multiple possibilities and outcomes. Ne-users are abstract thinkers who are skilled at discovering meaning and ideas.

Introverted Feeling (Fi): Introverted Feeling is rooted in one’s own personal value system. Fi makes decisions based on how the Fi-user feels in a given situation.

Extraverted Feeling (Fe): Extraverted feeling is concerned with the energy, moods, and feelings of people in the external world. Fe makes decisions based on how other people will be impacted or how the decision will make them feel.

Introverted Thinking (Ti): Introverted thinking makes decisions based on theories and data processed internally. Ti develops systems and models to explain and understand how things work.

Extraverted Thinking (Te): Extraverted Thinking makes decisions based on objective fact and logic from the outside world. Te prefers to follow systems already in place, rather than create their own.

Introverted Sensing (Si): Introverted Sensing takes in current information and connects it with sensory memories. Si-users are skilled at recalling previously learned details and information.

Extraverted Sensing (Se): Extraverted Sensing is focused on the here and now. Se-users are skilled at reacting quickly to events in the external world and noticing details in their surroundings.

Understanding INFJ Cognitive Functions

The table below shows the INFJ cognitive function stack.

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se

The bottom four functions are commonly called the Opposing Role, the Critical Parent, the Trickster, and the Demon. In the INFJ, these are Extraverted iNtuition, Introverted Feeling, Extraverted Thinking, and Introverted Sensing. You can read more about INFJ shadow functions here.

INFJ Cognitive Functions Compared to Each Type

Below are 16 tables that show what the INFJ function stack looks like compared to the function stack of each of the MBTI personality types.

INFJ and ENFJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ENFJ Fe Ni Se Ti

INFJ and INFJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se

INFJ and ENFP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ENFP Ne Fi Te Si

INFJ and INFP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
INFP Fi Ni Si Te

INFJ and ENTJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ENTJ Te Ni Se Fi

INFJ and INTJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
INTJ Ni Te Fi Se

INFJ and ENTP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ENTP Ne Ti Fe Si

INFJ and INTP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
INTP Ti Ne Si Fe

INFJ and ESTJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ESTJ Te Si Ne Fi

INFJ and ISTJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ISTJ Si Te Fi Ne

INFJ and ESFJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ESFJ Fe Si Ne Ti

INFJ and ISFJ

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ISFJ Si Fe Ti Ne

INFJ and ESTP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ESTP Se Ti Fe Ni

INFJ and ISTP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ISTP Ti Se Ni Fe

INFJ and ESFP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ESFP Se Fi Te Ni

INFJ and ISFP

Dominant Auxiliary Tertiary Inferior
INFJ Ni Fe Ti Se
ISFP Fi Se Ni Ti

If you have further questions or information to share about the INFJ cognitive functions, leave a comment below!

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About The Author

Megan Malone

1 COMMENT

  1. mike | 11th Oct 17

    Megan,

    Thank you so much for this blog! I am learning a great deal.

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