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!

This article may contain affiliate links. We only promote products we believe in.