The MBTI Functions for Dummies

Arvid Walton

Each of the 16 Types has:

  • a thinking function (how your logic system is derived)
  • a feeling function (how you experience emotion)
  • a sensing function (how you intake information and stimuli)
  • an intuitive function (how you make connections and judgements)

Each of these functions has two subcategories, extraverted and introverted, of which your type will have only one.

The 8 function subsets

  • Thinking
    • Extraverted thinking
    • Introverted thinking
  • Feeling
    • Extraverted feeling
    • Introverted feeling
  • Sensing
    • Extraverted sensing
    • Introverted sensing
  • Intuition
    • Extraverted intuition
    • Introverted intuition

Your MBTI type will have one or the other cognitive function in each subset. You can have either extraverted thinking (Te), or introverted thinking (Ti), but not both. The same goes for each of the other subsets.

When it comes to typing, another good rule to keep in mind is the rule of opposites.

Rule of opposites:

  • Thinking/Feeling
    • Introverted thinking (Ti) is always paired with extroverted feeling (Fe)
    • Extraverted thinking (Te) is always paired with introverted feeling (Fi)
  • Sensing/Intuition
    • Introverted sensing (Si) is always paired with extroverted intuition (Ne)
    • Extraverted sensing (Se) is always paired with introverted intuition (Ni)
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