Hear Sandra & Em give an overview of Cognitive Functions on Episode 39 of the Family Personalities Podcast.
The Eight Cognitive Functions:
“Resonant Feeling”
(Introverted Feeling)
Paying attention to the values, desires and tastes that resonate with the self to decide in an authentic way.
Episode 97: Resonant Feeling in Parents
Resonant Feeling in Kids coming soon.
“Relational Feeling”
(Extraverted Feeling)
Paying attention to the collective needs of the group in order to build relationships and decide in a connected way.
Episode 90: Relational Feeling in Parents
Episode 95: Relational Feeling in Kids
“Precise Thinking”
(Introverted Thinking)
Using frameworks and inner systems of objective logic to decide in a precise way.
Episode 79: Precise Thinking in Parents
Episode 83: Precise Thinking in Kids
“Efficient Thinking”
(Extraverted Thinking)
Using external evidence and objective standards of measurement to decide in an efficient way.
Episode 70: Efficient Thinking in Parents
Episode 74: Efficient Thinking in Kids
“Preservation Sensing”
(Introverted Sensing)
Attuning to the past, valuing practical experience and preserving existing standards.
Episode 64: Preservation Sensing in Parents
Episode 68: Preservation Sensing in Kids
“Responsive Sensing”
(Extraverted Sensing)
Attuning to the present moment, taking in information with one’s five senses, in order to respond with immediate practical action.
Episode 57: Responsive Sensing in Parents
Episode 60: Responsive Sensing in Kids
“Insightful Intuition”
(Introverted Intuition)
Looking for hidden meanings and patterns and extrapolating them into the bigger picture and an insight for the future.
Episode 47: Insightful Intuition in Parents
Episode 50: Insightful Intuition in Kids
“Imaginative Intuition”
(Extraverted Intuition)
Looking for future possibilities, theories and potentialities, to imagine scenarios that are way outside of the box.
Episode 40: Imaginative Intuition in Parents
Episode 43: Imaginative Intuition in Kids
The car metaphor
While every person has access to all eight cognitive functions, there are four that play the biggest role in our personality type. Using the metaphor of a family in a car, we can understand how our four functions show up.
- In the front seat you have your (1st function) Driver function – this one has the most control over your personality, where you feel most comfortable and “in the zone” when you’re using it
- Next to the driver you have your (2nd function) Co-pilot function. This function is also important and comfortable within your personality but just not as dominant as the driver.
- In the backseat you have your (3rd function) 10-year old function. It’s less mature than your front seat functions, but you may play at this sometimes. However, it doesn’t tend to do well when it takes over the car.
- The last function in the backseat is your (4th function) 3-year old function. This is your blind spot – your biggest weakness, you tend to use it sparingly and it may come out in moments of great stress.
Cognitive Functions by Type
INFP:
1. Resonant Feeling
2. Imaginative Intuition
3. Preservation Sensing
4. Efficient Thinking
ISFP:
1. Resonant Feeling
2. Responsive Sensing
3. Insightful Intuition
4. Efficient Thinking
ENFJ:
1. Relational Feeling
2. Insightful Intuition
3. Responsive Sensing
4. Precise Thinking
ESFJ:
1. Relational Feeling
2. Preservation Sensing
3. Imaginative Intuition
4. Precise Thinking
INTP:
1. Precise Thinking
2. Imaginative Intuition
3. Preservation Sensing
4. Relational Feeling
ISTP:
1. Precise Thinking
2. Responsive Sensing
3. Insightful Intuition
4. Relational Feeling
ENTJ:
1. Efficient Thinking
2. Insightful Intuition
3. Responsive Sensing
4. Resonant Feeling
ESTJ:
1. Efficient Thinking
2. Preservation Sensing
3. Imaginative Intuition
4. Resonant Feeling
ISFJ:
1. Preservation Sensing
2. Relational Feeling
3. Precise Thinking
4. Imaginative Intuition
ISTJ:
1. Preservation Sensing
2. Efficient Thinking
3. Resonant Feeling
4. Imaginative Intuition
ESFP:
1. Responsive Sensing
2. Resonant Feeling
3. Efficient Thinking
4. Insightful Intuition
ESTP:
1. Responsive Sensing
2. Precise Thinking
3. Relational Feeling
4. Insightful Intuition
INFJ:
1. Insightful Intuition
2. Relational Feeling
3. Precise Thinking
4. Responsive Sensing
INTJ:
1. Insightful Intuition
2. Efficient Thinking
3. Resonant Feeling
4. Responsive Sensing
ENFP:
1. Imaginative Intuition
2. Resonant Feeling
3. Efficient Thinking
4. Preservation Sensing
ENTP:
1. Imaginative Intuition
2. Precise Thinking
3. Relational Feeling
4. Preservation Sensing