Inside Our Minds via The 8 Cognitive Functions

A fascinating Jungian approach to understanding our personality and mental patterns

This piece explores depth psychology, a field of study that focuses on the exploration of the unconscious mind. Some of my recent pieces have emphasised the importance of understanding the repressed aspect of our personality, our fears and desires that influence our behaviours and thoughts, so I wanted to do a deeper dive into the more recent interpretation of Carl Jung’s famous psychological types. Inspired by my conversation with ChemDad.

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After 16 years together, you might think there’s little left to discover about a partner. Familiarity settles in, routines form, and the idea that you know your spouse intimately seems almost unquestionable. But my experience with Neeti has proven quite the opposite. In fact, even now, I find myself continually learning new things about my husband, subtle aspects of his personality, deeper layers of his emotional world, and complex ways he processes the environment around him.

This ongoing journey of discovery is what kept our relationship vibrant, evolving and deeply satisfying. And it’s not just the time together that has cultivated this, one of the most transformative tools we’ve used to deepen our understanding of each other, and of ourselves, is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), particularly its lesser-known focus on the eight cognitive functions that shape how we process information and navigate the world.

“Inside Our Mind - The Drama of our Personality” - Jungian’s 8 Archetypes — illustrated by The Soulful System

The cognitive functions specific to my ENFJ type and Neeti’s INFJ type have given us a framework to better understand not only how we think and feel, but also how to communicate more effectively and compassionately. Learning to truly see the inner workings of another person’s mind is an invaluable life skill that, once mastered, can help increase our capacity for deeper connection.

The Science of Personality

For readers not familiar with personality assessment, I recommend taking free one with 16personalities, or Truity before continuing.

MBTI is a personality framework developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter, Isabel Briggs Myers, back in the 1940s, based on Carl Jung’s earlier work on psychological types (published in 1921). Jung proposed 4 primary cognitive functions — thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuition — and believed that they reflect basic and universal mental processes that everyone uses to some degree.

Critics of MBTI often question how 8 billion people can be categorised into just 16 types. It’s a valid question, but it misses the essence of what MBTI is really about. MBTI’s categories are not rigid boxes for labelling, they are frameworks designed to help us understand common patterns in personality and give insights into the diverse ways we think, feel and behave.

As an ENFJ, my dominant cognitive function is extroverted feeling (Fe) — we are the most emotionally expressive and communicative of all types. My feelings just ooze out through my mannerisms and facial expressions. I am also highly attuned to the emotions and needs of others. Neeti, as an INFJ, has introverted intuition (Ni) as his dominant function and lives in his world of insights and recurring themes he picks up on, piecing together connections and meanings that others tend to overlook (myself included). He’s what I’d call an “old soul” — someone who looks at people and sees them beyond their public face, straight into the hidden motives and unspoken intentions most of us would rather keep buried.

Seeing the world through someone with sharpened introverted intuition has opened my eyes to a quieter and deeper way of perceiving life — one that values subtle insights and abstract connections that I might have otherwise missed. I have been watching him process the world with such thoughtful reflection over these many years that my own perspective has shifted — on the beauty of patience, of depth, and of inner clarity. Neeti’s way of seeing things is not immediate nor loud, but it carries a wisdom that I’ve come to deeply admire, and learning to embrace this has brought us closer in ways I hadn’t imagined.

Over the years, we have fallen deeper in love with each other. Many of us grew up thinking of the honeymoon phase in relationships as a temporary high, an idealised period that inevitably fades into routine. But the truth is, the excitement you get from discovering something new about a person never stops. Understanding our cognitive functions has allowed the two of us to appreciate more aspects of ourselves — the strengths, the vulnerabilities, the moments of joy, sadness and struggles.

I’ve come to see that the beauty of love is not in its perfection, but in its depth. I’m still blown away by the layers I keep discovering — his complexity in thoughts, his quiet strength and his ability to grow and evolve continue to surprise me.

The Cognitive Functions

Carl Jung’s original 4 cognitive functions — Thinking, Feeling, Sensing, and Intuition

Each of these functions operates in every person, but the fascinating part is in the order in which they are used, or prioritised by each personality type. Anyone serious about human connection should not overlook how these functions influence our interactions, how we communicate, make decisions and relate to others.

1. Extroverted Thinking (Te) — focuses on organising the external world logically and efficiently. People who use Te like structure, rules and measurable results. They make decisions based on facts and logic, often leading teams or projects with clear goals and steps.

2. Introverted Thinking (Ti) — is more concerned with internal logic and understanding of how things work. Ti users enjoy solving problems by analysing details and creating systems that make sense to them personally. They tend to be introspective and curious, always questioning and refining their understanding.

3. Extroverted Feeling (Fe) — is being deeply attuned to the emotions and needs of others. Fe users strive to maintain harmony in groups and are motivated by creating emotional connections. They make decisions based on the impact on people and are often empathetic, compassionate, and community-focused.

4. Introverted Feeling (Fi) — is guided by their internal values and personal sense of right and wrong. They are highly individualistic and seek authenticity in their relationships and actions. They often need alone time to process their emotions and align their decisions with their core beliefs.

5. Extroverted Sensing (Se) — is highly attuned to the environment, living in the moment and absorbing sensory details. They thrive on immediate experiences, enjoying physical activities, new adventures, and anything that engages their senses. They are spontaneous, and enjoy reacting to what’s happening around them.

6. Introverted Sensing (Si) — relies on past experiences to inform the present decisions. Si users have strong memories and like to stick to routines, traditions, or familiar patterns. They value consistency and prefer to reflect on what has worked before rather than jumping into new situations.

7. Extroverted Intuition (Ne) — loves to explore possibilities and connections between seemingly unrelated things. Ne users are imaginative and quick to think outside the box, constantly seeing multiple potential futures or solutions to problems. They thrive on brainstorming sessions and enjoy novelty and innovation.

8. Introverted Intuition (Ni) — has inward focus on abstract ideas and long-term visions. Ni users often have sudden insights or ‘aha’ moments, seeing patterns and meaning in complex information. They are forward-thinking and can predict future outcomes with a focus on understanding the bigger picture.

How Cognitive Functions Shape Our Personality

In 1980s, John Beebe expanded on Jung’s work and introduced a richer narrative-based framework to include 8 archetypes. Beebe believed that using archetypes would help describe the whole personality and not just the polished, conscious part but also the darker unconscious side.

Showing both the light and shadow aspect of our personality — what we feel strongly about, and what we feel vulnerable about.

Cognitive Functions mapped out for INFJ and ENFJ personality types — Concept expanded by John Beebe to include archetypes for each 8 cognitive functions

For example, the hero function is the one we rely on most, the cognitive process that feels most natural and confident to us. My hero extroverted feeling (Fe) makes me feel alive when I’m truly connecting with others — I’m driven by a deep need to be seen, heard and understood for who I am. In contrast, the demon function (Te) represents my deepest vulnerability and source of self sabotage. When I’m under extreme stress, I can feel bogged down by the pressure to be efficient or ‘more logical’ and that can create internal conflicts with my more people-centric and emotional approach that I’m natural at.

This dynamic understanding of personality has helped me see that people are not defined by a single way of thinking or behaving. Instead, our personality is made up of various roles that come into play depending on the situation.

1. Hero function — is the core of who you are. It’s your greatest strength and the way you naturally lead in life.

2. Parent function — supports and nurtures you by guiding your decision making.

3. Child function — is playful and sometimes vulnerable and shows how you engage with the world in a carefree or immature way.

4. Infant function — is your weakest conscious function, often a source of insecurity or frustration. It requires deliberate development and can be an area for immense growth. Can feel “waste of time” and cause shame.

5. Nemesis function — brings internal conflict making you doubt yourself or feel threatened by certain situations.

6. Critic function — causes self criticism or judgement of others especially in areas where you feel insecure or inadequate.

7. Trickster function — causes confusion or mischievous behaviour that often lead to contradictions or avoidance.

8. Demon function — is the most unconscious, often representing the darkest or most difficult aspect of your personality. It can lead to self sabotage or irrational fears when triggered.

Cognitive Functions Chart for all 16 personality types (showing 4 preferred and 4 shadow functions)

I have really enjoyed the exploration of these archetypes because of the way it reveals the best and most challenging part of ourselves. The Hero may push us towards bold goals, yet the Critic can undermine our confidence, raising doubts when we’re on the brink of growth. The Parent in us wants to nurture others, but the Trickster can make us avoid responsibility when we feel pressured.

Even as we find joy through the Child within, our Nemesis function pulls us into inner conflicts, exposing the raw insecurities we’d rather ignore. And when we’re at our lowest, the Demon can bring out self sabotage, driving behaviours we don’t fully understand.

There you go — this is pretty much a brief introduction to the “map of your psyche” (aka totality of the human mind = conscious + unconscious).

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Reality of the Everyday Life

As much as understanding our cognitive functions has helped Neeti and me grow closer, the toughest challenge remains dealing with negative emotions, especially when fear, insecurity and doubt take hold.

For me, as an ENFJ, my journey has shifted over the years. In my 20s, I was driven by the need to restore harmony quickly, but now in my late 30s, I’ve found a healthier balance. My focus has evolved from simply maintaining peace to seeking deeper connection, even in difficult times. When fear strikes, my inferior introverted thinking (Ti) still makes me question myself — Did I really understand? Am I connecting in the way that matters? Will people think I’m naive?

For Neeti, as an INFJ, fear often pulls him into his inferior extroverted sensing (Se), where the overwhelm of the present moment feels chaotic, making it harder for him to retreat into his inner world for clarity, especially for processing his darker emotions.

In these moments, when your sense of security is tested, it’s easy for the disconnected feeling to creep in. But as we’ve matured together, we’ve learned that we don’t need to have all the answers or fix everything immediately. Real connection is about being present for each other in the messiness of life, accepting that uncertainty and discomfort are part of the process (Read: my piece on “Are you Certain or Are you Curious? - It’s time we get more comfortable with uncertainty”).

For me, the hardest aspect about connection is facing our fears and insecurities while holding space for each other’s vulnerabilities — with patience, grace and acceptance.

At 39, I’m still learning to show up as more of my true self. There are still moments when I think I’ve figured myself out, only to find that with Neeti’s patience and gentle prodding, I’m having to, yet, peel another layer of what I’m feeling.

The most freeing part in all of this has been accepting that sometimes it’s okay to not be okay, and that simply being aware of the bad days is far more powerful than pretending they don’t exist.

Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do is let yourself feel what you feel.

Even if MBTI doesn’t provide all the answers, I hope it will spark the right questions for you.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.”

— Carl Jung (1875 - 1961)

Comic credit to Savage Chickens

Questions you may have:

1. Why did you pick the 8 cognitive functions over Big Five personality assessment even though Big Five is considered the more scientifically robust one for personality analysis?

   I’ve been interested in exploring the darker side of ourselves and Carl Jung’s shadow functions (the unconscious from 5-8) help explain those moments when fear and doubt becomes overpowering. It shows the more complex side of our character. I’ve found this approach to be more honest and real, as opposed to focusing on just the positive traits of our personality. It’s the fears and flaws that are interesting to explore.

2. Why do I get different results every time I take the MBTI assessment?

   Inconsistent results can happen if you’re in a different mindset completing the assessment. It’s likely that you’re answering based on how you feel in the moment rather than how you’ve consistently acted over time. The key to accurate result is honest self reflection. If you’re answering how you want to be seen, or based on external pressures, you’ll get skewed results.

3. Can MBTI really help me grow if it’s just telling me what I already know?

   If you think you already know, you’re probably not ready to face your blind spots. The 8 cognitive functions outline your challenges and area for growth — showing you what you can work on to grow. It shouldn’t feel comfortable.

4. Why should I care about my shadow functions?

   Ignoring your shadow functions is like admitting that you don’t have any flaw. They reveal the parts of you that sabotage your success when you’re stressed or feeling insecure. Recognising these “blind spots” will help usher you towards better understanding of yourself.

“The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.”

— Pema Chödrön, an American Tibetan Buddhist

For more information:

1. Myers & Briggs Foundation — Type Dynamics: Processes

2. Personality Junkie — 16 MBTI personality profiles

And to those who need to hear more;

I’ll leave you with a song — Fortress by Queens of the Stone Age. The lyric caught me by surprise when I heard it the first time watching Wolf Like Me. A profound message that resonates well with this piece on confronting our inner vulnerabilities and learning to build resilience without closing ourselves off.

Your heart is like a fortress
You keep your feelings locked away
Is it easier?
Does it make you feel safe?

You wander through the darkness
Of wilderness behind your eyes
I know you're afraid
But you gotta move on

Every fortress falls
It is not the end
It ain't if you fall
But how you rise that says who you really are
So get up and come through
If ever your fortress caves
You're always safe in mine……