Cognitive Mechanics 2/2 Intro to Cognitive Functions for my ISTP Dad

[00:00:02]Hey dad. So this is the continuation of the video on cognitive mechanics and cognitive functions.

[00:00:14]And in this section, this is basically an introduction to the cognitive functions. So my goal here is to provide you with these basic definitions so that we can build on those definitions.

[00:00:33]Okay. So we're going to talk about the four judging functions and the four perceiving functions.

[00:00:41]Okay. When I was growing up, something I heard you say over and over again was to use your head. Use your head, Aaron. Use your head. And at the time when I was a kid, I was just like, well, if I'm not using my head, what else could I be using? [laughter] But I think that the confusion stems from the fact that you and I naturally think very differently. My version of thinking is different from your version of thinking.

[00:01:17]And I don't know if you remember, but mom used to say that she thought that there were multiple types of intelligence. Like there's the kind of intelligence that's reflected in an IQ score, but she thought that there were different kinds of intelligence that are not reflected in an IQ score. And as it turns out, she was right. And that's kind of what this video is about.

[00:01:45]So I'm going to start off with the judging functions and in particular thinking. So judging functions are used to evaluate reality and to make decisions like what should I do? What should I say? How should I proceed?

[00:02:02]There are two kinds. You have TI which is introverted thinking which is is this accurate and then you have TE which is extroverted thinking. Does this provide results?

[00:02:16]Both TI and TE analyze information for consistency, accuracy, and effectiveness to make truthbased decisions. In other words, decisions that are based on the premise of true and false. Is this true or is this false?

[00:02:38]We're going to start with TI, introverted thinking, aka logic, or what I think is true. It's an introverted cognitive function. Therefore, it has to do with the self. This is also your dominant function. So, that's kind of why I'm starting with this one. So, TI is all about cause and effect. It's all about true and false. It is the internal processor that determines if something is true or if something is false.

[00:03:13]It's used to solve puzzles, solve problems, and troubleshoot. And it also categorizes and defines things.

[00:03:24]So, TI users, what they do is that they create an internal framework of reality that they compare everything to. So, let me give you an example. Say you have somebody who learns how to fix the motor of a lawn mower. He takes it apart, fixes the problem, and puts it back together. In doing so, it creates a mental blueprint for how all motors work. Now, if he goes to fix a different kind of motor, such as the motor of a boat or the motor of a dishwasher, he has a basic idea of how the parts operate together.

[00:04:03]The motor of a dishwasher is different from the motor of a lawn mower. But that's okay because as he goes, he can add new information into the preexisting framework and then that information becomes integrated into the framework.

[00:04:21]So TI asks why.

[00:04:25]It asks how does it work? And it asks does this make sense? There's a stereotype that people who use TI in their first or second position that those people are good at math.

[00:04:41]In my experience, this is true. But keep in mind that there are two parts to math. There is the part where you have to remember these stepbystep formulas that you write out for each problem to show your work and get the correct answer. that is more extroverted thinking. But people who use TI can understand the basic principles of how or why a formula works and they can do math in their head which is what you do.

[00:05:15]You do it all the time. You think in terms of geometry which is something that I cannot do.

[00:05:23]So this is a pretty admirable cognitive function.

[00:05:28]Now we're going to move on to TE extroverted thinking aka reasons or what other people think is true. So this is an extroverted function. Therefore it has to do with other people. So I call TE reasons and that's because this is not the internal processor that decides between true and false.

[00:05:56]Reasons are organized pieces of information that can be used as evidence or justifications for a conclusion or a decision. It answers the question of why.

[00:06:14]So if someone says, "Why did you buy those shoes?" You could say, "Well, they have better arch support, they're comfortable, and they were on sale.

[00:06:24]There you go. Those are reasons. It's just pieces of information. It's not the processor.

[00:06:32]Te is all about beliefs. What are beliefs? Beliefs are what the collective or what the society believes is true and false. And this is like belief systems as well.

[00:06:47]People who have this function have this ability. They have like this vacuum in their head where they can just suck up all this external information. It's all external.

[00:07:02]And once they obtain the information, they organize it and they look for results, efficiency, and effectiveness.

[00:07:12]They pay attention to things like facts, data, and statistics.

[00:07:19]So, anytime you are reading, you are using TE because it's external. Whenever you make a to-do list and you cross off each task as you complete it, you are using TE. TE asks, does this provide results? And it also asks, where is the evidence? Show me the proof. Show me the data.

[00:07:46]Now we're going to move on to the feeling functions. So these are also judging functions. They are also used to decide what to do, how to proceed. And again we have introverted feeling. Fi which is is this valuable and fe which is how does this affect other people. So both FI and FE the Fs they make valuebased decisions according to ethics uh personal meaning personal values and the impact on other people. So valuebased decisions are based on how valuable something is. So this is different from truthbased decisions.

[00:08:38]We're going to start with Fi, introverted feeling or what I have dubbed preferences. This is my dominant cognitive function aka what do I feel?

[00:08:50]It's introverted. Therefore, it has to do with the self. So, FI is a person's moral compass.

[00:09:00]I have a moral compass. You have a moral compass. Everybody has their own subjective moral compass. their conscience, right? What is right and wrong? So, this is kind of also a processor. It determines right from wrong and good versus bad.

[00:09:20]It's also the location of a person's self-worth and self-esteem.

[00:09:26]Fi imbuss things with personal meaning.

[00:09:30]And people who have this function, especially in their first or second positions, have more accessibility to their emotions compared to people who don't use this function.

[00:09:45]And the reason for that is that the their feelings are used to make adjustments. Like the feelings move the needle. Like if we're thinking of it as a compass, the feelings you have are going to move the needle around.

[00:10:03]So, [clears throat] and it's all according to like this internal subjective criteria that's going to be different from person to person cuz it's introverted. So anytime you have preferences when you think that something is better than something else you are using fi.

[00:10:24]Fi asks what matters what is meaningful what is important and it asks just because we can do something should we you know like you and I have had the discussion about AI and it also asks is this the right thing? Does this align with my values?

[00:10:47]One of the issues with fi as a cognitive function is that users of this function can believe that something is true because they feel like it's true or it seems like it's true. And this is not how that works. You still have to use a thinking function to determine if something is true or false. Fi cannot do that. Now, you may have feelings that are pointing you in a certain direction, but you still have to use a thinking function to verify that it's true or false. Fi cannot do that.

[00:11:32]Okay. And now we're moving on to FE extroverted feeling aka empathy or what other people feel. It's extroverted.

[00:11:42]Therefore, it has to do with other people. So, FE can be thought of as ethics. What are ethics?

[00:11:51]Ethics are what the group, the collective believes is right and wrong.

[00:11:59]People who use FE usually care about social harmony and personal relationships because they want social cohesion. They care about respect and manners and they want people to feel included.

[00:12:15]They have this emotional radar to where they can directly absorb the feelings of other people and other people's emotions affect their mood. And this is the literal translation of what empathy is, right?

[00:12:33]And this is done mostly unconsciously and involuntarily. It's almost like an unconscious process.

[00:12:43]But people who use this cognitive function always consider how will this affect other people right and they want to do whatever is appropriate. Okay, if you have ever heard the expression reading a room like oh he could re really read the room. That is this cognitive function right here. That's what this function does. It allows you to read the room. This is a cognitive function that you do use in your ego.

[00:13:14]Okay, it's your inferior but you still have this one.

[00:13:19]Okay, now we're going to move on to the perceiving function. So we'll start with sensing. Okay, there are two kinds of sensing which is SE extroverted sensing what is happening right now and then you have SI introverted sensing which is what has already happened in the past.

[00:13:43]So perceiving functions are used to experience reality and to figure out what is happening. What the is going on, right? So both SI and SE take in information through the five senses and concrete data. They are focused on the present and the past.

[00:14:09]We're going to start with SE extroverted sensing or what I have dubbed reality.

[00:14:16]What is happening right now? This is your auxiliary function. So this is actually really highly developed in you.

[00:14:26]Se is all about the present moment. And people who use this function can feel like the present moment is more real than the future or the past.

[00:14:38]See gives people an awareness of the experiences of other people. So people have this function. They are aware of the experiences of others and they are aware of the experience that they give to other people.

[00:14:55]Essie is all about the physical external environment. [clears throat] It's all about what is tangible, what is concrete, what is touchable, what is physical. It's also all about spatial awareness and hands-on learning. So, people who use this cognitive function, uh, especially when it comes to things like tools, they can watch another person using a tool and then they can learn how to use the tool. Just by watching somebody else do it, then they can do it too.

[00:15:29]And because it gives you spatial awareness, it's involved in all types of activities. Whenever you are driving, you are using SE. When you are playing a sport, you are using SE. When you are building a cabinet, you are definitely using SE. And this cognitive function can cause people to react quickly to danger. So often times they will be the first person to not only sense a fire but to react to a fire.

[00:16:06]And this function is also involved in like painting, sculpting, playing an instrument, any kind of art, um any kind of building, um rock climbing. Performers definitely use this cognitive function. athletes, mechanics, and it allows you to kind of merge with the environment.

[00:16:35]Okay, now we're moving on to SI, introverted sensing or what I have dubbed long-term memory.

[00:16:42]What has happened in the past? So, [clears throat] this is a cognitive function that I use in my ego and it's a person's personal past. the timeline of their personal experiences.

[00:16:59]And these people are always comparing the present moment to the past. Like if there's been anything that has changed, they're going to notice that cuz they're comparing it to the past.

[00:17:11]It's associated with loyalty, faith, comfort, and routine. Whenever you are paying attention to something, you are using SI and it's an awareness of the internal environment. So like say you're out to eat with somebody who uses SI and Barbara is one of these people as well. You might hear them say they change the recipe. Like they order the same thing every time at that restaurant because they know they like it. But then if something has changed, they're like, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. This isn't the same." Right? If you hear somebody say, "Oh, I remember where I put my keys." They are using SI. Or, you know, last time I did it this way, it turned out like this. And oddly enough, uh, these people can feel like they're getting sick before they get sick. Like they'll say things like, "Oh, something's off. I I think I might be getting sick. That's because they have an awareness of their internal environment and that includes that includes their internal biological environment as well.

[00:18:26]Okay, we are coming right along. We are moving into the intuitive functions. I saved these for last. These are also perceiving functions. They are used to experience reality and to determine what the is going on. You have introverted intuition or Ni which is what will happen and then you have NE which is what could possibly happen.

[00:18:55]So both Ni and NE they use nonsensory data to basically form the imagination or the mind's eye.

[00:19:08]They are also both futurebased.

[00:19:12]They are focused on the future, not the past and not the present, but the future.

[00:19:18]And whenever people are like making guesses or predictions about what's going to happen, that's what this is.

[00:19:29]So both of these use nonsensory data. So what is nonsensory data? To put it simply, it is anything that cannot be directly observed. So, body language, coincidences, hypotheses, symbols, patterns, ideas, intentions.

[00:19:50]Remember the clock, right? The clock is a physical representation, a model for time, which is abstract.

[00:20:01]However, having a clock allows us to measure time and it allows us to think about time in practical ways. The MBTI is kind of like the clock for human cognition, right? Human consciousness is so abstract that the model, even simplified, is still abstract in and of itself. But it is very useful because it gives us a way to talk about human cognition and to think about human cognition.

[00:20:40]So we are going to start with introverted intuition Ni aka willpower or what I want to happen what will happen to me. It is one's own personal future. Okay. It is the location of desire. So people who use this function are aware of what they want and they pursue what they want. It gives people the ability to make predictions about the future to spot patterns and to form the imagination. It is also it also has to do with spatial foresight. So spatial foresight is the ability to conjure an image in your mind and even rotate that image 360° so that you can see it from multiple angles. And I am completely mystified by this. Okay? Because I don't have this function in my ego but you do and you are able to do this. I mean you have told me that you can see the finished cabinet in your mind before you even start to build it. Anytime you envision something that hasn't been created yet, you are using an eye and that happens when you are building a cabinet. So here's a good example. Imagine that you are trying to cross a creek and you look ahead and you think to yourself, "Okay, first I'm going to step on this rock.

[00:22:21]Then I'm going to step on that rock.

[00:22:23]Then I'm going to climb onto that log and get to the get to the other side."

[00:22:30]In doing that, you are using Ni. Okay, it's your own personal future. And people who have this function will use their will. Okay. Their willpower to forge a path towards their goals. Even if a path doesn't already exist, they will carve one out. They will find a way.

[00:22:53]And often times they can know that something is about to happen before it happens. And they're using all this nonsensory data to do all that.

[00:23:07]So, another thing I've heard you say more than once is like you'll be looking at something like a finished cabinet or whatever you've made and you'll just kind of stop and squint your eyes and stare at it for a minute and then you'll say something's off. And then you'll go in for a closer look to find that the door hinge is uneven or the gap is inconsistent or the alignment is off.

[00:23:36]And what's happening is that you have this pattern in your mind of how it is supposed to look and there is an error in that pattern but you know that there is an error before you can explain why.

[00:23:51]You just have this feeling that something is not right with it. And this is just one of the ways that you use introverted intuition. And like even Jack, like he he doesn't he doesn't put up with any He knows if something isn't right.

[00:24:10]Okay, here we go. This is the last cognitive function I'm going to talk about today.

[00:24:16]This is extroverted intuition or what I have dubbed possibilities or what could happen.

[00:24:25]So people who have dysfunction can imagine multiple possible futures all at the same time. Not just one future but multiple futures.

[00:24:39]And they are aware of not so much their own personal future but the collective future or the future of mankind or the future of the group.

[00:24:52]This also gives people the ability to know what other people want and what other people intend.

[00:24:59]And for these people, the conceptual world can sometimes feel more real than the actual concrete world, right? And I can attest to this because I have definitely had this experience. People who use this function will often make connections between two seemingly unrelated things. And just as you know, take any conversation that we've had and you'll notice that I kind of jump from one idea to the next to the next to the next because I'm making all of these connections all at the same time.

[00:25:40]It is the location of curiosity and it is the fuel behind human innovation.

[00:25:48]And again, it's using non-sensory data which could be a number of different things to come up with these possibilities. Right? So, ne asks what is possible. It asks what if, right?

[00:26:06]What if this happened? What if that happened? hypothetical conversations, right? And they also can see the potential in objects.

[00:26:17]So, one person may look at a milk crate and think, "Wow, that's a milk crate."

[00:26:25]But another person may look at a milk crate and think, "Wow, that would make such a great little outdoor house for my kitties or a shelf for my records or a foot stool or it, let's just strap it to the front of my bike and make it a sweet ass like bike basket, right?" And if you've ever wondered what that looks like, look no further because I've done it. Just look at how cool and smart I am.

[00:26:58]Okay, so now we're moving on to the conclusion.

[00:27:03]So, I'm going to start off by showing your personality type and my personality type side by side for a comparison. So, just take a moment to look at our types back to back and see what you notice.

[00:27:24]What you'll notice is that you and I do not share any cognitive functions. Like we use complete opposite cognitive functions.

[00:27:37]And it's almost like the inverse and then the backwards order. And we'll get into that later. But like look, we we don't use any of the same cognitive functions. The way that I think, the way that I perceive reality is completely different from the way that you perceive reality and the way that you think about reality. Now, some people may think that that's a bad thing, but not me. In fact, I would say that this has given me a huge advantage in my life because for an INFP, I have really strong tea.

[00:28:21]And I think that is because of you.

[00:28:23]That's because you challenged me. You sharpened me and you not only told me to think, but you demonstrated to me how to think. and I am so grateful for that.

[00:28:38]So, thank you. Thank you for being you.

[00:28:42]Okay. And then last but not least, this is just a fun little exercise. I'd like for you to imagine the mind as a fuse box. So, several years ago, I don't know if you remember this, one day I had this old car and the car alarm wouldn't stop going off and I was like completely mortified, right? And I tried putting the key in the door. I tried putting the key in the ignition and the alarm just wouldn't stop going off. So, I called you and you told me to pop the hood and you helped me find the fuse box. you told me to pull out each individual switch until the alarm shut off. So, that's what I did and it worked. I was like, "Yay!" But then when I was driving home, I saw that like the automatic windows wouldn't roll down and the radio was not working right and the lights weren't, you know, working right.

[00:29:38]And that's because all of those things were interconnected on the same circuitry as the car alarm. So pulling out that switch affected all of these other functions of the car.

[00:29:53]So [clears throat] if you were a car and your mind was the fuse box in the car, the main breaker would be logic.

[00:30:05]This is the switch that would power and govern the entire system. Everything runs through logic because logic is the boss. And then the switch that connects directly to the outside world would be se reality. So this would be like your lights, your outlets, your sensors, your camera, possibly your windshield wipers, um anything that is has like the immediate observable effects.

[00:30:37]And then your GPS is like your introverted intuition, like your willpower. Because what happens with GPS is that you put in your destination, you put in your goal, and the GPS will map out the best way to get there in advance. And that is how NI works.

[00:30:58]And then last but not least, but not least, we have empathy as the human connection circuit. And again, we'll talk about the lower functions later in one of the next videos.

[00:31:13]Okay, so this is all I have for you.

[00:31:16]This is something this particular slide.

[00:31:19]I found this on the internet and I thought it was just such a great little cheat sheet, like just a really good quick reference guide. So, this has been printed out and is going into your binder for easy reference material.

[00:31:37]So, that's all I have for you and I hope you enjoyed this video and I hope you keep the faith in me. I know a lot of this probably looks like a bunch of hieroglyphics to you now, but don't worry, it will all come together and it will be worth it. So, I love you and I'll talk to you later. Bye.