•°Theorizing°•

Az | NiTe llll • 5w4 (1w9 4w3) • Sx/sp | Posts about jungian cognitive functions (JCF), Cognitive Type theory (CT), Enneagram and self development.

[typology-theories]

About

-> Latest update: 25 january 2021

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Main topic: Typology

Main approaches: Cognitive Type (CT), jungian cognitive functions theory (JCF) and enneagram.

Secondary topics: Psychology, self-development.

This blog is principally meant to give advices and to share my personal knowledge on the topics. It is mainly dedicated to typology, however i plan to incorporate more psychology knowledge within a self-development lens.

For people less accustomed to "Typology", this label regroup theories on personality, namely Cognitive Functions and Enneagram, as a mean to better seize personality itself and better help on psychological development and mental health overall. They are mainly pseudo scientific at this point, however they hold great potential and it is one of my goal to exploit it.

If you have any questions regarding Typology or Psychology, I recommend Asks before reaching me through my personal messages. If you need urgent assistance or mental care, I recommend reaching professional help. I cannot oblige to anyone in need, this blog will serve to give advices but cannot replace professional help and assistance.

I tend to be quite slow paced to make posts or answer ask. Therefore, patience is required if you really desire an information from me.

Note: This post might be prone to changes. Date of modifications will be indicated. I recommend checking it once in a while.

Thanks for your understanding.

[typology-theories]

azenta is full of prejudices. get a better source

Well, lol, I am Azenta. This is a side-blog where I stock typology posts and asks I made. Plus, other things I found pertinent.

And bad news, but everyone is full of prejudices, since prejudices comes from ignorance, and we are all ignorant at some lesser or higher degree about "everything". But some people are better than other at covering them up, sometimes by avoiding topics they are ignorant about or by removing themselves from those topics.

I dont have the pretension to say I don't have any, anyway. I am quite aware of my ignorance, but it won't refrain my brain to form ignorant judgements since this is how the brain works - it needs to make sense of things and it will use the limited knowledge it has to form that sense. And here, I happen to express myself. So, it's inevitable that the limit of my knowledge will be exposed at some point, and prejudices will slip without my own awareness since I experience fear and anger when I meet those limitations - like everybody else.

Anyway, my answers, especially what I have written in the past years, aren't indisputable truth or whatever. Everybody should be critical and discerning, especially when it comes to something like typology which is a pseudo-science stuck at theory level.

Okay, enough. I said way more than necessary. Just don't read anything coming from my blog if you perceive me as full of prejudices. There are many other things around here worth a read.

[azenta]

What types are associated with attachment styles? Like disorganized attachment?

They can be all attachment style tbh. I can see a case to explain any attachment with any type.

Maybe some combinations are more likely, but I don't have the will even less the patience to enumerate them all. Also, I don't see this likelihood being relevant enough to consider an attachment style as a good indicator of any type or a type being an indicator of a certain attachment style.

I would rather look how the attachment style is manifested, since within one attachment style, various tactics can exist to produce the same effect.

If you want to know if an attachment is likely with a certain type (core + IVs) or how it could translate, I could be able to describe the phenomenon.

If you have any other specific questions, you are welcome to ask x)

[azenta]

recently i've been trying to discern what thought and action patterns i display that impact my relationships badly, but i have a hard time correlating them to an enneagram type, so wanted to ask you to help me out a bit.

i'm a secretive and rather lonely person, so i often feel like being surrounded by a membrane which doesn't allow the world and other people to affect me. consciously, i want to break my barriers down for specific people, and so i do, which is why i never were actually alone, but it never helped with the loneliness inside. most relationships seem very fragile and merely scratching the surface of my carcass, while i have always been longing for something deeper and eternal. since eternity isn't possible, and most people can't get through to me anyway, it's unlikely i'll ever be happy, so i may just stop trying. i got so used to the idea of myself being alone that i sometimes try to sabotage the relationships i have myself, so we part ways on my terms before i'm too attached for the farewell to crush me down (being uncharacteristically cruel just so the person leaves or disappearing from social media so the person can't contact me no matter how hard they try). i loathe myself deeply, so when i put my guard down and reveal something personal, i feel intensely humiliated and cannot accept that people would still want me around after knowing such things about me, which, in turn, makes me suddenly distanced after an intimate conversation or an act of vulnerability. sometimes it gets to the point i want to disappear from everyone's lives without a trace. i guess i hate myself too much to let people in, since you can't have a connection with someone without being, well, yourself.

what enneagram type does it sound like the most? sorry for the long read and thanks in advance.

Tbw, this pattern is beyond enneagram. It's about fear of intimacy and emotional immaturity. The need behind this is also shared by every human being, again intimacy. Arguably, every type can experience this difficulty and most types are likely to use those tactics. The reason why they will use those tactics will vary however.

Know that I relate to those issues and see myself in part of what you shared. I also have known a 3w2 core who also ended up isolating themselves and ghosting people because of fear of vulnerability, shame and self-loathing. And I know a 1w2 core who also fall into this same pit when revealing about themselves and tend toward self-loathing a lot.

I can still see some more likely options for you, but I cannot say for sure which core it is. Disintegration must be taken into account in this situation, since it's a pattern that err more on the unhealthy (difficulty to adapt) tactics.

There are withdrawal elements in what you say, so it's either you got a withdrawn core (4,5,9) or a disintegration into a withdrawn type (1,3,8). The fact you speak of being hard to access and don't want people to access you (unless on your terms) let me believe you are most likely an Sp variant, more likely Sp dom, and again, lead me more toward a withdrawn core, as it is not just when you open up or feel threatened that you retreat into yourself.

You speak about humiliation as a reason to withdraw and cut ties with your relationships, so there are image issues for sure, either as a core, wing or into your disintegration (1,3,4,5 - 2 and 8 less likely since explosive/unfiltered anger doesnt seem in the portrait).

You speak of relationship and seem to have a concern about people and opening up to them, but you feel threatened when actually being vulnerable and tend to cut out relationships anyway just to prove yourself right, so this seem less in line with 2 and 9.

There is no particular mention of anger/gut issues, nor head/fear issues, only one isolated mention of humiliation which doesn't bring much weigh to image core either. Feeling threatened when opening up could be related to head issues, but nothing in what you told forcibly prove that either.

From that ask alone, the few relevant parts to indicate enneagram aspects points toward withdrawn core with potential image issues and Sp variant. The best fit is therefore 4 core, and since there are maybe head issues, wing 5 might be a good guess as well.

To get a more nuanced view, here are your most likely options that I would suggest to investigate:

4w5

5w4

4w3

3w4

9w1

4s have issues with identity and everything revolve around finding ways to find themselves, their true unfiltered self. Be it through others or through projects, activities, name it, whatever means that makes them experience themselves and their reactions. They can tend to wallow in their feelings a lot, because it is their coping way to feel in touch with the notion of identity (reactive type). A wing 5 can make them even more shut ins, and will make them rely a lot on their own understanding/knowledge of things to determine their next move or approach. This can make them more anticipatory and more careful in their approach, out of fear, especially of not being enough. This is also why this wing creates a 4 much more potentially anxious, self focused and prone to more depressive tendencies or self-loathing. Wing 3 have the beauty to create a certain denial about self-worth and create a coping mechanism of "better-than-you" attitude, despite the 4 core that can take pride even as being the worst bitch in the neighborhood.

Sp 4 are also much less typically flashy. They are more careful in how to come off or how to reveal their color. They will be more picky with who they reveal those colors or try to explore those colors. Sp 4w5 will be the most shut in this core can be, very difficult to decipher and unlikely to open up unless they aim to grow out of their defense mechanism or their soc or sx instinct incline them toward that end.

Those are really abbreviated version of what a 4w5 is, if you already don't resonate much with that, it's a good sign to explore the other options I gave. I could be wrong, that's for sure.

____

On another regard, I know you didnt ask for advices toward this pattern, but I cannot not comment on it. You can at this point stop reading if you want, since those can come off as unsolicited advices. Tho, I will generalize those advices to rather fit solutions related to the issue itself and not you specifically. So, if you have the impression I am extrapolating on stuff, it's because I am and I am diving the pattern itself.

Loneliness is a feeling we experience when we crave connection, but more specifically intimacy. It is often described as feeling "loved" and "accepted", which is also true in some way. But to get that need met, it demands to be able to open up and be vulnerable. However people often forget that to meet that step you need before to feel secure and safe. However, those cannot be fulfilled thanks to other people. The feeling of security depends on the sentiment of capability, or in other words, how much I believe I have the resources to face unsafe/threatening situations or people. This means how much I can rely on myself to get myself out of shit. This is where the fear of intimacy usually builds up, because people have a poor sense of security. Mostly because they got shitty experiences that make them have a very specific set of "resources", that are usually about "how to protect myself from people", which becomes unproductive when you want intimacy.

This lack of security leads to this self sabotage loop of "I hang with people, open up a bit, feel threatened (fear of getting hurt), cut off the relationship and run" or the complementary variant of " I hang with people, I open up, I get scared of being abandoned/rejected/etc. and start clinging because now I feel a connection and don't want to loose it because aforementioned fear". This lead to that kind of weird place where we don't want to open up, but expect people to "get us", but when they don't, we see it as a confirmation that there is no intimacy so it is pointless to pursue. It makes us neglect our relationship or even the potential of a relationship, since we end up projecting on people the outcome we fear, provoking a feeling of threat even before anything happens. Or even we can project the futility and lack of depth on people also because we ourselves refuse to dive in our own vulnerable spots. Thus why choosing to not open up is an excellent plan to not be understood and entertain distance between "them and I". Futile tactic. Good at maintaining security, bad at creating meaningful connections.

The solution to this issue is to learn to secure ourselves properly by learning the basic necessities that makes us feel capable, useful or simply autonomous. So, when we encounter people we have a sense of ressourfulness in case we meet people that aren't worth our time or are potentially more threatening to our survival than helpful.

Last note, some people will not get us, but sometimes people don't get us because we don't understand ourselves either. So, it's important to question yourself and wonder if you are not being the reason why people can't get you. As I said, sometimes you really are just not compatible with some people, but some other times, you really are the author of your own tragedy.

____

Gonna end up on that. If you want to dig more your type, feel free to add up, or if you have any other questions. Anyone is welcome to ask about anything said here too.

[azenta]

I can't tell whether I'm ESTP or ISTP. Can you give me some tips on what could help me differentiate between them?

When it comes to cognitive type, it can be difficult, even almost impossible to determine it through sheer introspection. There are many reasons for that, the two main reasons being that there isn’t much a consensus on the definition of cognitive functions and the many divergent paradigms that result from that lack of solid definition. 

My personal conception of cognitive functions has ended up aligning the most to the paradigm of CT, so I will follow that line of thought to answer you. You can wholly disagree and ask someone else if you feel unsatisfied with the answer I’ll provide you. That said, from the theory CT and the observations made, I've learned throughout the last 2 years that:

We can develop our other functions to a point it rivals with the dominant one in terms of ego focus, how it is valued and general agenda.

This development is not linear, meaning that the development doesn't follow any particular order. You could have one, two or even the three other functions developed or remain with only your dominant as conscious. However, the hierarchy of functions would still exist despite the atypical development process.

We can have an ego fixation that makes us think the given function is either integrated or higher in the stack than it is. This can also make us think we are a whole different type overall.

Despite all those aforementioned aspect, I can still showcase differences between ESTP from ISTP, but I will also explain a bit furthermore why they could become indistinguishable from psychology alone.

1. P lead vs J lead

Their main difference lies in the fact one leads with perception and the other a judging function. Leading with P over J means the individual views the world through a chaotic lens. It perceives how things show and either perceive its possibilities and opportunities (Pe) or perceives the patterns through time those informations withhold (Pi). ESTPs are attuned unconsciously on the present data given. They will easily perceive the possibilities offered to them, and this doesn't apply exclusively to literal objects, that applies to exploring concepts as well. This makes them more prone to follow the flow of events and things, and being opportunistic about it.

ISTPs on the other hand rules with a J function. This means they will be compelled to order the information they receive about the world. This ordering is either to see how things affect, effect and place themselves toward each other (Je) or to find the core value it possesses and find the truth of the said object (Ji). ISTPs will therefore prefer to ponder before approaching the world or seizing what it has to offer. They will evaluate and questions the very nature of what is occurring before them before acting on it, making them much more careful than a standard ESTP.

2. Introversion vs Extroversion

I'll be short with this one, since it was implied in the point above. ESTPs are much more prone to focus on objects that are external or that comes from the external, even when it comes to ponder on an object. This means they are much more connected to what is happening around them. While ISTPs are rather much more engaged in the internal world and their preexisting reflection, pondering, questioning with which they will tackle the world. This makes ISTPs more disengaged from the world, while ESTPs are on the contrary much more engaged or more easily engaged.

____

Those are their two main differences, but the line can rapidly blur if you account for the fact that SeTi ll-- and TiSe ll-- exists. This makes an ESTP much more reflective and much more disengaged from the world than a stereotypical SeTi l--- one, and this development makes ISTPs much more engaged, spontaneous and carefree than a stereotypical TiSe l---. They could also identify themselves more with the auxiliary function making them think they are the other type.

Also, there exist other kind of atypical developments that could make someone believes they are the other type, or you could be a whole other type but have an atypical development that makes you see yourself best in ESTP/ISTP descriptions.

In any case, before becoming confusing, it can be extremely difficult to determine which one you are through introspecting alone. Not impossible, but difficult, I insist. I would rather question how much you see yourself in Ji vs Pe vs Je vs Pi. By going through the general energetics, it could be simpler to spot which one you are more likely to be or account for the possibility another function could be developed and blurring the line. I would precise it’s not just a question of how much you relate to those, but how much you value and embody those energetics in your life, since we got them all and will therefore relate to every one of them to some degree.

I hope it could still help you some bit. If you have more questions that come to your mind, you’re welcome to ask. It can still be in regard to those types or other aspects of cognitive functions. I’ll see what’s the best I can give you.

[azenta]

I know I'm some kind of SP type, but can't tell which judging axis I use. How do you tell Te/Fi from Ti/Fe?

The most simple way I can put it is that Te/Fi is more candid while Fe/Ti is more measured.

By that I mean that Te/Fi axis doesn't measure the impact of its attitude, words or opinions even on the outside world. It spits out facts and can't hide where it stands on matters, since Te is impersonal on how it judges the world. This is X and this is why, however you feel. Fi being the compass, it's oriented toward how the individual feels, thinks or experience the world, acting therefore as a very personal compass. If they think X on the matter, there won’t be much filter on how they present their thoughts. Therefore Te/Fi user tend to be transparent and authentic to a fault. This does not imply they are always bold and brute in their delivery, but rather if they feel flustered, shy or even if something makes them giddy, they will also radiate those states in their attitude or even thoughts.

Fe/Ti on the other hand is much more measured on how it delivers information. Fe also cares about how X affects Y, but does so in a much more personal way. Therefore, it makes Fe/Ti much more careful on how they present their thoughts, emotions and even how they act can impact the subject. The, Ti is an impersonal compass, which makes Fe/Ti users have a more detached inner view of the core of things, making their inner world much more ascetic and therefore, much more neutral by default. This neutrality will also contribute to Fe/Ti user to be measured, as Ti will remove the personal affect when addressed directly, making the Fe/Ti almost removed from themselves, while Fe will consider the affect in relation to the impact it will have. This thus leads Fe/Ti to be much more purposeful on how they deliver their thoughts, opinions, feelings, etc. than the Te/Fi counterparts. 

Tbh, it’s easy to think you’re one or the other when it comes to doing it via introspection. Also, as an example that comes to my mind, Fi lead can tend to think they are removed and detached, but they usually don't notice how much they radiate their stance on situation that arises. It’s not purposeful, it’s done unconsciously. Fi is a personal compass, so its goal is to take into account the personal process behind the Fi/Te users reflection. So, I would say your environment or people knowing you have a better chance in telling you how you come off and which of those axis might be yours. I recommend you ask people you know to see what surfaces up.

If you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to ask. It’s kind of a simplified way to present the judging axis, but in regard to the question, that was the most pertinent bits about them.

[azenta]

As someone who didn't know they were high Te for a long time, what common claims have you learned are myths/bullshit about TJs? And has something about you finally made sense after learning you use Te?

The biggest bullshit claim is how Te is associated with being an emotionless robot. If there is one thing I have learned about Te is that it cares a lot. And cannot hide where it stands and how the person feel about an issue. It's transparent, crystal clear and particularly vocal about anything it has an opinion about, which is many things usually. However, if they don't care about an issue or are indifferent, they can be cold hearted about it, since Te still deserves its reputation for being tactless and bold in how it expresses its points.

I wouldn't say that it made "more sense" when I got typed as NiTe instead of "NiFe" (/INFJ). It actually helped me sort out better the cognitive functions and redefine with better clarity. What made more sense is the concept of "development" levels, or integrated functions, that helped me seize myself better and enlarged my general comprehension of cognitive functioning. INTJ was my initial typing when I started delving into typology years ago, so I already had a mental conception of how functions were supposed to work within me. It switched back rapidly to that previous comprehension, with some adjustments.

For me, it was knowing I had Fi "integrated" in my consciousness that helped me understand a lot about myself, and it clarified why the INFJ label gave more justice to that aspect of myself than the INTJ one could. I don't want to go on for too long about this tho. I only wanted to highlight what really helped me to make more sense of myself. This notion could deserve a whole post of its own because of how fascinating it is, and well, complex in its own fashion.

In the end, I'd say xxTJs (specifically ExTJs) deserve their reputation for being real careless bulldozers sometimes, but their reputation for being robots is hilariously wrong. They really are the opposite of robots, even tho as I mentioned, when they don't give a fuck, they really don't and can be cruel, but they do care about lot of stuff and will get reactive and emotional for sure about those. Just learn to know what they care about and you'll get a fiery passionate inflamed essay that you really didn't ask for about it lol.

I would simply mention that SiTe and NiTe that don't have Te integrated are closer to being emotionless robot tbh, since Te is very passionate in itself. If it's not integrated nor much valued, it makes those types much more carefree or absorbed than a typical ISTJ/INTJ type is expected to be.

Anyway, I won't derail furthermore. That's what I could think of, if there is a stereotype you have in mind and wonder how much bs it is, you can ask. Rn, that's the only things that came to my mind while thinking about it. So, I hope it could answer your question. If you have any other question or want to share how typing as high Te changed your perspective, you're welcome to do so x).

[azenta]

Do you think the ISFP 3 combination is possible? I' sure I'm a 3w4 and used to type myself as ISTP, but after I started watching videos with groups of ISTPs discussing I had to rethink that. I couldn't relate to most of what they were saying while they clearly were on the same page, so I started to dig deeper into the judging functions. Turns out I relate way more to Fi than Fe, and since I'm sure of having Ni ISFP is a possibility. But inferior Te + 3 sounds counterproductive, so I'm not sure.

It is possible, yes, but depending through which theory you look at it. Some JCF variant and CT will consider any type combination is possible, even if some less common.

An ISFP 3 is more likely to have a fixation on Te, for sure. In CT, FiSe l--l (ll-l, l-ll) are a thing and it is meant as something normal, and not just an unhealthy manifestation of a type. JCF theories tend to adopt the notion of loops and grips, which I wouldn't say are completely false tbh, but it discards the possibility of having a healthy relation to your lower functions, which I also personally disagree with.

In any case, from the perspective where lower functions can be developed healthily, they are also not deemed as weaker than higher functions. Functions that are weaker are the ones devalued in our consciousness, and this could happen to any function, even the lead to some degree, which also cause a lot of mental distress. This means that it wouldn't be a counter productive combo. It would make you more likely become a l--l dev, which implies you would have psychologically accepted to sacrifice endless perfectionism for efficiency and practicality to some degree. It creates a much more structured, scrupulous and uptight ISFP, who is concerned to actualize in the world the Fi Idealism that they have cultivated over time. It also makes that sort of ISFP more ambiverted, so more agile into switching their attention from internal to external objects without being completely drained. (Note: I don't mean being more social here. The notion of extroversion and introversion are meant as the capacity to focus on internal or external objects; situation, issues, opportunities, etc.).

Actually, FiSe l--l and ll-l are pretty common in the celebrity world. It's not surprising knowing they often are 3 core/fix and given the requirement in that kind of environment to strive, perform and outlive it.

In the end, it is a possible combo, not unlikely or stretched, and neither dysfunctional, quite on the contrary. It depends from which theory you address it, but I do believe cognitive function manifest in more flexible way than the classic hierarchy with linear development. It's up to you to see if it helps you understand yourself better and so, if it can make sense in how you conceive typology.

I hope it could help you, if you have any other questions, you're welcome to ask x)

[azenta]

what would you say to a person who lives with an abusive family but can't leave them? i know this is a typology blog but i like your general life advice

Oh my... This is one of the asks I would have wanted to answer wayyy earlier.

First of all, the classic, care for your basic needs. Try to have enough sleep, eat well, which implies a diet that fits your needs and that you enjoy, and ideally do minimal physical activity which can be taking a walk each day. If you have any problem on any of those, look to fix them the best you can. You can also ask advices.

Ideally, go out if your family members are at home to be less exposed to them. But most importantly, find at least one place that you like to go and that feels comfortable and safe. It could be a coffee shop, a friend's house/apartment, a library - anywhere you can hang out so you don't have to be constantly exposed to your abusive family members. Make it a habit, this will also help favor the feeling of security which is crucial against any kind of abuse. I would even say try to have more than one spot that create this comfort, but start by having at least one spot.

Construct a social network, very important. Ideally, again, would be people you can meet irl, but having friends over internet can also help, and it is better than nothing for sure. Cater for the ones you already have and take care of the ones you build. Invest in your relationships and learn to build intimacy. Having other relationships will help you have a healthier projection of how you come off, so you don't get constantly a distorted version that is destructive for your self esteem. In theory, family is supposed to be the very basis of security we have, but the fact it can't act this way in your case, it becomes imperative you build a new social network to solidify your need of security and establish intimacy which is what makes us feel loved and cared for. Crucial for your mental health.

Of course, if you have grown in an abusive environment, you might struggle with feeling of inadequacy and unworthiness, which can impair the construction of a healthy social network. This is why it becomes important to take care of your thoughts process. Journaling is a great way to do so. It helps you to cultivate introspection so you make conscious the thought patterns you might have learned from the abusive environment you're in. It will help you strengthen your rational abilities and help you be less "reactive"* and more reflected in any stressful situations (which you may encounter frequently if not daily by living in a toxic environment). Professional help will always be the best solution to help you heal from an abusive environment, even tho I am well aware that you stumble on toxic cunts that are professionals and have the audacity to abuse vulnerable people. Still, I would encourage to seek professional help and be selective about it.

Also, read about the subject (abuse, how to heal from it, etc). Not just from random internet sources or people's personal experiences, buy books, read from safe sources first, so you get a basis to make you more critical of information and discern what can be helpful vs more harmful for yourself. A lot of people on the internet say a lot of toxic shit because of their own experiences, so having a knowledge outside of personal experiences is important in order to build a critical mindset about this issue.

It is also important that you get to have hobbies and have personal projects that give you a sense of purpose. This will make you strive and drive you to get better, and also feel much more confident and solid about yourself, which will help you resist and confront abuse. This will require introspection from you or at least, to connect to your sense of identity so you have an idea of what matters to you as an individual. Constructing your identity apart from the abusers perspective is crucial in order for you to separate your core self from the toxic image they project onto you.

Moreover, when it comes to abusive people, it's important to not get into any lengthy conversation. Be short and sweet, the more you can. Put rigid boundaries and try being the most detached you can when confronted on any abusive tactics. It won't always be possible, and you will probably get hurt if you can't leave the place where they are or avoid them, but that's when journaling, having social support, other safe spaces and having projects that are important for you will help you cope better and be more resilient.

Ideally, having minimal contact with them is key, and even breaking contact if they are extremely toxic to you. It doesn't matter it's family by blood, true family will help you feel better, loved and safe. You can build that with anyone (that can become friends).

I hope this could provide you with some starting points. Tbh, each of them can be elaborated more if needed, since they might all look so simple written like this, but they can be difficult to apply in practice depending of your circumstances.

If you have any other questions, you're welcome to ask. Anyone else relating to that post can also ask questions relating to this topic. Remember I am not acting here as a therapist however, I can give advices but I can't replace professional help.

[azenta]

I’m stuck. I don’t know if I’m 3, 1 or 6. How do I figure it out?

They each share something with each other, but mostly focus on their differences. Finding out if you are ruled by either gut, image or head issues should be your best way to know which one you are.

Gut issues are mostly related to the notion of boundaries, autonomy, independence and anger as a core emotion. There is an issue with the notion of respect making gut types highly focused on ways to establish firm limits and to not fully rely on others to "exist". Others are ways to better define where they stand, and so where others cannot stand.

Image issues are related to the notion of identity, validation, values and shame as a core emotion. There is a conflict between the notion of identity and the image of who they are, making image types rely on what they project to find out their self worth.

Head issues are related to the notion of security, capacity, strategy and fear as a core emotion. There is a preoccupation on assuring safety one way or another, making head types constantly worried about what's to come and constantly soothing themselves through the overuse of mental strategies to counter potential threats.

Those issues are related to your most common personal issues and problems. They are what has caused the most trouble in your life and that drives most of your decisions.

They also each possess another unique aspect.

1s are idealist, while 3s and 6s are related to attachment (Chameleon) in their relationship issues. That means that 1s tend to be driven by an ideal of what people should be and become. Therefore they tend to entertain high standards and can be much more critics of people in their life than a 3 and 6. The latter will be much more likely to adapt to people or partners, at the price of authenticity at times. The reason will differ, despite having the same tactic on that regard.

3s are assertive, while 1s and 6s are compliant. This means that 3s are much more typical go-getter and much more unapologetic about what they desire. It means they are driven by their desires and are much more willing to rely on sneaky methods to get what they want, while 1s and 6s are much more uptight about their needs and the methods to get there. The latter rely on following the "correct" ways to achieve their goals and also tend to repress their desires as they entertain the perception it could threaten their core concerns.

6s are reactive type, while 1s and 3s are competency driven. This means 6s tend to act and react on their core emotion (fear) as a fuel to achieve whatever preoccupation they have to reach whatever will soothe and satiate the need behind. 1s and 3s on the other hand rely on their performance abilities to get their needs met. Being and becoming competent is their way to strive and answer their core emotion to satiate their core needs.

Those are quite brief description of what distinguish each of them, but overall they offer the core aspects of each of those differences. Introspection and self knowledge is your best way to establish which of those preoccupations and tactics inhabit you. Also, since you are wondering about your core, I would emphasize that those preoccupations are central and that even if you have a mix of preoccupations, your core ones are the ones responsible to trigger any other kind of issues. Like, if you were a gut core, even tho you would suffer from anxiety and start over strategizing your way a la head style, chances are you are having anxiety over a gut issue. So, your head strategy is more so to solve your gut core preoccupations rather than security issues.

I hope it makes sense and helps you out. If there are specific elements that make you confused about those types and want clarification, don't hesitate to ask.

[azenta]

Can you describe a ISFP 469 sx/sp? I discovered this is my type and would like to know more about it

What specific part you want to know about?

Because, in all honesty, I will not start to describe a whole type, it’s way too much time and effort. 

A cognitive type in itself would require pages long to be described with decent accuracy. Same goes with enneatype, especially paired with cognitive functions, AND a tritype, AND instinctual variants. Also, I am not the kind to make stereotypical oversimplified description that confuses everyone or in which everyone will recognize themselves exactly because it’s too simplistic.

So, if there are part of your type you are more curious about, maybe I’ll be able to reply. 

[azenta]

Can you explain 469 Vs 964

Lets make this much more simple: What’s the difference between a 4 core and a 9 core?

One will be much more preoccupied with their image, what they project (4s), while the other will care more about their boundaries and how events and people collide with it.

One has issues with shame and needs regarding identity, so confidence and self-esteem (4s), while the other has issues with anger and needs regarding the sense of boundaries and respect (9s).

4s are on a quest to reclaim their identity. From all the image types, they are the one who strives to find the ‘’authentic’’ self, as in who they are at their core. They are affected by shame as this emotion is the one informing us of how aligned or not we are with ourselves and our values. This is also why 4s are a reactive type, as contrary to 2s and 3s, shame helps them feel closer to what is supposed to be them. So, they don’t try to avoid, but rather feel intensely the feeling in an attempt to get in touch with this core self. This is why they will also withdraw as when they catch a glimpse of this particular feeling, they seek to inhabit it privately to uncover the piece of ‘’truth’’ hiding within it. 

9s on the other hand are on a quest to find independence and autonomy. They want to be spared of any conflict and simply be able to be in touch with people without disrupting either their or the others boundaries. They seek to maintain the middle ground that made them survive best earlier in life, which is a mix of both extreme independence and dependence. 9s deal with anger as it is an emotion informing us of where our boundaries and limits are. 9s don’t act on it and usually try to ignore their own anger, however it makes them aware that conflict is on the horizon, since crossing boundaries usually meant conflict for the. This is also usually when they will withdraw in order to prevent the boundaries (either theirs or the other) to be crossed.

Therefore, this leads 4s to be much more emotionally demonstrative than 9s. Their authentic reactions are at the core of their image and what makes them ‘’them’’. 9s on the other hand are much more emotionally neutralized. Their way to keep their boundaries is by adopting a neutral stance, since they try to keep ‘’the peace’’ wherever they go. They are more prone to have learned that showing outwardly how they felt was source of conflict and problems, while 4s rather strive to unfilter themselves as an attempt to find themselves and who they are, almost unapologetically so.

In the end, what you need to ask yourself, is which one affect the most your life? Around what your issues are? When you think about the most difficult period of your life, how did it affect you, what was your personal concerns around this issue, what were your defense mechanisms and how did you behave?

Also, one should stand out way more than the other, since if one is your core, the other would be your last fix. A last fix is what you are preoccupied the least with and is unlikely to have affected your life to the same point as your core. A 4 core will always prioritize their own integrity and authenticity way before peace even if they got a 9 fix, and a 9 core will always prioritize peace over their authentic reactions, even if they got a 4 fix. Also, a 4 core with 9 fix will simply be more smooth on how they show their reaction, but you will sure as hell know how what you said made them react at one point or another. And a 9 core 4 fix will be more likely to disclose their view on a conflict, but they will be much more filtered than a 4 core. Keep that in mind.

If something is not clear or you have more questions, don’t hesitate to ask. I covered the general differences between both, but I can elaborate more if necessary. I hope it could help!

[azenta]

How to know if I'm a core 3 or 8? I know I have both on my tritype but it's hard to tell which is the main one.

Your core is your main concern. It is what rules your life, the issue that is the most at the core of your traits and behaviors. Fixes are like spices to how it manifests. So, the questions you need to ask yourself are:

Are you more preoccupied with shame or anger?

Are you more concerned with building an image or are you more concerned with boundaries and respect?

Do you tend to polish how you show off or to be dismissive of others however your reaction might make them feel?

Do you strive to be competent and performant as a mean to gain value or do you tend to react strongly and be imposing as a mean to establish a form of power or sense of boundary?

A 3 core with an 8 fix will use the 8 brute force to polish their image and be seen as strong and powerful, but will rarely ever let the reactive component of 8 tarnish how they come off. They are more likely to let something slip if their reaction can jeopardize how they are perceived. A 8 core with a 3 fix will be more prone to ''smooth-talk'' their way or use deceive means as a mean to get more ''power'' over the other person, whatever ''power'' means in the given situation. They refine their image to maintain their sense of boundaries and control.

In the end, what matters is the core motivations behind your actions. If you are a 3 core, it will be more difficult to achieve so, since the essence of 3 is to disconnect from shame itself. So, I wouldn't rely on if you ever tried to avoid shame, and focus more on if you have a kind of perfectionistic streak and if your self-esteem is heavily affected on what you project onto the world and what the ''world'' says about how you come off (IV dependent). If you're an 8, you should be quite in touch with anger and it's likely that your reaction must have caused some fuss in your life at your lowest points.

Before ending, I will mention for the sake of it that both of those are assertive types, so both can be pushovers when it comes to getting what they want. What differs is for why and what they push for. 3s are more about the praise and how the ''reward'' will boost their sense of value, and 8 about straight out respect and dominance.

If there are specific aspects that you are not sure about either type or you have more questions regarding how they differ, don't hesitate to ask.

[azenta]

Hey I was wondering what each assertive type (3/8/7) has to do with id and how those problems manifested in childhood. You did a post recently defining it with 7 and it was really interesting. I've seen assertive types being associated with the ego but never id before.

It's associated with the id because assertion is implied as acting on whatever desire crosses those types mind. Everything they do is so they get what they want, no matter what people have to say about it. They could be seen as the most selfish ennea types, if we put it in a very simplistic fashion.

So, I’ll resume what the Id concept is to show how it applies to each type. Id is an ego construct in psychoanalytic theory where the libido (energy, pulse, instinct) is mainly stored. It’s the part of self that is the most instinctive and preoccupied with self-satisfaction. It’s sheer pure energy and often compared to the ‘’child’’ aspect of oneself, because it is unfiltered and care about the self only. That’s when Ego and Superego complex appears, the former to be the balance between Id and the latter, which is responsible to care about the external’s world demands. Now that we got that in mind, I’ll explain how it relates to those enneatypes.

3s have learned that to get what they want, they had to achieve something substantial. This is how they get to associate that their value depends on the achievements they accomplish. It is through achievements and success they were rewarded attention or affection, and/or that they were getting other kind of rewards. They are id based because their value is related to their every whims, or in other words, they have value only if they succeed at getting what they want, because the reward is the proof of their value. This is why they are assertive, proactive and often portrayed as shallow, since every of their action is based on prime desires. They don’t care about the ‘’right’’ or ‘’wrong’’ way, they only care about how to get what they want, no matter how.

7s have learned they weren't safe when emotional implication was needed, since it would result in hurt. They learned that avoiding the issue was the only way to feel free and relief. But, when 7s are young, they cannot really escape literally, this is why their dreams or Idealism becomes their primary escape and also, simply their safe place. Dreams and ideals are the definition of one's prime desires, and so id. This then make 7s ever chasing their next dream or ideal, and so asserting every of their whims is reclaiming their safety, but also freedom, which then also becomes associated to safety. What is safe is what I am free from.

8s have learned that the only way to protect their boundaries and earn respect was by literal assertion of their anger. No filter on, no time to care for the other, only the 8 matters. They learned from that they only have to use brute force to get what they want. So whatever they feel, whatever they need, the only way is raw force. It's unfiltered pure "libido". It's id based since id is responsible of the childish aspect of meeting needs as they are felt, but anything not respecting 8s basic needs will automatically cross their boundaries, making them react and assert promptly, like a child. This is why 8s are also reactive, since not having needs met is a primary concerns for survival, and they have learned unfiltered anger is what allow them to meet them.

To resume, assertion is all about attaining what the person wants, without caring for the consequences. They all have learned at some point that the only way for them to properly survive was by acting on their needs by themselves as they showed. The how to get it never provided them anything, only the result matters.

On a side note, I would say 3s can be the most deceptive, since being part of the harmony triad, they can be good at playing chameleon to polish the image of ‘’what they do to get what they want’’ as something ‘’good’’ (w2) or acceptable or even ‘’desirable’’ (w4). Like, using social media to picture themselves as the X archetype of successful, accomplished, enviable (w4), Good (w2) but actually being a total trashy mess behind the scenes. They want the result (social media example: the likes, the follows, the fans), but the core of it is often not aligning, thus their reputation for being shallow (the unhealthier they are on the scale, of course).

If something doesn’t feel quite clear or doesn’t make sense to you, don’t hesitate to ask further questions or discuss it. I made it the most simple I could, but there is much more to say and to contrast.

[azenta]

sorry for it's not related to anything i just don't know where else to write it. is it normal to feel inherently unable to be fulfilled? i haven't lived for long and my earlier memories are blurry but the things i'm able to recall all have this weak flavor of not being satisfactory enough. i started to be more proactive and moving towards things that i believe will make me feel better but as soon as i reach my goal i find myself wishing for more of that thing or maybe something completely different and go for the next goal without really appreciating what i've managed to earn so far. i have friends i'm close to and i love them dearly and yet it feels we're not close in a way i wish us to be so i try to spend more time with them and really get under their skin in a way that fulfills me but they never seem to let me in like this or be as concentrated on me as i am on them so it's like i'm ultimately alone and unable to have proper relationships with people. i don't consider it depression because i experience the full spectrum of human emotion and can perform just fine it's just that even at my best i'm aware of the fact my happiness is merely a patch covering the ultimate despair just like being full of food is a patch covering the ultimate hunger. even if you try to avoid getting hungry you know it's your natural state to be so and here it's the same with despair being something you can never get rid of. i considered it being so normal no one really talks about it but it felt wrong because there's no way so many would accept it. there's still hope i can actually patch the despair for good and be happy and fulfilled just like everyone around seems to be but it seems naive. at this point it feels like if i can't be fulfilled no matter what i shouldn't care about what i 'want' and just go for whatever will secure me in this world. if i'm destined to be disappointed in what i do i can go for a stable well-paid career instead of the one i personally found interesting and if i'm destined to be disappointed in people i can stop trying to be close to them at all. i could go to killing myself with this kind of thinking considering the existence is ultimately painful but i'm too afraid of pain and death to go through it. and maybe i'm still somewhat hopeful. sorry for the schizo text wall i just wonder if it really is a normal experience and if so how people don't kill themselves even more often.

The state of despair is not "normal" per se, or rather it indicates a myriad of things that I will elaborate on. But the feeling of being unfulfilled can be. The nuance is despair is felt when we get many or some particular needs not met on a regular basis, so it's a chronic feeling of dissatisfaction (feeling unfulfilled).

If you've been privated from some needs, especially for an elongated perido of time, when you will encounter those needs, it's normal to "want more" at first. The need hasn't been satiated for so long that it will take time before you feel truly satisfied. You just have to think of someone who hasn't eaten properly for months, even tho they get a full day of eating properly, their body has been lacking in resources many regards, therefore they will feel more intensely their hunger.

Also, that wanting more stems from a feeling of insecurity, which in itself speak of another crucial need (security). Since you haven't had this need met for so long, then your whole organism have retain that it may again take a while since you meet it again. In itself, it is a need to secure what you have obtained and how to obtain it to be able to fulfill it again. A need is a need, you cannot live without it without degrading your survivability. Nobody wants that.

But there is also another phenomenon I need to mention because it could be a possible reason why the dissatisfaction persists. There is the version where you find something that makes you feel like you have fulfilled your need, but it's only creating the feeling of fulfillment and not actually filling the need itself. That also creates the phenomenon of addiction, where your need is never met, so you always feel the urge for it, but certain things or actions give you the "result" without really fulfilling the need. Therefore the behavior or object becomes associated with how to fulfill the need, when in reality it doesn't. This create the infernal loop of perpetual dissatisfaction and even the feeling of emptiness. And btw, I don't mean addiction exclusively in term of substance abuse, it can be anything really.

There are also many more things to take into account:

1. Your relation to your emotions.

2. Your beliefs around certain needs

3. Your awareness of your needs

And all of those three are affected by your life experiences and what you had to do to "survive" and strive through your environment.

If you have a poor relation with your feelings and emotions, then you are less likely to be in touch with your needs and therefore, less likely to be able to fulfill them. Emotions are feelings are how our brain tell us when some of our needs are affected (postively and negatively). And your environment might also have been punishing toward the attainment of certain needs and even rewarding toward some, at the detriment of some other too. This leads also to addictive behaviors or simply, maladaptive strategies that make you constantly unfulfilled regarding certain needs.

Since having the knowledge of what are freaking human needs is kinda necessary and practical, I'll use the pyramid of Maslow to give you a basis of what are those human needs. Here is the illustration of the said pyramid, but I will elaborate on each.

So, the first layer, in blue, is all about physiological needs. This is the very basic that we all need to account for if we want to meet anything above. If you eat like shit and sleep poorly, everything above will be difficult to accomplish. You won't have the minimum energy required to secure your work, to maintain a place to live, and even to care for your relationships and maintain a positive self-perception, even less actualize yourself. Let's not mention lacking air, you won't go anywhere without breathing lol. But, more seriously, if you live in a place where air is low quality, borderline toxic, it could be important to take it into account, because it means this primary need is poorly met and will automatically affect the rest. Your ability to work or preserve your other resources will considerably be altered.

The second layer, in light blue, is all about security. It's all about doing the necessary to secure every other needs. It also impact the first layer, as gaining easy access to healthy resources allow the first layer to be better attained as well. That's the need I mention earlier as well. This revolves a lot around the notions of accessibility and durability. The more accessible and durable "it" is in time, the more secure I feel. This applies to basic resources but also relationships, and even opportunities for growth in general.

The third layer, in green, is the sense of belonging and intimacy specifically. People underestimate greatly how humans as a species are fundamentally social and thus, dependent on other to survive properly. This is usually the category where shit hits the fan. People nowadays have a poor sense of intimacy and/or of belonging, in big part because most of psychological wounds are impacting this level (ex. Fear of rejection, abandonment, betrayal, injustice, humiliation, etc.) and also come from unmet social needs. Intimacy is the ability to be vulnerable with another and feeling understood and supported. The sense of belonging is the ability to relate and support each other. Those two demand effort and commitment toward people, and they demand a sense of security also to establish those needs and simply a sense of security in regard to the given relationships. If your sense of security is affected, you'll have a hard time being vulnerable and supportive of another, since you'll be more in a state of continuous distrust. You'll also not feel able to maintain those relationships and become either needy or avoidant of relationships. However, if you have poor relationships, it's also harder to maintain a sense of security and stability, since others help by providing access to resources, opportunities and help maintaining it all altogether. They can facilitate the establishment of security in one's life (ex: having good relationship or network at work vs bad ones).

Then, the fourth layer, in orange, is all about the Estimation of self, or self-esteem. This evaluation of ourselves is crucial in how to properly survive since this is what help us evaluate our capacity and ability to handle challenges and difficulties. In other words, it informs us on how much we got the ability to survive and strive. If my self evaluation is poor, then it informs on problems at lower levels and it will also affect my ability to simply adapt to challenges. The need for relationships come before because our value depends a lot on the sense of utility we get from how we can provide and support each other. If the feedback we get from people is usually negative, it informs us we are doing something incorrectly. This force us to reevaluate ourselves, and so estimate our value differently. People serve as miror of ourselves, to help us refine the necessary abilities to survive more easily. Of course, some environments are dysfunctional, toxic or simply inadequate for us as individuals, and this is why it matters to cultivate self-esteem apart from relationships to better recognize where we actually belong and who really deserves our energy and time, and simply with who we can actually cultivate intimacy.

This leads us to the last primary set of needs, in red, actualization. This one is about evolution, how to evolve and not simply survive. This is our drive, where our dreams lie, and what makes us make sense of life and the world around. This is the last one because you need everything else before to be able to construct a sense to life. If you lack food, shelter, or water, life will only appear as a perpetual and tedious battle of survival. If you have no security, same applies, everything will be a fight to stabilize the most basic aspects to survive, since everything will still be a potential threat until you get secure. If you have no one to rely on or to count on, nobody to relate, then things don't get much more purpose than maintaining yourself alive, which doesn't give much substance to life. If your self esteem is down the drain, you won't see your ability to actualize anything and so, won't be able to perceive a greater sense to life else than entertaining your relationships for the sake of it. But even then, your sense of utility will be doubted and you may start asking why you receive all this love or why it even matter. Usually, it even leads to self sabotage and self-destruction of relationship, which will of course worsen the sense given to life. And then, if you do have and believe in your capability but do nothing with them, you'll feel lost and will try naturally to find a purpose with all those abilities. Until it makes you cease to renew and empower yourself because there is no point to empower yourself if there is no use found into those personal abilities. The achievement of actualization also reinforce the self-esteem of ourselves and thus, provide further stability to all the other needs we have.

In the end, all of those needs affect each other mutually, but I do like the pyramid of Maslow because it helps to orient oneself in all of this and to identify our needs, and identify what needs we lack or have a harder time with. If you notice the lower layers are affected, then you can bet the upper ones are as well, and probably even more in deficit than the lower ones. So, this can be a good place to start and to aim which needs require more attention in priority. Like, if you notice your relationships don't give you the intimacy or belonging you crave, but your sense of security is crappy, then your relationships probably suffer from it, and that might be why the intimacy is not striving or satisfying as it should. It means you might be putting up walls without noticing or even lacking proper boundaries since you have no sense of personal space which is related to personal security.

In the end, life is not something simple, but it can definitely be enjoyable and not just a painful experience. Overall, with what you told me, I'd say to start with identifying your needs and working from below to top. I dont want to make this longer, but if you have questions on how to answer certain needs, I will let you ask. Or else I'll end up doubling the length of this already lengthy answer. You'll also certainly encounter personal issues that might be impairing the achievement of some of those needs. What will matter is your willingness to adjust and change to adapt.

Remember we are not static entities. Life is a perpetual movement, a perpetual process, and it is far more powerful than you are. So, if you decide to become an immovable object, be prepared to be broken into pieces. It's far more malleable, but also much more work to assemble back into a bigger stronger entity. However, it is also through adversity we are willing to change, since it is how we experience something is not working and impairing our survivability.

I hope this can help you some bit. Don't hesitate to ask other questions regarding this issue. Remember I'm not acting here as a therapist, so if you ever need more support or help, I'd advise seeking professional one.

[azenta]

Hello, I noticed that you took typology asks in the past. If you still answer questions about instinctual variants, I have a specific question. Is SP instinct necessarily about material goods and the ability to provide for one's self in the material world? Things like filling taxes and finding jobs or housing for example? Asking because I noticed you refer to SP as "energy management/conservation" too, so I want to know if an SP user can experience SP as energy-related only, no material stuff.

I do believe Sp manifests specifically with resources management, which includes energy, and for which material concerns is a potential side effect related to it. But the cognitive functions at play, plus enneagram will shift the focus and create different behavioral manifestations.

Sp heavy Pi leads/dom are more likely hoarders, or the ones always having more than necessary "in case", due to Pi caring about accumulating information, and objects hold those "informations" through being a physical manifestation (symbol) of it. While a Pe lead Sp heavy will be more concerned about energy itself or even having skills to compensate their lack of accumulated "survival objects" (ex. Home, food, money, etc). They might on the contrary refuse to carry around objects or be settled somewhere precisely because it blocks them from opportunities, such as traveling, going on trips, doing some kind of "exciting" and maybe risky activities. As an example, they might refuse to buy some stuff because they'd rather keep their money to travel around, and they would rather have survival skills to always be able to eat, have water and sleep around safely than having a home with a stable income. But it's still Sp because it is focused on their security, energy management and basic self survival. Still, they are free from material stuffs.

Ji lead Sp heavy for example would rather have less than more, but they would always have the very essentials at hand. Ji cares about the fundamentals, so having a place to stay with easy ways to access food and income could be far enough, which doesnt imply a stable job but more so accessible jobs and accessible places. And Je leads would be more the typical materialist (with Pi leads) and having their income well organized and structured, like being well invested.

And then add enneagram and their manifestations will show different degree of neurotism relating to Sp and the cognitive functions as well.

Idk if that clarifies your question, but if you have any other questions on that regard or want specifications, don't hesitate to ask.

[azenta]

hello, it’s the anon from the last ask about the tritype. you had some very interesting insights, haven’t seen someone explain functions that way, thanks for that

as a follow up question, i’ve been stuck on either NeFi or NeTi, because i’m having a hard time deciding which judging functions i use (my Ne keeps reframing actions to be either Fi or Fe)

the enneagram typology i gave you is mine, and i’m 99% sure it’s accurate. i understand that ENFP is more likely, though i can’t help but wonder, maybe some of the way i act can be explained with just my enneagram info, and not just by being a Te user (for instance my high reactivity explained by triple reactive instead of Te), do you have any idea how to decipher these judging functions in myself while taking enneagram into account? thanks again for your help

I'm afraid I won't be very useful on this one.

I've come to conclude it's barely impossible to determine your cognitive stack by self-analysis alone, for four major reasons.

1. We are not the best judge of ourselves - despite what people say (specifically revisers (xxxP) type with Fi, I'm all watching you with stabby eyes), since we get entitled by an ego perception of ourselves. This means that we are constantly biased due to our beliefs system (like, our enneatype fears, beliefs, etc., ironically enough) resulting in believing we are a certain way when we aren't. It doesn't always mean our perception is horribly wrong, but the degree of error doesn't need to be that big to create a mistyping.

2. Our ego can create an hyperfixation on a cognitive function that is not our lead process, which makes us think we are a certain type when we aren't, or over inflate it's importance. Or we could also strongly deny a certain function and believe it is lower because of that, when it's the auxiliary.

3. Definitions vary from a place to another and also almost from a person to another, giving inevitably a skewed perception cognitive function themselves. Add the self distortions from point 1 and you get an even more blurry portrait.

4. If I go by CT theory, that itself is flawed even if I believe it's still the best defined one yet, we apparently can have integrated functions from lower of our stack, which incredibly affect 1) Our thought process, personality and behaviors 2) Our perception of selves. This leads to accentuate the problems of every point I have said above and make it incredibly harder to determine the cognitive stacks.

With that said, despite all the points above, there are still psychological cues indicating which functions we do have and operate with. All of the following will starts from the assumption that you are correct on being a Pe lead/dom, specifically Ne lead, which I have no guarantee you are. Not because I don't trust you, but I have nothing assuring me either way.

Already, you're telling me your hesitation is because of the F functions, so I assume you are concerned by what is called "biotic" aspects. This means being more sensitive to the intrinsic nature of things (people, events, interaction, etc.), as in caring more about the life within "things" ; the conscientiousness, free will, "soul" of whatever you're dealing with. This information suggests me you are more likely NeFi over NeTi, since even if I account for the possible NeTi with Fe integrated, the auxiliary even when unconscious still taint from behind the approach to the tertiary. NeTi with Fe integrated have a twisted way of Fe compared to an Fe dom or aux, even tho I'd argue it's not as "twisted" as Tumblr community let it on by the past.

Often, what makes people think they have Fe over Fi is because they are concerned over the "social" atmosphere, express their feelings outwardly and are simply concerned by others overall. But those have nothing to do with Fe but more so emotional attitude (specifically seelie/adaptive ones). All of what I just mentioned has nothing to do with cognition anyway. The other reason is often they think they are high T because they are emotionally stunted, dismissive, express themselves bluntly and express more easily disgust, disapproval or anger, when again, this is more related to emotional attitude, but the Guarded ones (unseelie/directive) this time.

In the end, both NeFi and NeTi are quite similar, they simply have a slightly different approach to information, but they both are revisers of information by nature, spontaneous, tangent hoppers, and overall quirky, despite the dumb idioties running around on tert Fe on Dumblr.

I hope it can still help you, but I doubt I can do more on that regard. If you still have questions tho, you are more than welcome. I can try my best to see what I can add on the topic.