Introverted and Extraverted Function Descriptions

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Main distinction:

The Introverted function relies primarily on instinct and precision of vision. His Extroverted counterpart may see him as too vague and lacking an external reference for his basis, but the introverted attitude knows it has to be right before it can be defined.

The Extraverted function relies primarily on definition and clarity of vision. His Introverted counterpart may see him as too flawed and lacking the proper perspective for his basis, but the extraverted attitude knows it has to make sense externally before it can be trusted.

More generalizations:

You can see the complete cycle: if something is believed true, then it usually is defined in some way or by some thing, and perhaps eventually trusted by people at an objective level. Well there occurs a dilemma of communication in this cycle.


The Extraverted function has trouble with the former assumption: he simply doesn't understand how to think for himself about how correct something really is, simply because his own personal understanding is not so black and white. Instead his decisions are guided by that which can be communicated between he and others, and that which he can equally convey to himself. He is more or less fair and open to perspectives and observations that come from the outside and he proceeds to define these for himself as a coherent reference point. He will begin to gain some certainty in aspects dealing with this function, but certainty that is reliant on objective clarity and not simply knowing. This orientation bears little internal confidence, and unlike his introverted counterpart, he is eyeful for opposing perspectives. There may easily be opposing skepticism from others about his insights, but these insights are nonetheless traceable, have a coherent definition, and can be changed by others and by the situation thus changing his own perspective.

Those of the function's opposite attitude may describe his orientation as "flawed," "too literal," "missing the point," and even "tasteless."


The Introverted function has the opposite problem. He has the natural instinct to see the precise nature of things to where answers about this function often come right into focus, and all the less significant details are discarded. Not uncommonly is there a vivid sense of meaning to him. However his attempt at relaying to others his most accurate and significant expressions is usually too vague, and makes others appear as skeptics. However these aren't the same sort of skeptics who are magnetized to the extraverted attitude. These sort of skeptics don't question his authenticity, but rather if he is rational enough to even comprehend his own picture--to others it may seem like a stone appearing out of sand, and what potential substance there may have been seems to not actually exist. His expression has only personal meaning, and his past experience tells him to expect indifference from others. Still to him, these same instincts of worthy vision have precedence over what simply can be communicated and commonly understood.

Those of the function's opposite attitude may describe his orientation as "narrow," "too vague," "biased," and even "offbeat."

[ArchonAlarion]

Cool, this is clarifying. I can see how each function can be related the two attitudes.

[EyeSeeCold]

I see Extraverted functions as capturing information about subjects as if surrounding them. The Extraverted functions monitor the space in-between discrete objects. The perspective is: What do I understand about the inside, from outside here?

In contrast, the Introverted functions assume the space inside the object, as if being bombarded on all sides, so they form a shell. The perspective is: what do I understand about the outside, from inside here?


It's like the concept of negative space. Assume the left's Extravert and the right is Introvert.