What ARE the functions?

[MysticSonic]

I'm of the belief that the functions are the manifestation of particular areas of the brain that process information so that it is identical to that which we identify in Socionics. Any other competing ideas?

[Rocky]

I think that's exactly it, for example,

Thinking and Feeling—measuring the way information is reasoned

Thinking (T): Inanimate, logical, objective, and systematic reasoning. Thinking is found in both hemispheres; the right specializes in spatial logic and the left in verbal and numerical logic.

--synthetic, spatial reasoning is engaged in the posterior right forebrain. For example, damage in right parietal areas results in spatial reasoning deficits.

--verbal logic—principally a function of the left hemisphere, especially in Brocas area. (ESTJs and ENTJs are the most gifted in oral language logic, ESTJs in practical realm and ENTJs with abstract.

(Te)



Feeling (F): Animate, subjective, values-driven, and emotional reasoning. Feeling is found in both hemispheres

--sensing and retaining emotion—emotional memory (posterior--amygdala) In the latter 1990’s, PET studies conclusively validated the amygdala’s influence on feelings and emotion.

---expressing emotion—as early as the 1980’s, electroencephalographic studies revealed in patients that the left frontal region showed higher activity during negative emotions.

(Fe)


--a 2002 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences was the first to examine the neurological roots of what scientists call "negative affect," a trait that predisposes people to anxiety, irritability, anger and a range of other unpleasant moods. The researchers conducted brain scans that measured changes in blood flow within their subject’s brains. The scientists found that increased brain activity in one particular region – the ventromedial prefrontal cortex -- was associated with those who reported greater negative affect. Researchers say the circumstantial evidence indicates that the ventromedial prefrontal cortex acts as a sort of volume knob for emotions. While the emotions may be produced elsewhere in the brain in response to stimuli, this region of the brain can make them deafening or muted.

... and....

Sensing and iNtuition—measuring the way information is gathered or perceived

Sensing (S): Essentially the 5 senses: sight, smell, sound, taste and touch

--the processing of sensory input and sensory discrimination is facilitated by the parietal lobe.

--5 senses (taking in world around self)

--touch and pressure (parietal lobe—which controls the primary sensory cortex. Behind the primary sensory cortex is a large association area that controls fine sensation—weight, size, shape, etc.)

--smell and sound (temporal lobe)

--sight (occipital)

--viewing and inaudibly reading language (posterior forebrain)

(Si)

--though most “Sensing” processes take place in the back of the brain, some reside in the brain’s anterior. For example, research demonstrates damage to the right frontal lobe creates an impairment of pictorial stimuli sequences.

--the anterior right forebrain is especially adept at design and spatial fluency in contrast with the left’s verbal fluency.

(Se)



iNtuition (N): specializing in abstract, conceptual matters

--abstract understanding of language—especially w/consonants. (Wernickes, posterior left)

--intonation is a dimension of the iNtuitive brain function. Persons with right forebrain damage speak with flattened intonation.

--metaphor—Persons with right forebrain deficit pick literal interpretations of metaphorical statements.

(Ne)

--A striking finding from many who suffer right-brain strokes is that they can understand the literal meaning of sentences--their left brain can still decode the words--but they can no longer get jokes or allusions. Asked to explain even a common proverb, such as "a stitch in time saves nine", they can only say it must have something to do with sewing.

--visual imagery—most aspects of visual imagery are right hemisphere duties.

[Transigent]

Edited for gayness.

[MysticSonic]

Can you elaborate on that statement?

[IcEPiCk]

Trangient: That was a very unclear statement...

[Waddlesworth]

But yet it was also one of the more insightful and powerful statements. Transigent likes to think deeply into things and looks for answers where other people don't.

[Angel von Himmel]

I think what he means is that the functions are like forces of will, some of which can get your farther than others and are more useful than others or tad bits of motivation or something.

[Slava]

Functions are neural devices which have different structures for different type of problems. Sensing is the same as Intuition except that one is applied to Time and one to the Space. Soem an Ne person can see all concepts all at once tied itno each other in time and an Se person can see all the sense related information associated with things around and things withing a large radius out of sight. Ne people hodl grudges because when they move away from an object in time it still exists to them but an Se person begins to forget about it, while an Ne person forgets about things far away while an Se person is aware of many processies in many far away places. Se - hold spatial grudges while Ne hold temporal grudges. Who needs anger management now!