Q: In the self-test of Jungian eight cognitive functions, why do the fifth, sixth, and eighth functions in the shadow functions often show extremely high scores?
A: Because the functions operating unconsciously are brought to the conscious level during the process of answering questions. We have memories of operating them, but it's easy to overlook the context in which they are operated. How are they triggered? Are they playing a positive role? Especially the sixth function, which brings a strong sense of "pseudo-heroism" to people. Therefore, it can also cause mismeasurements that confuse the first and sixth functions (confusion of the P/J dimension).
Q: According to the theory of the personality spine axis, when a certain function is dominant, the corresponding function will be suppressed. But why do some people measure both high Fe and high Fi? Or is there really such a thing as an "octagon warrior"?
A: In the concept of Jungian eight cognitive functions, psychological type refers to an "inner drive", while the eight functions measured online often seem more like abilities or traits within one's intention. It's common for people to claim that they have both high Fe and high Fi. However, after truly understanding these two judgment functions, one will realize that they are completely different.
Both Fe and Fi may possess the trait of being sensitive and delicate. But from the perspective of inner drive, Fe represents a group perspective, emphasizing the connection between people. This perspective starts from "relationships". On the other hand, Fi is a "personal" perspective, focusing on one's own inner personal beliefs. So, in a noisy group of acquaintances, a person with high Fe will always feel the urge to say or do something to break the silence; otherwise, they will feel uneasy and embarrassed. However, a person with high Fi can comfortably look at their phone without any discomfort.
The eight functions describe drives and tendencies, not the abilities one possesses. A Fe user may, due to acquired reasons, have worse communication skills than a Fi user and struggle in conversations in a group, but the test result will still show high Fe because they are acting from the perspective of the group atmosphere, just not doing it well.
Q: Is the online self-test reliable? Why does the self-tested personality type keep changing?
A: Personality has multiple levels. In psychology, it can be roughly divided into three aspects: "physiological personality", "social personality", and "volitional personality", corresponding to our innate patterns, our behaviors after being socialized, and our ideal selves. These three aspects interact with each other to form a complete personality.
Online self-tests are hardly reliable. The reason is that when a person is too young, most of their cognitive functions are still in a chaotic state and have not been activated by an appropriate social environment. Self-perception is extremely prone to deviation. Moreover, even in the strictest official tests, the accuracy rate of determining the true type is only 70% - 85%.
Many people need to face a sufficient number of difficulties and experience the harshness of society before their second and third functions start to differentiate. Before that, people with underdeveloped or insensitive self-awareness are more likely to perceive their third function because it is very unstable and can easily give people a "pleasure of disorder". On the contrary, the dominant function is so natural and innate that people may not even notice its existence. We tend to ignore what we don't lack - this is also the theme described by Jupiter in astrology.
There are also people who fail to see their physiological personality and instead overly focus on their social personality. They are not truly being themselves and feel very painful inside. As the saying goes, after wearing a mask for too long, they don't even know who they are. So, relying solely on the result of a self-test may not necessarily help you find your true "self". Don't rush to take a stance based on the result. You need to read more theoretical knowledge and then determine your type to avoid self-doubt and loss of group identity when you realize you've made a mistake some time later.
Q: How should we use the Jungian eight cognitive functions test scientifically?
A: The 16 personality types classification in MBTI, in its original theory, only describes the part of our "physiological personality", that is, your innate configuration, and how you are in the "most comfortable" and "most enjoyable" state. Its limitation is that it may ignore special social experiences and strong volitional interference, and it has a certain nature of "fatalism". However, as the MBTI test has evolved to the present, many people use the MBTI test results as a basis for adjusting their recent state, and use the high and low values of each dimension to examine the areas they need to pay attention to. This unexpectedly conforms to the purpose of psychological self-exploration and development.
The significance of exploring the Jungian eight cognitive functions lies in enabling us to understand which cognitive function makes us feel the most comfortable and enjoyable (the first function), which function can bring not only "pleasure" but also physical and mental balance (the second function), which fields can stimulate our enthusiasm (the third function), and which ones we dislike but are very important (the fourth function). It allows people to more clearly accept themselves, always distinguish between their true needs, the masks they are forced to wear, and the stress responses that bring negative effects, so as to make improvements and develop.
The ideal path of personality development is the sequential development of the first, second, third, and fourth functions. The second function collaborates with the first function to make decisions, the third function provides supplementary support for the second function, and the fourth function offers a completely opposite perspective. If a person's cognitive function maturity level is 1 > 3 > 2 > 4, since the 1 and 3 functions, and the 2 and 4 functions are all either extroverted or introverted in the same way, it is easy for people to fall into a single perspective, showing a lack of direction (single extroversion) or being stubbornly opinionated (single introversion). Only by cultivating and developing the second function to balance and assist the first function can one live a mature and stable life.
