INFJ Function Stack (A complete guide)

In this brief guide, we will look at the INFJ Function Stack.

What is the INFJ Function Stack?

The INFJ function stack is also known as NiFe, and all the functions of this function stack are given as follows:

• Dominant: Introverted Intuition (Ni)

• Auxiliary: Extraverted Feeling (Fe)

• Tertiary:  Introverted Thinking (Ti)

• Inferior:  Extraverted Sensing (Se)

The INFJ function stack is similar to the other Jungian function stacks and keeps in mind the orientation of he INFJ personality to their inner world over the outer world, and their dominant function is therefore an introverted function.

In addition, the dominant function in the INFJ personality is chosen on the basis of the fact that these individuals are highly proficient or likely to have judging or decision-making processes, and therefore their function of thinking is considered before the perceiving processes.

The inferior function of the INFJ function stack, which is the Extraverted sensing function, is in the subconscious, and may not be very developed in most INFJs.

What is a Function Stack?

A function stack is a theory given by Jung, which combines all the core cognitive traits in an individual in a collection that expresses chief details about the person’s personality traits.

There are 4 parts to a function stack, which are given below:

Xx — Dominant Function

Xx — Supporting Function

Xx — Third Function

Xx — Fourth / Inferior Function

In the function stack, the order of functions is decided by what the person prefers to use, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

The order in a function stack denotes the most used or least used functions of the person or the functions that come most naturally to the person. 

The functions serve the one above them, in a function stack, and they tend to run more in the subconscious as the stack progresses.

There is also a shadow function stack, which consists of the functions that are not in the person’s preferred repertoire, but that exists nonetheless as part of a balance and may form some part of the person’s inner dialogue or some content of the automatic thoughts all of us experience, but few are able to point out.

Features of INFJ Personality

According to the MBTI, the INFJ personality is also known as the Advocate, due to their tendency to be altruistic and wise, and their need to stick up for others.

Goethe said, “Treat people as if they were what they ought to be and you help them to become what they are capable of being.”

This is a quote that many people with the INFJ personality may live by.

The INFJ personality consists of the following traits: Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. 

The INFJ tends to approach life in a quiet manner, engaging in deep thoughtfulness and humanism at all times, and great and exemplified personal values.

The INFJ also shows good imagination, and they have a clear inner vision due to their introverted thinking abilities.

The quiet, principled person at the end of the room who is looking to help everyone around him is most likely to be an INFJ, as these people like to be involved in helping and guiding, despite their introverted nature, which is though to make the person somewhat aloof.

The INFJ has a capacity to think and feel with depth, and while that may provide them with a great number of opportunities, they may also pose challenges.

The INFJ may also be incredibly Idealistic and have great integrity, but they are usually the kind of ideal that enneagram personality type 1w9 might be and not the staunch, moralistic kind of ideal that Enneagram 1 would be.

They are also capable of taking concrete steps towards their goal instead of just thinking and imagining all the time, and they can be surprisingly good at making their idealistic tendencies work for them.

Surprisingly, despite their introverted tendencies, INFJs can be rather versatile and talk with a great deal of conviction, and their idealism may often show in the way they choose to guide other people.

INFJ Function Stack

Now that we have explored what a function stack is and some traits of the INFJ personality, let us take a detailed look at the functions in an INFJ function Stack.

Dominant Function: Introverted Intuition (Ni)

The dominant function in the INFJ individual is the Introverted Intuition function, or Ni, which takes care of the most obvious challenges in the INFJs life, and all the other functions serve this function, so to speak.

The introverted intuition function is responsible for the perception by the INFJ of their inner world, as well as the storage of information and the subsequent perception of that information.

Usually, information stored by the introverted intuition function is stored sort of spread out,and the focus may be more on forming connections of various strengths between the various pieces of the puzzle.

One might imagine a somewhat dense web-like mass of information that may not be viewed as a whole but may actually serve as a great reference point for the INFJ to make decisions that seem like they have been made based on “gut-feeling”.

The INFJ may seem like they are always in something like a dreamy state, which may be because all the data that the intuition stores in this huge network, exists outside the consciousness and deeper in the mind, and, therefore, the decision-making process may involve more images and impressions than concrete facts knowledge upon which to base the judgment.

The INFJ may also feel like their world is constantly fluctuating due to the fact that the introverted intuition is always scanning the environment for changes and things to pay attention to.

Auxiliary Function: Extraverted Feeling (Fe)

The next function in the INFJ function stack is the Extraverted feeling, which makes the INFJ so adept at interacting with the outer world and focus on the thoughts and feelings of those around them.

The extraverted feeling function also focuses on the communication between the INFJ and the rest of the world. 

The Fe function is also the way that the INFJ processes their emotions and because it is extroverted, unlike the dominant function Ni, it is primarily focused on other people. 

INFJs Fe function is the most oriented to the interpersonal relationships out of all the functions, and it is therefore attuned to surveying and improving interpersonal feelings and morale, which is what gives these people their characteristic guide like vibe or personality.

The INFJ, like other personality types that are of this type, somewhat, like to bring about “good feelings” in the interpersonal environment. 

To be able to better understand others’ feelings, Fe contributes to the INFJs’ ability to scrutinize and assess the emotional expressions and body language of those around them, which combined with their introverted intuition makes them uniquely capable of understanding what the other person is going through as well as what they need exactly.

While the INFJs can understand others so nicely due to the Fe function, they may have difficulty with their own emotions and have a more difficult time with perceiving and understanding their own emotional states and what to do about them. 

In their inner world, they only deal with an intuitive sense, and therefore it may be hard for them to properly assess what is happening in their mind and it may be that much harder for them to cope with mental health issues as well.

If you’re facing this, it may be a good idea to seek the help of a therapist or other mental health professional. You can find a therapist at BetterHelp who can help you learn how to cope and address it.

Tertiary Function:  Introverted Thinking (Ti)

The tertiary function in the INFJ function stack is the IOntroverted thinking, Ti, which is responsible for the tendency of the INFJ to interpret their Ni connections in a sensible way, and it operated internally on the basis of logic and analysis, though it may be more subconscious than others.

Even in the subconscious, it helps the INFJ to understand the connections they are making consciously, and therefore it is a valuable asset to the INFJ individual.

Ti helps the INFJ think more critically and analytically, and it allows them to use logic and assessment of situations to solve a problem, but in a way that they are not entirely aware of.

This function of the INFJ functions stack also enables the person to figure out where their ideas might fit into existing categories and frameworks of knowledge. 

While it may be very useful to the INFJ individual, the Ti function may also cause problems like self-doubt, as it may sometimes go against the insights coming from their dominant function of intuition, which is also focused inward. 

This is something that the INFJ may learn to balance with age and with maturity they may not feel the effects of this type of self-doubt anymore.

Inferior Function:  Extraverted Sensing (Se)

The last function in the INFJ function stack, the extroverted sensing, is the reason for the INFJ to perceive the outer world as stable, concrete, and structured and helps their extroverted feeling function by making them acutely aware of their surroundings and appreciate beauty.

This function operates in the background though, and unless the INFJ spends time on it and actively engages this function, it may not be known to them explicitly. 

There may be times when the INFJ individual starts to feel that this life is empty or gets the sense that something is missing or that their original sense of purpose is gone, and this is usually the point where they may look towards their inferior function and with practices like meditation or psychotherapy, they may make advances in trying to utilize it and reach their maximum potential.

Conclusion

In this brief guide, we looked at the INFJ Function Stack. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or comments you may have.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): INFJ function stack

Citations

https://www.typeinmind.com/4-letter-code

https://infjblog.com/breaking-down-the-8-cognitive-functions-of-the-infj/