I am an ardent believer in MBTI and although I know its many flaws, it is still the most accurate personality test I've come across. And believe me, I have taken many personality tests - tests, not quizzes. This post will focus on the four functions - Dominant, Auxiliary, Tertiary and Inferior. These four functions develop as you progress in life and that's why MBTI is considered part of developmental psychology. Compatibility, at least in MBTI, revolves around the four functions as well.
The Four Functions
1. What Are They?
The first and most developed function is the Dominant function. This function develops very early in life and is often affected by your innate personality and childhood experiences. It forms the core of our personality and plays the most important role in guiding the way we think, feel and act.
The second function that develops later in your childhood years and before your teens is the Auxiliary function. This function seeks to balance out your Dominant function and therefore, every introvert will have an extroverted Auxiliary function and vice versa. It is very important to have this function developed alongside the Dominant function as it aids the individual in making balanced decisions.
The third function, known as the Tertiary function, is the exact opposite from the Auxiliary function. This function will develop in early adulthood, or in more mature individuals, slightly earlier. Most people have few skills associated with this function and these skills are almost always actively developed with the awareness of the need to do so.
The fourth function, or the Inferior function, is the least appealing to individuals and many never develop this in their lives. It takes much awareness for an individual to see the need to develop this function and even then, it would be the least prominent function.
2. How Are They Expressed?
Each function is expressed in 2 letters, one in caps, e.g. "F" and one in small letters e.g. "e". The one in caps is the function (not to be confused with the overall function) and can be S (sensing), N (intuition), T (thinking) or F (feeling). The small letter represents the direction - introversion or extroversion. In other words, Fe means Extroverted Feeling while Si would mean Introverted Sensing.
3. What Do These Functions Mean?
Of course, you need to know what these 8 possible functions mean. It doesn't do anyone any good just knowing the letters and not being able to draw a connection between these abstract theory and reality. So, before I actually present the chart that I drew out with the functions of all the MBTIs, I'll just go through very simply what the functions mean:
(1) Extroverted Thinking (Te): Seeks logic and consistency in the outside world. Concern for external laws and rules.
(2) Introverted Sensing (Si): Compares present facts and experiences to past experience. Trusts the past. Stores sensory data for future use.
(3) Extroverted Intuition (Ne): Sees possibilities in the external world. Trusts flashes from the unconscious, which can then be shared with others.
(4) Introverted Feeling (Fi): Seeks harmony of action and thoughts with personal values. May not always articulate those values.
(5) Extraverted Sensing (Se): Acts on concrete data from here and now. Trusts the present, then lets it go.
(6) Introverted Thinking (Ti): Seeks internal consistency and logic of ideas. Trusts his or her internal framework, which may be difficult to explain to others.
(7): Extroverted Feeling (Fe): Seeks harmony with and between people in the outside world. Interpersonal and cultural values are important.
(8) Introverted Intuition (Ni); Looks at consistency of ideas and thoughts with an internal framework. Trusts flashes from the unconscious, which may be hard for others to understand.
4. The 16 MBTIs and Their Functions
Yes, so finally, after all that ranting, these was what people were waiting for. The actual table containing all the 16 types of MBTI and their functions. I am not grouping the MBTIs in any meaningful way, just E before I, S before N, T before F and J before P. So in other words, my MBTI would appear last.
In any case, if you can't read this for some reason, I'll just give an example. I am an INFP, so my Dominant function is Fi (Introverted Feeling), my Auxiliary function is Ne (Extroverted Intuition), my Tertiary function is Si (Introverted Sensing) and my Inferior function is Te (Extroverted Thinking). In other words, I have values that people don't know about, but also gut feelings that I follow and articulate. So people who are not intuitive mostly think I'm crazy. Sounds about right.
MBTI Compatibility
I think the assumption made in MBTI compatibility is a fair one. It balances out the idea of "opposites attract" and "like attracts like" very well. For two people to be compatible, they must view the world using the same functions (like attracts like), but to balance each other's weaknesses out, they must view the world from different directions (opposites attract).
You can't go 100% "like attracts like", because you end up with someone with the same MBTI and the kind of relationship you get is a very narrow-minded one. Sure, you may get along perfect, but I doubt either one in the relationship is ideal for the growth of the other. For example, I would be comfortable being stuck with a fellow INFP because he/she would understand me perfectly well, but because we are so similar, there is absolute nothing I can learn in terms of psychological maturity.
On the other hand, you can't go 100% "opposites attract", because there is no common ground. For example, I am an INFP and if I am stuck with an ESTJ, I would learn a lot from interacting with the person...if I even want to be related to them in any way. It isn't impossible for us to get along, but it is very difficult. We would see the world in very different ways and our behaviours will seem extremely strange to the other party. I would be overly emotional and depend very much on my guts, but ESTJ is very data-oriented and dislikes emotion. I will be able to see the completely different side of the coin, but we would never get along well.
Therefore, like I said, this is how MBTI works - same function in different directions. Let me explain it. For example, for an INFP, my Dominant function is Fi, or Introverted Feeling. "Feeling" is my function and "Introverted" is the direction. With the MBTI compatibility assumption, the MBTI compatible with an INFP would have a Dominant function with the same function - "Feeling" - but the opposite direction - "Extroverted" - Fe. In that case, that immediately narrows down my compatible MBTIs to ESFJ and ENFJ.
The same applies to all four functions and so, for me, an INFP, my compatible MBTI is ENFJ. Every single one of our functions are the same, but in the opposite direction. This ensures that we are able to understand the way each other views the world, but because we view it from different directions, our final interpretation of how everything works usually don't coincide. It is an idealistic compatibility assumption that aims for both understanding and growth. I mean, if we were realistic about it, I'll just go after another INFP. We would understand each other perfectly and there would be no disagreements, ever.
To put it simply, for anyone who doesn't want to think, this is how the compatibility chart goes.
Also, another way of explaining things would be that, you always keep the two letters in the centre constant for Ns; second and last letter for Ss. For example, for an INFP like me, I would be compatible with xNFx. The reason is actually quite simple. If you look at any professional MBTI website, they would list the 16 MBTIs in 4 categories, depending on the centre two letters. SJs are Sentinels, SPs are Explorers, NTs are Analysts and NFs are Diplomats. Your compatible MBTI will not be an MBTI from another group. A Diplomat is compatible with another Diplomat.
(Only for Ns)
E and I being compatible is also quite common sense. It is less scientific than it is an observation that it is better for Extroverted people and Introverted people to be together. The maximisation of psychological growth being the goal of compatibility, it makes absolutely no sense that two Introverted people are grouped together, because their Dominant functions are all focused inward. J and P is more of a guess and applies more practically. Js are typically more tidy and Ps are typically more flexible. Js need to calm down and Ps need a little push to get them to be organised. That's why J and P are compatible.
So in the end, what does these all mean?
Nothing. It means absolutely nothing. MBTI is just another personality study and everyone with half a brain and half a hold on reality would understand that personality is not the only thing that plays a part in deciding whether relationships work - be it friendship or romance. You may find that one person who is so compatible with you, so much so that you don't think you'll ever find another one, but that's just nonsense. Compatibility means almost nothing in the real world where your career, financial situation, family background, etc play a much bigger part in deciding which people in life you get to keep.
After all, just look at all the couples around. They aren't always compatible. They don't always understand each other. They aren't always the best for each other's growth. In truth, MBTI compatibility is an idealisation of how relationships should work out. After all, if MBTI compatibility is used in reality, couples wouldn't be so unhappy, would they?
Then how is this useful? Well, it is always still useful in understanding why certainly people in your life have a certain type of relationship with you. It is also fascinating to observe how accurate MBTI can be, especially for people whose MBTI has become fixed.
So, do I still believe in it? Well, yes, of course. It's not wrong; it's just unrealistic. As are many things in this world.
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