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Volume 1, Number 1                                                                                                                                                           June 1998

Whether we are oriented as an Extravert or Introvert determines how we relate in the world and how we use the four personality preferences.  The Extravert’s direction of energy is flowing or “facing” outward toward people and things.  In fact he is energized by interacting with the "outer world”.  The "outer  world" is the Extravert's favorite world.
 
 

The Introvert’s direction of energy is flowing or “facing” within toward concepts and ideas.  He is energized by withdrawing for a time from the crowd where he can be alone to reflect and “process” internally the things that have been happening to him.  Energy can then flow
back out to the world around him.  The "inner  world" is the Introvert's favorite world.
 
 

Since both Extraverts and Introverts must deal with the outer world of people and things, the J or P preference is the indication of how you prefer to deal with this outer world.  It sets our attitudes.  In other words it’s your preferred public face.
 
 

If you are a  J, which is the judging  preference,  you will prefer to deal with the outer world with one of the judging processes which is descriptive of  how you make decisions. It’s the way in which we decide what to do with the information we receive through our perceptions.  The person who is a T (Thinking) will make decisions objectively, based on laws, principles and facts, while an F (Feeling) person makes decisions subjectively, based on values and relationships.  A  J person likes to come to closure relatively quickly making decisions according to his or her T or F preference.  Having a plan and structure to his life is paramount for a comfort level that is acceptable to a J.
 
 

If you are a P, which is the perceiving preference, you will prefer to deal with the outer world with one of the perceiving processes which is descriptive of  becoming aware of and gathering information.  The person who is an S (Sensing) gathers information through the physical senses.  An N (or iNtuitive) gathers information through intangible means, usually known as having a "sixth sense".  Ps are much more comfortable leaving things open-ended and non-structured.  They are always looking to gather more information.
 
 

Your preference for using J or P outwardly depends on whether you are extraverted or introverted with your favorite or Dominant process.  Since Es and Is have a different stance in relating to the world because their energy flow is different, the preference that they choose to use with the world will be different as well.  Given that the Extraverts'  favorite world is the outer world, they will use their favorite (dominant) preference in that world as their public face.   An Extravert whose Dominant process is (F)Feeling will face the world as a J because Feeling is one of the judging or decision making methods.
 
 

The Introvert, on the other hand, prefers to use his favorite or Dominant process internally in his favorite world.  An Introvert whose Dominant process is Feeling will not show that part of himself to the world but will reserve it for the inner life.  The public face for an Introvert will then of necessity be his Auxiliary or secondary process.  An Introverted Feeler would  have as his Auxiliary process one of the perceiving ones (either S or N)  and hence would face the world as a P.
 
 

We all have an aspect of our personality which dominates or governs us.  It gives direction
to the personality and shapes our motives and goals.  This is called the Dominant Process.  There is an Auxiliary Process which should be the second in strength and is the necessary assistant to the Dominant ["...the auxiliary takes care of the extraversion of the introvert and the introversion of the extravert"  Isabel Briggs-Myers.].  Two other processes which will be discussed briefly a little later on are the Tertiary Process and the Inferior Process.  All four of these processes are found in the middle two pairs of preferences, that is, the  perceiving preferences which are either Sensing or Intuition and the judging preferences which are either Thinking or Feeling.
 
 

If a person has a Dominant judging process, his Auxiliary process will be one of the perceiving ones.  Conversely, a person with a Dominant perceiving process will have a judging preference for his Auxiliary process.
 
 

The following chart shows the middle two pairs (in italics and underlined) of preferences for each  of the 16 types.  It is to these two pairs that we look to find the Dominant  (governing) and Auxiliary (helping) processes.
 
 

                              Types                                                              Types

Preferred Perceptive Process

Preferred Judging Process

Preferred Perceptive Process

Preferred Judging Process

 

I    S

T    J

E    S

T    J

 
 

I    N

T    J

E    N

T    J

 
 

I    S

F    J

E    S

F    J

 
 

I    N

F    J

E    N

F    J

 
 

I    S

T    P

E    S

T    P

 
 

I    N

T    P

E    N

T    P

 
 

I    S

F    P

E    S

F    P

 

I    N

F    P

E    N

F    P

 

Showing the Dominant process reveals how it works:
 

Extraverted Feelers are J                               Introverted Feelers are P
Extraverted Intuitives are P                           Introverted Intuitives are J
Extraverted Sensing types are P                    Introverted Sensing types are J
Extraverted Thinkers are J                            Introverted Thinkers are P
 

This same process may be applied to all the combinations.
 
 

The Tertiary and the Inferior are the less conscious mental processes of  what is called  the Shadow.  They are the opposites to your Dominant and Auxiliary and hence do not show in your MBTI profile.  The Tertiary is the process opposite to the Auxiliary (T if you are an F and so on).  This should be the third strongest process and may be somewhat used and developed though may also be still largely in the unconscious.  The Inferior is the warring opposite of your Dominant process and is the most childish and primitive of the four processes.  Indeed some people have repressed it into non-usage completely.  When it does manifest itself in our behavior we deem it “bad” or “wrong”.  In fact, however, we can make friends with this neglected part of ourselves.
 

                                      THE FOUR PERSONALITY  PROCESSES
 
 
 
 

DOMINANT

AUXILIARY

TERTIARY

INFERIOR

ESFJ
 

extraverted feeling

introverted sensing

extraverted intuition

introverted thinking

ISFJ
 

introverted sensing

extraverted feeling

introverted thinking

extraverted intuition

ESTJ
 

extraverted thinking

introverted sensing

extraverted intuition

introverted feeling

ISTJ
 

introverted sensing

extraverted thinking

introverted feeling

extraverted intuition

ENFJ
 

extraverted feeling

introverted intuition

extraverted sensing

introverted thinking

INFJ
 

introverted intuition

extraverted feeling

introverted thinking

extraverted sensing

ENTJ
 

extraverted thinking

introverted intuition

extraverted sensing

introverted feeling

INTJ
 

introverted intuition

extraverted thinking

introverted feeling

extraverted sensing

ESFP
 

extraverted sensing

introverted feeling

extraverted thinking

introverted intuition

ISFP
 

introverted feeling

extraverted sensing

introverted intuition

extraverted thinking

ESTP
 

extraverted sensing

introverted thinking

extraverted feeling

introverted intuition

ISTP
 

introverted thinking

extraverted sensing

introverted intuition

extraverted feeling

ENFP
 

extraverted intuition

introverted feeling

extraverted thinking

introverted sensing

INFP
 

introverted feeling

extraverted intuition

introverted sensing

extraverted thinking

ENTP
 

extraverted intuition

introverted thinking

extraverted feeling

introverted sensing

INTP
 

introverted thinking

extraverted intuition

introverted sensing

extraverted feeling

 
 

Whatever the type, it’s important that there be balance.  The Dominant and Auxiliary Processes work as a team and when a personality is well integrated they function to keep the J/P and E/I  preferences from becoming too one-sided.  For instance, in order for the J and P to balance there must be ability in both to gather information and to reach a final decision which can then be acted upon.  Hence a P needs at least some proficiency in one of the judging processes if he is ever to act on anything.   On the other hand, Js need not to shut out the information gathering process or they will come to closure too quickly.
 
 

It is also important that the energy flow of the Auxiliary Process is able to be directed in the opposite way from the Dominant one.  In other words, if the Dominant process is introverted,  the Auxiliary process should be extraverted and vice versa.  Since Introverts have to extravert with the world, albeit using their second best preference, they are still compelled to do so.  If they did not, they would lose any external moorings.  This is their public face.  Extraverts, on the other hand, may have more trouble going within themselves with their Auxiliary process than Introverts have in being out in the world.  If  Extraverts have not learned how to use their Auxiliary process in an introverted way they will probably have trouble defining who they are or being in touch with themselves.