Sentimentality: Just an Si Tendency?

One of the big proofs of Si, or Introverted Sensing, that people look for is sentimentality. Most of the time, it’s the first question someone is asked when the possibility of Si is on the table. Unfortunately, there’s a flaw in using this as the primary source of evidence… Namely, we’re all human, and most humans are sentimental to some degree. Obviously, some are more sentimental than others. However, most people cling to their past in some way, whether it be cherishing a small item that recalls a specific fond memory, or retelling stories to friends. Everyone’s past is a part of them, Si user or not.

Si and Sentimentality

Introverted Sensors (Si) recall the past usually in great detail, resulting in them essentially reliving the past with every recollection. This is why they’re known for relying heavily on the past or being stuck in the past. However, that doesn’t always make them sentimental. In fact, STJs specifically have a tendency to be not nearly as sentimental as people tend to think. Why? Because they’re thinkers.

STJs and Sentimentality

While sentimentality tends to be rooted in the past, it is essentially based on emotion. Let me give you a definition of “sentimental” for clarity’s sake.

“expressive of or appealing to sentiment, especially the tender emotions and feelings, as love, pity, or nostalgia:” (from dictionary.com)

Notice the latter half of that definition. (First half seems kind of pointless to be honest, lol. I‘ve never understood why definitions insist on involving a different form of the word you’re looking up.) Sentimentality requires a stirring up of emotions, and thinkers tend to undervalue their emotions. An STJ can be rooted in the past, without being especially sentimental. In fact, with Te being their auxiliary, they’ll use the past to make their life more efficient, organized, and logical, rather than using Si-Te to maintain “pointless” sentimental traditions. Obviously, I’m not saying that STJs can’t be sentimental. I’m simply saying that they might not be.

Sentimentality in the Types

Feelers

So, which types are prone to being the most sentimental? You probably know where I’m going with this by now, but I’ll spell it out: the feelers. Feelers place value in their emotions. From my observations, the most highly sentimental types tend to be the ones that are feelers with Si somewhere in their stack. That means (and this is purely speculation) SFJs are the probably the most sentimental and tradition-oriented of the types, followed by the INFPs, since they have tertiary Si. (I can’t count the ENFPs since inferior Si can show up as a blatant disregard for the past.) However, I’ve also seen some very sentimental ISFPs and INFJs…. Notice that those types have no Si.

Thinkers

Personally, as an ISTP, while I have sentimental moments on occasion, it is not a frequent thing and I’m most certainly not known for being sentimental. That makes sense though, right? I’m thinker, but I’m still human. I enjoy looking back to the past and recalling fond memories when the mood strikes. Plus, maintaining a tradition or two can be fun. Overall though, I’m usually the one rolling my eyes when people insist upon fulfilling the same traditions year after year. It looks exhausting, to be honest… way too much work and pressure to make everything “just so.”

Thinkers, as they develop their feeling function, may become more sentimental than they originally were to begin with. This is worth saying because, as a general rule, people tend to get more sentimental as they age. A thinker may simply be more sentimental because that thinker is older. However, I doubt thinkers will want others to view them as sentimental, so they’ll probably prefer to keep it hidden

In Conclusion…

This topic didn’t necessarily warrant a really long dissertation, however, I thought it was worth calling out. Sentimentality can potentially be a symptom of Si, however, it is definitely not proof on it’s own. When seeking to identify an Si user, focus on some other signs. Does the person recall tons of details from the past? Do they feel like they are reliving it every time they do or are they more detached? Do they tend to be a storehouse of facts and odd or unnecessary information? Do they recoil from certain things simply because they had one bad experience a long time ago? Check Extraverted Perceiving Functions (Ne/Se) or Introverted Perceiving Functions (Ni/Si) for a general overview of each type of sensor, and feel free to comment with questions or any additional information!