IXTP/IXFP: Am I an Ne or Se User?

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MBTI and Myers-Briggs related content

When you spend a lot of time on typing forums, you start to notice common typing dilemmas. This is one of them. Both the Fi dominants (ISFPs and INFPs) and the Ti dominants (ISTPs and INTPs) tend to struggle with whether they are an intuitive or a sensor. Basically, they’re unsure as to whether or not they primarily use Ne or Se. They’ll pull together different evidence to support both sides, lay it all out, and plead for people’s help. I even had this problem, once upon a time. As a kid, I typed as an ISTP, and never doubted that typing until I reached adulthood, and asked the inevitable question, “Am I an Ne or Se User?”. For a while there, in my early twenties, I switched and claimed INTP… until I finally realized that I couldn’t possibly be one. I’ve run into others in my life with a similar struggle. Hopefully, if you’re asking this question, I can be of help to you.

Before we get into the nitty gritty, let’s clarify why IXXP’s have this problem.

The answer is quite simple. ISFPs and ISTPs (along with ESXJs) are the most intuitive of the sensors, while INFPs and INTPs (along with ENXJs) are the most sensing of the intuitives. Why is that? It’s because IXXP’s have both of their perceiving functions stacked together, in the middle, right next to each other. Most of us are well aware that our inferior function likes to jump in and play tug-of-war with our dominant, causing all sorts of problems. However, people aren’t always aware of the relationship between their two middle functions. Because they’re right next to each other, the two can learn to play together, and have a more harmonious relationship. When that happens, we become very aware of the role our tertiary function is playing, and sometimes we begin to mix it up with our auxiliary. This tends to happen as we mature. Hence, why I began to wonder if I was an intuitive once I hit my early twenties. That was probably around the time I was developing healthy use of my Ni.

Now, I’m going to be honest. Usually when someone has this N vs S dilemma, the person ends up being a sensor. I’m not saying that’s always the case, but I find there is a bias toward intuitives. The internet has made them out to be smarter, rarer, more creative, and etc. As a result, sensors tend to subconsciously (or consciously) want to be one. Please try to be aware of any personal biases you may have when attempting to type yourself. But anyways, on to the meat of this article: Ne/Si vs. Se/Ni.

The Differences

1. Ne/Si is random idea generation, while Se/Ni is focused problem solving.

Ne users love brainstorming, and they’re usually at the heart of it. They think of all the different possibilities, and usually enjoy sharing them. Sometimes the possibilities make sense, and sometimes they don’t. But overall, Ne users are usually very good at producing ideas, even if 90% of them end up not being applicable. It only takes one good idea though, right? Se users, however, while they may not be terrible at brainstorming, they’re better at weeding through possibilities to find the practical solution. They’re usually not a bottomless pit of ideas and possibilities. They can be excellent troubleshooters, but in their natural state, they won’t give you the inventor-of-random-things vibe, like an Ne user might. Instead, they’ll see a problem, and find a way to solve it (no invention purely for the sake of it).

2. Ne/Si gathers knowledge for the sake of it, while Se/Ni gains knowledge for a purpose

Ne/Si is greatly interested by new ideas and concepts. They like discussing hypothetical scenarios, and theories. Subsequently, Ne users will naturally gain random knowledge as they explore random things. Se/Ni, on the other hand, will research something out with a specific purpose in mind. They can be very theoretical, but it’ll always be for a purpose. For instance, MBTI is a theory. It is abstract. One might instinctually call anyone who is into discussing MBTI an intuitive. However, they’d be wrong. I researched MBTI to death because I have inferior Fe. I wanted to learn how to get along with people better, by understanding how they think. So, I delved into the theory deeply and haven’t yet lost interest. So, in a conversation setting, an Ne/Si user might geek out over various new ideas and concepts, while an Se/Ni user might be asking “Why are we talking about this? What’s the point?”

3. Ne/Si tends to enjoy debating, discussing, and talking, while Se/Ni wants to do and experience.

This probably seems very redundant. But, because of everything mentioned previously, an aux Ne user will probably appear more content to just talk and discuss things with others, whereas an aux Se user will probably get bored after a while and be itching to do something. Bear in mind, that the thing they choose to do could be something as minor as going to a new coffee shop and talking there over a latte. Se users will seem more action-oriented in general, wanting to do and apply what they know, because they want to experience life with all 5 senses. Due to their desire for action or stimulus, the aux Se users will probably get bored much more easily, than the aux Ne users who are frequently content to just drift off inside their own mind.

4. Ne/Si knows random details about many things, while Se/Ni knows about things they’ve experienced or dealt with.

This one may seem obvious because it’s very closely related to the previous point. However, just to be clear, Ne users, since they enjoy new things and are backed by Si detail orientation, will probably know a bunch of random, detailed information that they picked up from who knows where. Se/Ni users on the other hand will know a lot about the specific things they have researched (whether to solve a problem, explore an interest, or etc.) They typically won’t be sponges for random trivia or facts.

5. Ne/Si asks “what if?”, while Se/Ni has hunches.

This is also similar to a previous point. Ne intuition makes connections in the external world. Ne users will imagine many different scenarios, and ask “what if this happens? or how about this?” …etc. They’ll do this naturally for recreation or entertainment, rather than purely out of anxiety. (Many types imagine negative scenarios when stressing out.) Ne users are prone to making puns, bursting out into a song when someone accidentally quotes a line from it, and etc. Ni intuition is subjective, and internal. Ni users won’t share their intuition out loud very frequently, and they’ll use it to find meaning or the underlying patterns behind the present scenario, so they can predict or navigate the future. It’s more personal than Ne. Therefore, Ni users get hunches. They don’t always understand where these hunches have come from because they’re memory is not detailed. They subconsciously translated events into patterns, instead of details, and stored away those patterns. They don’t always remember the events that helped them learn the pattern. But, their Ni will feed them hunches based on these subconscious memories. So, Ni will produce a single response, while Ne will produce many possibilities.

6. Ne/Si learns through conceptualizing and understanding, while Se/Ni learns hands-on, by doing.

Ne users tend to prefer to discuss something, and ask a lot of questions so they can fully grasp a concept before attempting to apply it. Their ‘what if’ orientation comes into play here. However, Se users will need to do or apply something in order to understand it. They won’t always realize what questions need to be asked until they’re in the middle of doing it. This is because Se is about extraverting one’s senses (seeing, tasting, touching, smelling, hearing). They will perceive via their physical senses. Therefore, depending on the person and their experiences, an Se user might completely miss all of the information in a lecture simply because they don’t know how to apply the information. They might be impatient when it comes to lectures, especially if they cannot see a way to practically apply or use the information.

7. Ne/Si likes to teach others through lecture, while Se/Ni likes to teach through action.

This is another point that is closely related to the previous. Since Ne users like to learn through discussion, they naturally want to teach others in that same way. So, Ne users will tend to enjoy explaining and talking when teaching others. However, Se users will be the ones that demonstrate something in front of you, and then tell you to do it yourself. They’ll generally be less lecture oriented. (That’s not to say that they can’t lecture, but they’ll prefer to make everything hands-on and practical, whenever possible.) The ISXPs, since they have tertiary Ni, may struggle to verbalize their thoughts more than an Ne/Si user might, which is partially why they’re more apt to demonstrate rather than explain.

8. Ne/Si will usually consider every possible solution, whereas an Se/Ni will probably take a more trial-by-error approach.

Allow me to explain this. This article is specifically focusing on auxiliary use so I’m not necessarily saying that aux Se will be really impulsive, cause it frequently isn’t. After all, the ISXP is still leading with an introverted function. However, in general, the INXP is probably going to approach a problem by first conceptualizing all of the possible solutions. They’ll then analyze all options and choose the best one. This process will take some time and possibly make them appear slower to act as they weed through all of their possibilities. (I mean this specifically in an analytical context though, not a moral one. That makes a difference. A moral situation for an IXFP will draw out Fi which can be very decisive regardless of Ne or Se.) However, on the other hand, an ISXP is more likely to allow Ni to jump them quickly to a single possible solution. They may sort through a couple of options, but they’ll probably be very quick to latch onto the first one that makes sense, and just go for it. As they take this path forward, they’ll adapt and adjust their plan based on any new information presented to them, or changes in the situation. Let me reiterate an example that I came across once… (I tried desperately to find the original one I read, but never could.)

Essentially, imagine organizing a bookshelf. Ne users are more likely to gather all of the books together in front them, and begin sorting through them to figure out the best organization method to use. They probably won’t begin to line the bookshelf until they’ve figured out exactly how they want to do it (Ne possibility exploration/conceptualization + Si detail orientation). They’ll sit, think, and consider what will work best. Se users, on the other hand, are more likely to take a brief look at the books in front of them and then start placing the books on the shelf according to the first rational method that leapt to their mind (Se desire to take action  + Ni instincts/singular solution). They’ll then adjust as they go, as they realize a better way or notice something that they missed.

Both types can daydream, produce an idea, enjoy physical activity, have good reflexes, and etc.!

(Check out “Yes, Sensors Dream” for more information on that subject.)

That’s all I can think of for now. Hopefully it didn’t seem too redundant, and helped clear some things up for you. Let me know in the comments if you think I missed anything.

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