ENFP/ENTP/ESFP/ESTP: Inferior Si vs Inferior Ni

Exploring the inferior functions, like inferior Si vs inferior Ni is a great way to approach discovering your own type, if looking at the dominant and auxiliary functions is failing you. I have seen so many people question if they are a Ne dominant (ENFP/ENTP) or a Se dominant (ESFP/ESTP). We have written an article directly on that subject, called EXFP/EXTP: Am I an Ne dom or an Se dom? which you can read if you’re interested. However, if you’re still stuck, it’s definitely worth exploring inferior Si vs inferior Ni.

This article is part of a series. If you wish to read the previous article in this series, check out INTJ/INFJ/ISTJ/ISFJ: Inferior Se vs Inferior Ne and INFP/ISFP/INTP/ISTP: Inferior Te vs Inferior Fe.

What is an Inferior Function?

The inferior function is the fourth function, or last, function in a personality type’s cognitive function stack. Each type’s inferior function is their greatest weakness, and the way in which they respond to severe stress. People can learn to use their inferior function in a positive way, but by default, at least initially, it will show up negatively. Although, to be clear, a dominant Si user (ISTJ or ISFJ) can use Si in the same negative way as an inferior Si user (ENFP or ENTP). The difference is that an ISXJ should have a greater capacity to use the function well, in addition to using it more consistently and more often. Remember, function placement measures range of use. An individual who is immature or generally unhealthy (in an emotional or mental sense) may manifest primarily negative uses of their dominant function, because they themselves are in a negative state overall. You can be in a negative state without being in a grip.

Inferior Si vs Inferior Ni: Cognitive Function Prerequisites

For those new to the cognitive functions, I am going to start out by listing the cognitive function stacks of the personality types in question below, so you can quickly reference which function goes with which type, if necessary.

ENFP: Ne-Fi-Te-Si
ENTP: Ne-Ti-Fe-Si
ESFP: Se-Fi-Te-Ni
ESTP: Se-Ti-Fe-Ni

As you can see, ENFPs and ENTPs (or the Ne dominants) have inferior Si, while the ESFPs and ESTPs (or Se dominants) have inferior Ni.

Inferior Si vs Inferior Ni: Comparing the Functions

In the following sections, we’re going to first give brief overviews of how Si and Ni look when used well. From there, we’ll rationalize how each function would show up in the negative, based on what it does in the positive.

Introverted Sensing (Si) in the Positive

High Si users, or SJs, form subjective impressions of reality based on their personal, concrete experience. They compare reality to their current storehouse of subjective impressions, for better or for worse. They are known for being detail-oriented and meticulous, because they have a very specific internal image of the way things should be. These personality types are often cautious, observant, and calculated, as a result. Obviously, this is all to varying degrees based on Si’s exact position in their function stack. However, the dominants are usually very careful and consistent people.

SJs are creatures of habit, that do everything in such a way as to minimize mistakes and ensure a perfect and predictable outcome. Therefore, they typically develop regular routines that allow them to maintain that consistency of outcome. Si dominants are also frequently good at recalling detailed information for whatever subjects or topics that they deemed useful or relevant. They can usually look back on events of significance and recall a vast amount of details surrounding what happened, which they use as a form of pattern recognition to predict future outcomes.

Introverted Sensing (Si) in the Negative

Now, let’s talk about ENXPs with their inferior Si. Inferior function use tends to be extreme or uncontrolled. Obviously, this can change with practice and time, but typically bad inferior function use should be identifiable for a decent portion of their earlier or young adult life. So, let’s take the description of good Si and flip it on it’s head.

If good Si users are developing regular routines and patterns as a way of life, bad Si users are choosing hyper specific things to routinize in their life, things that many people may deem laughable or insignificant. For instance, ENXPs may organize their desk a certain way down to the smallest detail, yet be perfectly content to let the rest of their room or house fall into chaos. Perhaps, they hyper routinize a specific non-critical task, like roasting coffee or preparing their morning eggs. This detail-oriented nature may surface in the way they talk endlessly about all the specific information regarding their routines or subjects of interest to anyone willing to listen.

Another facet of inferior Si users will be latching onto a single insignificant past detail and using it to draw an extreme or paranoid conclusion. I saw a brilliant example of this in the show Teen Wolf, where the ENFP urges his friend to get rid of her small dog because the first victim (in what they knew would be a series of victims) had a small dog. Were there enough victims to make that detail into a pattern? No. Was there any logical reason to connect small dogs to the incident? No. However, just in case, ENFP wanted her to get rid of her small dog.

Bad Si can also take on an anti-Si attitude, which can surface in openly defying traditions, past lessons, or the importance of paying attention to details. This will be more overt and purposeful than, for instance, simply ignoring traditions or fighting against perceived attempts to force them to comply with one – something which many other personality types might do. In the case of devaluing attention to detail, it’ll make them overly prone to error and miscalculation in the midst of action.

Introverted Intuition (Ni) in the Positive

High Ni users, or NJs, store away impressions, like SJs, but less personalized and specific. While all introverted functions are abstract, it may be more understandable to specifically refer to NJ patterns as abstract, detached impressions of events. They condense details down into a template or structure, in which the details become less relevant to the picture overall. (See Si vs. Ni: Details and Patterns) They compare these templates or patterns to reality, using them to predict future outcomes. (They can see multiple perspectives, but unlike high Ne users, they don’t typically struggle with ruling out possible outcomes.)

Due to the less specific nature of their patterns, NJs excel at looking at a situation and drawing conclusions based on vague information. They have a tendency to read between the lines, rather than just sticking with the face value information. They don’t typically get caught up on individual details, since their focus is on the “big picture”, or the overaching pattern. However, NJs can’t always trace back their conclusions to the specific information or sources that led to them.

Dominant Ni users specifically are also cautious and careful individuals, preferring their life to be controlled and predictable. They prefer to plan and prepare, like any other Pi (introverted perceiving) dominant. They, like other Pi dominants, prefer to have a long term goal or plan, but the path forward should be somewhat malleable. However, they can get meticulous about matters affecting their long term vision or goals.

Introverted Intuition (Ni) in the Negative

Now, let’s talk about the ESXPs with inferior Ni. As stated earlier, inferior function use tends to be extreme or uncontrolled. So, if good Ni reads into a situation and jumps to a conclusion as to how it might play out, bad Ni is going to do a couple of things.

First, ESXPs might fail to give enough consideration to varying perspectives and jump too quickly to conclusions, making them extremely prone to error. (They may not be aware of this though, if the person on the receiving end of the bad predictions never contradicts them. I’ve been on the other end of an ESFP’s conclusions in this type of scenario, and I usually just move on without saying much.)

Second, Ni used badly may make the user paranoid. If Ni is naturally seeing ways in which something may play out, bad Ni might only see negative ways in which something might play out. It’ll be similar to bad Ne (since inferior intuition in general has some shared tendencies), but the conclusions will likely be more linear (this, then this, then that). They won’t surface like a scatterplot of possible negative outcomes. Inferior Ni is more likely to produce a chain of events leading to a single outcome, or different ways the same event will lead to the same negative outcome. (Good Si can do something similar, but the “linear” conclusion will be based on a past, explainable, concrete experience. Ni’s pattern recognition is more flexible, allowing the user to produce conclusions that are either not consciously based on past experience or are a Frankenstein of their varous stored patterns.)

Introverted perceiving functions (Ni and Si) are the future-oriented functions, due to their tendency to perceive future implications in an effort to be prepared. Someone with inferior Ni might choose to completely ignore this function, resulting in a complete disregard for the future and for planning. They’ll refuse to look beyond now, choosing to live only in the present moment. Similarly, they may choose to completely ignore potential underlying information, going only with what is provable and readily observable.

Note: inferior Ni is stereotypically known for impulsively leaping into situations, completely unprepared. This behavior has been almost exclusively attributed to Se dominants, and that is a mistake. Both types of extraverted perceiving dominants are prone to leaping into situations without giving it enough prior thought due to the nature of the extraverted perceiving functions. This is not a behavior that is limited to Se dominants, and it certainly does not exclude the Ne dominants.

Inferior Si vs Inferior Ni: In conclusion…

I’m going to try to actually complete this series, by comparing inferior Ti and inferior Fi next. However, if there are two different types you’d like see compared in this way, just let me know. By default, I was sticking to parallel types that are commonly confused.

I hope you found this article helpful. Comment below with your thoughts!