What is Introverted Perceiving?
The entire purpose of introverted perceiving is to create a subjective impression or observation in order to perceive future implications. Si, as a sensing function, will focus on forming sensory impressions, while Ni will be primarily focused on abstract patterns. These two functions share a lot of similarities, the primary difference being the style of information that they choose to focus on.
Due to introverted perceiving’s focus on implications, Ni/Si in a user gives them a desire to observe and take in information for the sake of future projection. They will essentially be collecting observations in order to predict what will happen. These predictions shape the very reality in which the introverted perceiver lives, and they make decisions based on what they know is going to happen more often than they do based on what is right in front of them. This is why Ni/Si dominants (INTJs, INFJs, ISTJs, ISFJs) are viewed as being the most cautious. Their heavy focus on the future, in a sense, detaches them from the moment, making it especially challenging for them to respond to the unexpected.
Introverted sensing is the dominant (first) function for the ISFJ and ISTJ, the auxiliary (second) function for the ESFJ and ESTJ, the tertiary (third) function for the INTP and INFP, and the inferior (fourth) function for the ENTP and ENFP. On the other hand, introverted intuition is the dominant (first) function for the INFJ and INTJ, the auxiliary (second) function for the ENFJ and ENTJ, the tertiary (third) function for the ISTP and ISFP, and the inferior (fourth) function for the ESFP and ESTP. Placement plays a significant role in how a cognitive function will manifest, which will not be discussed in the below descriptions, since the intended purpose is just to provide general overviews. To read descriptions of specific placements for Si and Ni, check out The Cognitive Functions In Each Position: Ne and Si and The Cognitive Functions In Each Position: Ni and Se.
Introverted Sensing (Si)
Si controls one’s internal perception of the sensory (physical) world around them. Si takes note of its surroundings and internally recreates the world for the user, in a detailed manner. However, it is always colored by personal experiences. For a Si user, all reality is being overlaid with the user’s subjective impressions about people, things, events, etc. It is not the observation of objective reality like Se, but rather it will provide extra context to normal everyday items and cause them to hold meaning for the Si user beyond the face value meaning.
Si provides the imagery for one’s internal world, whether that sticks closely to reality or veers into the fantastical. The higher the Si, the closer their internal recreation should match up to reality. Si is not memory storage, but Si users tend to have detail-oriented minds because Si is striving to create a detailed version of reality inside their minds (whether accurate or not). This can create a propensity for remembering random information, based on the priority of the user (IE: SFJs often remember information that is emotionally important).
Read an in-depth analysis of Introverted Sensing here: Exploring Introverted Sensing (Si).
Introverted Intuition (Ni)
Ni is used primarily to find a specific personal solution for the user, using all the data available to it, rather than being an ever expanding web like Ne. Instead, Ni will naturally zero in on one singular conclusion. Ni users interpret what they observe into subjective, abstract impressions. These impressions aren’t usually tied to specific details, but rather the overarching theme, meaning, or conclusion of the observation. That is ultimately what they store away. This can make their stored impressions applicable to a variety of situations with differing contexts, since key details don’t have to match up exactly. As a result, they often don’t prioritize concrete details, wanting to instead find the underlying pattern or the “big picture”.
In general, most of what Ni users observe will be subconscious sensory data translated into their interpretation of its meaning. Later down the road, they’ll recall the patterns and meanings so that when a similar event comes up, they’ll “just know” how it’s going to play out. What they might not realize, though, is that they’re subconsciously remembering all the similar events from their past, and that those patterns are suggesting a probable outcome. This is why Ni users are stereotyped as psychics and sages. They don’t really know how they know… they just know.
Read an in-depth analysis of Introverted Intuition here: Exploring Introverted Intuition (Ni).
