Ti vs. Ne: What’s the Difference?

Descriptions of Introverted Thinking (Ti) and Extraverted Intuition (Ne) frequently get intermingled or blended together. Perhaps that seems odd, since one is a thinking function and one an intuition function. However, since every person is a mix of four cognitive functions, it happens all the time. As an individual, in my own personal thinking, it can be hard to tell where one cognitive function ends and another begins, because realistically they’re all constantly in play, influencing each other. Likewise, for an INTP describing Ti vs. Ne, it can be very difficult to recognize where to draw the line between them.

Why Contrast Ti vs. Ne?

Years ago, I briefly thought that I might be an INTP. (For those who don’t know, I’m an ISTP.) Initially, I read a bunch of INTP descriptions, which I found myself relating to quite a bit. Eventually, I learned the cognitive function stack differences between these types, and realized that I needed to understand Ne vs. Se. Eventually, I landed decisively on ISTP, and never questioned again. However, personality theory was still a hobby of mine, so I kept learning about the cognitive functions. Later on, I happened upon another INTP description, and came to a realization: There was Ti mixed into the Ne description. Meanwhile, the ISTP description had most of the Ti stripped from it (since it’d been mixed up with Ne), resulting in an ISTP description with overblown Se, or something more akin to a reserved ESTP.

Ti vs. Ne: Defining These Two Cognitive Functions

People often complain about how inconsistently the cognitive functions are defined. It seems that everywhere you look, the functions are being described somewhat differently. So, what’s correct? What’s trustworthy? In my person opinion, cognitive function definitions should be checked against both Carl Jung’s original definitions and reality itself. (The “reality” component is important because Carl Jung’s definitions are very extreme, and for instance, his Ni definition leans too mystical. You can get a core understanding from him, but then you have to ensure the logic traces back to average, realistic examples of each type.) So, with that being said, let’s start by getting an original description of Ti and Ne from Psychological Types.

Introverted Thinking, or Ti, According to Carl Jung

Extraverted Intuition, or Ne, According to Carl Jung

Contrasting Ti vs. Ne

Of course, it’s important to note that any quotes that I use from Carl Jung are specifically referring to dominant types. Auxiliary, or secondary, functions will always be in service to the dominant, so they’ll surface in a more limited fashion and not as strong. In addition, when I say “Ti user” or “Ne user”, I’m referring to these functions in a high placement. In other words, NPs and TPs. I can’t guarantee how much a lower user will relate to any of this.

1. Both Ti and Ne are abstract

People make the mistake of assuming that only intuitive functions are abstract, and that’s completely false. If you read any of the quotes I’ve provided, Carl Jung describes Ti in a very abstract way. (For the record, introverted functions are generally abstract, more so than any extraverted function.) In reality, Ne enjoys abstract possibilities, but it is not exactly abstract in and of itself.

2. Both Ti and Ne are concerned with ideas and possibilities

Notice how Jung referenced “ideas” and “possibilities” when describing Ti? Most people associate ideas and possibilities with Ne, not Ti. Unfortunately, the pitfall that many typology enthusiasts fall into is the tendency to exclusively associate certain words with certain personality types or cognitive functions. But that’s not how any of this works. Words can have different meanings, different contexts, and different applications.

So, what’s the difference between Ti and Ne here?

3. Ti is concerned with subjective, or personal, theories

Based on Jung’s description, the word “ideas” is in reference to theories. Ti is concerned with subjective, logical ideas or personal theories. In this context, the ideas are internally sourced, not externally. New data will be compared against the framework, which will then prompt possible ideas based on the framework’s updated understanding. The high Ti user is diving deep to form these ideas, by looking at the data in as many ways as they possibly can, analyzing it from all angles, considering all the possible perspectives. They form new views, build an understanding from the ground up, all to understand the idea it represents. Ultimately, Ti users are most concerned with finding what fits, so that they can fine tune their cumulative understanding, or their framework. They have to find what makes the most sense.

Jung further explains in a different spot when he says, “Its aim is never an intellectual reconstruction of the concrete fact, but a shaping of that dark image into a luminous idea. It wants to reach reality, to see how the external fact will fit into and fill the framework of the idea…”

Related Article: Exploring Introverted Thinking (Ti)

4. Ne is concerned with objective ideas, or external possibilities

In stark contrast, Ne is looking outside for ideas, or possibilities. Ne gets lost in the new and the novel, because with it comes new possibilities. (Possibilities branching from possibilities branching from possibilities.) As Jung states, Ne users lose themselves in objects, or the possibilities these objects represent. Ideas for a Ne user are much less permanent or sacred, in a sense. While a Ti user is formulating and clinging to logical theories, rejecting things on instinct that don’t fit in, Ne is chasing new ideas. Ne is less concerned with logical consistency (Ti) or value-based implications (Fi), but instead concerned with discovering what else might be uncovered with this new thing, even if the possibility ends up being flawed, ineffective, or unrealistic. They want to know where else it might lead.

A new discovery, a new factoid, a new gadget, etc. all deliver up the potential for further exploration, which Ne users will lose themselves in for a time, until something more new and exciting comes along. This is why we often see Ne users connecting things in the external world together. (Puns are the most basic example of this, but technically, any type can do puns.) Their Ne is looking outward, for possibilities which causes them to draw connections as a byproduct (via Ti or Fi in service to Ne). This is why high Ne is often referred to as “open-minded”. Sometimes, Ne types are so eager to explore new possibilities, that they’ll fail to notice contradictions or logical inconsistencies within the various ideas that they’ve considered. There’ll be a lack of cohesion, and a resulting reluctance to rule out ideas.

Related Article: Exploring Extraverted Intuition (Ne)

5. Ti in service to Ne vs. Ne in service to Ti

Ok, so now that I’ve finished explaining the dominant types, what do these functions look like when they’re paired together? How do we tell these types apart?

Well, we wrote an article on this subject called ENTP vs. INTP: The Differences. Check that out if you want the deep dive, but below I’m going to make a bulleted list to call out the key things you should know about these different placements.

• Ti dominants are prone to instantly rejecting new information or ideas before fully realizing why. They may backpeddle later (and open their minds to a possibility) after giving it some thought.
• Ne dominants instinctively like to toy with new ideas and possibilities, but may back peddle later when a logical inconsistency or practical implication slaps them in the face.
• Ti dominants will be inherently more critical of the new and novel. They have to make sense of it first, then they’ll allow themselves to explore the possibilites.
• Ne dominants are more likely to reconsider ideas that they have previously rejected, in addition to exploring new ones, because of their inherent reluctance to completely close off possibilities.
• The Ti dominant’s downfall will be continually re-analyzing the same data or cherrypicking information to force their theory to fit. They won’t open their mind to new possibilities until they’re desperate and/or have hit a wall.
• The Ne dominant’s downfall will be juggling too many possiblities, or never sticking with any one “theory” or “exploration” for very long. Nothing is permanent or long-lasting. Everything can be made sense of, even when it shouldn’t be.
• The Ne dominant’s goal is not to make things make sense, although they may try to do that from time to time.
• The Ti dominant’s goal is not to discover new possibilities, although they may try to do that from time to time.

In Conclusion…

Any thoughts or ideas on Ti vs. Ne? Anything else to add? Let me know in the comments!