The Inferior Functions According to Carl Jung

Posted on August 15th, 2025 in Jungian Theory by Mara

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MBTI and Myers-Briggs related content

Yes, I intentionally said “inferior functions” in the plural. Typically, as the result of Myers-Briggs, people often refer to a singular inferior function, rather than multiple. However, that‘s not specifically what Carl Jung was referring to when he called a function “inferior”. In this article, I’m going to delve into what Carl Jung meant when he spoke of the inferior functions, and how he defined them.

Prerequisite Information

This article is actually a third in a series. In the first, I covered the dominant function, which covered several foundational concepts surrounding the cognitive function stack which Carl Jung laid out in his book, Psychological Types. In the second, I specifically honed in on the auxiliary function. If you haven’t read those, be sure to check them out.

What Is an Inferior Function?

As we know it today, the inferior function is the fourth function in one’s cognitive function stack, opposite to the dominant. However, Carl Jung didn’t view inferior functions so absolutely. He actually used the term “inferior” in a broader, or more relative sense, rather than referring to an absolute position in the cognitive function stack. So, what is an inferior function? Carl Jung defined it as the following:

“INFERIOR FUNCTION. This term is used to denote the function that lags behind in the process of differentiation…” – Psychological Types, Page 450

(If you’re unfamiliar with the term “differentiation”, I did cover it in my article on the dominant function. In short, differentiation is the process by which one function is distinguished from the rest as a result of its development.)

Why Does A Function Become Inferior?

“Experience shows that it is practically impossible, owing to adverse circumstances in general, for anyone to develop all his psychological functions simultaneously.” – Psychological Types, Page 450

As I explained in my article on the dominant function, every individual focuses on differentiating the cognitive function to which they are best equipped. After all, it’s impossible to focus on all the cognitive functions at once, so we double down on whichever one will bring us the greatest success, the fastest. As a result…

“As a consequence of this one-sided development, one or more functions are necessarily retarded. These functions may properly be called inferior in a psychological but not psychopathological sense, since they are in no way morbid but merely backward as compared with the favoured function.” – Psychological Types, Page 450

Because certain functions are “doubled down on”, other functions must lag behind. Therefore, the inferior functions are any function that lags behind as a result of someone’s overemphasis on another function. Of course, the most obvious example of this would be found via the function that’s given the greatest emphasis, the dominant function. Its overemphasis would create the greatest inferior function. Unfortunately, this “lagging behind” is unavoidable considering the fact that every person must choose a preference if they are to have any chance at success in life.

Which Cognitive Functions Become Inferior?

“These relatively undeveloped functions constitute a specific inferiority which is characteristic of each type and is an integral part of his total character. The one-sided emphasis on thinking is always accompanied by an inferiority of feeling, and differentiated sensation is injurious to intuition and vice versa.” – Psychological Types, Page 540

Functions operate on scales with their dichotomy opposite. In other words, the more you develop feeling, the more you suppress thinking. The suppressed functions become the inferior functions. I other words, each type’s strongest functions are counterbalanced by equally weak functions, and these inferior functions give each type a specific weakness that is characteristic of their type.

Now, in the above quote, you may note that Carl Jung refers to the inferior functions as relatively undeveloped, which is also how he refers to the auxiliary function. In fact, one could argue that the auxiliary function “lags behind” the dominant in differentiation and development. My mind ran that rabbit trail when I saw that Carl Jung actually refers to Ne dominants as having inferior thinking and feeling in his section on Ne. However, the conclusion I came to is that Carl Jung describes pure types in his description, which he states in his book in addition to saying that no one will actually show up in real life as a pure type. In other words, he didn’t write the descriptions with an auxiliary function in mind. In a pure type, every other cognitive function would be inferior. So, theoretically, an incredibly unhealthy individual who is living primarily in their dominant function could have an undeveloped auxiliary function, making it effectively inferior. Of course, in those instances, the auxiliary function would cease to be identifiable as an auxiliary due to the complete lack of differentiation. However, if the auxiliary has been differentiated at least to some degree, it would cease to be considered an inferior function. After all, Carl Jung typically describes inferior functions as being created due to another’s function differentiation. However, by Carl Jung’s definition, a tertiary function is most definitely an inferior function, since it’s lagging behind the auxiliary.

Of course, today, we don’t use the term “inferior function” in that way. Instead, we have relegated that label to being only the fourth function, or the function that is the most inferior (due to being opposite of the dominant).

We Are Victims Of Our Inferior

“Whether a function is differentiated or not can easily be recognized from its strength, stability, consistency, reliability, and adaptedness. But inferiority in a function is often not so easy to recognize or to describe. An essential criterion is its lack of self-sufficiency and consequent dependence on people and circumstances, its disposing us to moods and crotchetiness, its unreliable use, its suggestible and labile character. The inferior function always puts us at a disadvantage because we cannot direct it, but are rather its victims.” – Psychological Types, Page 450

Differentiated functions are ones that we find consistently reliable, the ones we trust to handle our most critical situations in addition to relying on them in daily life. However, inferior functions are the opposite, putting us at a specific disadvantage. We can be conscious of them, aware of the hold they have on our minds or in our lives, but we cannot control them to any reasonable degree. Sometimes people hone in on their inferior, mistaking it for a higher place function due to the level of awareness they have of it. But awareness is not indicative of development or differentiation. It’s all about conscious control and range of use. Inferior functions usually run wild in our minds, expose us to our insecurities, and rely on the help of external sources (ie: people) to be of any use. This is why, for instance, an INFP might feel drawn to an EXTJ. That inferior Te is looking for the support and encouragement of a dominant user.

Below is an example given in the book involving an EXFJ type. In the following quote, the dominant function is referred to as the superior function.

“…the superior function is the most conscious one and completely under conscious control, whereas the less differentiated functions are in part unconscious and far less under the control of consciousness. The superior function is always an expression of the conscious personality, of its aims, will, and general performance, whereas the less differentiated functions fall into the category of things that simply “happen” to one. These things need not be mere slips of the tongue or pen and other such oversights, they can equally well be half or three-quarters intended, for the less differentiated functions also possess a slight degree of consciousness. A classic example of this is the extraverted feeling type, who enjoys an excellent feeling rapport with the people around him, yet occasionally “happens” to express opinions of unsurpassable tactlessness. These opinions spring from his inferior and half-conscious thinking, which, being only partly under his control and insufficiently related to the object, can be quite ruthless in its effects.” – Psychological Types, Page 340

We Must Develop Our Inferior

“On the other hand, since the self-regulation of the living organism requires by its very nature the harmonizing of the whole human being, consideration of the less favoured functions forces itself upon us as a vital necessity and an unavoidable task in the education of the human race” – Psychological Types, Page 299

Eventually, as we mature, development of the inferior functions will be necessary. Someone who fails to do so ends up being the child that never grows up, stuck in a permanent infantile state. Usually people such as this struggle as they get older because those around them expect growth, but the individual fails to provide it, resulting in damage to his/her life, relationships, etc.

“But this one-sided development must inevitably lead to a reaction, since the suppressed inferior functions cannot be indefinitely excluded from participating in our life and development. The time will come when the division in the inner man must be abolished, in order that the undeveloped may be granted an opportunity to live.” – Psychological Types, Page 74

We must strive to, as Jung puts it, harmonize our whole being. The inferior cannot be suppressed forever. Even attempting to do so will ultimately fail because the inferior finds ways to leak out, due to the associated insecurities and weaknesses it’s suppression has created. People often try to avoid putting themselves in situations which call upon their inferior, which can sometimes make them appear healthy and balanced. However, strategically avoiding the inferior function(s) is not development. Eventually, life will force the inferior into play, and the healthy individual will respond by giving that function an “opportunity to live”.

The Trade Off For Developing Inferior Functions

“It would be a hopeless task—which nevertheless has often been undertaken and as often has foundered—to transform an inferior function directly into a superior one. It would be as easy to make a perpetuum mobile. No lower form of energy can simply be converted into a higher form unless a source of higher value simultaneously lends its support; that is, the conversion can be accomplished only at the expense of the superior function. But under no circumstances can the initial value of the higher form of energy be attained by the lower forms as well or be resumed by the superior function: an equalization at some intermediate level must inevitably result. For every individual who identifies with his one differentiated function, this entails a descent to a condition which, though balanced, is of a definitely lower value as compared with the initial value. This conclusion is unavoidable.” – Psychological Types, Page 131

Of course, I’ve been talking about how functions operate on scales. The more you develop one, the more you suppress it’s opposite. The reverse logic holds true. The more you develop the suppressed, the less differentiated it’s opposite becomes. Therefore, the truly balanced individual will not have an incredibly obvious personality type, because the dominant will be adequately balanced by it’s inferior. This is why sometimes older individuals are sometimes difficult to type. Life and maturity brought them balance, and in their current state, a specific personality type is hard to pin point. The same holds true for a healthy person of any age. Someone who’s personality type is incredibly obvious from the moment you meet them is usually imbalanced, due to lack of development in their lower functions.

How Do We Develop Our Inferior?

“I have frequently observed how an analyst, confronted with a terrific thinking type, for instance, will do his utmost to develop the feeling function directly out of the unconscious. Such an attempt is foredoomed to failure, because it involves too great a violation of the conscious standpoint…But the approach to the unconscious and to the most repressed function is disclosed, as it were, of its own accord, and with adequate protection of the conscious standpoint, when the way of development proceeds via the auxiliary function—in the case of a rational type via one of the irrational functions. This gives the patient a broader view of what is happening, and of what is possible, so that his consciousness is sufficiently protected against the inroads of the unconscious. Conversely, in order to cushion the impact of the unconscious, an irrational type needs a stronger development of the rational auxiliary function present in consciousness.” – Psychological Types, Page 407

I thought this section was incredibly interesting when I found it. It’s essentially explaining that the dominant’s inferior (ie: the most repressed function) cannot be developed directly, and attempting to do so is doomed to failure. Rather, the path to that inferior function, meaning the fourth function, can be found via the auxiliary function. In other words, we cannot develop our inferior until we have developed our auxiliary function. Once the auxiliary is developed, we can use it to tap into our fourth function. Arguably, this is because the auxiliary and the fourth function share the same orientation. (ie: when one is extraverted, so is the other.) I’ve personally noticed that I can express my inferior better when I’m living in my auxiliary function.

Reference Book:

Psychological Types (The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Vol. 6) (Bollingen Series XX)

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