Ti | Introverted Thinking | Cognitive Function

What is MBTI's Ti cognitive function? How does it work and how does it work differently in each tier slot? Ti & Fe vs Te & Fi.

Ti: The Map-Maker

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Ti works by constructing internal logic systems. It does so by connecting unrelated details together in correlative maps. This is in contrast to Extroverted Thinking (Te) which uses non-correlative maps, such as independent ideas working unconnected.

A Ti user looks to connect all things together to form a big picture understanding. Whereas Te looks to give singular ideas their own respect and/or depth. Therefore two ideas can work independently for a Te user at the same time, even though they may contrast each other.

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Ti vs Te

For a Ti user it must, “all make sense,” in the big picture through correlation. Due to this, Te can put ideas into action quicker, as there is no need to justify new ideas fitting in with older patterns. Though the ideas that Te uses, may be flawed when acted upon because it wasn’t as vigorously checked against other ideas.

For an example, ENTJ and ESTJ (Te doms) will institute new things in a workplace because a decision needs to be made now, but they may not have enough overall data to know whether it will work perfectly. If asking an INTP or ISTP (Ti doms), they will have more issues making a big decision without enough data to support it (likely leading to their discover and “fixing of problems” component in their personalities).

To flip the example to an opposite situation, if you are making a video game and you release it without correlating all the new code to make sure it works with prior code already being used (Ti), and just rush to bring it to launch without testing properly it may cause the game to be entirely broken at launch (Te). As many things may be connected within the coding, a dog running in the game may be connected to a human swinging a sword (both movement code mechanics) but would be a harder thing to see the connection between.

So, Te is more situationally useful in some places like time valued situations, instances where problems can be “fixed later” without affecting retention, etc. Whereas Ti is useful in places when time is less pressing, where getting as much information as possible is required, etc.

The best video I have seen explaining Te, giving a comparison to Ti.

This video is clipped to the start and end of the section.

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Ti & Fe

Let’s give an example of Ti and Fe working together;

These are two random strings of data:

Sally likes bees,

Harry likes wasps,

Ben like tulips, and

Norman likes rocks.

Bees in Europe don’t sting,

People think wasps are bad,

Tulips are widely coloured, and

Rocks are static objects.

For a Ti-Fe user, the data recorded together not separately may be recorded as;

Ask sally what countries she has travelled to.

• Gain corresponding information as to whether she originates or has spent a long time in a continent where bees sting or a continent where bees don’t sting.

  • After obtaining primary data, one can qualify which bees - as to whether she likes dangerous or innocent ones depending on country.

    • If innocent ones:

      • Will likely correlate to possibly her liking yellow and black colouring.

      • Or, honey.

      • Query this.

        • This is Ti logical connection of data to be used for Fe.

        • Bees are connected to anything loosely connected to bees in Ti whereas they may not be connected through Te. The movement of a fish unconnected to movement of a duck. A duck and a fish having their own systems and then an entire system for movement.

          • Answer you get is why Sally likes bees and data about Sally that she doesn’t know is correlative. If you ask these questions you can determine it yourself, if you just say, “why do you…” many people actually don’t know how to provide the data, so there is inquiry. Sally doesn’t know what kinds of bees she likes, or the correlations of colours on subconscious choice etc.

Ask Harry about other dangerous things unrelated to animals.

• Wasps are dangerous animals.

  • Hypothesis, Harry likes to appear dangerous.

  • Check whether Harry likes daredevil activities.

• Wasps are an uncommon animal to like due to culturally being considered ‘bad’ because dangerous.

  • Query Harry’s non-conformity. Bring up non-norm topics and check his level of enthusiasm towards the subjects - if heightened more than small talk then is likely Harry has higher openness to experience.

Ask Ben how his fascination with flowers started.

• Ben will likely know, if an F type, that this is an uncommon thing to say and most other people will have asked a leading question that is more female; “do you like drama movies too,” etc. You can lead with this instead, but sometimes its best to just ask a direct question.

  • Hypothesis, Ben likes variance in his interest beyond gender norms.

  • Hypothesis, Ben’s parents own a nursery.

  • Hypothesis, Ben’s close with his mother.

  • Hypothesis, Ben originates from a country where the flower is very well known, like Tulips from the Netherlands being historically famous in Europe.

    • Pay more attention as he may be an F type and have lots of non-traditionally correlated data with male experience

Ask Norman whether they were expensive.

• Called them rocks not gemstones.

  • Price can help source place, or next question ask inquisitively about source, it can imply whether eccentric (crystal shop, etc) or logician (national geographic store, etc).

  • How does he take care of the rocks, cleans them (eccentricity), doesn’t know what you mean (logician), etc.

    • Determining between eccentric or logician will lead you to determine his interest in other interconnected subjects - logician may want to talk about step 1, step 2, step 3, etc - an eccentric may want step 5, step 3, step 7, etc.

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Depending on what is higher, Fe or Ti, the data will detach from one or the other with its preference for what is higher ranked. For example, an ENTP will keep the data in Ti (with their map) whereas ESFJ will keep the data with people (remembering individual people’s wants and needs). Fe takes focus or Ti takes focus for “storage”. If you ask an ESFJ for the data without it’s connection to a person, they will struggle to remember about bees in europe (but will remember where Sally has been) if you ask an ENTP in six months where Sally travelled to, they are unlikely to remember (but will remember about species of bees).

A higher Ti user will record the end point data as:

People choose whether to like bees based on sting or not (if conversation with Sally lead to this correlation - she cited was from Europe and liked her local bees but not the new local bees that sting).

Men with variables xyz (features of personality and appearance like Harry) like appearing dangerous (do more correlations to check which ones are more likely over others - ask what other animals also to check correlation).

Tulips may be a cross-gender flower, similar to Roses (familiarity in society may make it easier to talk about by men and women alike).

For some people rocks and gems mean the same thing. The data has detached from the original source (Fe) which can cause issues with depth of Fe, but useful for Ti.

It focuses on the data logically and stringently connected to something else. Ti is methodical.

A higher Te user will record the end point data as:

Sally. Sally lived in Europe. Inquire where in Europe. Buy Sally honey and see how she reacts.

Harry liking wasps means he likes presenting himself as dangerous. Check both layers of him with inquiry as to whether this is just external or also internal to see whether it is an external farce or internally this is also the case.

Ben likes tulips because his mother liked tulips. Ben may have a higher connection to his family, when Ben is sad providing him Tulips may make him feel better. Inquiry as to Ben’s favourite colour (for which Tulips may be the best).

Norman is logical. Likes rocks, but doesn’t like gems. He likes rocks because they remind him of gravity. Gravity and feeling grounded is important for Norman.

It focuses on the data unconnected to people or connected to people when recording it - there needs no connection.

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