Have you ever had this experience as an ENFP: In some moments, you exhibit behaviors or ideas that are very different from your daily personality traits? Have you ever felt this way: sometimes it is influenced by emotions and impulses that are contrary to your consistent values or beliefs? If your answer is yes, then you may have touched your shadow function personality.
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What exactly is the shadow function personality? How does it form? What impact will it have on personality development? How to correctly understand and use your shadow function personality? This article will use MBTI and Jung’s eight-dimensional theory as a basis and ENFP as an example to explore these issues in depth.
PS This article is for readers who have a basic understanding of the concept of Jung 8D (MBTI cognitive function). If you have not yet understood the relevant concepts, you can read this article about MBTI’s cognitive function , or search for relevant information by yourself.
What is Shadow Function Personality?
MBTI (Miles-Briggs Type Indicator) is a personality classification tool based on Jungian psychology. It subdivides personality into 16 types, each of which consists of four letters, representing the tendency of the four personality dimensions:
- Extrovert (E) or introvert (I): indicates that the individual is more inclined to the external world or the internal world to obtain energy and stimulation.
- Sense (S) or Intuition (N): It reflects that individuals acquire information and knowledge and focus more on specific facts or abstract concepts.
- Thinking (T) or emotion (F): It reflects whether an individual prefers logical principles or personal value when making decisions and judgments.
- Judgement (J) or Perception (P): Show that individuals prefer orderly planning or flexible and flexible when dealing with life and work.
Jungian Cognitive Functions is a personality analysis model based on Jungian psychology. It divides personality into eight functions. Each function is composed of two letters, representing the tendency and direction of personality dimensions:
- Extroverted Feeling (Se): It means that individuals pay more attention to and enjoy the actual and specific sensory experiences of the external world.
- Introverted Sensation (Si): It means that the individual is more inclined to recall and compare the sensory impressions of the inner world past and present.
- Extravagant Intuition (Ne): Intuitive associations that indicate that individuals are more willing to explore and create external world possibilities and potential.
- Introverted Intuition (Ni): Indicates an intuitive insight that an individual is better at understanding and predicting the meaning and goals of the internal world.
- Extravagant Thinking (Te): It shows that individuals prefer to use and organize thinking and analysis of the logic and rules of the external world.
- Introverted thinking (Ti): It means that individuals pay more attention to constructing and improving the thinking system of internal world logic and principles.
- Extravagant Emotion (Fe): It means that individuals are better at expressing and coordinating emotional communication between emotions and values in the external world.
- Introverted Emotion (Fi): It reflects that individuals prefer to experience and adhere to emotional identification in the internal world emotions and values.
The correlation between MBTI and Jung 8D is that each MBTI type corresponds to a Jung 8D function stack, that is, the priority order of individuals to use four functions, called the dominant function, the auxiliary function, the third function and the fourth function respectively. Taking ENFP as an example, its function stack is:
- Director function: Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
- Accessive Function: Introverted Emotion (Fi)
- Third function: Extraverted thinking (Te)
- Fourth function: Introverted feeling (Si)
So, what is the shadow functional personality? Shadow function personality refers to the priority order of an individual to use the other four functions, that is, four functions opposite to the function stack, called the fifth function, the sixth function, the seventh function and the eighth function. For example, the shadow function of ENFP is:
- Fifth function: Introverted intuition (Ni)
- Sixth function: Extravagant emotion (Fe)
- Seventh function: Introverted thinking (Ti)
- Function 8: Extraverted Feeling (Se)
The principle of forming a shadow functional personality is that in the process of growth and development, an individual selects and cultivates the most suitable and favorite functions, that is, the function stack, based on his or her own nature and environment, and ignores or suppresses the most unsuitable and least favorite functions, that is, the shadow functional personality. In this way, the individual personality will show a bias and imbalance, that is, the opposition between the yang surface and the shadow.
The characteristic of shadow function personality is that it is usually in a state of unconsciousness and involuntary nature of the individual, and will suddenly emerge under specific situations such as pressure, conflict, and crisis, affecting the individual’s behavior and thoughts. Its manifestation is often what the individual is the least good at and least understands, and it will conflict and conflict with the functional stack, causing the individual to fall into confusion and out of control.
The value of shadow functional personality lies in that it is actually the potential and opportunity of an individual, which can help individuals supplement and improve the functional stack, making it more balanced and comprehensive, and thus achieve self-growth and development.
What is the shadow function personality of ENFP?
ENFP is a vibrant and creative personality type. They are keen on exploring and creating new possibilities, have strong personal values and emotional identity, are good at using logic and rules to achieve goals, and can also recall and compare their own feelings and impressions. However, ENFP also has its own shadow functional personality, which consists of functions opposite to the ENFP functional stack:
- Fifth Function: Introverted Intuition (Ni): As the dominant function of ENFP’s shadow function personality, it means that in some cases, ENFP will tend to see and predict the meaning and goals of the internal world rather than explore and create the possibilities of the external world. This may cause ENFP to become overly contemplative and negative, lose confidence and direction in its own expectations and goals and even fall into unrealistic or dangerous fantasies and prophecies.
- Sixth function: Extraverted emotion (Fe): ENFP shadow function personality auxiliary function, indicating that in some cases, ENFP tends to express and coordinate the emotions and values of the external world rather than experience and adhere to the emotions and values of the internal world. This may lead to ENFP becoming over-care and obedient, losing recognition and persistence towards oneself and others’ emotions and values, and even sacrificing its true and honesty to please or influence others.
- Seventh function: Introverted thinking (Ti): ENFP shadow function The third function of personality means that in some cases, ENFP will tend to construct and improve the logic and principles of the internal world, rather than applying and organizing the logic and rules of the external world. This may make ENFP overly critical and picky, lack respect and adherence to the logic and rules of itself and others, and even ignore facts and consequences to prove or refute a certain point of view.
- Eighth Function: Extraverted Feeling (Se): The fourth function of ENFP shadow function personality, indicating that in some cases, ENFP tends to pay attention to and enjoy the actual and specific sensory experiences of the external world rather than recalling and comparing the sensory impressions of the internal world past and present. This may cause ENFP to become overly impulsive and indulgent, lack memory and comparison of their feelings and impressions of themselves and others, and even ignore health and safety in order to pursue or escape some stimulus.
How to give full play to the advantages of shadow function personality?
Although shadow function personality may bring some troubles and troubles to ENFP, as long as ENFP can correctly understand and use it, it can also gain help and opportunities from it, give full play to its advantages, and achieve self-growth and development. Here are some methods and techniques to help ENFP leverage the personality advantages of shadow functions:
- Recognize and accept your own shadow: ENFP should first be aware of the existence and function of your shadow function personality, and do not deny or suppress it. To accept the shadow function personality is part of one’s own personality, not an enemy or a threat. Respect its characteristics and advantages rather than despise or belittle them.
- ** Understand the emergence of your shadow function personality**: ENFP needs to observe the situation, why and how the shadow function personality emerges, and do not ignore or avoid it. Analyze the situation and reasons for the emergence, and judge whether it is caused by certain pressures, conflicts, crises, etc., or stimulated by certain needs, wishes, goals, etc. Understand how and effect it emerges, and see if it is conducive to the development of one’s own personality or will damage personality balance.
- Regulate the expression and application of your own shadow function personality: ENFP should regulate the expression and application of shadow function personality, and should not be allowed or resisted. It should be expressed and used in moderation to meet personality needs, avoid excessive or insufficient, and prevent personality conflicts. It is necessary to coordinate expression and application so that it cooperates with the functional stack, rather than opposition or contradiction, in order to achieve personality improvement.
Conclusion
Shadow function personality is the other side of individual personality, with both dark danger and light benefits. The shadow function personality of ENFP is composed of functions opposite to the function stack, which will emerge in specific situations, affecting ENFP’s behavior and ideas. ENFP should correctly understand and use its shadow functional personality, give full play to its advantages, and achieve self-growth and development.
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