Have you ever experienced times when you behaved and thought completely differently than usual, to the point where you even surprised and confused yourself? Have you ever felt like, sometimes, you have a completely different version of yourself inside that contradicts and conflicts with your surface self? If your answer is yes, then you may have been in touch with your shadow functioning personality.
What is shadow functional personality? How did it form? What impact did it have on your personality and development? How to recognize and utilize your shadow function personality? This article will take ISFP as an example to explore these issues from the perspective of Jung’s eight dimensions and MBTI. I hope it can give you some inspiration and help.
PS This article is suitable for readers who already have a basic understanding of the concept of Jung’s Eight Dimensions (MBTI Cognitive Function). If you have not yet understood the related concepts, you can read this article, or search for relevant information by yourself.
What is shadow functional personality?
Shadow functional personality is a psychological concept derived from the analytical psychology theory of Swiss psychologist Jung. Jung believed that human psychological structure consists of two parts: consciousness and unconsciousness, and the unconsciousness is divided into personal unconsciousness and collective unconsciousness. The personal unconscious refers to the forgotten, suppressed or ignored psychological content in personal experience, while the collective unconscious refers to the common, innate and symbolic psychological content of human beings, such as prototypes, myths, symbols, etc. Shadow is an important part of the personal unconscious. It refers to those psychological contents that are opposed to, conflict with, and contradictory to personal consciousness, such as negative emotions, bad desires, taboo thoughts, etc. The shadow is usually a side that an individual is unwilling to admit and accept, so it is suppressed in the unconscious. However, in some cases, it will emerge into consciousness through dreams, projections, impulses, etc., affecting personal behavior and judgment.
Jung’s theory of psychological functions believes that human psychological activities can be divided into four basic functions: thinking, feeling, intuition and emotion. Everyone has these four functions, but one or two functions are dominant and are called dominant functions, while the other functions are auxiliary and are called inferior functions. The superior function is the main expression of personal consciousness, while the inferior function is the main content of personal unconsciousness. Therefore, the inferior function can also be regarded as a part of the shadow. Jung’s psychological attitude theory believes that human psychological activities can be divided into two basic attitudes: extroversion and introversion. Extraversion means that an individual’s psychological energy is mainly directed towards the external world, while introversion means that an individual’s psychological energy is mainly directed towards the internal world. Everyone has these two attitudes, but one attitude is dominant and is called the dominant attitude, while the other attitude is auxiliary and is called the inferior attitude. The dominant attitude is the main tendency of personal consciousness, while the disadvantaged attitude is the main tendency of personal unconsciousness. Therefore, the disadvantaged attitude can also be regarded as a part of the shadow.
MBTI is a personality type test based on Jung’s theory. It combines people’s psychological functions and psychological attitudes to form 16 different personality types. Each type consists of four letters, which represent the individual’s dominant functions. , dominant attitudes, auxiliary functions and auxiliary attitudes. For example, the four letters of ISFP represent introversion (I), feeling (S), feeling (F) and extroversion (P) respectively, which means that ISFP’s dominant function is introverted feeling, its supporting function is extraverted feeling, and Inferior functions are introverted thinking and extraverted intuition. According to Jung’s theory, ISFP’s shadow functional personality is composed of inferior functions and inferior attitudes. The specific transformation rule is that if the first and fourth letters of a personality are replaced with opposite letters, you will get the shadow personality. , for example, ISFP’s shadow personality is ESFJ. This means that the ISFP’s shadow function personality’s dominant function is extraverted feeling, its supporting function is introverted feeling, and its inferior functions are extraverted thinking and introverted intuition.
What is the shadow function personality of ISFP?
ISFP is an artist-type personality. They are usually gentle, friendly, sensitive, and compassionate people. They like a free, flexible, and harmonious lifestyle. They value personal values and feelings. They are good at communicating through senses and emotions. Expressing their creativity and individuality, they dislike rules, restrictions, conflicts and criticism, and they tend to avoid conflicts and pressure from the outside world and focus on their inner world. The yang side functions of ISFP are introverted feeling and extraverted feeling, which means that they mainly rely on their own feelings and emotions to understand and evaluate things. They are very sensitive and firm about their own feelings and values, and they are also sensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Very caring and considerate, they are good at communicating with others in a warm and encouraging way, and they respect and appreciate the diversity and individuality of others.
The shadow function personality of ISFP is ESFJ, which is a protagonist personality. They are usually enthusiastic, responsible, cooperative, and loyal people. They like an orderly, stable, and harmonious lifestyle. They value social norms and expectations. They are good at organizing and coordinating things through feelings and emotions. They do not like changes, risks, conflicts and criticisms. They tend to follow the rules and pressures of the outside world and ignore their own inner world. The yang functions of ESFJ are extraverted feeling and introverted feeling, which means that they mainly rely on external feelings and emotions to understand and evaluate things. They are very sensitive to and value external information and feedback, and they are also sensitive to the feelings and needs of others. Very caring and considerate, they are good at communicating with others in a warm and polite manner, and they respect and abide by the rules and expectations of others.
What are the characteristics and strengths of ISFP’s shadow function personality? From a Jungian eight-dimensional perspective, ISFP’s shadow functional personality is characterized by their ability to develop their feelings and emotions in the external environment, their ability to pay attention to and meet the needs and expectations of others, their ability to organize and coordinate things, They are able to abide by and maintain social norms and order. The advantage of ISFP’s shadow function personality is that they can show enthusiasm, responsibility, cooperation, and loyalty when needed. They can adapt to and accept changes and pressure from the outside world when needed. , express and use your own thinking and intuition.
Under what circumstances will the shadow function personality of ISFP emerge? What impact does it have on ISFPs? Generally speaking, shadow functional personality will emerge in consciousness as a coping and protection mechanism when an individual encounters stress, crisis, conflict, challenge, etc. For ISFPs, their shadow function personality may surface in the following situations:
- When they feel that their values and feelings are ignored or hurt, they may become sensitive, emotional, suspicious, and stubborn. They may impose their feelings on others, or refuse to communicate and cooperate with others.
- When they feel that their creativity and personality are restricted or criticized, they may become rebellious, risky, irresponsible, and irrational. They may violate and challenge society’s rules and expectations, or make impulsive and Risky behavior.
- When they feel that their freedom and flexibility are threatened or deprived, they may become avoidant, passive, lazy, and goalless. They may give up and indulge themselves, or lose confidence and hope in themselves and others.
ISFP’s Shadow Function Personality’s impact on ISFPs can be positive or negative, depending on how they recognize and deal with their shadow. If they can face and accept their shadow, understand its characteristics and advantages, observe its emergence and reasons, adjust its expression and application so that it coordinates with the yang functional personality instead of conflicting with it, then their shadow Functional personality can become a kind of resource and strength for them, helping them to develop their potential and advantages in different environments and situations, and achieve self-growth and development. If they deny and suppress their shadow, ignore its characteristics and advantages, reject the circumstances and reasons for its emergence, indulge its expression and use, and make it opposed to the yang functional personality instead of cooperating with it, then their shadow function Personality will become an obstacle and burden for them, affecting their ability to show their authenticity and integrity in different environments and situations, and hindering their self-growth and development.
How to take advantage of the shadow functional personality?
Now that we understand what the ISFP’s shadow function personality is, under what circumstances does it surface, and what impact does it have on the ISFP, how can we use it to our advantage? Here are some methods and techniques you can try or refer to:
- Recognize and accept your own shadow. This is the first and most important step to take advantage of the shadow function personality. You need to face and accept your shadow instead of denying and suppressing it. You need to realize that your shadow is a part of you and it is not your enemy but your friend. You need to understand that your shadow is your potential, which can help you show different qualities and abilities in different environments and situations. You need to feel that your shadow is your whole being and that it makes you a truer and richer person.
- Understand and observe your own shadow. This is the second and most interesting step in leveraging the strengths of your shadow-function personality. You need to understand and observe your shadow instead of ignoring and rejecting it. You need to learn and master the theories and knowledge of Jung’s eight dimensions and MBTI, and understand the characteristics and advantages of your own shadow functional personality, as well as the corresponding relationship with your yang functional personality. You need to reflect on and record the circumstances and reasons for the emergence of your shadow functional personality, as well as its impact on you, and find out the trigger points and patterns of your shadow functional personality, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of your shadow functional personality.
- Adjust and apply your own shadows. This is the third and most practical step to take advantage of the shadow function personality. You need to regulate and use your shadow, not indulge and abuse it. You need to choose and switch the appropriate functional personality according to different environments and situations, so that it coordinates with the yang functional personality instead of conflicting with it. You need to express and use appropriate functional personality according to different goals and needs, so that it cooperates with yourself and others, rather than in opposition. You need to evaluate and improve your functional personality based on different feedback and results, so that it is consistent with your own growth and development, rather than contrary to it.
in conclusion
Shadow Functional Personality is an interesting and useful psychological concept that can help us recognize and develop ourselves as multi-faceted and complete. This article takes ISFP as an example. From the perspective of Jung’s eight dimensions and MBTI, it analyzes what ISFP’s shadow functional personality is, under what circumstances it will emerge, what impact it has on ISFP, and how to give full play to its advantages. I hope this article can give you some inspiration and help, so that you can better understand and utilize your shadow function personality and realize your self-growth and development. Thank you for reading and following.
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