INTP Auxiliary Function: Understanding the INTPs Secondary Extraverted Intuition (Ne)

When searching for a deeper understanding of the personality types, it is important to understand each one of their functions. While we often focus on the dominant and even inferior functions, knowing the auxiliary and tertiary ones are also vital. It is not just about knowing what functions each type possesses but rather how these functions behave within the stack. When a function is dominant it will present differently than when it is auxiliary, and so understanding this is truly important if you want to understand each personality type. Knowing each function on it’s own doesn’t really give you a true comprehension of how the personality type is going to utilize that function. Instead you need to learn more about the placement of each function and how it corresponds with each personality type.

INTPs are often very analytical and private people, keeping to their own thoughts and inner world. They can certainly be outgoing and even entertaining people, they just don’t always feel the desire to spend time with a crowd and prefer time to themselves. Their auxiliary function is certainly their extraverted and most expressive function, even though it is not their dominant one. This is why understanding all of a personality type’s functions and the roles they play in each position, is so important. For the INTP their auxiliary extraverted intuition is part of what makes them such curious and naturally creative people. While they process everything through an inner framework of information, they need to collect this data from somewhere and their Ne helps them to do this. 

How Ne Works

Extraverted intuition or Ne is very much focused on patterns and making connections from information they gather. It is very focused on collecting and processing information from the outside world. Ne dominant users enjoy being able to explore things in a much more open manner, not wanting to feel closed off to the possibilities around them. It drives them to explore their options and see how things work from so many different angles. Where some people might be focused on things they know and understand, the Ne dom wants to explore different ideas and imagine the possibility. They don’t want to just view things from a narrow scope, they actually thrive when it comes to seeing things from so many different angles. This helps them to problem solve in areas where others might struggle to really find new ways to get things done. Where the same problem is being faced with similar solutions, the Ne dom knows how to approach it from so many different angles. This helps them to see where they can fix things and go above and beyond what is expected. 

Their creativity definitely helps the Ne user to problem solve, but they possess other skills from this as well. They are also highly imaginative people, who enjoy being able to come up with unique hobbies and experiences. They don’t just want their lives to be stagnant and ordinary, instead they need to imagine and explore possibilities. Being able to see different patterns and potential around them makes the Ne dom a truly open-minded and curious person. Their creativity is something which is hard to match, as they don’t have a very limited mind or view of things. They are not afraid of imagining things which seem almost impossible to others, and are willing to really explore the path less travelled. 

Auxiliary Ne in INTPs

The INTPs extraverted intuition plays a big role in how they collect data and even how they see the world. They are problem solvers by nature, and while their introverted thinking helps them to do this, so does their Ne. Without their Ne the INTP would not approach things from so many different angles, and would be blind to the many possibilities around them. Instead of simply focusing on proven methods, they are driven by a desire to uncover something better. INTPs are curious about the potential around them, wanting to explore what could be rather than what already is. They enjoy being able to think about the many different possible outcomes, and this is actually part of what helps them solve problems so well. Where others try to fix something from the same proven methods, they use their Ne as a means of uncovering new and sometimes less conventional means. They are not afraid of stepping outside of their comfort zone in order to figure out the problem and see things from a unique perspective. This creative and imaginative mindset is something which stems from the use of their extraverted intuition, and is truly an important part of how they INTP responds to the world around them. Without this they wouldn’t be nearly as capable of taking in new information, which ends up filtered through their introverted thinking function as well. It helps them create this inner framework of information, constantly taking in new ideas which they need to analyze in order to figure out which choice is the most logical.

Their Ti and Ne work quite well together, collecting data and theories and analyzing them until they come up with something logical and useful. This combination is what helps the INTP to understand so many different things, and even helps them to make predictions about what will fail and what will succeed. At the same time INTPs are not afraid of stepping outside of what is known and comfortable, wanting to take risks when it comes to learning and uncovering the truth. They are naturally curious people, and this curiosity is driven by their extraverted intuition. It is what helps them to see the world from so many different angles and unique perspectives, rather than being stuck in one comfortable way of looking at things. This can sometimes confuse people, as the INTP can seem to bounce from one thing to the next when they are trying to figure something out. It might seem like they are unsure or even flighty, but the truth is they are narrowing down their options until they find the answer that is most logical.

 

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