ISFJs Auxiliary Function: Understanding the ISFJs Secondary Extraverted Feeling (Fe)

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.

For the ISFJ their auxiliary function is important since it is the one which is most outwardly expressed to others. While their dominant function is their introverted sensing, their secondary extraverted feeling plays a big role in supporting this function. This Fe is also what most people recognize when they first get to know the ISFJ. This is why digging a bit deeper and understanding the unique role that each function plays in the auxiliary placement, is so important. While this might be a truly important function for the ISFJ and the one most outwardly noticed, it is still their auxiliary function which means it supports the dominant function. Their Si is what is most in control with decision making, but their Fe is truly important to how the ISFJ weighs out those choices and what factors into their values most.

How Fe Works

Extraverted feeling is focused on the emotions and needs of others, making it a very outward and more obvious function. Dominant Fe users are often viewed as social people, placing them as the hosts and hostesses of the personality types. This function causes their main drive to be the needs of those around them, both practical and emotional needs. They are also very aware of what people are feeling and pay close attention to their emotions and behaviors. They can pick up on when something is wrong or when someone just isn’t behaving as they normally do. This causes the Fe user to search for ways to help those around them, wanting to find ways to ease their struggles and find ways to make things better for them. They are very determined to care for everyone, often juggling many tasks all at once because of it. The Fe dominant person is often very charismatic, knowing how to adapt to those around them. They are good at adjusting to their environment and can easily read how they should behave in certain situations.

Being a Fe user often causes people to be good at reading social norms and know how to best respond to people and environments. They can pick up on when things change or when they need to adjust their behavior to fit what is expected. This also helps them in many work environments, since they are capable of anticipating the needs and expectations of those around them and above them. Fe dominant people are often amazing at figuring out how to handle work environments, and are great in customer service roles. Being someone who is naturally in tune with the emotions and needs of others makes it much easier for them to respond to those around them and figure out how to make them happy.

Auxiliary Fe in ISFJs

ISFJs are very focused on tending to the needs of those close to them, which is definitely motivated by their Fe. This is why this function stands out so much for the ISFJ, as they will go above and beyond to care for those around them. Since their dominant function is Si, this does make them much more practical when it comes to how they want to care for others. ISFJs can see ways of helping them and they want to execute these plans efficiently. ISFJs truly care about being able to provide for their loved ones as best they can. They are in touch with the emotions of those close to them, sensing when something is wrong and wanting to find ways to fix this. ISFJs take in information from the world around them using their Fe, and this helps to aid the choices they make. It becomes important for the ISFJ to weigh out their decisions based on how it will affect those around them, which is why they can become somewhat caught up on popular opinion. ISFJs don’t want to do anything which might embarrass or upset the people they love, and actually care deeply about impressing them and making them happy. This doesn’t come from a desire to be viewed a certain way out of vain reasons, it is because they deeply care about how their loved ones see them.

For the ISFJ it is important to also be practical in their choices, which is why they use their Fe to aid their dominant Si. This helps them to ensure that they are also focused on the well-being of their loved ones and not just catering to their emotional whims. ISFJs are excellent at getting things done and taking care of the chores and tasks which most people can struggle to balance. This can put a lot of pressure on them at times, since they care so much about being perfect for those around them. Always striving to take care of everyone and everything does make it challenging for the ISFJ to take time for themselves. They can appear more extraverted because of their Fe, spending a lot more time around others than they necessarily should. ISFJs do require time alone in order to recharge but might push this aside in order to help others and make them happy. This is why finding a healthy balance of their functions is so important, and not allowing their Fe to take too much control.

 

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