Psychological Functions

Jung conceptualised consciousness as a self-regulating structure present at birth, centred in

an ego that expressed its ability to orient the psyche through different attitudes and functions.
The four functions were presented as two pairs of opposites, Thinking and Feeling, Intuition
and Sensation, with an individual’s dominant mode of functioning being locatable somewhere
on each continuum. Functions had a compensatory capacity, with the unconscious function
primed to balance unhealthy one-sided conscious functioning. The under-developed attitude
or function was an aspect of the shadow and consequently very powerful.

Consciousness was seen by Jung as a product of both rational and irrational processes of
encountering and assessing reality. Sensation and Intuition are the irrational functions in the
sense of their being perceptive, data gathering modes. Thinking (objective) and Feeling
(subjective) are the rational functions: they are ways of processing information and making
decisions. Sensation tells us that a thing is, Thinking tells us what the thing is and Feeling
tells us what it is worth to us. Intuition is about trusting hunches. For Jung psychological
disturbance reflected psychic imbalance, with neurosis over-emphasizing the characteristic
traits of a personality. One of the major tasks of the first half of life was to learn to express
effectively one’s dominant function and attitude.

Jung identified eight main types:

A brief indication of each type follows.

 Extraverted Thinking

Principled, idealistic, objective, rational.

 Introverted Thinking

Influenced by ideas, independent, often fearful of intimacy.

 Extraverted Feeling

Adaptive, relating well to the external.

 Introverted Feeling

Sympathetic, pleases others, may be dependent, reserved.

 Extraverted Sensation

Realistic, concrete, pleasant and friendly.

 Introverted Sensation

Calm and passive, restrained, controlled and controlling.

 Extraverted Intuition

Enterprising, outgoing, can be irresponsible.

 Introverted Intuition

Mystical, dreamer and artist. Can be obsessive.

Jung classified himself as an introverted thinker with intuition as his next strongest function.

Post-Jungian Developments and Possibilities

There is a question as to whether psychological types could be linked to other typologies. An

association with body type, or somotype, was made by Kretschmer in ‘Physique and
Character’ published in 1921, the same time as Jung’s Psychological Types. Arraj has
explored the possibility of an integrated typology including physical and biochemical types.
This could form a valuable link with susceptibility to particular diseases. (Arraj 1986).

Beebe (2006) has deepened Jung’s theory by linking function-attitudes with archetypes and
archetypal complexes. Mahlberg (1987) has broadened Jungian theory in associating the four
functions with the concept of morphic resonance, propounded by the biochemist Rupert
Sheldrake, whose theory is one of formative causation whereby the forms of previous
systems influence the morphogenesis of subsequent similar systems. Mahlberg linked
Introverted Feeling with sensitivity to morphic resonance, and Extraverted Feeling with the
ability to transmit morphic resonance.

The Myers-Briggs Type Inventory was devised to put Jungian typology to practical use
outside the analytic process. A combination of the two attitudes and four functions, with the
addition of Perception and Judgement, which were regarded as implicit in Jung’s work, give
sixteen different types. The results of a paper and pencil questionnaire give four letters
indicating the dynamic relationship between attitudes and functions for any one individual.
The inventory has become the most widespread commercial application of Jungian theory.

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References

Arraj, J. (1986). ‘Jung’s Forgotten Bridge’. Journal of Analytical Psychology, 31(2), pp. 173-
180.

Beebe, J. (2006). ‘Psychological Types’, ch. 6 in The Handbook of Jungian Psychology, ed.
Papadopoulos, R. K., London: Routledge.

Jung, C.G. (1971). ‘General Description of the Types’, in Psychological Types, Collected
Works vol. 6, Ch. X, London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

Hillman, J. (1971). ‘The Feeling Function’, Part 2 of Lectures on Jung’s Typology,

Woodstock, Connecticut: Spring Publications.

Mahlberg, A. (1987). ‘Evidence of Collective Memory: a Test of Sheldrake’s Theory’.

Journal of Analytical Psychology, 32(1), pp.23-34.

Myers, K.D. and Kirby, L.K. (1994). Introduction to Type: Dynamics and Development,
Oxford: Oxford Psychologists Press.

Quenk, N.L. (1996). In the Grip: Our Hidden Personality, Palo Alto, California: Consulting
Psychologists Press.
Von Franz, M.-L. (1971). ‘The Inferior Function’, Part 1 of Lectures on Jung’s Typology,
Woodstock, Connecticut: Spring Publications.