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Fe/Fi and showing emotions

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pond

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This has probably been discussed already but I'm bad at using the search function and couldn't find anything, so if there's already a thread about this then please link me to it.

I've been wondering about Fe and Fi and the way they express emotions. I've read that Fi users barely ever show what they're feeling (that would make sense) and saw people saying stuff like they have a stiff face or dead eyes, stuff like that.

So if someone does show emotions on their face, like you can see what they're feeling in their eyes, they have a very expressive face, does that mean that they use Fe? Cause I thought that I used more Fi than Fe but my face is really expressive and you can easily tell what I'm feeling by looking at my face. So is that only limited to Fe?

(used tons of "emotions" and "face" in this post, sorry)
 
#2 ·
I know INFPs that are rather expressive with their faces. However, those expressions rarely reveal what they are truly feeling underneath.

On the other hand, my ENFJ girlfriend is not that expressive in emotion at all. She is a very rational person. You would think she was a Thinker if it wasn't for the fact that all of her reasoning is based on social harmony and social values. She compartmentalizes most of her emotions. She only lets those out that she thinks are socially acceptable emotional reactions.
 
#3 ·
So if someone does show emotions on their face, like you can see what they're feeling in their eyes, they have a very expressive face, does that mean that they use Fe? Cause I thought that I used more Fi than Fe but my face is really expressive and you can easily tell what I'm feeling by looking at my face. So is that only limited to Fe?
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Fe and Fi are merely representatives on how you determine and interpret your personal values and how you channel it. Both are certainly capable of showing emotions. I've known a couple of people who insisted that they were INTJ and INFJ, and yet, my INTJ friend is a lot more expressive than my other INFJ friend. It depends on personal preference.
 
#4 · (Edited)
This is just my own perspective on the matter, and I could be off, so take it with a grain of salt. As an INFP, I do think that Fi causes my default face to be generally non-expressive. However, if I think of something that I find funny or amusing, a smile might appear suddenly on my face. As soon as I notice this - assuming I'm out in public - I try to switch back to my default, non-expressive face as quickly as possible for fear of looking weird to anyone who might be around me. On the other hand, I can be thinking of something or someone that brings about strong emotions, without those emotions showing on my face at all.

The best way to figure out whether or not you use Fe or Fi might be to think about how you interact with others. I can be very animated if I'm around close friends or family and my Ne is let loose, and I enjoy connecting with a limited number of people and genuinely care about them, but I don't feel the urge to connect with too many people. If I were seen out in public during one of my Ne moments, I suppose it is possible that I could be confused as an Fe user, because these are the times when I'm the most outwardly expressive. I think an Fe user at a party would be more likely to talk to a larger number of people, be concerned that everyone is having a good time, and express their feelings more freely to those they don't know well.

I hope this helped in some way, though I might have just been regurgitating information that you already know.
 
#5 ·
Well, just judging from personal experience, Fi is capable of being just as expressive, BUT we like to keep some (or most) of our feelings to ourselves. For me, if something really matters, my instinct is to keep it to myself and only show it to a few select people. Fe people don't seem to want to hide feelings unless they might upset others, and will purposefully express the emotions they're having to help connect with the people around them. This is specifically feeling people. Thinking people who use Fi won't consciously hide anything, but their emotions will be hard to read or understand, even if they're being expressive. Thinking people who use Fe are often completely unable to hide or control their emotions, so they can seem dramatic or hysterical sometimes.
 
#9 ·
I don't think being expressive necessarily means you use Fe. I mean, if I get overwhelmed I easily emote whether I want to or not, so I don't think that's related to my judging functions. However, a Fe-user might be more inclined to deliberately express their emotions externally.
 
#10 ·
It might have to do with the combination of functions to why some openly express feelings and why some do not. I can't list all the functions by heart but I do know that people have actually told me that I need to smile more. The Ni/Fe/Ti can give the appearance of the more subtle Fi.

This is what I think I look like since I relate to Beck's expression and mannerisms. He may be an INFJ as well. (not going to argue if you don't agree)

 
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#11 ·
In terms of Fi, it all depends on Fi's rank in the cog function order and the individual's emotional maturity.
 
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#12 ·
Well Im an ESFP and I have a very animated face. Though, I dont show sadness, but I dont ever have a dull face, I like to express wild facial expressions.
 
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#13 ·
pond said:
This has probably been discussed already but I'm bad at using the search function and couldn't find anything, so if there's already a thread about this then please link me to it.

I've been wondering about Fe and Fi and the way they express emotions. I've read that Fi users barely ever show what they're feeling (that would make sense) and saw people saying stuff like they have a stiff face or dead eyes, stuff like that.

So if someone does show emotions on their face, like you can see what they're feeling in their eyes, they have a very expressive face, does that mean that they use Fe? Cause I thought that I used more Fi than Fe but my face is really expressive and you can easily tell what I'm feeling by looking at my face. So is that only limited to Fe?

(used tons of "emotions" and "face" in this post, sorry)
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When a feeling is felt, it usually is expressed through facial expressions, regardless of type. When a person doesn't show a lot of emotion it pretty much means he isn't feeling all that much emotion. That doesn't mean that he can't feel emotions, it just means he doesn't feel them very often.

You said your face is really expressive and it is easy to tell what you´re feeling by looking at your face. When you say that you are also saying that you are constantly experiencing feelings. It probably also means it is really difficult for you to imagine that other people might not even experience 5% of the amount of feelings that you experience on a daily basis. You probably experience life through feelings. You probably think through feelings. Feelings are an integrate part of who you are.

Your question basically is: "Does a cognitive function cause the expression of emotions?"

And I think the answer is No.

The expression of emotions is a natural process of the brain that isn't related to any cognitive function. When a feeling is felt, the face will reveal it. This is a very basic function of the brain and extremely important for survival. (just like the ability to read facial expressions which is also a subconscious ability, like the expression of feelings.)

So how much emotion/feelings are expressed is a direct consequence of how much emotion/feeling is experienced and that can be related to the cognitive functions, but actually, it is mostly related to Introversion and Extroversion, which aren't cognitive functions themselves.

Extroverted people will, in general, express much more emotion and feeling than Introverted people. But that is not the whole truth. Put an Introvert in a situation where he is talking about something he is passionate about and he's with people he is comfortable with (meaning: He knows them well enough.) and you'll think you´re dealing with an Extrovert.

The same applies to Extroverts in situations that bore the hell out of them. You won't get much reply from them. They'll either try to leave or just pretend they´re not there. They'll look like Introverts.
 
#14 ·
I am actually reading Jung right now when he is discussing Fe, haven't gotten to Fi yet. But Fe is objective morality. When Jung said this, it made no sense to me initially, but now it does. Fe is what society is supposed to value, but few people do. Being on time, having nice manners, just making people's lives easier in general. That is Fe. Fe is an objective morality in that it isn't the subjective morality of the user. I am a heavy Fe user. I am extremely nice and well mannered in public. I rarely speak, and I always add a please or thank you if I do. But in my head, I am judging the fuck out of these people, and want to kill them... That is my subjective feeling. But I abide by the "objective" rule of Fe. I sacrifice my personal feelings for the well being/harmony of the environment.

Basically, Fe are the social graces that we are all supposed to follow, but only Fe users care enough to carry out.
 
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#15 ·
FearAndTrembling said:
I am actually reading Jung right now when he is discussing Fe, haven't gotten to Fi yet. But Fe is objective morality. When Jung said this, it made no sense to me initially, but now it does. Fe is what society is supposed to value, but few people do. Being on time, having nice manners, just making people's lives easier in general. That is Fe. Fe is an objective morality in that it isn't the subjective morality of the user. I am a heavy Fe user. I am extremely nice and well mannered in public. I rarely speak, and I always add a please or thank you if I do. But in my head, I am judging the fuck out of these people, and want to kill them... That is my subjective feeling. But I abide by the "objective" rule of Fe. I sacrifice my personal feelings for the well being/harmony of the environment.

Basically, Fe are the social graces that we are all supposed to follow, but only Fe users care enough to carry out.
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Maybe you don't realize what you just wrote. Basically you are saying that the only people that are decent are ENFJ's, INFJ's, ISFJ's and ESFJ's, the types with Fe as dominant or second function. All the rest are rude assholes?

People can be decent without Fe too. The difference is that they are decent for other reasons than Fe users are. I'm an INTJ and I find being on time and having nice manners very important as well. But not for the sake of "harmony of the environment" or "feelings of other people". For me it's a matter of treating people the way you want them to treat you.

I think that these "values" are learned. You learn them during your upbringing so it comes straight from your parents and/or who ever else participated in bringing you up. How you justify them and deal with them is based on type, but whether or not you have these values has nothing, or very little, to do with type.
 
#16 ·
I'm guessing that F indicates an orientation to people/people values, rather than EMOTIONS. So a bit of a misnomer there...

I find thinking about Fe as being sensitive to "group needs," knowing how someone other than you feels and thinks about something, and working for interpersonal harmony.

As for me, an Fi user, I know for a fact that I'm constantly evaluating morals and values to how I feel about them, and care very little for "establishments" such as traditions or denominations. Except for the points where everyone seems to agree (love your neighbor as yourself...don't be a conceited prick... etc. etc.).

When I use Fi, it's thinking about how I feel about something, putting myself into someone else's shoes so that I can understand them better.

Maybe showing emotions has to do more with I/E, but I'm not quite sure about that one. I personally show my emotions when I want to, and I know some very expressive INFPs.
 
#17 ·
Peter said:
Maybe you don't realize what you just wrote. Basically you are saying that the only people that are decent are ENFJ's, INFJ's, ISFJ's and ESFJ's, the types with Fe as dominant or second function. All the rest are rude assholes?

People can be decent without Fe too. The difference is that they are decent for other reasons than Fe users are. I'm an INTJ and I find being on time and having nice manners very important as well. But not for the sake of "harmony of the environment" or "feelings of other people". For me it's a matter of treating people the way you want them to treat you.

I think that these "values" are learned. You learn them during your upbringing so it comes straight from your parents and/or who ever else participated in bringing you up. How you justify them and deal with them is based on type, but whether or not you have these values has nothing, or very little, to do with type.
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The appreciation and perpetuation of social graces is in the INFJ description.

Most people in general have no interest in making the world easier for those around them. I absolutely believe that. Those that do are a rare breed. Even if you are inadvertently making things harder, my Fe can pick up on it.
 
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#18 ·
I don't see Fi and Fe as being so much about emotional expression so much as it has to do with emotional focus. Fe - focused on others first and themselves second. Fi - focused on themselves first and others second. Nothing is wrong with either one, both have their advantages and disadvantages. I've noticed Fi users tend to be able to understand their own emotions better (which I sometimes wish I did) and I'm sure some Fi users wished they could understand other people's emotions better. I don't think either one is better then the other though.
 
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#19 ·
lilpixieofterror said:
I don't see Fi and Fe as being so much about emotional expression so much as it has to do with emotional focus. Fe - focused on others first and themselves second. Fi - focused on themselves first and others second. Nothing is wrong with either one, both have their advantages and disadvantages. I've noticed Fi users tend to be able to understand their own emotions better (which I sometimes wish I did) and I'm sure some Fi users wished they could understand other people's emotions better. I don't think either one is better then the other though.
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That's what I meant to say...thanks!!
 
#20 ·
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