[thehigher]

Fe is very in touch with everyone's emotions. They find out information from peoples ideas (Ni) or literal things (Si) and come to a conclusion as to how the subject feels. However.... when it comes to how they themselves feel it seems to be not as clear. In order to figure out how they themselves feel they must become the subject. They must DO things and think about what might someone else be feeling had they been in that situation.

For example......my infj friend said that he would like someone who could spend all day with him but not get too attatched because that would make him uncomfortable. I asked why. He said because he would need time to figure out his feelings. I thought this was interesting.... because I would know right away. Turns out that he would spend time with the person all day so that he could analyze himself from the same standpoint he analyzes other people.






What do you think Fe users? Is this accurate?

 

[MensSuperMateriam]

Well, maybe I'm not the best user for answering your question, because as an INTP my Fe is inferior, so it would be a "raw function", without the skill and control over it that a strong Fe user would have.

But anyway I think your description fits enough well how Fe function works in me. When I evaluate the "rightness" of my feelings and others, I usually try to "objectivize them". I mean, when I see a conflict between my subjective moral and others, I usally seek "the most applicable answer" as the final valoration, as a sort of a rule that should be good for the majority.

About raw feelings I usually analize them in a sort of "third person point of view" as if I were another person when I'm judging them. This behavior have some disadvantages, because if you see them "outside them" in some way you are not controlling them while analizing. I'm not sure if this is true, but I think Fi users have a natural skill at this point, or at least, the average Fi user better than the average Fe user.

 

[Narrator]

My Fe combines with my Si a little, so sometimes I find it best to examine feelings, ethics and motivations by writing out long passages on forums like this one - in a response to a question, or when a feeling more intense than usual is plaguing and confusing me. It's a little like essay writing - understanding and connections develope as I write. I end up with a sort of writen, fluid/dynamic picture in my mind. Sort of like watching a short movie/mechanism, and trying/being able to examine the more I...write. Webbing...sort've like making a tapestry, or complicated picture or descriptive piece; seeing what's coherent, and what instinctually comes next.

I suppose it's a little like acting, but in reverse - maping out the emotions, and...recording (writing it down) as opposed to channeling.

Or I find I suffer physical pains - headaches, tension, tiredness, fatigue, nausea. Sometimes even my environment can be alterered - colours and the quality of my vision mostly. Sometimes a person can indicate I don't look or seem quite myself. These can cause me to try and...center in on whatever feelings I might be having, or on events and reasons causing me to feel a certain way.

As for being in touch with others' emotions, I'm a little hazy with that. I can unconsciously absorb them and confuse their feelings with my own. I'm also no empath, I can speculate on what a person is thinking and feeling, but my guesses can be highly irrational if I'm not happy myself - though I may not realise I'm unhappy. Maybe empath is the wrong word; I guess I couldn't read a person and know what's going on inside them, but I could be sensitive to their feelings, or to an extent absorb some of their feelings and not know where the feelings were coming from - it's most likely I wouldn't notice there'd been a change untill the feelings started coming out in ways I've already suggested, or be able to tell them apart from my own when any symptoms would present themselves, other than deducing that the other person is going through a stressful period, or has a vexed look on their face whereas I've not been going through any particular stress myself and connecting particular sentiments to the most likely cause.


What MensSuperMateriam wrote resonates, it's interesting he used the phrase 'rightness'. I'm not sure if it's in the same sense I would use regarding others. But for myself I can have a reaction to how right or wrong a feeling seems within me. I suppose 'rightness', for me would be on one hand coherency, on the other how safe and comfortable it feels.

As for judging others feelings...I'm really not sure.

I would describe Fe, personally, as askin to Se for Se users - being in touch with their environment but not necessarily conscious of it, so...innate is the connection.

I don't know, just some thoughts.


For what it's worth, my Fi score usually comes straight after my Fe score on tests.

Of course when something is really the matter I will notice, but from day to day, not so much.

 

[jockthemotie]

I usually don't have issues identifying how I feel. The problem comes in expression, and seeing how my feelings are to be integrated with others' to be congruent with their expectations.

 

[zephryi]

About raw feelings I usually analize them in a sort of "third person point of view" as if I were another person when I'm judging them. This behavior have some disadvantages, because if you see them "outside them" in some way you are not controlling them while analizing. I'm not sure if this is true, but I think Fi users have a natural skill at this point, or at least, the average Fi user better than the average Fe user.

This I can definitely relate to. With raw emotions, I typically poke at them, ask "What is this...?" and if I'm very distressed, it's almost as though I instantly pull back after that and wonder, "Why do I feel this way?" "What is the purpose of being upset?" "Would others react in this manner/ Is my emotional reaction reasonable, or overreacting?" It's all about making emotions into something objective. Of course, I end up not being able to do something about them after analysis.

My friend with an auxiliary Fi, however, rarely becomes emotionally distraught. She finds it very easy to move into an activity which allows her to calm down and go back to her baseline calm state. She'll say, "I'm rather upset right now... I'm going to go ride my bike." and come back completely calm. I find myself somewhat envious, actually, that she seems to have easy access to her emotional state.


As for others, I'll usually try to understand them through looking back at my own emotional analysis or things I've read in books. "So she was upset because she thought the boy had promised to take her to the dance, but he asked his girlfriend. Well, I guess she has a reason to be upset, since he did promise her, but he said he would save a dance with her, and it isn't quite fair for her to expect him to put her in front of his actual girlfriend. Hymm... he seemed to show thought for her, though. I think I'd be upset, but not this upset because of that... This makes no sense...."

Fourth function Fe, here, though, so not sure how much this helps. Just writing novels for the hell of it. : D

 

[thehigher]

I usually don't have issues identifying how I feel. The problem comes in expression, and seeing how my feelings are to be integrated with others' to be congruent with their expectations.

How do you find out how you feel though? Is it like an instant I know exactly what I feel?

 

[thehigher]

This I can definitely relate to. With raw emotions, I typically poke at them, ask "What is this...?" and if I'm very distressed, it's almost as though I instantly pull back after that and wonder, "Why do I feel this way?" "What is the purpose of being upset?" "Would others react in this manner/ Is my emotional reaction reasonable, or overreacting?" It's all about making emotions into something objective. Of course, I end up not being able to do something about them after analysis.

My friend with an auxiliary Fi, however, rarely becomes emotionally distraught. She finds it very easy to move into an activity which allows her to calm down and go back to her baseline calm state. She'll say, "I'm rather upset right now... I'm going to go ride my bike." and come back completely calm. I find myself somewhat envious, actually, that she seems to have easy access to her emotional state.


As for others, I'll usually try to understand them through looking back at my own emotional analysis or things I've read in books. "So she was upset because she thought the boy had promised to take her to the dance, but he asked his girlfriend. Well, I guess she has a reason to be upset, since he did promise her, but he said he would save a dance with her, and it isn't quite fair for her to expect him to put her in front of his actual girlfriend. Hymm... he seemed to show thought for her, though. I think I'd be upset, but not this upset because of that... This makes no sense...."

Fourth function Fe, here, though, so not sure how much this helps. Just writing novels for the hell of it. : D

Yea well the novel helps. I'm actually glad not just enfjs and esfjs posted.... actually itd be kind nice if they did since none of them have yet but yea..... still appreciated.

 

[jockthemotie]

How do you find out how you feel though? Is it like an instant I know exactly what I feel?

I tend to ask myself hypothetical questions. Often, I cannot hear the whisper of my emotions over the thunder of my thoughts, so I remove reality from my thoughts and just examine questions designed to yield yes or no answers, which will tell me how I feel.

 

[thehigher]

I tend to ask myself hypothetical questions. Often, I cannot hear the whisper of my emotions over the thunder of my thoughts, so I remove reality from my thoughts and just examine questions designed to yield yes or no answers, which will tell me how I feel.

Would you mind taking me through your thought pattern? Like a hypothetical situation?

 

[pinkrasputin]

I have Fi and I examine my feelings objectively. Very much so. I describe how I do it in detail on this thread: http://personalitycafe.com/enfp-forum-inspirers/29117-enfp-judgement-people.html

As an INFP, Fi is your dominant function. I believe you have access to your feelings more readily than I do. Just like my ENFJ friends have their Fe much more readily available than I do. They know when they are pissed, etc. But Ne is my dominant function. So I first go through seeing even my own feeling through Ne. I often hear, even from therapists, that I can be too objective about my feelings. I need to see the whole picture clearly, even understand the other person's feelings, before I'll recognize and express how I feel.

An INFJ's dominant function is Ni, not Fe. And since Fe is not their dominant function, it makes sense to me that they may go through a similar process (going first through Ni) to get to their feelings.

I would think INFPs and ENFJs would have a lot to compare in regards to your theory. Even though you are Fi/Fe I do see that you both have access to feelings. Because your feeling functions are your dominant function. However, with my ENFJ friends, even though they absolutely can tell how they feel about another person, or when they are angry etc. They have a hard time going inward and focusing on themselves and not being as bothered by others or not needing others validation as much. That is where I tend to see the biggest difference between Fe and Fi.

 

[thehigher]

I have Fi and I examine my feelings objectively. Very much so. I describe how I do it in detail on this thread: http://personalitycafe.com/enfp-forum-inspirers/29117-enfp-judgement-people.html

As an INFP, Fi is your dominant function. I believe you have access to your feelings more readily than I do. Just like my ENFJ friends have their Fe much more readily available than I do. They know when they are pissed, etc. But Ne is my dominant function. So I first go through seeing even my own feeling through Ne. I often hear, even from therapists, that I can be too objective about my feelings. I need to see the whole picture clearly, even understand the other person's feelings, before I'll recognize and express how I feel.

An INFJ's dominant function is Ni, not Fe. And since Fe is not their dominant function, it makes sense to me that they may go through a similar process (going first through Ni) to get to their feelings.

I would think INFPs and ENFJs would have a lot to compare in regards to your theory. Even though you are Fi/Fe I do see that you both have access to feelings. Because your feeling functions are your dominant function. However, with my ENFJ friends, even though they absolutely can tell how they feel about another person, or when they are angry etc. They have a hard time going inward and focusing on themselves and not being as bothered by others or not needing others validation as much. That is where I tend to see the biggest difference between Fe and Fi.

mmm yea good point. I think that's why I made this thread... to see if other Fe users are like my INFJ friend. i was thinking in my head about..... how my ex girlfriend (intp) used to flirt with people ..... and she didn't really knwo what she was doing.... she thought she was just being nice..... and later realized she just did it to find out what she was feeling.

Also enfjs do this too.... where they flirt but don't mean it.... they connect and realize later that it's not what they wanted. I never understood it until my INFJ friend explained about his Fe. But I haven't actually gotten my intuition confirmed by an ENFJ... so yea.

And yea I agree about ENFJs... they seem to know quite well what they feel about others or their anger.... but I think they can only figure out what they are feeling when talking to other people. i think it's harder for them to figure it out by themselves.... like they have to stick it on the outside world.... kind of liek us with Ne..... it's easier for us to figure out connections when we are speaking about them out loud or on paper or literally seeing them....


I have no idea if this is right. I'm kind of just talking out of my ass.

 

[snail]

It is hard for me to imagine not being immediately aware of my feelings, and even with all I have read about different types, it has never occurred to me that it was possible to experience things any other way. Even when I'm not aware of anything else, I always know how I feel, even if there isn't a word for it. The only way I can imagine not knowing what I felt would be if I weren't feeling it. My head is spinning from this thread. I'm like... wtf? How would a person even function? This isn't a judgment or anything. I'm just confused now trying to imagine that. It's like trying to imagine a new color. Feelings you don't feel? What would that even be like? ...and how would you be able to guess what others were feeling if you didn't have your own feelings?

Like, for example, If I want to know what someone is feeling, the way to get closest to that truth is to imagine being that person. I know how I would feel in that situation, and I modify some details in my head to increase my accuracy. I say to myself, "If I were concerned with this set of details that this other person cares about, if I had been raised in this other context, and if I were in this current situation, how would I feel?" A person who wasn't in touch with his or her own feelings, but who could still anticipate the feelings of others, would be pretty much impossible for me to understand, and his or her methods might as well be magic.

 

[pinkrasputin]

mmm yea good point. I think that's why I made this thread... to see if other Fe users are like my INFJ friend. i was thinking in my head about..... how my ex girlfriend (intp) used to flirt with people ..... and she didn't really knwo what she was doing.... she thought she was just being nice..... and later realized she just did it to find out what she was feeling.

Also enfjs do this too.... where they flirt but don't mean it.... they connect and realize later that it's not what they wanted. I never understood it until my INFJ friend explained about his Fe. But I haven't actually gotten my intuition confirmed by an ENFJ... so yea.

And yea I agree about ENFJs... they seem to know quite well what they feel about others or their anger.... but I think they can only figure out what they are feeling when talking to other people. i think it's harder for them to figure it out by themselves.... like they have to stick it on the outside world.... kind of liek us with Ne..... it's easier for us to figure out connections when we are speaking about them out loud or on paper or literally seeing them....


I have no idea if this is right. I'm kind of just talking out of my ass.

Well yeah, I'm talking out of mine too. We are just throwing theories out here and trying to figure stuff out, right? :laughing:

But wow, you just helped me figure out why my ENFJ best friend is ALWAYS talking to me. She must be figuring stuff out as she is talking. But I don't think a lot of them know that.

It is hard for me to imagine not being immediately aware of my feelings, and even with all I have read about different types, it has never occurred to me that it was possible to experience things any other way. Even when I'm not aware of anything else, I always know how I feel, even if there isn't a word for it. The only way I can imagine not knowing what I felt would be if I weren't feeling it. My head is spinning from this thread. I'm like... wtf? How would a person even function? This isn't a judgment or anything. I'm just confused now trying to imagine that. It's like trying to imagine a new color. Feelings you don't feel? What would that even be like? ...and how would you be able to guess what others were feeling if you didn't have your own feelings?

Now, I don't if the chicken or the egg comes first here. But I PREFER to suspend my own feelings because one of my core values is to understand a situation objectively and to not filter what the other person is saying through my own feelings. I want to take in the information from THEIR perspective, not my own. Because I believe that would be unfair and biased of me if I didn't. And yes, instead of focusing on my feelings I will instead focus on how I would feel if I were their shoes first.

If it's a conflict situation, I will pretty much stay up in Ne for as long as I can. Fi shows me how I feel about the conflict, but then I proceed to express myself and handle it through Te. This is safer territory for me because 1. I am not being manipulated through their emotions like I could be if I was delving into my Fi to empathize with them and 2. It allows me the idea that I am not using my emotions to manipulate the other person. Te helps me to organize and see the structure of the conflict and it's flaws. It is much more emotionally detached but I'd rather put the focus on dynamics and logic at that point than on feelings. That way it's on a more level playing field. However, part of my use of Te includes the learned language that validates the other person's point of view which prevents making things worse by fueling another person's anger and therefore going outside of the structured argument. While I am do all this, I am still using Ne to see us BOTH objectively and how we fit into the whole picture.

Handling conflict that way ^^ is pretty big for me. It's about my own self protection because of some severe history I've had in conflict situations.

And yeah, remaining detached is still hard to do at times. ESPECIALLY if someone just kicked the living shit out of one of my values. But if I'm not able to control it, I usually go away so I can go feel everything I need to feel on my own. Progress, not perfection I guess. *sigh*

Like, for example, If I want to know what someone is feeling, the way to get closest to that truth is to imagine being that person. I know how I would feel in that situation, and I modify some details in my head to increase my accuracy. I say to myself, "If I were concerned with this set of details that this other person cares about, if I had been raised in this other context, and if I were in this current situation, how would I feel?" A person who wasn't in touch with his or her own feelings, but who could still anticipate the feelings of others, would be pretty much impossible for me to understand, and his or her methods might as well be magic.

Yes, I can relate to this very much. What you are describing is how our Fi works to empathize with others, no?

I do recognize my feelings as I have to analyze the reason for all my actions. I am a feeler. I just do it later. In a situation with another person, I will usually use Fi and what I know about feelings to understand the other person first before I will let myself recognize mine. I am busy experiencing their feelings, I even feel it in my body. I want to be able to HEAR and understand where they are coming from first. And yes, often times it does put me at a disadvantage. This is also why I believe INFPs can be stronger in their own convictions than ENFPs. And as a general rule, I believe ENFPs to be more people pleasing than INFPs.

*Sorry Higher, for digression. Fe and all that. Continue......

 

[snail]

I do recognize my feelings as I have to analyze the reason for all my actions. I am a feeler. I just do it later. In a situation with another person, I will usually use Fi and what I know about feelings to understand the other person first before I will let myself recognize mine. I am busy experiencing their feelings, I even feel it in my body. I want to be able to HEAR and understand where they are coming from first. And yes, often times it does put me at a disadvantage. This is also why I believe INFPs can be stronger in their own convictions than ENFPs. And as a general rule, I believe ENFPs to be more people pleasing than ENFPs.

Okay, but how does it work? How is it possible to understand the other person's feelings except in relation to how you would feel in the same context? You can listen to them talk, but the only way to get close to the motives causing them to say whatever they are saying would be to imagine what it would be like to be them, and to understand what would make you say the same things if you were that person. It doesn't make any sense to me at all how it could happen any other way. I'm desperately confused right now trying to figure this out.

 

[pinkrasputin]

Okay, but how does it work? How is it possible to understand the other person's feelings except in relation to how you would feel in the same context? You can listen to them talk, but the only way to get close to the motives causing them to say whatever they are saying would be to imagine what it would be like to be them, and to understand what would make you say the same things if you were that person. It doesn't make any sense to me at all how it could happen any other way. I'm desperately confused right now trying to figure this out.

That's a very good question Snail at it really made me think.

Just as I can look back and reflect on how I felt in a situation and feel it right now if I choose to, I can be available to feel what another person is feeling when they are feeling it. But when I am doing that with others, I suspend what I am feeling, disconnect from personal value and try to remain as open as I possibly can. I want to experience their feelings so I can guide them to empower themselves.

Last night, when I was running I realized that I was in a lot of emotional pain. I don't like to "go" there. I would rather feel and experience feelings through others or on the safety of the stage. As an actor, I am paid to express the honest emotions of a another person. It's something I can naturally do. But perhaps that is because I experience feelings of my own so deeply, I don't need to sit in them that long in order to understand them.

As an actor, I have to have a palate of emotions readily available on cue. I can experience pain, sorry, joy, lust, greed, envy hatred, etc within any context of a character. All history and context is involved. I believe this is related very much to my Fi. A famous acting 101 question to get people into their character is to ask yourself "What if I were in that situation" and to commit to it and believe all that about you is real. You are your character. You are not "playing" a character. It's immediate and it's honest in feelings as nothing separates you from your character. You are one.

As a side note- I have a harder time coaching acting to ENFJs. They tend to want to "perform" like they were that character instead of really believing they are that character. It has been very difficult to get them to answer my questions like "How would you feel if you were in that situation?" And they tend to respond too objectively. Too much with "head knowledge" of how a person would behave in that situation. They are seeing their character as a 3rd person instead of seeing it as themselves. But that is not their job. As an actor their body needs to be an open vessel for their character's emotions. When I hit walls with ENFJs in this sense, I have chalked it up to them not knowing their own emotions that well. Like THEY don't understand how THEY would be in that situation so it's harder for them to play a person who is in that situation.

It's really not hard for me to empathize with another person if they come to me. I open myself up to experiencing what they are telling me within the context. I am there with them emotionally and physically. I like to hear every detail so it can help me do this. Ne helps me so much with understanding the right context and "going there" immediately too.

As a child I wasn't as guarded with outright expression of my feelings as most of us aren't. It was more acceptable to wear our feelings on our sleeves. It was even more acceptable to throw tantrums and not look at the reality of why a parent had a certain rule or why some child would call you a name. I could bust out crying, or hit my brother. etc. And thank goodness that somewhere along the way I was socialized.

As and adult I've had to process my own feelings. I don't like it. But I've had to process A LOT of feelings. I'm a little more guarded of them as an adult. But in a lot of ways it is more appropriate. The key is to not ignore one's feelings all together. As you know, people can go extreme in that route. And before they know, they have lost all connection with themselves and understanding why they do the things they do. They have also disconnected from others. Not understanding yourself is not understand others.

But I know my feelings. I am a feeling person. But I do put my personal current emotions aside so I can experience other's emotions.

I know actors who've had a parent die and received the news right before they had to go out on stage. They gave a brilliant performance that night, too. They were able to temporarily put their current feelings on hold in order to experience the emotions of their character. I see myself doing this type of thing both on and off stage.

 

[UncertainSomething]

I was going to go all long winded and analytical but I decided to keep this brief(I might have failed). Anyway, for me I have two levels of feelings, ones that are my own, the others that are for other people but still based on my own. They are the same emotions and the same meanings but kind of processed differently, I feel both but personal ones are very strong while the impersonal ones are just low level. I understand and can reflect other peoples feelings but not feel them much myself, my own feelings are quite intense and I don't think I rely on others to know how I'm feeling but other people can be helpful if I need to understand something a bit deeper. I only share my deeper feelings with very select people. So its kind of like two different ways of seeing the same thing, one personal, one impersonal and its easy for me to keep the two separate but equal, balancing them can be difficult at times though and I can find myself thinking of others more than myself. I think infj is very different from enfj in that I can step in and out of my feelings at will and I like my own time alone or with one other person, whereas enfj seem to be only motivated by other peoples feelings, enfj may also be quite collective whereas I am highly individualist but that might be speculative.
Having said all that I think there might actually be three levels, impersonal, personal and interpersonal but anyway hope this gives an idea of how I think at least.
Hope that makes some sense, its not easy to explain.

 

[thehigher]

I was going to go all long winded and analytical but I decided to keep this brief(I might have failed). Anyway, for me I have two levels of feelings, ones that are my own, the others that are for other people but still based on my own. They are the same emotions and the same meanings but kind of processed differently, I feel both but personal ones are very strong while the impersonal ones are just low level. I understand and can reflect other peoples feelings but not feel them much myself, my own feelings are quite intense and I don't think I rely on others to know how I'm feeling but other people can be helpful if I need to understand something a bit deeper. I only share my deeper feelings with very select people. So its kind of like two different ways of seeing the same thing, one personal, one impersonal and its easy for me to keep the two separate but equal, balancing them can be difficult at times though and I can find myself thinking of others more than myself. I think infj is very different from enfj in that I can step in and out of my feelings at will and I like my own time alone or with one other person, whereas enfj seem to be only motivated by other peoples feelings, enfj may also be quite collective whereas I am highly individualist but that might be speculative.
Having said all that I think there might actually be three levels, impersonal, personal and interpersonal but anyway hope this gives an idea of how I think at least.
Hope that makes some sense, its not easy to explain.

It's really not easy to explain and you did quite well. So lets say you want to know what you are feeling. What do you do? Do you just instantly know? Do you find out in pieces? What exactly do you do/think.... and how does that evolve as you learn what you are feeling?

 

[UncertainSomething]

It's really not easy to explain and you did quite well. So lets say you want to know what you are feeling. What do you do? Do you just instantly know? Do you find out in pieces? What exactly do you do/think.... and how does that evolve as you learn what you are feeling?

I thought a little more about this last night so hopefully this will be a bit clearer, to me as much as to you. :happy:

Anyways, yes I know my own feelings and they are instant but they are generally not the feelings I share (sometimes even with myself), the impersonal feelings are piece by piece I suppose, learning how the person is feeling and then feeling as they feel(empathy and compassion). These feelings for other peoples feelings are connected to my deeper feelings but the deeper feelings can have a quite different perspective, its two perspectives of the same feeling if you like. I can quite easily feel both happy and sad for somebody at the same time, sad about their plight but happy they are sharing it or feel sad when somebodies done really well and I'm happy for them, I enjoy their achievement but its going to end badly.

The evolving part as you call it is I suppose building a deeper connection over time with the person, where that person is directly affecting my values, the more values we share the more I will share my deeper feelings. I suppose when it is somebody I trust the impersonal and the personal combine and I feel I can switch between impersonal and personal more freely without feeling the other person will be affected adversely. The third feeling or what I call interpersonal is the connection I would have with a partner, deep to deep connection where all feelings are expressed openly almost telepathic, this is the dream of the infj. I suppose its like the falling part of falling in love but free falling deeper into the subconscious.

Sometimes there is a problem of crossover where impersonal and personal feelings unexpectedly clash because of the person I'm talking to. When this happens I find it quite intense and confusing. This I think is when somebody starts playing to the tune of my values and my deep side tries grabbing at it if that makes sense. To me, and I'm sure most infjs, I want others feelings to be pure so when they are pure and directed at me I have to question it thoroughly as its an unusual thing to happen.

I can't speak for all infjs but I recognize this theme going on in most of us to some degree. Hope that makes sense.

 

[TenMac]

Fe is very in touch with everyone's emotions. They find out information from peoples ideas (Ni) or literal things (Si) and come to a conclusion as to how the subject feels. However.... when it comes to how they themselves feel it seems to be not as clear. In order to figure out how they themselves feel they must become the subject. They must DO things and think about what might someone else be feeling had they been in that situation.

For example......my infj friend said that he would like someone who could spend all day with him but not get too attatched because that would make him uncomfortable. I asked why. He said because he would need time to figure out his feelings. I thought this was interesting.... because I would know right away. Turns out that he would spend time with the person all day so that he could analyze himself from the same standpoint he analyzes other people.






What do you think Fe users? Is this accurate?

Your comparing two functions which are opposite in nature. I feel like I am better at identifying how I feel using my introverted functions. Personally as an ENFj, I reason about how I feel using objective information. I am quite different to the Fi user, in that I think about feelings based on guidelines and I have more principles (Fe) than values (Fi). Your right in the sense that I must interact with the external world in order to arouse my feeling function, but I dont need the external world to analyze how I feel. I use my introverted functions Ni-Ti to rationalize what I think of as good understanding of ethics and whats wrong and whats right, what makes sense, and what doesn't. I can empathize when Fi users are upset and understand them, but from a different viewpoint. Because their Fi is so internalized, I cant really reach them when it comes to anything to do with feelings because I am being objective about it and they are subjective about it. So they will analyze what things really mean to them because it is how they judge. Its very different. Much like the Te user, compared to the Ti user, who would rather relate things (facts and information) with each other rather than have specific theories.

The Fe user has a different use of the F function. I am an extrovert, so different people I know arouse different feelings in me that I know very well. Sure, that is where I best have access to my feelings, but they are feelings related with other people; because I also do have Se tertiary so it is quite externalized.

But that is independent from when it comes to analyzing my own feelings. Your question implies Fe users never know how they feel. And really I believe they exercise their Ti much more to analyze their feelings than Fe itself.




Does this make any sense?

 

[Everyday Ghoul]

Interesting thread. I'd kind of like to see a survey conducted across the boards, to see how the different types believed they processed their feelings and emotions. Feelings and emotions are a part of being human, but there's certainly enough discussion of them in the literature on type theory, to see an implication, that we do process and handle them differently. I'd like to see some hard data, proving or disproving this, though.