Analytic introverted Intuiting (Ni-A) aka The Visionary in Relationships
Introverted Intuition is the dominant function for INTJ and INFJ types. According to recent research by Dr. Dario Nardi, it can show up in two flavors. This post outlines the analytic introverted intuition version.
In addition to my own experiences and interpretations, these are the resources I quote and/or reference:
Berens, L. V. and Nardi, D. (2004) Understanding Yourself and Others, An Introduction to the Personality Type Code, p.7 https://amzn.to/3Glt53J
Jones, J. H. and Sherman, R. G. (2011) Intimacy and Type, p. 35 https://amzn.to/47NHe5k
Jung, C. G. (1976 edition) Psychological Types (The Collected Works), p.368ff https://amzn.to/46CJGuy
Nardi, D. (2023) Decode Your Personality - Go Beyond Myers-Briggs With 64 Brain-Based Subtypes, p. 338ff https://amzn.to/3GoU6mL
Thomson, L. (1998) Personality Type, An Owners Manual, p. 35 https://amzn.to/4a3mxEy
This is the seventh post in a series where I’ll share what the Jungian functions look like in their 2 Nardian flavors, adding specifically how they might show up in romantic relationships. If you’re following the series, you will note there’s some repetition, but in case this is the one and only post you follow, I want you to have all the information. So feel free to make use of the chapter markers in the description.
My main references for this post are Carl Gustav Jung and Dr. Dario Nardi. Jung was a Swiss Psychiatrist who published his theory of psychological types in 1921, and Dario is a university professor, prolific researcher and author. He found evidence of psychological types in the neuroscience data captured by EEG assessments he’s been doing with people from all walks of life since 2006.
And in case we haven’t met, I’m Doris Füllgrabe, a certified coach with a masters in applied psychology, and I help people create happier, healthier relationships.
A few caveats before we begin:
1, these videos describe the functions in their purest state. Functions rarely show up in their purest state, as they interact with other functions and your brain is really active doing multiple things at any given time, like it’s figuring out whether you’re cold or hungry right now. So, you may not resonate with 100% of the description of this function 100% of the time, and that is normal.
2, these videos describe the function for this function type. You may not be this particular function type, which means this function may not be at the top or dominant in your consciousness. That’s ok, too, because it’s still in your system, you still have access to it, and paying attention to this function may help you recognize when it pops up out of your subconscious, so you can practice integrating it consciously. That will give you better control over it and you can reap its benefits.
With that, let’s move from the broad to the specific, starting with the function, Intuition as Jung called it, or Intuiting which is also used to describe it as a process, and then the function attitude introverted Intuition, then the flavor, analytic introverted Intuition, and finally how it shows up in relationships. Here we go.
The Intuiting function is one of the two irrational perceiving functions.
Irrational, because it’s just about experiencing, and perceiving because that’s literally what it’s doing.
The Intuiting function helps us appreciate underlying patterns and grasp “the bigger picture”, things that go beyond the immediate senses.
It gives us vivid imaginations and a curiosity about the as yet unknown.
It is creative and enthusiastic, novel and original, but also ingenious and geared towards freedom.
Dr. Linda Berens describes it this way:
“Intuiting is a process of becoming aware of abstract information, like symbols, conceptual patterns, and meanings. It is an intangible “knowing” of what something means, how it relates to something else, or what might happen. As an active perceptual process, it is more than a “sixth” sense. It often involves actively bringing together or forming ideas in novel ways. Sometimes this process is “triggered” by an external event, or sometimes this abstract information just seems to present itself to our awareness.”
Moving on to the function attitude, introverted Intuiting, which is the dominant function for INTJ and INFJ types.
What follows are Jung’s words, and he has a lot to say on the topic of introverted intuition. However, his language from 100 years ago is a little different from how we speak today. He’s quite male-centric, so uses he/him when describing all functions that aren’t Feeling types. He also uses the word “object” to describe anything and anyone outside of you, and “subject” to describe yourself, you, the person.
“Just as the extraverted intuitive is continually scenting out new possibilities, which he pursues with equal unconcern for his own welfare and for that of others, pressing on quite heedless of human considerations and tearing down what has just been built in his everlasting search for change, so the introverted intuitive moves from image to image, chasing after every possibility in the teeming womb of the unconscious, without establishing any connections between them and himself.”
He clarifies this by saying that since it’s a perceiving process, “the introverted intuitive has little consciousness of his own bodily existence or of its effect on others. The extravert would say: “reality does not exist for him, he gives himself up to fruitless fantasies.” But since these images represent possible views of the world which may give life a new potential, this function, which to the outside world is the strangest of all, is as indispensable to the total psychic economy as is the corresponding human type to the psychic life of a people. Had this type not existed, there would have been no prophets in Israel.”
Jung’s model of the psyche supposes a personal and a collective unconscious, suggesting that “the accumulated experiences of organic life in general, a million times repeated, and condensed into archetypes” are the source of these introverted intuitive images. He describes the collective unconscious as an active and dynamic entity that can relay important messages to those who can perceive and decipher them.
He describes dominant introverted intuiting types as mystical dreamers and seers on the one hand, and artists and the crank on the other. A crank according to Jung is “content with a visionary idea by which he himself is shaped and determined”, so sounds a little like the analytic introverted intuiting type we talked about yesterday. Jung also says these types are often completely aloof and away from tangible reality, frequently a misunderstood genius, or a great man “gone wrong”. When combining introverted intuition with a judging function, the question becomes “what does this mean for me or the world? and What emerges from this vision by the way of a duty or a task, for me or the world?”
But when it stays one-sided, these types just stay in their heads and engage with the images for their aesthetic’s sake, adapting their life to their inner visions instead of to external reality. Which again adds to their being not necessarily understood by others.
So much for the function and the function attitude, now we’re moving into the flavor.
Dr. Nardi analyzed EEG data from his participants and found two distinct brain wirings. The one we’re looking at here is the analytic style, or flavor.
For reference, this flavor is focused on a goal, it filters out distractions, and it looks like clarity and confidence.
That’s not to say it’s simplistic, it considers the complexities of a situation and includes relevant variables.
Its approach is top-down, so it’s driving the situation with a point in mind.
People with this style like to solve problems quickly using familiar tools, and can be unaware of their own biases.
It’s often more visual.
It pays attention to what is being said, like facts, figures, rules, methods, and labels.
Thinking is often literal to the specific context, and they often describe using analogies.
In business, it’s more comfortable with hierarchy, defined roles and leadership.
Likely careers for those with an analytical style include business, engineering, finance, law, the military, hard sciences and tech.
Dario calls the analytic introverted Intuiting type the “Visionary”.
He points out that introverted intuiting is the least commonly favored among the population, but you can still access it every time you try to predict or get a vision from the future, or dip into your subconscious.
He says visionaries stick to a singular vision of the future to improve themselves and/or society. This could be a creative or a business endeavor, but the analytic flavor gives it a certain strength and energy that brings out a special kind of willpower, persistence, and possibly tunnel vision in this person.
They are certain of a few compelling insights that they don't let go of or water down. Turning these realizations into principles can be tricky because they’re not always logical or based on sound analysis, they just arise in consciousness with such a sense of certainty that the visionary may neglect to test their hypotheses.
But visionaries apply many complex concepts to their visions, so even though their insights may not seem well-founded or sound in the moment, time might prove them right. In these instances, they might act as or be seen as guiding spirits.
Now here’s a new addition in terms of caveats for the relationship portion of this information: based on a comment I received, I want to preface this and the following posts by saying that all types can and do have relationships with all other types. Just like you wouldn’t hire an employee based on their type, you shouldn’t choose a partner solely based on their type either, because yes, it explains a lot, but people are much more complex than that. Still, type is the best framework I know to understand, and then bridge our differences, no matter who you’re with.
Also, to my knowledge, there is no reliable statistical research into people’s types and sexual preferences as yet, so what I suggest may or may not resonate. However, if you’d like to take part in such research, please email me.
in dating
So, you might be attracted to the visionary’s confidence, the pride they take in what they do, or the quality of the work they put out. But they can be sensitive to rejection, so you might have to make most of the moves in the beginning, and you might also have to read between the lines to figure out if they’re interested in you. If you are this type, please help your dates and use your words! As I’ve mentioned, there’s not that many of you around, so chances are your partner isn’t seeing the same signs, and needs a little verbal confirmation.
Jung mentions that since the introverted intuiting types are so removed from external reality, in extreme cases the repressed shadow opposite, extraverted sensing, can come out in the form of a compulsion neurosis, including compulsive ties to a particular person or object. This sounds like stalking behavior to me, so if you’re noticing obsessive behavior, that might be introverted intuiting types in the grip of their extraverted sensing function.
in mating
since introverted intuiting is all about getting cosmic downloads, my guess is that these types enjoy solo play more than anything, because it’ll allow them to swim in the fantasy and blur the lines of reality. But I can also imagine these types being fans of the Kama sutra and tantric practices, to experience, and facilitate experiences of, spiritual ecstasy with their partners. On the flip side, they may see sex as too mundane and earthly, it really depends on the individual. Since there isn’t any reliable research into how sexual arousal, attraction, action and type are related, I would love to get the ball rolling so please feel free to reach out.
in relating
as partners, dominant introverted intuiting types may find it challenging to express and communicate their rich inner lives and share their vivid internal experiences with you. That doesn’t mean you should write them off, but it’s an invitation to listen to more than their words, pay attention to their actions, and what is not being said in their silences. They’re also likely going to have high expectations of themselves and their partners, they can be hard to please that way but they’re also fair, generous, and supportive types. They’ll help you get your vision off the ground, and even though they might look all independent, they still enjoy receiving a good compliment.
Again, this information is meant as an overview of the function and its analytic flavor, it cannot describe all the nuances and individual idiosyncrasies - but I hope you now have a better idea.
If you think you have a analytic flavor of introverted Intuition, or a partner of that type, I’d love to hear from you!
