More On Jung and the Types

As discussed in "Cornerstones of the Psyche," the core of Western astrology's elements and Carl Jung’s personality types (or typology) are fourfold.

Summation:

Perception: Sensing versus Intuitive

Sensing Type (Element of Earth) Taurus, Virgo, Capricorn - A person whose main function is sensation trusts objective information that is practical and can be observed and gathered through the five senses of sight, taste, hearing, direct, and taste.

Intuitive Type (Element of Fire) Aries, Leo, Sagittarius - A person whose main function is intuition trusts subjective information gathered through imagination, insight, and hunches. This person perceives information and situations in a global manner. They intuitively look toward the future, at possibilities, and for the “big picture.” This person gathers information by seeing around corners.

Judging: Thinking versus Feeling

Thinking Type (Element of Air) Gemini, Libra, Aquarius - A person whose main function is thinking prefers to make objective decisions based on hard, cold, logic and on logical connections.

Feeling Type (Element of Water) Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces - A person whose main function is feeling makes decisions based on their subjective sense of values. How will the decision effect them? How will the decision effect other people.

“Potentially” each of us has all 4 of the functions (Fire, Earth, Air, and Water) at our disposal. However, the reality is that one of these functions will be the most “dominant” and preferred function, a second function and perhaps third function will help out the dominant function. A 4th function will remain basically unused and thus will fall into "shadow" and become the “inferior” function.

Extraversion versus Introversion
To the 4 functions, Jung added 2 differing, and opposing "attitudes": Extraversion vs Introversion. These 2 attitudes have now become terms well integrated into popular vernacular and should be familiar to just about everyone.

Extraverts tend to be sociable, they prefer being with groups of people, and they appear to become actively energized when interacting with groups of people.

Introverts, while they can put on a sociable face, truly prefer keeping to themselves, they prefer one on one interactions with others, and they appear to become drained of energy when interacting with groups of people.

One rule of thumb is that extraverts tend to think and formulate ideas as they speak and interact with others. Introverts tend to think, reflect, formulate ideas internally, and then finally speak.

Physiological Basis
Dr. H. J. Eysenck, Institute of Psychiatry at the University of London, hypothesized that there may actually be an underlying physiological, brain function, basis for the two differing attitudes of extraversion vs introversion.

• Extravert - According to Dr. Eysenck, the extravert may physiologically need added stimulus from (or interaction with) his/her surrounding environment in order to feel at ease and "normal." i.e. The extravert needs to actively interact with other people to feel "okay." The extravert feels energized by interacting with groups of people.
  
• Introvert - On the other hand, the introvert may physiologically need to reduce stimulus from (or interaction with) his/her surrounding environment in order to feel at ease and "okay." The introvert needs time alone in order to feel "normal." The introvert feels drained and depleted of energy when spending large amounts of time interacting and being in groups of people.

4 Becomes 8
Adding the dimension of extraversion vs introversion, Jung’s 4 basic types and/or functions are then expanded and differentiated into 8 different personality type combinations.

Introversion (I) vs Extraversion (E)
Intuitive (N) vs Sensing (S)
Feeling (F) vs Thinking (T)

Extraverted Sensing Thinking (EST)
Extraverted Sensing Feeling (ESF)
Extraverted Intuitive Thinking (ENT)
Extraverted Intuitive Feeling (ENF)
Introverted Sensing Thinking (IST)
Introverted Sensing Feeling (ISF)
Introverted Intuitive Thinking (INT)
Introverted Intuitive Feeling (INF)

Type Indicator Tests
If you happen to be familiar with either the traditional Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or the newer Keirsey Temperament Sorter, then all of this should now be beginning to look a wee bit familiar.

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