The Jung Cognitive Function Test is a psychological framework that explores how individuals perceive and process the world around them. Based on the theories of Carl Gustav Jung, this test identifies eight core cognitive functions that shape your behavior, thought patterns, and personality type.

Unlike traditional personality tests that simply label you as a type, the Jung Cognitive Function Test goes deeper — uncovering the mental functions behind your actions and decisions. Understanding your dominant, auxiliary, and shadow functions helps you grow in self-awareness, communication, and emotional intelligence.

What Is the Jung Cognitive Function Test?

The Jung Cognitive Function Test is an assessment designed to measure how you use the eight cognitive functions identified by Carl Jung in his book Psychological Types. These functions are the foundation of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), which expanded Jung’s original model into the well-known 16 personality types.

Each person uses all eight functions to some degree, but four are typically dominant, shaping how we think, feel, sense, and intuitively understand the world. The Jung Cognitive Function Test helps you identify which of these functions guide your personality most strongly.

The Eight Jungian Cognitive Functions

According to Jung, the human mind operates through four core functions — Thinking, Feeling, Sensing, and Intuition — each of which can be expressed in either an Introverted or Extraverted way. This creates a total of eight cognitive functions.

1. Extraverted Thinking (Te)

Focus: Organizing the external world logically and efficiently.

Traits: Analytical, structured, and goal-oriented.

Example: Someone with strong Te values results, planning, and measurable success. They make decisions based on data and logic rather than emotion.

2. Introverted Thinking (Ti)

Focus: Internal logical consistency and accuracy of ideas.

Traits: Objective, curious, and detail-oriented.

Example: A person with strong Ti enjoys problem-solving, analyzing systems, and refining concepts to make them more efficient.

3. Extraverted Feeling (Fe)

Focus: Understanding and managing the emotions of others.

Traits: Empathetic, social, and relationship-driven.

Example: Fe users prioritize harmony and often adjust their behavior to meet others’ needs or maintain group balance.

4. Introverted Feeling (Fi)

Focus: Staying true to one’s personal values and beliefs.

Traits: Authentic, compassionate, and morally grounded.

Example: Fi users make decisions based on what feels ethically or emotionally right rather than external approval.

5. Extraverted Sensing (Se)

Focus: Experiencing the world through immediate sensory input.

Traits: Adventurous, spontaneous, and realistic.

Example: Se users are present-focused and thrive in hands-on activities that engage their senses and instincts.

6. Introverted Sensing (Si)

Focus: Reflecting on past experiences and comparing them to the present.

Traits: Reliable, practical, and detail-oriented.

Example: People with strong Si draw on memory and routine to make decisions, valuing stability and tradition.

7. Extraverted Intuition (Ne)

Focus: Exploring possibilities and generating new ideas.

Traits: Imaginative, innovative, and open-minded.

Example: Ne users enjoy brainstorming, discovering connections, and envisioning future outcomes.

8. Introverted Intuition (Ni)

Focus: Understanding abstract patterns and deeper meanings.

Traits: Insightful, visionary, and strategic.

Example: Ni users rely on intuition and foresight to connect complex ideas and predict long-term trends.

How the Jung Cognitive Function Test Works

The Jung Cognitive Function Test typically consists of a series of statements or questions that measure your preferences across Jung’s eight mental processes. Each question evaluates how you handle information, make decisions, and respond to your environment.

Your responses are analyzed to identify your dominant, auxiliary, tertiary, and inferior functions — the four primary cognitive functions that shape your personality type. For example:

  • Dominant Function: Your strongest and most natural mode of operation.
  • Auxiliary Function: Supports your dominant function and helps balance your personality.
  • Tertiary Function: Less developed but still influential in decision-making.
  • Inferior Function: Your least developed function, often the source of growth challenges.

The Relationship Between Jung Cognitive Functions and MBTI Types

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is built directly on Jung’s cognitive function theory. Each MBTI type (e.g., INFP, ESTJ, ENTP) represents a specific combination of dominant and auxiliary functions.

For example:

  • INTJ: Dominant – Introverted Intuition (Ni), Auxiliary – Extraverted Thinking (Te)
  • ESFP: Dominant – Extraverted Sensing (Se), Auxiliary – Introverted Feeling (Fi)
  • INFP: Dominant – Introverted Feeling (Fi), Auxiliary – Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
  • ENTP: Dominant – Extraverted Intuition (Ne), Auxiliary – Introverted Thinking (Ti)

This connection means that the Jung Cognitive Function Test can reveal not only your dominant function but also provide a deeper understanding of your MBTI personality structure.

Why Take the Jung Cognitive Function Test?

The Jung Cognitive Function Test is valuable for anyone seeking self-knowledge, personal development, or better interpersonal understanding. It offers insights into how your mind naturally operates and how to balance your dominant traits with your weaker ones.

Benefits of Taking the Test:

  • Self-awareness: Understand your core motivations, habits, and decision-making style.
  • Career direction: Discover roles that align with your cognitive strengths.
  • Communication skills: Improve your interactions with people of different cognitive styles.
  • Emotional intelligence: Learn how to regulate your less developed (shadow) functions.
  • Personal growth: Develop balance by strengthening your weaker cognitive functions.

How Cognitive Functions Affect Personality

Each cognitive function influences your personality in a unique way. For example:

  • Ni-dominant types (like INTJs) focus on vision and long-term planning.
  • Se-dominant types (like ESFPs) live in the moment and enjoy sensory experiences.
  • Ti users value internal logic, while Te users prioritize external efficiency.
  • Fe users aim to build emotional harmony, whereas Fi users stay true to personal values.

Recognizing how your functions interact helps you understand not only your strengths but also your stress triggers and blind spots.

Developing Your Cognitive Functions

The purpose of the Jung Cognitive Function Test is not to label you, but to guide your personal development. By identifying your dominant and inferior functions, you can intentionally strengthen the less developed aspects of your personality and achieve greater psychological balance.

Tips for Growth:

  • Challenge your weaker functions: If you’re an intuitive type, practice focusing on sensory details; if you’re a thinker, explore emotional awareness.
  • Develop your auxiliary function: It supports your dominant trait and provides emotional or logical balance.
  • Reflect regularly: Journaling and mindfulness can help you observe how your functions influence your reactions.
  • Embrace your shadow side: Understanding your inferior function can lead to major personal breakthroughs.

Final Thoughts

The Jung Cognitive Function Test offers a powerful framework for self-discovery and growth. By exploring your dominant mental processes — whether intuitive, sensing, thinking, or feeling — you can understand the patterns that shape your personality and behavior.

Developing awareness of your cognitive functions allows you to harness your natural strengths while balancing your weaker ones, leading to more authentic relationships, better decisions, and long-term personal growth.

Keywords: jung cognitive function test, carl jung psychology, cognitive functions, MBTI, personality types, self-awareness, introverted intuition, extraverted thinking, personality development.