Your Supporting (or Auxiliary) Function
Now let’s look at the supporting or auxiliary function in your four-letter Type Code. In the story analogy, this supporting function is critical – it provides balance and support to the lead character and the plot; the story is one-dimensional without this supporting role. The Auxiliary/Supporting Function is like this supporting character in the story of you.
CG Jung stated the supporting function (and all other functions) only made sense in the context of the leading function. The supporting function is not “equal” to the leading function but takes a balancing role in our psychological make-up. Knowing more about your supporting function fills out the picture of type dynamics a little more.
We aren’t going to go into the same detail with your Supporting Function as we have with your Leading Function in this next part of this Module, but you are free to engage in the same degree and depth of Exploration as you did for your Leading Function, if you choose.
You may wish to combine the functions into your Story Playshop and compose your story with the two characters – Leading Function and Supporting Function – into one narrative.
You can also repeat the standard Explorations you did for the Leading Function for your Supporting Function.
The 8 Cognitive Functions and the 16 Style Types are mapped this way:
1. Extraverted Sensing – supporting function for ISTP and ISFP
2. Introverted Sensing – supporting function for ESTJ and ESFJ
3. Extraverted iNtuition – supporting function for INTP and INFP
4. Introverted iNtuition – supporting function for ENTJ and ENFJ
5. Extraverted Thinking – supporting function for INTJ and ISTJ
6. Introverted Thinking – supporting function for ENTP and ESTP
7. Extraverted Feeling – supporting function for INFJ and ISFJ
8. Introverted Feeling – supporting function for ENFP and ESFP
You can now use the information in this module about each of the functions to learn more about your Supporting Function.
Supporting Function Explorations
It’s now time to have fun and explore your Supporting Function with the Explorations in the Module 6 PDF Page 87.
