Cognitive Styles For Parent-Child Wellness

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According to evidence-based personality psychology, there are 8 major cognitive styles our brains can use:

• Extraverted Sensing (Se) = Specific perception of external world
  • Healthy version: being present-focused, adventurous, and attuned to sensory experiences.
  • Unhealthy version: sensory indulgence, hyperactivity, impulsivity, reckless behavior.
• Introverted Sensing (Si) = Specific perception of internal world
  • Healthy version: having attention to detail, strong memory recall, and a sense of tradition and nostalgia.
  • Unhealthy version: becoming overly resistant to change or fixated on past experiences.
• Extraverted Intuition (Ne) = Broad perception of external world
  • Healthy version: spontaneity, diversity, innovation, and adaptability.
  • Unhealthy version: scattered thinking, indecisiveness, disrespect for tradition, inability to adhere to routines
• Introverted Intuition (Ni) = Broad perception of internal world
  • Healthy version: insight, foresight, philosophizing, visionary imagination for meaningful, innovative ideas.
  • Unhealthy version: detachment from reality, neglect of present responsibilities, extreme frustration with unexpected outcomes.
• Extraverted Thinking (Te) = external logical order
  • Healthy version: organization, efficiency, and effective decision-making.
  • Unhealthy version: bossy, gives unsolicited advice, overworks oneself
• Introverted Thinking (Ti) = internal logical order
  • Healthy version: logical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and a penchant for critical analysis.
  • Unhealthy version: overthinking everything, becoming overly detached or dismissive of emotions, overestimating personal intelligence
• Extraverted Feeling (Fe) = external emotional order
  • Healthy version: harmonizing, charismatic, great at emotionally interacting with others
  • Unhealthy version: emotionally manipulative, desperate for social approval, overly dependent on relationships with others
• Introverted Feeling (Fi) = internal emotional order
  • Healthy version: authentic, self-expressive, passionate about their values
  • Unhealthy version: overly sensitive, emotionally volatile or rigidly pessimistic, unrealistically idealistic

These 8 cognitive styles develop in early childhood. After adolescence, the brain matures and "personality type" becomes more well-defined.

Thus, after age 18, people can be understood based on 16 personality types, each of which have their own unique ways of using the above 8 cognitive styles:

Do not worry if this looks complicated! This is just meant to outline how there are 16 different cognitive frameworks our brains can take on. The important thing to note is that there are different ways people can use the 8 cognitive styles.

And an even more important part to note: it is NOT recommended to speculate which of these 16 types your child may have. Given that children's brains are developing, it is unclear if a certain behavior pattern or cognitive preference is based on their personality preferences or if it's just a phase they are going through as their brain matures.

Therefore, it is recommended to focus on helping your child develop each of the 8 cognitive modes in healthy ways, rather than understanding which of the following 16 types your child has. Until the child reaches age 18, it is not recommended to decipher their personality type.

Instead, focus on your own cognitive preferences and understand which of the 16 cognitive frameworks fit you best. This is helpful for developing a healthy parenting style that suits your own personality.

For more information on how these personality types and cognitive frameworks can relate to parenting styles, check out

16 Types of Parenting Styles - My Virtual Physician

For more information on evidence-based research on these personality types, check out Cognitive Personality Theory: Murrell, Harry: 9798421238645: Amazon.com: Books

My Virtual Physician is now offering pediatric behavioral health services. If you are concerned about your child's mental health needs, please book appointment with our pediatric cognitive-behavioral coach, Dr. Dalson: BOOK HERE