Let’s talk about the car model. I’ve mentioned it before in other posts because it’s so useful, but it may be a bit confusing to some, or at least a bit in-the-weeds. But the Car Model provides an excellent illustration of the cognitive stack, or as I like to call it, your brain on a road trip.

The MBTI community has many metaphors to describe how cognitive functions rank or stack in the human mind when given a specific personality type. I first heard about the car Model from various YouTubers like Psychology Junkie (just one of many out there). This metaphor describes the four letter abbreviation of your personality as a car model. Then it describes the cognitive functions as the people in it.

So every mind is a family of four on the road trip of life. The DRIVER is the one in charge and the most developed, or adult, of the four. The NAVIGATOR is the other adult passenger who rides up front and helps the driver to make good decisions (sometimes). These first two cognitive functions are the ones used the most and are the most developed of each personality type. Then we have the PASSENGER. This is the kid riding along in the back seat. He/she isn’t engaged with the road trip, but is looking out the side window paying attention to other things. This function is not as well developed, but is cognizant and is useful in its own way. You know, the one responsible for handing out snacks. Finally there’s what I call the TAG-ALONG. This is the the toddler in the car seat. This kid is mostly in his/her own world. But from time to time he’ll see something and yell about it. This is the kid that starts singing at the top of his lungs for no discernible reason or proclaims that he sees a cow. So this function is the least developed of the four. Its definitely a part of the personality, but it’s not ever responsible for making big decisions.

Now for the part I’ve added to the metaphor. Each person on the road trip has luggage. This luggage is in the trunk. It sits there in the dark and doesn’t do anything, but you have to have it. These are your shadow functions. This is a Jungian concept that deserves its own, somewhat scary, blogpost. Among all this luggage ack there is one piece that is set on the driver side where not even the TAG-ALONG can see it. This is the BLIND SPOT. All car models have them. One must be aware of this. Not doing so could be catastrophic. I’ve written about my blind spot, which is the cognitive function called Extraverted iNtuition in another post. I literally cannot stand to be around this function in use. I just prefer my intuition to be introverted. But that’s why there are sixteen different models out there.

Okay, so let’s look at how this works with a real world example. I’m an ISTP. So here’s my brain on a road trip. My DRIVER is introverted thinking. My NAVIGATOR is extraverted sensing. My PASSENGER is introverted intuition. My cute little TAG-ALONG is extraverted feeling. Now each of these functions have specific characteristics that make up my personality. They each have baggage in the trunk too, my shadow functions. One of these bags, extraverted intuition, sits in the BLIND SPOT.

There are sixteen different personality types, or car models, out there. Mine’s an old ISTP. It gets pretty good mileage and is pretty reliable. While it’s not a flashy sports model, it always gets me where I’m going.