MBTI #2: Intuitives and Sensors

Today, a closer look at the first of the dichotomies in the MBTI types: intuitive vs. sensor. These two control the second slot in a four-letter type. To continue using myself as an example, this is the N in my INTJ designation. My main character in Disciple, Kate, tests as an ISTJ.

Over-simplification
Sensors deal in collected data: things they see and feel, or memories of things they've seen and felt. Intuitors deal in abstractions: ideas from within, or seeing the conceptual connections between things around them.

Stereotypes
"You know you're an intuitive when..."
"You know you're a sensor when..."

Descriptions
These are short descriptions. Longer ones in the first post here below the first "-------" line.

Extroverted Sensing (Se): Experiencing the immediate context; taking action in the physical world; noticing changes and opportunities for action; accumulating experiences; scanning for visible reactions and relevant data; recognizing what is relevant.

Introverted Sensing (Si): Reviewing past experiences, evoking what was, seeking detailed information and links to what is known, recalling stored impressions; accumulating data, recognizing the way things have always been. Connecting current experiences to past experiences and emotions.

Extroverted iNtuiting (Ne): Interpreting situations and relationships; picking up meanings and interconnections; being drawn to change what is and what could possibly be, noticing what is not said and threads of meaning emerging across multiple contexts.

Introverted iNtuiting (Ni): Foreseeing implications and likely effects without external data, conceptualizing new ways of seeing things, envisioning transformations, getting an image of profound meaning or far-reaching symbols.

Further thoughts
These two functions deal with "incoming information" for a person, both in what form that information takes (data or abstractions) and what direction it comes from (introverted or extroverted.)

Sensor-dominants come across as very "grounded" people, because they're completely in touch with reality, whereas intuitives are more distracted, dreamy, or cerebral. It's the intuitives who accidentally walk into doors because they were thinking about something. Sensors are the ones who sigh and shake their heads every time that happens.

In the general population, Sensors (73%) greatly outnumber Intuitives (27%).

MBTI basics

Four dichotomies:
Intuitives/Sensors • Feelers/Thinkers • Introverts/Extroverts • Judgers/Perceivers

For writers: Sketching Characters • The Dark Side • Shadow & Resources