It would be impossible to do full justice to the multifaceted nature of Jung's model in a few short blog posts. There are many excellent book-length works on this topic, and interested readers are encouraged to dig deeper by pursuing those works.
According to Jung's model, whenever you are using your mind, you are always doing one of two things. You are either gathering information, exploring experience or possibilities (in the Jungian model, this is known as Perceiving), or else you are evaluating and assessing that information in order to prioritize it or to make decisions (which is known as Judging). Note that it's easy to misunderstand the implications of these terms: a Judging person is not necessarily "judgmental", for instance. Some of us run our outer lives primarily in a flexible, adaptable, spontaneous manner; these are Perceiving types. Others emphasize organization, structure, and planfulness in our outer lives; these are Judging types. Can you recognize which of these two descriptions best fits you? (Don't forget that we are all shaped by the expectations of our social environment, so that -- for example -- many Perceiving types have to act more organized than they would naturally be, or learn to be more decisive than they would normally be, when on the job. Don't confuse these learned, secondary behaviors with your basic personality type.) Most retail managers (who have to make a steady stream of quick decisions and not look back) are Judging types, for instance, while most farmers (who have to adjust each day to changing conditions and be able to switch plans to suit) are Perceiving types.
In Jung's model, there are two different ways of Perceiving, and all of us tend to prefer one over the other. Similarly, there are two different ways of Judging, and each of us has a preference for one of them. Thus, there are four basic ways of using your mind, which Jung called the four mental functions.
When you are Perceiving, you can either pay attention (often in a linear and rather literal way) to the facts, details, specifics, and tangible concrete realities of the world as it is now, as presented to you through your five senses: this is Sensing. Or, you can focus (often in a nonlinear and quite metaphorical way) on the ideas, emerging creative options, innovative big-picture concepts, and intangible abstract possibilities of the world as it could be in the future, using your ability to read between the lines or go beyond what your senses tell you (in a sort of "sixth sense" leap into the future): this is iNtuition. (We'll see in a minute why the word iNtuition is written in this rather odd way, with its second letter capitalized). All of us are capable of both, but each of us prefers either Sensing or iNtuition. Most accountants (who focus on details and facts) are Sensing types, for instance, while most college professors (who live in a world of abstract theoretical possibilities) are iNtuitive types. Can you spot your preference?
When you are Judging, you can either make decisions on the basis of objective, impersonal, analytical logic, by focusing on the costs and benefits, risks and gains, assets and liabilities: this is Thinking. (Note that, for Jung, the word Thinking does not mean just any mental activity, but this specific kind of mental activity. Note also that Thinking does not mean the same as "intellect" or "intelligence".) Conversely, you can make decisions on a subjective, personal, human basis, by focusing on cherished personal values and the feelings, needs, and concerns of yourself and others: this is Feeling. (Again, rather oddly, Feeling does not mean the same as emotion: Feeling decisions are not "emotional" in the sense of being illogical, but are driven by the personal values of the heart.) Again, we can all do both, but we all have a prefeerence for one or the other. Not surprisingly, most attorneys (who make a living by making logical arguments) are Thinking types, while most counselors (who make a living by being caring, empathic listeners) are Feeling types. Do you know which is your preferred function?
Finally, we all live in two different "worlds" (modes or domains of being) at the same time: the outer or public world of actions, relationships, sociability, and breadth (this is the Extraverted world), and the inner or private world of solitude, reflection, introspection, and depth (this is the Introverted world). Again, while we all have some capacity to navigate both, we all have a preference. Those who prefer being "out and about" in the external, public world are Extraverts, while those who prefer being "in and within" their own internal, private world are introverts. Most computer programmers, for instance (who spend much of their work day by themselves, digging deep into technical problems) are Introverts, while most salespeople (who spend much of their work day interacting with others in more brief conversations) are Extraverts. Which is your preference? (Since Introversion begins with the letter I, we had to use the second letter of the word iNtuition -- which also starts with I -- to refer to that function.)
Since these four preferences are (more or less) independent of one another: you prefer either E or I, either S or N, either T or F, and either J or P, to yield one of sixteen possible psychological types. For instance, I am an INFP. You can easily find descriptions (some of which are more reputable than others - beware of purveyors of pop psychology!) of these types by doing an Internet search.
In my next post, I'll explore further implications of type theory for your life and your career transition. Stay tuned.
Copyright (c) 2011
Marlowe C. Embree, Ph.D.
Marlowe C. Embree, Ph.D.
President/Founder
Kaleidoscope Consulting Services LLC
Kaleidoscope Consulting Services LLC
Twitter: marlowe_embree
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