Myers Briggs sensing vs intuition: What is the difference?

The difference between sensing and intuition is that sensing is physical because you rely on your five physical senses like your sight, sense of touch, taste, hearing, or smell. Your intuition is spiritual because it is based on the interpretation of your thoughts and feelings. the sensing type makes up three-quarters of the world’s population, making the intuitive type far rarer.

The Myers-Briggs type indicator, also known as MBTI (and will be referred to as such), was created by Carl Jung. It is a great tool with which we can understand our loved ones. Comprised of four sectors; extroversion or introversion; sensing vs intuition, thinking vs feeling, and judging vs perceiving, but we will focus on intuitive vs sensing.

The benefits of sensing over intuition

Below are some benefits in Myers Brigg’s personality traits of sensing people experience over the intuitive type.

• Can make quick decisions and take action on something they have similar past experiences.
• Great observation powers attention to detail.
• Lives in the here-and-now and focus on their physical reality.
• Makes sure they understand the whole situation before taking action.
• Down-to-earth, practical, logical, and pragmatic.

The benefits of intuition over sensing

n in Myers Briggs personality trait advantages of the intuitive person.

• Theories and philosophers who appreciate all possibilities.
• Able to focus and appreciate the bigger picture.
• Have strength in their abstract thought and imagination.
• Loves coming up with new concepts and solutions.
• Ability to empathise easily, or see things from someone else’s perspective.
• Can predict or jump to conclusions with only a fraction of the information.

Sensing vs intuition examples

Even though it can be easy to read in black and white, noticing these different personality type’s methods can be harder in person. In order to bring clarity to this, we have come up with some real-life examples of the perceptions of an intuitive vs sensor personality.

Music

If you were to gaze upon Stary Night by Van Gogh, do you see just the intricate swirls and blends of colors as a sensing person might, or does it inspire deeper thoughts and emotions as it would with an intuitive person?

At work

If you are given a problem to solve at work, do you scrutinize the details of the issue so you can execute the most efficient strategy as a sensing person would? Or, do you come up with a new plan to ensure this problem does not repeat itself in the future.

Sense of direction

A sensing person would be able to tell you in extreme detail how to find a certain shop on a particular road as they take in their physical world very well. An intuitive person might not be aware of that shop, even if they travel on the same road every day on their way home from work.

In artwork

If asked to describe a picture or a painting, a sensing person will talk about the shapes or the colors used whereas an intuitive person will perceive a theme, and speak about its deeper meaning.

Examples of the Sensing personality type

Out of the 16 different personality types on the Myers-Briggs type indicator we have listed some examples of the intuitive personality types below,

ISFP – the Artist

• Lovers of freedom and living in the present
• Being creative brings them joy
• Reserved and introverted, yet loyal and independent.
• Does not like to be in the limelight
• Practical people who love appreciating beauty as well as creating it.
• Soft and empathetic
• Care-free adapts easily and dislikes routine

ISFJ –  The Defender

• Cares a lot for other people’s feelings and opinions.
• Will come up for anyone they feel is being wronged.
• Will carry out acts of kindness without expecting anything in return
• Introverted yet friendly
• Lovers of routine and have a great work ethic, ensuring tasks are completed.
• strong attention to detail
• Disapproves of conflict.

ESTP – the persuader

• Extraverted, gregarious, and jovial.
• Able to convince other people to do anything.
• Lives in the present moment.
• Excited about life and a keen risk-taker
• Realistic, assertive, and concrete in their ideas, even though their skill lies in persuasion they are not persuaded as easily.
• Detached, does not take anything personally
• Realistic and down-to-earth thinkers yet they are spontaneous and care-free in action.

Examples of the Intuitive Personality Type

Out of the 16 different personality types on the Myers-Briggs type indicator we have listed some examples of the sensing personality types below.

ENTP – The Originator

• Extraverted, assertive chatter-boxes.
• Enthusiastic about all possibilities.
• Innovative, intuitive, and quick thinkers with an abstract thought process.
• Imaginative and love coming up with new theories.
• Focused on the future, or the big picture, and keeps all options open
• Objective and impersonal
• Inspired by interacting with other people.

ENFP – The Optimist

• Extraverted, sociable people
• They make great leaders with ample charm and enthusiasm.
• They are carefree and spontaneous, if not impulsive.
• Big dreamers, unswayed by life’s reality.
• Extremely resourceful and creative
• Loves being social, dislikes being alone.
• Sensitive beings who live life according to their hearts.

INFJ – The Confidant

• Introverted and loves their alone time, has a small group of close friends.
• They are driven by their own personal growth and that of others.
• Passionate and active with their causes.
• Believe they have a deeper purpose
• They carefully think through solutions
• Warm, empathetic feelers and make decisions accordingly
• Minds are set to the future

MBTI sensing vs intuition: Key takeaways

With all of the world’s abundance and beauty, we need a  wide variety of perceptions in order to understand fully. Therefore, not one personality is better than the other. The sensors balance out the intuition and vice versa. All of the aspects that make up a personality are important and necessary for harmony, including judging vs perceiving, and extraversion vs introversion.