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Intuitive personality definition


The Myers & Briggs Foundation

Sensing or Intuition

The second pair of psychological preferences is Sensing and Intuition. Do you pay more attention to information that comes in through your five senses (Sensing), or do you pay more attention to the patterns and possibilities that you see in the information you receive (Intuition)?

Everyone spends some time Sensing and some time using Intuition. Don't confuse Sensing with sensual. They aren't related.

Take a minute to ask yourself which of the following descriptions seems more natural, effortless, and comfortable for you?

Sensing (S)

Paying attention to physical reality, what I see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. I'm concerned with what is actual, present, current, and real. I notice facts and I remember details that are important to me. I like to see the practical use of things and learn best when I see how to use what I'm learning. Experience speaks to me louder than words.

The following statements generally apply to me:

  • I remember events as snapshots of what actually happened.
  • I solve problems by working through facts until I understand the problem.
  • I am pragmatic and look to the "bottom line."
  • I start with facts and then form a big picture.
  • I trust experience first and trust words and symbols less.
  • Sometimes I pay so much attention to facts, either present or past, that I miss new possibilities.

Intuition (N)

Paying the most attention to impressions or the meaning and patterns of the information I get. I would rather learn by thinking a problem through than by hands-on experience. I'm interested in new things and what might be possible, so that I think more about the future than the past. I like to work with symbols or abstract theories, even if I don't know how I will use them. I remember events more as an impression of what it was like than as actual facts or details of what happened.

The following statements generally apply to me:

  • I remember events by what I read "between the lines" about their meaning.
  • I solve problems by leaping between different ideas and possibilities.
  • I am interested in doing things that are new and different.
  • I like to see the big picture, then to find out the facts.
  • I trust impressions, symbols, and metaphors more than what I actually experienced
  • Sometimes I think so much about new possibilities that I never look at how to make them a reality.

Adapted from Looking at Type: The Fundamentals
by Charles R. Martin (CAPT 1997)

What Is An Intuitive? (and How to tell if You Are One)

If you’re a newbie to typology, one of the most confusing aspects of your type may be the S or N preference in your type code. Whenever I’m working with someone to help them find their type, the S/N dichotomy is one that puzzles them most.

So how can you tell if you’re an intuitive? And how can you relate to intuitives better if you’re a sensor?

That’s what we’ll be exploring today.

First things first!

Not sure what your personality type is? Take our new personality questionnaire here. Or you can take the official MBTI® here.

Table of contents

  • What is an Intuitive?
  • “But sometimes I relate to both descriptions!”
  • But which is your more natural state?
  • How can this show up?
  • Signs That You Are an Intuitive:
    •  There’s More Than One Style of Intuition!
    • What Are Your Thoughts?

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

What is an Intuitive?

In Myers-Briggs typology, there are two kinds of people: Sensors and Intuitives.

Intuitives look for patterns or meanings that go beyond the surface of reality. They are fixated on connections and possibilities more than current realities.

Sound confusing?

Imagine you’re having a picnic. It’s a bright and sunny day and you’re eating sandwiches under the shade of a tree.

Which part of the tree captures your attention most?

  1. Do you notice the patterns on the leaves, the scent of the breeze, the texture of the bark, and any other distinguishing details?
  2. Do you think about the tree in some symbolic form? Do you imagine the tree as a shepherd watching over you? Do you find your mind wandering to lots of hypothetical possibilities related to trees? (“I wonder how much paper I could make out of this tree! I wonder what will happen to the Amazon rainforest as it loses more trees”)

If you identified with the first option, you have a Sensing perspective when it comes to the tree. If you chose the second option, you have an Intuitive perspective when it comes to the tree.

Sensors notice specifics, details, and realities. The world of sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell is significant to them and, as such, they are keenly aware of shifts and changes in the sensory world. They trust what they’ve experienced or have verified by the experiences of others they trust.

Sensors live in the real world and they reference the real world. Because of this they tend to be called “down-to-earth,” “grounded,” or “practical.” They appreciate perfecting the details of their lives.

An intuitive is far less interested in the literal reality of what does exist and is more interested in the potential of what could exist. Rather than seeing things for what they are, they see things for what they could be. They trust patterns, connections, and hidden meanings. The world around the intuitive is fascinating as a springboard for future ideas and possibilities. They try to connect everything to see to a big picture. The tree becomes the forest and the forest branches out into the future of the planet!

“But sometimes I relate to both descriptions!”

That’s good! That means you’re a fully-functioning human.

We all use sensation and intuition.

After all, it would be pretty sad to be an intuitive if it meant you couldn’t taste the flavor of chocolate, feel the heat of a bonfire, or gaze at an orange-purple sunset!

It would also be sad to be a sensor if it meant you couldn’t imagine, daydream, or think about possibilities outside of the present moment.

We all need sensing and intuition.

Do you find that your mind naturally wants to veer to the future (intuition), or are you more grounded in the present (sensing)?

Are you always looking for a hidden meaning behind things (intuition), or are you more likely to follow what people are saying at face-value (sensing)?

Are you more focused on what “could be” (intuition) or what “is” (sensing)?

When you converse with friends are you more interested in unpacking a theory or concept in detail (intuition), or are you more interested in exploring your personal experiences and relationships (sensing)?

While each of us can flip-flop between sensing and intuition, one naturally seems more comfortable. In the typology world, we often compare these preferences to handedness.

If you’re left-handed, do you never use your right hand? Of course not!

If you’re a sensor, you will use intuition as well, but it’s less comfortable than sensing and it will be sloppier.

If you’re an intuitive, you will use sensing as well, but it’s less comfortable than intuition and it will be sloppier.

How can this show up?

An intuitive may have 1,001 amazing ideas for the future but constantly misplace their keys because they’re too lost in mental theories. They may put their phone away in the refrigerator, forget to eat, or otherwise devalue or forget their “sensory” needs.

A sensor may have a practical, realistic mindset, but struggle to grasp more abstract, conceptual subjects. Because they aren’t as adept at spotting patterns and implications as the intuitive, it will take more work for them to veer into “unknown” categories.

  • You attach meaning and symbolism to the things around you almost instantly.
  • You think in metaphors and symbols.
  • You are driven by your inspiration. Without inspiration, you struggle to move forward.
  • You’re on a constant quest for meaning.
  • You focus on anticipating the future more than you focus on recalling the past
  • You easily generate possibilities and new ideas
  • You connect everything to the big picture
  • You are driven to “connect the dots”
  • You easily spot patterns and implications
  • You’re more interested in exploring potential than focusing on the present
  • You like to do old tasks in new ways
  • You don’t naturally respect tradition
  • Focusing on concrete (literal) details bores you

 There’s More Than One Style of Intuition!

Everyone has their own unique brand of intuition. What’s yours? Find out in Here’s How You Use Intuition, Based On Your Myers-Briggs® Personality Type

What Are Your Thoughts?

Do you have any perspectives or insights to share? Discuss in the comments!

Find out more about your personality type in our eBooks, Discovering You: Unlocking the Power of Personality Type,  The INFJ – Understanding the Mystic,  The INFP – Understanding the Dreamer, and The INTJ – Understanding the Strategist. You can also connect with me via Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter!

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What does intuitiveness and sensory mean in a person's personality type?

Get down on the ground -
They often advise me ...
But if I don't fly in my dreams,
It will become boring to walk the earth,
Because where do new discoveries come from?
From dreams and fantasies - the imagination of a child.

Intuitiveness (N)

A person with a strong such sign thinks about several things at once, which may not yet exist, but are possible. Directs attention to the future, plans and foresees the prospects for the development of events, delves into the essence of phenomena. Creative fantasy, imagination is played out. Looks for new ideas that lead to the right action. Finds answers to questions intuitively guessing. nine0009

Sees their internal causes of developing events.. Often distracted, thinking, so it seems that he is divorced from reality, not attentive and "flies in the clouds." Developed abstract thinking, imagination. Curious. Trying to find the relationship between phenomena. At their best, all intuitives are creators of the new, set goals and are able to see perspective in situations that seem hopeless to others.

Intuition of time

Thinking - the most abstract, reflects global processes, information comes from outside, from the Cosmos, in dynamic images: This is a vision of various events, like in a movie. In this state, forecasts and predictions are possible, a person becomes a sensitive indicator of changes, freeing himself from everything earthly and familiar.

Reaches for everything mysterious, mystical. In this state, a person is sensitive to hypnosis or self-hypnosis, is influenced by higher forces, subject to fate. Free will is lost, a person is controlled by thoughts and images that appear in the imagination. It's like a dream come true. Smooth and slow movements, loss of sensation of the body, weightlessness, inspiration, a mysterious look - sad, or radiant - these are the external attributes of the intuition of time. nine0009

Intuition of possibilities

This is the receipt of information from the unconscious - where all human information is equal in volume to external. In this state, a person extracts paradoxical discoveries from the depths of his own psyche. Vague images are comprehended and synthesized into a complex complex, and in an instant an insight occurs - a bright flash of conjecture, the realization of something extremely important.

If this function is strong in a person, and he constantly uses it, improving information, generates ideas, shows increased intellectual activity, looks for new and complex tasks, invents new approaches to implementing ideas. By discovering something new, a person satisfies his own cognitive interest, and he is of little interest in the opinions of others regarding his ideas. nine0009

Concentration, deepening, detachment are signs of entering this state. Having felt the idea, a person is already ready to implement it, and he does not find a place for himself, bearing it. The birth of an idea is accompanied by a sharp relief and joy, as well as a rapid release and pleasure - euphoria. An expressive look and an unusual face, non-standard behavior, frozen movements at the time of the search for truth and a violent emotional reaction to the time of insight - this is how the state of intuition of possibilities manifests itself. nine0009

Socionics is an exact science,
Although it deals with people,
One of its laws
Fulfilled in life:
If you want to anger the sensory,
Tell him how to dress
And what hairstyle to wear,
Do you want to he left -
Order what and how to do,
For definiteness, you can add -
Give a certain time.

Sensory (S)

A person with such a strong attribute perceives the environment through his mental and physical sensations, lives as if one organism with nature. Feels the harmony of nature. Well-being depends on changes in the weather. He reacts sharply to touch, voice timbre, taste, has developed tactile sensations (touch). And also visual - subtly distinguishes and selects colors. Feels tired, sick, takes care of health. nine0009

Shows material concern. Engaged in household chores to create comfort, convenience. Feels the practical benefits of the work, both his own and others. He enjoys doing things with his own hands. It has a developed aesthetic taste. Owns facts, not ideas. Chooses the activity where there is constructiveness and a quick visible result.

If you really want something, then it is "here and now." He believes that he has the right to be the owner of any situation, in any territory, moreover, to protect and defend it. Adheres to the opinion that "it is better to see once than hear a hundred times." nine0009

Sensory of sensations

In this state, a person absorbs everything around him: What he sees, hears, what he touches, how it smells, warm, cold, i.e. everything that is perceived by the senses, and combines it in a single sensory complex, getting pleasure, enjoyment of a relaxed state from harmony, or disgust when the harmony of the senses is broken.

In this state, a person thinks not in words, but in images and with the whole body - its many-sided sensations. Any discomfort (physical and mental) seeks to avoid. He shows his feelings in care, concrete help to meet biological needs. A comfortable posture, a soft and relaxed body, precise and smooth gestures, an expression of pleasure or disgust on the face - these are the external signs of a person being in a state of sensory sensations. nine0009

Volitional sensing

The main criterion of perception is strength-weakness. Thinking concretely-objective, earthly, is accompanied by muscular sensations and awareness of power over others. In this state, a person skillfully enters the activities of any team. If he feels the need to change events, he manages the group easily, without tension, like a conductor.

Just one kind of person is enough, when he is in a state of volitional sensory, and when it is his strong point, how others fall under its influence - neither words nor special actions are required. This is self-confidence, a sense of mastery of any situation and territory, readiness to win at any cost, mobilization that allows you to quickly strike or repel a blow. A bold, heavy, direct look, a person stands firmly on his feet, a quick reaction, precise, firm, balanced movements, a strong massive physique are the external signs of a person whose condition is volitional sensory. nine0009

Let's see what sensory and intuitive people look like. Sensory ones have their own external features, and intuitive ones have their own facial features. The method of visual typing is described in detail in the book "Character by Appearance" by Tatyana Pedan, and you can get practical visual typing skills in order to correctly determine the sociotypes of loved ones and colleagues only at our coaching training "Accurate and practical method of visually determining the type of personality."

Photos of intuitive people

Photos of sensory people

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Intuit. The meaning of the definition, features of the concept, the definition of sociotypes

Intuitive personality type includes internal knowledge, historical experience and indirectness. It focuses on knowledge that comes from experience. The connection between knowledge and experience is often unconscious. There are also rational and emotional sociotypes. Who is an intuit? Introvert vs Extrovert - What's the difference? nine0009

Intuitive style

Intuitive is one of the social personality types, aimed primarily at internal communication with oneself rather than with the outside world. This process is less linear, it can be less conscious and more difficult to describe. Increasing experience can lead to faster decision making, although the process of obtaining them is neither conscious nor justified. The intuitive style prefers more thinking to identify "knowledge" rather than group discussion. Decisions are often announced without justification. nine0009

Despite its elusive qualities, being intuitive means having a very desirable and attractive skill, perhaps even more powerful than intelligence. Intuition is very difficult to describe, at the same time it is also used as one of the criteria for classifying a person. How do we know if we have this mysterious quality? An intuitive is a person who simply knows something without being told how or why.

Signs of an intuitive personality type

Some happy people are definitely more intuitive than others. There are certain signs that indicate the presence of this quality. Here are some of them:

1. An intuitive is a person who listens to his inner voice and acts on its advice. The most distinguishing feature of this type of people is that they listen to the voice in their head, which often defies logic or reason, and heeds advice. These people will travel down an unknown path with premonition rather than following a map and finding unexpected treasure as a result. These people prefer to change plans at the last minute because "something is wrong" and often achieve better results, to everyone's surprise. nine0009

2. They see both sides of an argument. Intuitive people like to weigh up all the information they have before going with what seems right. This is what separates intuition from whim. This does not happen mindlessly, and for this reason, intuitive people are happy to "play lawyer" and discuss the position from both sides. By finding flaws in different approaches, they can evaluate what seems right to them.

3. They are suspicious of authorities and experts. Intuitive people do not believe that a diploma or degree makes a person more qualified to make decisions. They want to see skills in action and as a result base their judgment on what they see rather than on someone else's track record. nine0009

4. They don't mind being alone. People who are happy to be alone with their thoughts are often of the intuitive type. They need solitude to weigh what they have learned and find comfort in silence and space. Loneliness is often used so that people can get into their subconscious and evaluate how they feel.

5. They pay attention to their dreams. Intuitive types note the importance of the subconscious and, as a result, take their dreams very seriously. They often write down their dreams and use them as a source of analysis for their consciousness the next day. nine0009

6. They have unusual interests and hobbies. People who follow their intuition often turn to dark and base hobbies. They are much more likely to find things that are not basic interesting as they fit into their individual desires. Since such people preferentially spend more time contemplating theories, they often engage in online discussions and conspiracy theories.

7. Intuitives know how to let go of negativity. Intuitive people are more likely to be able to understand that negative emotions can dull intuition and block a person's natural inclination towards happiness and abundance. nine0009

To make the most effective decisions in life, listen to your intuition, but at the same time bring in a bit of logic. There is a difference between being reckless and being intuitive, and you don't have to run after every whim that pops into your head. That being said, some of the wisest advice is that it is better to regret doing something than to regret doing nothing.

Jung's Psychological Types

Carl Jung describes four psychological functions that can become psychically applicable to individuals, but to varying degrees:

  • Sensation - all perceptions through the senses.
  • Intuition - perception through the unconscious or perception of unconscious events.
  • Thinking (in socionics, logic) - judgment of information based on a reason.
  • Feeling (in socionics, ethics) - a judgment about information based on feelings.

In addition to these four types, Jung defines a polarity between introverted and extroverted personalities. This distinction is based on how people invest energy: either in their internal, subjective, psychic world, or in their external, objective, physical world. According to Jung, there are 16 psychological types, among which there are introverted and extroverted intuitives. For convenience, each type may be given a functional name, for example, an intuitive logical extrovert may be called an inventor. nine0009

Extreme Intuition

Ideas are the perception of abstract concepts and the amount of potential they can have, the multiple alternatives to any sentence and their hidden possibilities. Extreme intuition is speculative and prefers to consider different possibilities, presenting unorthodox perspectives in the most bizarre way. In this sense, it is the opposite of strength.

Intuitive-logical introvert

A person who knows the world will not only do everything he knows, but also a lot of what he does not know. He will take more pleasure in his clever way of hiding his ignorance than in his clumsy attempt to demonstrate erudition. The goal of a person is to find his place in a continuous series of events, to realize his potential. It makes sense to act only when the optimal moment for applying efforts has been found and established. Logic-intuitive has the following features:

  1. He has a powerful intellectual imagination. From empirical observations of how a person acts at different times, he creates in his mind something like a functional model. In general, he usually knows everything in advance.
  2. Peace and restraint. He almost never expresses emotions and does not protect his family and friends from them. He sincerely believes that too strong passions will lead him to death.
  3. Deep analysis. He is convinced that it is impossible to live if you do not take into account the laws of nature that govern the world. The one who ignores reality is heading for the abyss. nine0169
  4. Kindness. Despite all his negativism, he is really a very kind person. He likes strong people who know their way in life. He is able to pour a bucket of cold water on the head of an enthusiast, but on the other hand, he is also able to soften his despair when someone is unlucky, when everything goes wrong and fate seems hostile.
  5. Unacceptable and desirable. He is handsome and smart, with big and sad eyes, not talkative. He does not say compliments and thus creates the impression of his inaccessibility. It attracts his sadness and seriousness. This is a vivid description of this type of person who is constantly in his feelings, does not like adventure and desires the complete dependence of his demanding partner. nine0169

Introverted intuition

Inner intuition is responsible for showing how things will develop over time, feeling what is significant or transcendent, and understanding that some things are inevitable. She understands how causes in the past lead to results in the future. She is acutely aware of long-term trends and trends that are happening at any given moment, and sees events as part of a continuous flow. She also understands the possible consequences of future events and notes the connection with the past. nine0009

Introverted intuition is predominantly characterized by well-developed imaginative abilities and mental wanderings. Such intuitives often spend a lot of time just thinking. Most somehow spend most of their time in their minds, regardless of the responsibilities they are given. This mental focus can be manifested through scenarios, thinking about volumes of information, and various conceptions of interest.

They may be prone to excessive daydreaming, creating complex inner worlds or universes, or mentally replaying elements of their personal experience. They may even have innovative tendencies when they create complex plots, characters, and places, although many may be generally unmotivated to display such creativity. However, the intuitive mind is an oasis where knowledge is seen as a toy or even a vehicle that allows them to visit complex mental landscapes that are being formed and constantly redefined by new information. nine0009

Intuitives: recluses, scientists, philosophers

Philosophers, scientists, artists, seers and sages are often stereotyped with their intuitive personality type, with their often unusual ideas. You can also meet esoteric eccentrics. Because intuitives are confident in analyzing the implications of the knowledge they have gathered, they are often astute, especially in areas of interest, and usually tend to view the ideas of others with skepticism and thoroughness. They may perceive the intellectual contributions of others as deeply flawed or limited in scope. nine0009

Intuitives may devote a lot of time to their inner thoughts, very little attention is likely to be given to tasks such as maintaining or cleaning the household, as this is seen as a trivial matter not worthy of time or effort. What does intuition value? Security, in many situations they tend to hesitate before taking any action or making important decisions. In some cases, they can act very cautiously. They may choose to observe and collect data to understand the situation rather than actively participate. nine0009

Extroverted Intuition

Although introverted Intuitives often have deep intellectual interests, they are likely to be relatively limited in their range of ideas, while other types can move quickly from idea to idea. Introverts often believe that a well-developed understanding of a situation is more important than a deep understanding of potential outcomes. Intuitive extroverts tend to take a more hands-on or imaginative approach to assessing the outside world. nine0009

They are unlikely to generate comprehensive ideas about new and unusual concepts they have just discovered. Instead, they tend to include new information in their database. They may seek to expand on aspects of things they already know, or draw on their own internal realities, such as thinking about possible characteristics or plots for internal mental universes. In addition, they may seek to use their mental abilities to solve ideas in the real world, such as areas such as economics, politics, or anything related to the development of modern society. nine0009

Consciousness of an introvert

Consciousness of any introvert always works with internally constructed imaginary models. The external world for him is only the beginning for the development of internal images. Since the leading function is the intuition of time, it allows him to successfully model the evolution of processes over time. Consciousness easily covers any periods of time and perceives the world comprehensively and systematically. His ability to move freely along the axis of time allows him to see distant perspectives, and therefore, few can match him in the field of strategic forecasts. nine0009

Intuition: sociotype test

What type of personality do you belong to? The following points will tell you if you have the traits of a real intuitive. In which of the following sentences do you recognize yourself?

  1. The view of an intuitive introvert perceives the world in a dynamic flow: inside it everything moves, everything interacts, people work, take certain actions based on certain motives. A model of people's behavior arises in the mind, exploring how it can predict the future consequences of actions that a person takes in the present. Possessing the gift of foresight, he often already knows what a person is going to say or do in a certain situation. Often it seems to him that he knows and sees right through everything (and in a certain sense he does). nine0169
  2. Being able to see the heart of a problem and imagine the end result is insightful, so an intuitive can earn a reputation as a wise and far-sighted person or philosopher. Typically, his forecasts are tinged with skepticism, he prefers to sound warnings to exhort others that he is taking unnecessary steps and acting recklessly.
  3. He himself is cautious, will repeatedly and scrupulously check everything before doing anything. He encourages others to do the same, criticizing those whose statements and actions are too hasty and frivolous and have not been carefully considered. nine0169
  4. One of the main driving forces is a sense of self-worth and association - self-affirmation.
  5. Often he feels good seeing that others are incompetent in something.
  6. Many of his mental abilities are really high. People of this type often have an impeccable memory. Using this advantage, he identifies the source of the question and understands all aspects of the problem, creating a huge base for his erudition. It is among the representatives of this sociotype that one can meet people with almost encyclopedic knowledge. nine0169
  7. They are also characterized by a measure of conservatism. This is expressed in their distrust of something new, untested and unproven. His tendency to assert himself, to feel important, does not mean at all that he will try to achieve a high position or status in society. Rather, his tendency is to elevate himself to the maximum in certain areas of knowledge, and to penetrate as deeply as possible into his insight, to feel his superiority over others precisely in this. nine0169
  8. Professional suitability for intuitive work is extremely selective. If he finds a suitable job or profession, he will be able to demonstrate remarkable energy and fantastic performance. There may also be a continuum of sleepless nights and states of extreme anxiety and stress in his life that persist for months or even years. The nature of his style of work is usually firm and pedantic. If he fails to find the right job or profession, then his skepticism will begin to gain the upper hand. He cannot even bring himself to meet minimum expectations, which can lead to serious consequences, such as being fired from his job. nine0169
  9. Although he clearly does not aspire to become a leader, his hidden vanity is satisfied if he becomes one, because he considers himself worthy to be the head of a laboratory, institute or university ... even a government department. This confidence is sometimes valid depending on the individual and is supported by his ability to think about long-term consequences and results, which is undoubtedly the most important quality for a manager of any level.
  10. Often a monogamous person and a good family man. He prefers not to quarrel with family members, avoid conflicts if possible, even if his partner is intolerant. However, in critical situations, he is able to "explode", losing control of himself, entering into a state of literal insanity. At such moments, he can break furniture and dishes, resorting to physical violence. He cares about his children and especially about their education. He willingly invests his efforts and money. nine0169

Intuit in the answers to the test recognizes himself at least in some of these points.

Possible career

Intuitives excel in areas where strategic forecasts are required: politics, finance, science, military research. Can lead a group of any size, especially with a sensory type. They also have a developed taste for the humanities, that is, for philosophy, art. Career opportunities: