The SN preference

(File Last Modified Fri, Oct 25, 2002.)

• The second type dimension: (S)Sensing / (N)Intuition
• Two ways of perceiving
• Capability of dealing with facts and details
• Ways to approach tasks
• Present or future orientation
• possibilities vs realities
• the SN preference summary

The second type dimension: (S)Sensing / (N)Intuition

Two ways of perceiving

Humankind is equipped with two distinct and sharply contrasting ways of perceiving. ``Sensing'' describes the process of gathering data by means of the five senses. ``Intuition'' is indirect perception by way of the unconscious, incorporating ideas or associations that the unconscious tacks on to perceptions coming from outside.

People who prefer sensing concentrate on what can be seen, heard, felt, smelled or tasted. They trust what is real and concrete. They trust their five senses to give them accurate information about the world, and they also trust their own personal experience. They are oriented to the present and concentrate on whatever is happening at the moment. A sensor will look at a situation and want to determine exactly what is going on.

While it's obvious that we all use our five senses to take in information, some people are more interested in meanings, relationships, and possibilities based on facts than in the facts themselves. They naturally read between lines and look for meaning in all things. Unlike sensors, intuitives value imagination and trust their inspirations and hunches. They are oriented toward the future; they tend to anticipate events and generally try to make things different rather than maintaining them the way they are. An intuitive will look at a situation and want to know what it means and what its consequences might be.

Everyone uses both sensing and intuition in daily life. Intuitives are well aware of the data their five senses bring in, and sensors can interpret the meaning of someone's words. Even so, the two kinds of perception compete for a person's attention and most people, from infancy up, enjoy one more than the other.

Capability of dealing with facts and details

Sensors are especially good at noticing and remembering a great many facts. They like details and see clearly what is actually before them. Intuitives have little interest in details and tend to look for underlying patterns or go for the ``big picture''.

Steve and Karen were standing near a busy intersection when they witnessed a car accident. Shortly after the incident, the police interviewed each of them.

``I saw a late-model blue chevrolet station wagon approach the intersection while the light was green,'' reported Karen, a sensor. ``I also noticed an old red Mustang coming out of a side street much too fast--I'd say at least fifty miles per hour. I heard the screech of the Mustang's brakes, then a loud bang as the Mustang struck the driver's side of the station wagon. The impact made the wagon spin around two complete times before it smashed into a street sign on the opposite corner.''

Steve, an intuitive, told the police that he, too, had seen and heard the two cars collide. He though the Mustang might have gone through a red light, but everything had happened so quickly he really couldn't be sure. Actually, Steve could offer the police few details about what had occurred. He remembered wondering where the red Mustang was going in such a hurry--he knew it was a Mustang because he used to have a car like it--and he remembered thinking that someone should call an ambulance quickly. He was concerned about the driver, who looked a little like someone he knew.

Ways to approach tasks

Intuitives approach tasks very differently from sensors. For example, an intuitive would rather rely on his or her sense of direction than use a map, or might try to figure out how to operate a new air conditioner without reading the manual. A sensor would almost certainly take a more practical approach.

Present or future orientation

Sensors have a great capacity for enjoying the here and now. Often they are content to let things be. Intuitives, on the other hand, anticipate the future and tend to agitate for changes.

Phil, a sensor and Jessie, and intuitive, frequently take long walks near the town reservoir. Phil loves these walks because they put him back in touch with nature. He loves the smell of the woods, the feel of the breeze on his face, the deep blue of the sky in contrast to the multicolored leaves on the trees. Plus, he just likes exercise. Jessie likes being outdoors too, but during their walks she spends so much of her time thinking or talking about new ideas for her current project that often she'll reach the end of the walk without ever really stopping to notice where she's been.

possibilities vs realities

Intuitives naturally focus on possibilities; sensors naturally focus on realities. They see the world in fundamentally different ways and often fail to appreciate the value of each other's perspective.

James, an intuitive, expresses it, ``I'm an idea man. Nothing feels better to me than to take a troublesome situation and figure out a new approach that will make it work better. The problem with this company is that no one has any vision--especially my boss, Warren. He can't see beyond the end of his desk. I come to him with a terrific idea that can have a significant impact on the future of this company, and all he wants to know is, 'What will it cost? How much time will it take? Who's going to do your job while you're out?' ''

Warren, a sensor, sees things differently, ``Maybe it's because Jim is a more creative guy than I am, but frankly, I don't know where he comes up with half of his ideas. It's not that they're bad ideas, it's just that most of them are totally unrealistic. Jim doesn't understand what it takes to get things done around here. this place urns on the bottom line. To recommend a plan to my boss, I have to present a well-though-out cost/benefit analysis, which means I need to have realistic data concerning expenses, time frames, and the anticipated impact on the company. This all takes the kind of careful, methodical research that Jim doesn't seem to be interested in doing.''

the SN preference summary

Sensing types:

    * Trust what is certain and concrete
    * Like new ideas only if they have 
      practical applications
    * Value realism and common sense
    * Like to use and hone established skills
    * Tend to be specific and literal; 
      give detailed descriptions
    * Present information in a step-by-step manner
    * Are oriented to the present

Intuition types:

    * Trust inspiration and inference
    * Like new ideas and concepts for their own sake
    * Value imagination and innovation
    * Like to learn new skills; 
      get bored easily after mastering skills
    * Tend to be general and figurative; 
      use metaphors and analogies
    * Present information though leaps, 
      in a roundabout manner
    * Are oriented to the future