Extraversion and Introversion.
The stereotypes in the next preference pair, Sensing and Intuition, seem more challenging to spot than those in the other three dichotomies. While the stereotypes in the other three dichotomies are what I would consider to be classics heard in almost every discussion of personality type among non - MBTI certified practitioners, Sensing and Intuition stereotypes are not quite as obvious. Perhaps we could say they are more subtle. I am also guessing that of the four dichotomies, this one is a bit less well - known among people who've heard of the MBTI tool but have not taken it or studied it in depth.
As someone who prefers Intuition myself, I'd like to think that this post is also difficult to write because most Sensing - Intuition stereotyping is done by Sensing types who are trying to understand what makes the small number of Intuitive types who cross their paths tick. Ah, but this is wishful thinking! It may be partly true since, of course, there are indeed many more Sensing types who are stereotyping, if only because there are many more Sensing types to begin with! But naturally and unfortunately, Intuitive types do plenty of stereotyping as well.
Let's start by looking at the stereotypes of which Sensing types are most likely to be guilty. Sensing types, who are most comfortable with facts as the basis and raw material for their decision - making process, might have a tendency to view those who prefer Intuition as impractical and unfocused. Since Sensing types would be impractical and unfocused if they based their decisions on anything other than facts and what has worked in the past, they will naturally tend to view decisions with a different basis and priority, namely those of people who prefer Intuition, as questionable. It should also be kept in mind that since the vast majority of the population are Sensing types, it follows that the vast majority of the population makes decisions in the Sensing way, based on facts. This will make the Intuitive way of making decisions, utilizing a sixth sense, hunches and intuitive leaps, appear even more different and even unreliable. Thus a stereotype is born that Intuitive types are impractical, unfocused and out of touch with reality.
Sensing types could go a long way toward erasing this stereotype by changing their tendency to see the ways in which Intuitive types differ from them as flaws into an appreciation of their unique gifts. Among these are the gift of insight, defined by my dictionary as penetrating mental discernment. Another is that while Sensing types tend to be focused on the past and present, those who prefer Intuition tend to be future - focused. So while Sensing types are looking to the past to see how a particular type of situation was handled then and whether it was successful, Intuitive types are looking to the future and may often know in a flash how a proposed solution would work out and perhaps even what the best solution would be. This can be a valuable contribution, especially to a work group.
Sensing types are excellent at noticing details and most comfortable, in a class for instance, moving step by step and detail by detail through the material. It may seem strange and unacceptable to them that not everyone is fond of details. Thus a stereotype is born that those who prefer Intuition can't see the trees for the forest. In other words they can't see or they ignore or exclude details because they are so interested in and focused on the big picture. But though details are not the Intuitive type's primary focus he or she can indeed still see them. For example, even though I have INFJ preferences making Sensing my inferior (most hidden and least used) preference, I have received several compliments on my attention to detail.
A more productive way to view these differences is to remember that combining the Intuitive type's focus on the big picture with the Sensing type's focus on details yields a more complete picture of reality than either side could see by themselves. After all, both the forest and the trees are important since neither can exist without the other!
As always, the water which will douse the flame of a stereotype is one's willingness to see the positive side of someone else's misunderstood qualities. Just as the Intuitive type's tendency to live in the future can be seen as a gift, so can the Sensing type's tendency to live in the present and to study the past. After all, isn't it a gift to be able to enjoy the moment, fully noticing all the details of a beautiful sunset or a friend's smile, for example? Being able to learn from the past is also a gift. Remember the old saying that if we don't learn from the mistakes of the past we'll be doomed to repeat them! I've also heard that we have no future unless we know our past.
Just as people who prefer Intuition use their focus on the future, so too do those who prefer Sensing use their focus on the present and the past to contribute as much as they can to their work groups, families, communities, etc. Those with a preference for Intuition could erase the stereotype that Sensing types are unimaginative by recognizing that they are practical, realistic and observant, qualities needed to make the Intuitive type's vision of the future a reality.
I have probably only touched the tip of the iceberg of misunderstandings and stereotypes that Sensing and Intuitive types have of each other. The photo I've included of a poster I made years ago should help you understand the wealth of valuable differences between the two preferences. But though each difference is indeed valuable, unfortunately the more differences there are, the more likelihood there is that they will be misunderstood and stereotyping will occur.
I have a newspaper clipping of a quotation which I've always equated with the complementary gifts of Intuitive types and Sensing types. Apparently it is a church inscription written in 1730 in Sussex, England. The title of the clipping is "Vision brings hope" and it says:
A vision without a task is but a dream.
A task without a vision is drudgery.
A vision with a task is the hope of the world.
I have always seen the word "vision" in this quotation as a description of the visionary gifts of the Intuitive and the word "task" as a description of the practical gifts of the Sensing type. Neither set of gifts is better than the other. They are just different. Both are incomplete and ineffective without the other. But together they allow facts, details and the successes of the past and present to move into the possibilities of the future. Together they are the hope of the world!