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[SP] SPs, do you think in words or pictures?

sarah

soft and silky
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Sep 3, 2008
Messages
548
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isfp
I got to thinking about this today because of a conversastion I was having with someone, and wondered if this is a temperament or type-related pattern. How do you think? When you process thoughts, are they more in the form of words or pictures?

As far as I can tell, I think in terms of moving pictures, or scenarios, and then I translate that into words. It's as though my brain is a videocamera always playing what's going on right now, presenting me with flashbacks, or forwarding to likely possible future scenarios. But in order to talk about it with others or write about it, I have to convert that to word format. What about you?

Sarah
 

G-Virus

Broud Balestinian
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Is this for SP's only?

If not, I think in ideas or concepts. I don't know how to explain that but ideas and concepts flow through rather than anything. For example, I can understand the idea of 1.76 liters better than a picture of 1.76 liters.

Dang, I really suck at explaining the way I think, but I would say it is much more akin to words as opposed to visuals, well, almost no visuals whatsoever.
 

sarah

soft and silky
Joined
Sep 3, 2008
Messages
548
MBTI Type
isfp
Is this for SP's only?

If not, I think in ideas or concepts. I don't know how to explain that but ideas and concepts flow through rather than anything. For example, I can understand the idea of 1.76 liters better than a picture of 1.76 liters.

Dang, I really suck at explaining the way I think, but I would say it is much more akin to words as opposed to visuals, well, almost no visuals whatsoever.


No, please do chime in -- actually, any comparison is helpful. I was just wondering if it was easier for people who prefer extraverted sensing to think in moving pictures or snapshots instead of words. It could just be me. Which is kind of weird, since I've learned over the years how to express myself verbally.

(I can picture in my mind approximately how much 1.76 liters is, but I don't tend to think of it abstractly. This is probably why I sucked at math and didn't do so well at science either... :D)

Sarah
 

Quinlan

Intriguing....
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I sometimes think through an internal dialogue, other times I think with "movies" that play in my head (like Sarah said), or symbols, concepts (sounds kind of N) or a combination. It is very difficult to translate it into words, almost like I have to describe or comment on what's happening in the movie.
 

Winz

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I think in words, pictures, and pictureless/wordless ideas equally. If that makes any sense at all.

Also: I think I'm in love with G-Virus' avatar.
 

sarah

soft and silky
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Messages
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I sometimes think through an internal dialogue, other times I think with "movies" that play in my head (like Sarah said), or symbols, concepts (sounds kind of N) or a combination. It is very difficult to translate it into words, almost like I have to describe or comment on what's happening in the movie.


Okay, yeah, I sometimes have the internal dialogue running argument thing going on too, but as far as I can tell, that's been a recent development. I think when I was a kid, I more or less played moving picture scenarios in my mind. I sometimes start arguments in my head for fun, but they usually peter out once the arguing starts to wear me out -- or they end abruptly if I catch a glimpse of myself reflected in glass or a metal surface, and I'm looking all frowny and serious, and it looks funny. Or because I find myself walking around aimlessly until it dawns on me what I'm doing. :laugh:

Sarah
 

Pancreas

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Most of the time I think in a mix of both pictures and words, with more of one depending on what I’m doing at the time. Sometimes I think in concepts or feelings (not emotions per se) as well, particularly when what I’m thinking/feeling doesn’t have a picture or word that can be easily assigned to it. This happens quite a bit so one of my constant thoughts is how English needs more words because the ones that we already have often have associated connotations that skew the meaning the original, objective meaning to something that is subjective and not what you’re after.

If I’m thinking about something that specifically requires words in some way (speaking, listening, reflecting on what someone else said, thinking about what I should say, etc.) then I’ll think in words, and pictures related to specific words or ideas in my train of thought will provoke images or short “movies”. Often these are secondary to the words and so disappear shortly to be replaced by other images. Sometimes, though, the picture will be interesting or weird enough then it will become the dominant theme. This will lead to me watching this image to see where my mind takes it naturally, or manipulating it in a variety of ways to see how things could work. If I did this, this could happen and so could this and if I did that then that other thing will pop up, etc., etc. Then the words are secondary and will pop occasionally when I feel the need to define a particular thought/feeling/concept. Often I know how I’m feeling but I want to be able to attached tangible, definable words to it as well. I’m not entirely sure why but maybe because once I’ve defined it it’s easier to recall, more substantial.

I’m not really sure if I answered your question. :D
 

Randomnity

insert random title here
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I remember almost entirely in videos, but think neither in words nor pictures, really...just ideas. I guess that makes it more word-based, but I don't usually actually mentally verbalize my thoughts. Except it's pretty common to comment (internally) on my thoughts afterwards, but the initial thoguhts, not so much.
 

defragmybrain

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I draw out visuals all the time when i have to study something (if it works out). I even remember trying to visualize math when i took geometry (drawing a circle and taking away and adding pieces instead of using numbers when trying to do fractions.).
 

King sns

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It could be type related....
I think in images often. i've actually talked about this with both my close friend (ISFJ) and boyfriend (INTJ) before.. they'll ask me what i'm thinking if i'm quiet... i'll pause for a sec, trying to put it into words.. then i'll say, "I don't know, my mind went on screensaver" ( I wasn't really thinking, I was just pondering in images..) The INTJ boyfriend does not understand, his mind is running twenty million miles an hour all the time in plain words.. He's fascinated by this "image thinking" thing...


sorry if I rambled a little off topic. :)
 

alicia91

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Nov 20, 2007
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671
Mostly words. It's like I'm talking to myself, saying things like 'you must try to...' or 'today is Saturday so...........' "I need to........' Though when I think long term into the future I tend to imagine what it's going to be like by visualizing, but that's not reflective of my typical thoughts which tend to be more immediate and verbal.
 

G-Virus

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I think in words, pictures, and pictureless/wordless ideas equally. If that makes any sense at all.

Also: I think I'm in love with G-Virus' avatar.


Wait a second, I changed my avatar, which one was it that you liked?
 

G-Virus

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Man, you guys gotta give us more descriptions of this image thinking. It sounds so freaking cool, seriously. Could you come up with a compare/contrast example, like my 1.76 liter one?
 

King sns

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^ Oh gee. now you're making fun of my image thinking. what next.


haha just kidding..

If you tell me 1.76 liters, I think of a two liter bottle of coke with an eighth of the coke missing.
 
D

Dali

Guest
I tend to think in movies and internal dialogue. A little embarassing when I accidentally articulate the internal dialogue.

Every now and then, I also go into screensaver mode whereby my brain shuts off and all I see is a soft, fluffy cloud. 10 minutes of that and I'm mentally rejuvenated. My NF friends, with their constantly racing minds, don't understand that when I tell them I'm thinking of nothing, I really am thinking of nothing.
 

happy11

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I tend to think in movies and internal dialogue. A little embarassing when I accidentally articulate the internal dialogue.

:yes: I do that all the time too and/or laugh at the dialogue.

When I really need to relax, I only think in images. Sometimes it's sort of like a slide show, with visually interesting memories. Other times it's a visual problem to work out. For example, I might think about a building or space I've recently visited and try to work out how to decorate it with a particular theme. Or imagine creating a garden with colors and textures. Once the initial pictures are in place, it's easy to sort of 'pan' around the visual and add/delete details. It doesn't take any words to do this, so they just don't happen. It's also my visual version of 'counting sheep' to fall asleep.
 

Unique

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There is no conversion for me, doesn't matter if its words or pictures. Both work just as well.
 
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