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Am I a sensor?

Silveresque

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
1,169
I haven't been on this forum in a while, so hi everyone! :hi:

Anyways, this is something that's sort of been bothering me for a while now. I don't fit the image I have in my head of what intuitives are like. Which means either a) I have the wrong idea about intuitives and need to relearn the N/S difference, or b) I'm actually a sensor, which would bring up more questions...The problem is, the INTP descriptions fit me almost perfectly, and none of the ISxx descriptions fit me.

Here are the things I've come to associate with intuition:

- Future-oriented - I don't think much about about the future, to be honest. Although I'm not really living in the present either...I'm just in my head all the time.
- Generating ideas - I invent fantasy stories in my head all the time and daydream for hours at a time. But put me in a social situation and I can't come up with anything to say or talk about. People think I'm just shy, but I really have nothing to say. Other intuitives describe how they bounce around from one idea to the next, but most of the time, I really don't see that in me.
- Focus on possibilities - Maybe. I don't like brainstorming and I don't see the need to come up with many ideas when I only need one good one. On the other hand..."possibilities" is kind of broad. It does fit me in the sense that I easily come up with alternatives and different interpretations when I'm analyzing a situation, but most situations don't call for detailed analysis.
- Big picture - No idea whether this fits me or not. I'm probably right in the middle between big picture and details.
- Focus on hidden meanings - I don't think this fits me that well. I mean, I'm fully capable of finding hidden meanings in things, and I especially look for these when the situation calls for it (like when reading poetry), but it's not necessarily the first thing I notice. If someone shows me a picture of an apple and asks me to describe and interpret it, I would just think "It's an apple." And I would see no point in going into any more detail.
- Oblivious to surroundings - This is about the only thing that really fits me. I walk into things a lot. I have walked into garbage cans, signposts, people, etc. I can (and frequently do) walk by something everyday and never even notice it's there, until one random day when I finally do notice and wonder how long it's been there.

So....am I an intuitive or am I actually a sensor? (Please feel free to ask questions. :))
 

Arkigos

New member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Messages
45
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
xxx
I'd say iNtuitive as well. I am definitely, unquestionably, wholly and utterly an INTP and I agree with you on pretty much every point. I don't think about the future all that much.. that sounds S to me. I am just in my head.

Inventing stories and daydreaming tends to be N, and is how I am. But in most situations, I have less than zero to contribute other than my analysis of abstract systems and new ideas for new abstract systems. If people ask me about, say, the presidential campaign and my insights... I am, like, 'Uh.. well, who is running?' (hyperbolic example but you get the idea) and get some looks and they let me go back to my thoughts.

I am also in the 'only need one good idea' camp. I usually have 5 projects, but they are all centered around one idea each. It's like I spin a wheel of ideas in my brain and whatever it lands on I get to work on.

Same as you with Big Picture.

An apple is an apple. Occasionally, it's an unfathomably huge apple that 100,000 people live in and I live in a secret nook near the top of that is really windy... but usually it's just an apple. There are items that I have imbued with incredible meaning, but I don't just go around doing it to everything.

Also oblivious...

So, yeah, you sound NT to me. Probably INTP like me.

EDIT:

I'd also like to point out the highly structured nature of your post. It was unusually cohesive, well laid-out and with perfect grammar, punctuation, etc. I don't find that attention to syntactic detail common in SP types - at least not in this informal (and thus utilitarian) atmosphere.
 

Orangey

Blah
Joined
Jun 26, 2008
Messages
6,354
MBTI Type
ESTP
Enneagram
6w5
Most likely, yes, you are a sensor.
 

Such Irony

Honor Thy Inferior
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
5,059
MBTI Type
INtp
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
I haven't been on this forum in a while, so hi everyone! :hi:

Anyways, this is something that's sort of been bothering me for a while now. I don't fit the image I have in my head of what intuitives are like. Which means either a) I have the wrong idea about intuitives and need to relearn the N/S difference, or b) I'm actually a sensor, which would bring up more questions...The problem is, the INTP descriptions fit me almost perfectly, and none of the ISxx descriptions fit me.

Glad to see you back!

I've been struggling with the same sort of thing off and on. Almost every test will type me as an N and usually moderate to strong N. Yet, there are some things about S that do fit me. I can be quite detail oriented for example. I'm always noticing things like typos. At the same time, I can be very oblivious to other types of details. I sometimes feel like I'm not particularly imaginative or creative even though I greatly admire people who are. I don't think that's a very good indicator of N anyway, but the type descriptions seem to emphasize that aspect. Also, I prefer that people just use plain, straightforward language rather than more fancy, figurative language. I have trouble getting my head around alot of poetry.
I do like some metaphors though, especially when they relate to real life.

Like you, the INTP descriptions fit me to a T (pun intended!)

Why do you think the ISxx descriptions don't fit you?

What do you relate to in the S descriptions? What don't you relate to?


It's possible you're an S but it's just as possible you're an INTP who doesn't quite fit the 'stereotypical' INTP.


Here are the things I've come to associate with intuition:

- Future-oriented - I don't think much about about the future, to be honest. Although I'm not really living in the present either...I'm just in my head all the time.

I guess being in your head could be an introvert thing. What do you think of when you're in your head?

- Generating ideas - I invent fantasy stories in my head all the time and daydream for hours at a time. But put me in a social situation and I can't come up with anything to say or talk about. People think I'm just shy, but I really have nothing to say. Other intuitives describe how they bounce around from one idea to the next, but most of the time, I really don't see that in me.

Not being able to come up with something to say in the presence of others, is more of an introvert thing. Bouncing from one idea from the next, I associate more with Ne, especially dominant Ne. I think it works different in Ni types. They are more likely to get strong hunches about one particular idea and latch onto that.


- Focus on possibilities - Maybe. I don't like brainstorming and I don't see the need to come up with many ideas when I only need one good one. On the other hand..."possibilities" is kind of broad. It does fit me in the sense that I easily come up with alternatives and different interpretations when I'm analyzing a situation, but most situations don't call for detailed analysis.

Brainstorming, is more Ne, I think.

But isn't coming up with different alternatives and interpretations just another form of brainstorming?

I know I don't do as well suddenly coming up with ideas in a group, brainstorming on my feet but when I'm alone out walking in the woods, then that's when inspiration strikes.

- Big picture - No idea whether this fits me or not. I'm probably right in the middle between big picture and details.
- Focus on hidden meanings - I don't think this fits me that well. I mean, I'm fully capable of finding hidden meanings in things, and I especially look for these when the situation calls for it (like when reading poetry), but it's not necessarily the first thing I notice. If someone shows me a picture of an apple and asks me to describe and interpret it, I would just think "It's an apple." And I would see no point in going into any more detail.

S types are capable of looking for hidden meanings but user prefer not to or don't see a need to.
I don't think I'm an S type but I'm like an S in this way too.

- Oblivious to surroundings - This is about the only thing that really fits me. I walk into things a lot. I have walked into garbage cans, signposts, people, etc. I can (and frequently do) walk by something everyday and never even notice it's there, until one random day when I finally do notice and wonder how long it's been there.

I think Ns would have more of a problem with this in general but every type has its absent minded moments. I can definitely relate to this and its been a lifelong problem. I've worked on being more attentive and I'm less clumsy but sometimes by focusing my attention more on one thing I'm more oblivious to something else.

So....am I an intuitive or am I actually a sensor? (Please feel free to ask questions. :))

I need more info :D
 

Silveresque

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
1,169
Why do you think the ISxx descriptions don't fit you?

What do you relate to in the S descriptions? What don't you relate to?

Nothing about Se fits me. I'm clumsy, not at all athletic, not living in the present, unobservant, etc.

Si fits me much better. I can be detail-oriented at times. I often learn things by shaping my experiences into formulas that I can generalize to other similar situations. For example, once I get a good understanding of the S/N dichotomy by figuring out where I fall on it, I'll be able to use my experience to help type others, and to better understand others. Which may or may not have anything to do with Si...But I'm associating this with Si's tendency to create a database of experiences and information from which to understand the world. I tend to have very few interests which I focus on intensely. I strongly prefer the familiar over trying new things. On the other hand...I have pretty poor memory for things like dates, conversations, things I did yesterday... But I know that Si isn't really about memory. Also, I see no value in tradition, except perhaps in building community...but I'm really not a community-oriented person.

Not being able to come up with something to say in the presence of others, is more of an introvert thing. Bouncing from one idea from the next, I associate more with Ne, especially dominant Ne. I think it works different in Ni types. They are more likely to get strong hunches about one particular idea and latch onto that.

Actually, I don't think I could come up with much to say even when not in the presence of others. My mind doesn't naturally go toward conversation topics.

I guess being in your head could be an introvert thing. What do you think of when you're in your head?

One of the most common things I think about is how I'm feeling, physically and emotionally. This could range from simple things like "I'm hungry" to larger trends and concerns, like wondering why I feel super tired all the time lately--"When did this start? Could the cause be anxiety? Could it be sinuses? Is it worth going to the doctor for?" I suppose this is why I'm an sp-dom.

Of course I also think about things I need to do, but I prefer not to think about it more than necessary. I do tend to think about what's bothering me at the time though--parents, emotional concerns, conflicts, etc.

When I'm not thinking about anything else, my mind tends to wander toward typology, or toward stories I invent in my daydreams. I tend to do a lot of explaining things in my head, as if I'm explaining to a person. For example, I might explain in my head what I just wrote here about what I tend to think about, or I might explain why I'm a 6w5, or why some fictional character is some other type.
 

Such Irony

Honor Thy Inferior
Joined
Jul 23, 2010
Messages
5,059
MBTI Type
INtp
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/so
Nothing about Se fits me. I'm clumsy, not at all athletic, not living in the present, unobservant, etc.

Si fits me much better. I can be detail-oriented at times. I often learn things by shaping my experiences into formulas that I can generalize to other similar situations. For example, once I get a good understanding of the S/N dichotomy by figuring out where I fall on it, I'll be able to use my experience to help type others, and to better understand others. Which may or may not have anything to do with Si...But I'm associating this with Si's tendency to create a database of experiences and information from which to understand the world. I tend to have very few interests which I focus on intensely. I strongly prefer the familiar over trying new things. On the other hand...I have pretty poor memory for things like dates, conversations, things I did yesterday... But I know that Si isn't really about memory. Also, I see no value in tradition, except perhaps in building community...but I'm really not a community-oriented person.

Same here. I relate far more to Si than Se. Se is basically the opposite of how I see myself. I relate to everything you say about Si except I think I may be more open to trying new things but then again, I don't like change just for its own sake. There's got to be a good reason.



Actually, I don't think I could come up with much to say even when not in the presence of others. My mind doesn't naturally go toward conversation topics.

For me it's a case of who the hell would be interested in most what I think? Not likely too many.

One of the most common things I think about is how I'm feeling, physically and emotionally. This could range from simple things like "I'm hungry" to larger trends and concerns, like wondering why I feel super tired all the time lately--"When did this start? Could the cause be anxiety? Could it be sinuses? Is it worth going to the doctor for?" I suppose this is why I'm an sp-dom.

Of course I also think about things I need to do, but I prefer not to think about it more than necessary. I do tend to think about what's bothering me at the time though--parents, emotional concerns, conflicts, etc.

When I'm not thinking about anything else, my mind tends to wander toward typology, or toward stories I invent in my daydreams. I tend to do a lot of explaining things in my head, as if I'm explaining to a person. For example, I might explain in my head what I just wrote here about what I tend to think about, or I might explain why I'm a 6w5, or why some fictional character is some other type.

Sounds like your thought process is very similar to mine. Enneagram wise, I'm either sp/so or so/sp, not sure which. I type as 5w6 but have considered the possibility of 6w5.
 

Viridian

New member
Joined
Dec 30, 2010
Messages
3,036
MBTI Type
IsFJ
Ahoy, Sil! Glad to see you! :hi:

I wish I could help you more here, but, to be frank, I'm pretty ambivalent regarding the S/N line myself - it's so full of typology quagmires... :(

All I can say is that being a 6w5 - a stereotypically S enneatype - could make the line between the functions sorta blurry. You don't often hear much about INTP 6s, do you? :thinking:
 

Silveresque

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
1,169
Sounds like your thought process is very similar to mine. Enneagram wise, I'm either sp/so or so/sp, not sure which. I type as 5w6 but have considered the possibility of 6w5.

I bounced between 5 and 9 for a long time too. I had considered 6 on multiple occasions, but the descriptions just never seemed to fit well enough. Eventually I made a thread on Personality Cafe where I answered a long questionnaire, and everyone said I was a 6, so I looked into it again. I decided to mostly disregard the type descriptions. After all, 6 is by far the most diverse type, so there's really no one-size-fits-all description.

Here's how I distinguish types 5 and 6:

5's are more interested in acquiring knowledge for it's own sake. 6's may be more likely to acquire knowledge to quell their doubts/anxieties (or they may just be genuinely curious). 5's generally don't care about what others think of them; 6's care too much, and try to stay on good terms with people. 5's are confident in their ideas and trust their minds. 6's are skeptical of any ideas, even the ones they come up with themselves. There is more security in certainty than faith, so everything must be subject to testing and analysis. This is what makes them skeptics and troubleshooters.
 

Silveresque

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2011
Messages
1,169
Ahoy, Sil! Glad to see you! :hi:

I wish I could help you more here, but, to be frank, I'm pretty ambivalent regarding the S/N line myself - it's so full of typology quagmires... :(

All I can say is that being a 6w5 - a stereotypically S enneatype - could make the line between the functions sorta blurry. You don't often hear much about INTP 6s, do you? :thinking:

Hey Viridian! Nice to see you too! :hi:

Yeah, I've thought about that. Type 6 wants to stick with what's known and certain, and what's been clearly defined, which I think can make me seem like a sensor at times. Since I have an odd combination like this, I can't relate very well to other INTP's in some aspects (specifically their wanting to know everything and coming up with big ideas about the world), and I can't relate very well to a lot of 6's either.
 
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