• You are currently viewing our forum as a guest, which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community, you will have access to additional post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), view blogs, respond to polls, upload content, and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today! Just click here to register. You should turn your Ad Blocker off for this site or certain features may not work properly. If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please contact us by clicking here.

Another Sensor Myth I'd like to discuss

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
...that Sensors are stuck in details.

I've realized lately that I hate, hate, hate when we get stuck in discussing points that really have no effect on the matter at hand.

I work in a detailed environment, and it really kills me. My boss' boss is an ISTJ, and he actually loses confidence in people if they don't have 100% detailed understanding of the situation at hand- regardless if they impact the big picture or not.

I have to tell my staff to 'start at the top'- with the issue/conclusion or whatever, THEN you can drill down.

I just needed to put this out there to all you who like to box people.
 

raminda

New member
Joined
Sep 5, 2010
Messages
55
MBTI Type
xNTP
Enneagram
3w4
Yeah, this have never made sense to me either. I'm the opposite to you, though; an intuitive who's very detail oriented. You have to get down to details to get to the interesting Ne-connections I claim...
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Yeah, this have never made sense to me either. I'm the opposite to you, though; an intuitive who's very detail oriented. You have to get down to details to get to the interesting Ne-connections I claim...

Yea, many NTJ's are very detail oriented as well. I'm fairly easy to bounce between details and big picture, with a slightly better focus on details. I wouldn't say I ever "get caught up" in them though. That's counter productive.
 

tinker683

Whackus Bonkus
Joined
Nov 8, 2009
Messages
2,882
MBTI Type
ISFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
Indeedy!

I like details just as much as the next person, but I'll admit that sometimes...my dedication to detail just isn't what it needs to be. Sometimes I'm just worried about other things.
 

skylights

i love
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
7,756
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
so/sx
haha, my mom's SJ and dad's NTP and dad is totally more detail-anal than mom. mom just has way better consistency dealing with details than he does. like she integrates them into her decision-making. he's only attentive to the details when it's something he really cares about.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
Primarily the difference will be whether or not you notice details in the external environment and care about details in the things you specifically care about.

By that I mean ...well, let me give two examples.

My ESFJ ex obsessively collects world cinema (and specifically underground horror) and he acquires, catalogues, arranges, alphabetizes, and studies facts about the directors, actors, and artistic movements in cinema. He's done this since the age of seven or so. In that sense, he is exquisitely detail oriented. He's also very good with cleaning the house, in paying attention to detail...but it's not like he always cares about details when it comes to things which are no his interests...being ESFJ doesn't mean that he's constantly caught up in details about every little thing he does or sees. It just means he applies Si (and Ti) to his interests, hobbies, and priorities.

Same with an ISFJ I know...he doesn't give a rat's ass about the details of what I happen to be eating for lunch lol...but he will study something he's interested in - say a sport he plays - with great precision and detail. He can also notice sensory details sharply, like he says he can see crumbs on the counter from across the room, and it bothers him.

Soooo...the attention to detail with Si is there (and I think it's actually compounded by the precision of Ti in SFJs...and NTPs, which is probably why these INTPs are good with detail in certain areas) but it doesn't mean that sensors are obsessed with details like Rainman all day long (sorry, exaggeration, but you know what I mean). Yes, that's a stupid myth.

Anyone who has Si (including NPs) will have some attention to detail....apparently in SJs, specifically, it has a lot to do their personal opinion of what is "correct" i.e. what they care about, or if they feel they must build or defend something according to facts...in that case, yes, they are more comfortable once they have the facts and details to construct and back up their argument. On this web site, notice how I argue about society and politics, and the way ESFJ PureMercury does it...he pays attention to fact and detail and statistics (almost to the point of not seeing the forest for the trees) and gets annoyed when other people don't do so as well.
 

Randomnity

insert random title here
Joined
May 8, 2007
Messages
9,485
MBTI Type
ISTP
Enneagram
6w5
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
How come "sensor" always seems to get equated with SJ (Si)? :steam:

But being detail-oriented is very different from respecting the value of facts and objective information (vs. opinions, speculations, personal theories, etc).
 

King sns

New member
Joined
Nov 4, 2008
Messages
6,714
MBTI Type
enfp
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
How come "sensor" always seems to get equated with SJ (Si)? :steam:

But being detail-oriented is very different from respecting the value of facts and objective information (vs. opinions, speculations, personal theories, etc).

Yes, this. The original reason why I determined myself as a sensor, not an intuitive, though I tested intuitive. Not that I'm all facts facts all the time, but final decision making is usually based on a bunch of collected observed solid information. The smaller the leap of logic, the better.
 

Spamtar

Ghost Monkey Soul
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
4,468
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
Its situational. Sometimes the details are key. Other times they are not. The devils in the details. Its all about perspective.

The only major problem I have with detail oriented people is that when there strength becomes a weakness. When we barraged by nit picking and lose focus of the big picture. Or barraged by details and eventually ignore or become numb to the "key" details which directly or indirectly effect the germane.

Matthew 7:3 comes to mind in this picture.
 

Jaguar

Active member
Joined
May 5, 2007
Messages
20,647
It's not remotely unusal to see this in an employment ad:

Must be detail-oriented with the ability to see the big picture.

I used to run ads like that, myself. If someone wasn't both, I wouldn't hire them. That's why it's not surprising to see things like this, regarding MBTI:

The National Academy of Sciences committee reviewed data from over 20 MBTI research studies and concluded that only the Intraversion-Extroversion scale has adequate construct validity. In contrast, the S-N and T-F scales show relatively weak validity.

Of course they show weak validity. No shocker, there. The majority of people I have known in my lifetime are well-rounded individuals. In business, one better be detail-oriented lest they get their head handed to them on a plate.
 

Arclight

Permabanned
Joined
Nov 5, 2009
Messages
3,177
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
6w5
Its funny how when I get in arguments with fellow NFJs , it's like we never actually get to the point.
It just becomes a tennis match of semantics and delivery systems.
I have seen this game go on so long that the original point is long forgotten.
Someone feeling like someone else has been dishonest, turns into a 5 hours discussion about the meaning of the word "worry".
That's detail focused if you ask me.
Do S's do this?
 

guesswho

Active member
Joined
Jul 9, 2010
Messages
1,977
MBTI Type
ENTP
I just needed to put this out there to all you who like to box people.

elastic_box_person_01.jpg
 

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
Its funny how when I get in arguments with fellow NFJs , it's like we never actually get to the point.
It just becomes a tennis match of semantics and delivery systems.
I have seen this game go on so long that the original point is long forgotten.
Someone feeling like someone else has been dishonest, turns into a 5 hours discussion about the meaning of the word "worry".
That's detail focused if you ask me.
Do S's do this?

I was about make a similar statement.

NTJs on here go back and forth about one specific aspect of an issue. Of course, it can be theoretical in nature (but not always), but they get bogged down in trying to make their point, over the big picture at hand.
This might be more of an introverted perception issue, more than an S issue. Seems like Ps don't have this issue. They tend to move on very very quickly.
 

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
It's not remotely unusal to see this in an employment ad:

Must be detail-oriented with the ability to see the big picture.

I used to run ads like that, myself. If someone wasn't both, I wouldn't hire them. That's why it's not surprising to see things like this, regarding MBTI:



Of course they show weak validity. No shocker, there. The majority of people I have known in my lifetime are well-rounded individuals. In business, one better be detail-oriented lest they get their head handed to them on a plate.

But it's fun to make sweeping judgements about people!
 

INTPness

New member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
2,157
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
Put MBTI on that box and it's perfect for an illustration.

I understand that sometimes MBTI is given more importance than it should have. But, if we really think MBTI is a bunch of overblown jibberish, then why do we all keep coming back to this site and reading/learning about it? If we're all the same and N/S differences are just a figment of our imagination, then why do we even bother to spend time on a website dedicated to MBTI?

What I'm saying is, the reason I come here is because I think there is merit in MBTI. I think there really are differences in our tendencies and the way we tend to behave. Tend is a very key word because it implies that it is not absolute or "all the time". But, it also implies that the differences are real - they really do exist. If they didn't, I wouldn't be here trying to learn about other people's personalities and why they are different from me. If we were all the same and MBTI was completely bogus, I'd have no reason to come here.
 

IZthe411

Carerra Lu
Joined
Jul 19, 2009
Messages
2,585
MBTI Type
INTJ
I understand that sometimes MBTI is given more importance than it should have. But, if we really think MBTI is a bunch of overblown jibberish, then why do we all keep coming back to this site and reading/learning about it? If we're all the same and N/S differences are just a figment of our imagination, then why do we even bother to spend time on a website dedicated to MBTI?

What I'm saying is, the reason I come here is because I think there is merit in MBTI. I think there really are differences in our tendencies and the way we tend to behave. Tend is a very key word because it implies that it is not absolute or "all the time". But, it also implies that the differences are real - they really do exist. If they didn't, I wouldn't be here trying to learn about other people's personalities and why there are different from me. If we were all the same and MBTI was complete bogus, I'd have no reason to come here.

I'm with you. But everyone isn't middle of the road with you, with it.

MBTI wasn’t offered to me in high school. But it seems like today it’s used more and more at that level in helping kids figure out their future. But for every person like you and I who recognize that it has its flaws, and it’s a generality, there’s 3 people who take what they read as some sort of gospel for them to navigate the world- especially N types. I can see a biased teacher or guidance counselor painting certain pictures of certain types.

Like any kind of information it has to be used as intended. And sometimes on this forum it’s not. That's my point. I love what I'm learning and find most discussion here to be worthwhile.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
How come "sensor" always seems to get equated with SJ (Si)? :steam:

But being detail-oriented is very different from respecting the value of facts and objective information (vs. opinions, speculations, personal theories, etc).

Yeah Si is more detail oriented than Se, and I elaborated on Si because of that, and also because I understand it better.
 

Thalassa

Permabanned
Joined
May 3, 2009
Messages
25,183
MBTI Type
ISFP
Enneagram
6w7
Instinctual Variant
sx
I was about make a similar statement.

NTJs on here go back and forth about one specific aspect of an issue. Of course, it can be theoretical in nature (but not always), but they get bogged down in trying to make their point, over the big picture at hand.
This might be more of an introverted perception issue, more than an S issue. Seems like Ps don't have this issue. They tend to move on very very quickly.

Agree. I can get annoyed with these huge Ni (often Ni/Ti with INFJs) walls of text that are really nit picky and full of semantics and I'm just like...blah blah blah tl;dr

I think I have more patience with Si/Te detail (though I can feel oppressed by actually having to execute it too often IRL, because while it's part of my personality, it's a lesser part) than the Ni/Ti detail. Ni/Ti detail drives me batshit.

I tend to focus on details primarily in my writing, that's where it really comes out ...I use Si sensory detail memory to inspire my creative writing, and I also tend to check things like spelling and search for little mistakes in presentation when I work on a non-fiction writing assignment.
 

INTPness

New member
Joined
Jan 22, 2009
Messages
2,157
MBTI Type
INTP
Enneagram
5w4
I'm with you. But everyone isn't middle of the road with you, with it.

MBTI wasn’t offered to me in high school. But it seems like today it’s used more and more at that level in helping kids figure out their future. But for every person like you and I who recognize that it has its flaws, and it’s a generality, there’s 3 people who take what they read as some sort of gospel for them to navigate the world- especially N types. I can see a biased teacher or guidance counselor painting certain pictures of certain types.

Like any kind of information it has to be used as intended. And sometimes on this forum it’s not. That's my point. I love what I'm learning and find most discussion here to be worthwhile.

Yeah, I agree with your post. We're on the same page. I just know that when I first learned about MBTI it was indeed pretty eye opening for me. It really explained a lot of things for me - why I liked a lot of alone time (Ti), why I've always had this quirky sense of humor that some people find hilarious/ridiculous and some people don't find funny at all (Ne), why people in my past had made comments that I wasn't very "practical" - I was a "big dreamer" who talked about "impossible things" (Ne), why my interests changed so often (Ne) why people said I was too rigid and focused on logic (T), why I had an unexplainable tendency to procrastinate, to be fairly laid-back and easy going rather than directive (P).

Not only did it "explain" a lot of these aspects of my personality, it helped me to see my weaknesses and allowed me to begin to move to a place that was more well-rounded. Let me give you an example. Before I knew anything about MBTI (young and dumb), I used to think that some members of my family were "dumb" because they didn't want to "theorize" with me; they didn't want to talk about ideas and possibilities with me. When I talked about that stuff, they tuned me out. I thought they were simple-minded and dumb. Now, years later (and MBTI has helped tremendously with this), I realize how arrogant that was of me. That it's not a matter of "smart" or "dumb" - it's just that they aren't as interested in that kind of discussion because it has no practical implications in the here-and-now. They're just not that interested in "my kind of conversation". That doesn't make me better than them or even "smarter", necessarily. It's just different personalities, different flavors. Variety - it's the spice of life.

So, what I'm saying is, if MBTI is used correctly - it can actually be used to make us "less ignorant" and "more tolerant". Because of MBTI, I'm now less ignorant than I once was. There are still things I need to learn in life and probably still some areas in which I remain ignorant, but MBTI helped in understanding others and the way they operate. If it hadn't helped me to understand other people, I would have stopped reading about ages ago.
 
Top