The Type Basics

A lot of folk get nervy about psychological models.
It might be because they think the model will reveal personality aspects they don't like, or that the practitioner will discover a deep secret only they themselves have known and refused to admit to others. Some imagine it will reveal their dysfunction to the world. It doesn't and won't. And it doesn't measure criminality either. But, it can be a bit threatening.

Here are some basics, taken from the Center for Applications of Psychological Type web site.

1. Extraversion-Introversion (EI)
   The EI index is designed to reflect whether a person is an extravert or an introvert in the sense intended by Jung.Jungg regarded extraversion and introversion as "mutually complementary" attitudes whose differences "generate the tension that both the individual and society need for the maintenance of life." Extraverts are oriented primarily toward the outer world; thus they tend to focus their perception and judgment on people and objects. Introverts are oriented primarily toward the inner world; thus they tend to focus their perception and judgment upon concepts and ideas.
2. Sensing-Intuition (SN)
   The SN index is designed to reflect a person's preference between two opposite ways of perceiving; one may rely primarily upon the process of sensing (S), which reports observable facts or happenings through one or more of the five senses; or one may rely upon the less obvious process of intuition (N), which reports meanings, relationships and/or possibilities that have been worked out beyond the reach of the conscious mind.
3. Thinking-Feeling (TF)
   The TF index is designed to reflect a person's preference between two contrasting ways of judgment. A person may rely primarily through thinking (T) to decide impersonally on the basis of logical consequences, or a person may rely primarily on feelings (F) to decide primarily on the basis of personal or social values.
4. Judgment-Perception (JP)
   The JP index is designed to describe the process a person uses primarily in dealing with the outer world, that is, with the extraverted part of life. A person who prefers judgment (J) has reported a preference for using a judgment process (either thinking or feeling) for dealing with the outer world. A person who prefers perception (P) has reported a preference for using a perceptive process (either S or N) for dealing with the outer world.

It's simple really. Here's my spin on it all.

• You start your day by waking up. If you don't wake up you don't get up. Extraverts get their energy by embracing the outer world and probably wake up sooner than Introverts who gather energyy from within.
• Once you're awake you collect information: What's the weather like? Is this my bed?
• Then you make a decision: I'm getting up. I will drink coffee.
• Then the process starts: If you have a perceiving preference (P), you might spend more time collecting information, never quite satisfied; meanwhile, someone with a preference for judgement moves through the day with order, precision and deciding quickly.