The fourth and final scale that's part of the Myers-Briggs Personality Types deals with how people live their "outer life".
There are two sides to this scale:
- Judging types prefer organization and planning.
- Perceiving types like to improvise and explore options.
- Judging types value punctuality and completeness of tasks.
- Perceiving types value spontaneity and flexibility.
- Judging types prefer decisions made. They are task oriented and love to make lists.
- Perceiving types prefer to multitask. They mix work with play, and love variety.
- Judging types can be accused of being "too structured".
- Perceiving types can be accused of being "too loosey goosey."
As I've mentioned in previous posts about Myers-Briggs, there is no right or wrong preference. We need both types in our world.
Please don't confuse Judging types with the term "judgmental". They are not related.
I'm a Judging type. I keep all my school supplies organized by the month I use them. I have tubs of activities for each month of the year. All the clothes in my closet are in order by color. I have all the tops in hanging in one section, facing the same way, of course, starting with red, and going through the rainbow. Black and brown come at the end. The bottoms are on the other side of the closet. In color order, of course. All the money in my wallet is in order of denomination, all facing the same way.
I realized very early that my daughter was also a judging type when she lined up all her dolls around her by height. (She did this all the time, it was scary!)
Once a friend of mine told me I needed to be more spontaneous. I told him I'd put it in my plans.
Of all four scales of the Myers-Briggs, this is one scale where I'm nowhere near the middle. I'm a strong "J".
However, understanding personality types has helped me from becoming too extreme. I no longer panic if I don't know what's coming up. I'm ok if plans have to be changed.
One of the things I appreciate most about understanding the different personality types is that I've learned to be tolerant and appreciative of the other types.
I know and enjoy people who are Perceiving types. I admire spontaneity. I appreciate those who are good at improvising.
For more information on the Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, click the links below.
Have you figured out your own type?
