Judging vs Perceiving: What's the Difference & Which of the Two Do You Use? - Learning Mind (2024)
How do you view the world? What influences your decisions? Are you a logical person or more intuitive? Do you prefer a set routine or are you spontaneous and flexible? People tend to fall into one of two personality types: Judging vs Perceiving, but why is this important?
Knowing the difference between the two can help us achieve a deeper level of understanding of ourselves. It can influence our interactions with the world and affect our relationships.
So, what is Judging vs Perceiving and where does it come from?
Table of Contents
Personality Types, According to Carl Jung
Anyone interested in psychology and identity will no doubt have come across the work of renowned psychoanalyst Carl Jung. Jung believed it was possible to categorise people into personality types.
Jung identified three categories:
Extraversion vs Introversion: How we direct our focus.
Extraverts gravitate towards to outside world and as such, focus on people and objects. Introverts orientate themselves to the inner world and focus on ideas and concepts.
Sensing vs Intuition: How we perceive information.
Those who sense use their five senses (what they can see, hear, feel, taste, or smell) in order to understand the world. Those who intuit focus on the meanings, feelings, and relationships.
Thinking vs Feeling: How we process information.
Whether we rely on thinking to logically decide an outcome or whether we use our feelings based on our beliefs and values.
Isabel Briggs-Myers took Jung’s research one step further, adding a fourth category – Judging vs Perceiving.
Judging vs Perceiving: How we use the information in our daily lives.
Judging relates to a person who prefers order and routine. Perceiving prefers flexibility and spontaneity.
Judging vs Perceiving: What Is the Difference?
Before I examine the differences between Judging and Perceiving, I’d just like to clarify a few points.
It is important at this point not to be confused with the terms Judging or Perceiving. Judging does not mean judgmental, and Perceiving does not indicate perception. These are just terms allocated to the way we interact with the world.
Moreover, it is equally important not to stereotype people because they fall into either category. For example, Judging types are not boring, opinionated people who like to do the same thing over and over again. Likewise, Perceivers are not lazy, irresponsible types who cannot be trusted to stick to a project.
The final point is that this isn’t an either-or situation. You don’t have to be all Judging or all Perceiving. You can be a mixture, for instance: 30% Judging and 70% Perceiving. In fact, I took a test to find out my percentage (although I kind of already knew I would be more Judging than Perceiving), and the results were 66% Judging and 34% Perceiving.
Now let’s get onto the personality types of Judging vs Perceiving.
Judging Personality Types
Those who are classed as ‘judgers’ prefer a set routine and schedule. They like to plan in advance and will often make lists so they can organise their life in a structured way. Some may call judgers ‘set in their ways’, but this is just how they feel comfortable dealing with life.
Judgers will have calendars and diaries so they don’t miss important dates or appointments. They like to be able to control their environment. These are the types that won’t forget a birthday or anniversary. They are always prepared for every eventuality.
These aren’t the guys that will call you at 3 in the morning asking for a lift to the gas station because they forgot to top up that day. Judgers will either have a full tank or a spare full petrol can in the back for emergencies.
Judgers avoid stress and anxiety in their lives by being so organised. They operate best in controlled settings with clear goals and expected outcomes. As such, they are happiest at work when they know exactly what is expected of them.
Judgers prefer tasks that can be completed so that they can have a sense of closure and then move onto the next task. They don’t like open-ended plans that change at the last minute. In fact, they prefer deadlines and are strict at adhering to them.
Typical judgers will like to get the work done first and then relax. They are responsible and make great leaders. They are proactive and can be left on their own to finish a task without supervision.
They don’t like surprises or sudden changes to their agenda. They are not good at dealing with unexpected problems that occur out of the blue. They prefer to have several Plan Bs instead, rather than have to think on the fly.
Perceiving Personality Types
On the other hand, we have the Perceivers. These types are impulsive, spontaneous, and flexible. They don’t like working to a schedule, preferring instead to take life as it comes. There are some that call Perceivers blasé and nonchalant, but they simply prefer to be flexible rather than structured.
Perceivers are easy-going and relaxed. These are the types that will go to a supermarket without a list for the weekly shop and return with nothing to eat. But then again, they’ll just suggest a takeout for a weekday treat instead.
This is the Perceivers’ approach to life – being laidback and open to changing situations. In fact, the worst thing you can do is give a Perceiver a list of things to do with a deadline. They like to have a lot of choices and won’t be pressurised into making a decision. They’ll keep their options open until the very last minute.
Perceivers can have a tendency to procrastinate. This is because they don’t like having a clear to-do plan. They also put off making decisions in case there is a better option out there somewhere.
Perceivers are the opposite of Judgers in that they won’t feel anxious if they have fun when there is still work to complete. They know they can always finish it tomorrow, or the next day.
Because Perceivers struggle to make a decision and they procrastinate, they also have trouble finishing a project. Actually, they will usually have more than one project on the go at once. Perceivers are very good at brainstorming and finding new concepts and ideas, but ask them to commit to one idea, and that is a problem.
Judging vs Perceiving: Which One Are You?
Judging
Judgers maintain control of their environment by having a set structure.
Judging characteristics
Organised
Decisive
Responsible
Structured
Task-orientated
Controlled
Ordered
Prefers closure
Likes lists
Makes plans
Dislikes changes
Perceiving
Perceivers maintain control of their environment by having more options.
Perceivers characteristics:
Flexible
Adaptable
Spontaneous
Relaxed
Indecisive
Procrastinates
Likes to have options
Prefers a variety
Dislikes routine
Likes starting projects
Dislikes deadlines
As I said previously, it is likely that you’ll share characteristics from both categories. But you’ll probably favour one over the other.
Final Thoughts
Remember, no one is saying that either category of Judging vs Perceiving is better than the other. It is simply a way of describing how we feel comfortable interacting with the world around us.
However, by recognising which category we prefer, perhaps we can understand where we need more flexibility or more structure in our lives.
Janey Davies has been published online for over 10 years. She has suffered from a panic disorder for over 30 years, which prompted her to study and receive an Honours degree in Psychology with the Open University. Janey uses the experiences of her own anxiety to offer help and advice to others dealing with mental health issues.
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Judging types prefer clearly defined tasks with specific timelines and deadlines.Perceiving people appear spontaneous, flexible, and open to whatever may arise. Chafing under strict schedules, they often work in bursts of energy rather than sustained effort and find needed motivation in impending deadlines.
However, when it comes to dealing with the outer world, people who tend to focus on making decisions have a preference for Judging because they tend to like things decided. People who tend to focus on taking in information prefer Perceiving because they stay open to a final decision in order to get more information.
Judgers approach life in a structured manner, creating plans to fulfill tasks in a predictable way. Perceivers, on the other hand, tend to feel constrained by structure, as they prefer to keep their options open and use their time to explore problems as they come.
People who prefer judging tend to like things to be settled and clear-cut. They like to have a plan and stick to it. Perceivers, on the other hand, are more spontaneous and adaptable. They're more comfortable with ambiguity and often like to go with the flow.
Examples of perceptual learning include developing an ability to distinguish between different odours or musical pitches and an ability to discriminate between different shades of colours.
Judging (J) people like to live in a planned, orderly way, seeking to regulate and manage their lives. They want to make decisions, come to closure, and move on. They tend to be structured and organized and like to have things settled. Getting things done energizes them.
Mind perception entails ascribing mental capacities to other entities, whereas moral judgment entails labeling entities as good or bad or actions as right or wrong.
While judging has to deal with discernment, Passing Judgment is totally different. Passing Judgment is the assumption someone is guilty and we hold them to the verdict. Like a Judge who sentences someone for a crime they committed. This is an area that we don't want to be in.
Judging types often have trouble trusting that Perceiving types will come through in a timely way, that decisions will be made and action will be taken. Perceiving types often feel hemmed in, limited, and restricted by Judging types. Looking to use type to help deal with conflict for individuals and work teams.
The cognitive functions divide into perceiving and judging categories. The perceiving functions (Sensing and Intuition) explain how people receive and absorb information, while the judging functions (Thinking and Feeling) explain how they make decisions.
While Judging types run the risk of being offensive or domineering, Perceivers are prone to deceptiveness and co-dependency. Relationships involving two Perceiving types are at particular risk for ineffective communication.
When it comes to reaching your potential at work, there's one key question you must be ready to answer: are you a Judger, or a Perceiver? If you're a Judger, you have a better chance of earning more, advancing in the ranks, and generally achieving more success in the workplace.
What Is Judging? Judging is one of the two personality traits the MBTI uses to describe how individuals plan for the future and respond to the choices they have in front of them. People who have the Judging personality trait typically have a plan, enjoy structure, and are decisive.
There are two types of judgments; judgments that are discriminating, and judgments that are evaluative. Judgments that are discriminating (i.e. I prefer X over Y) reflect personal preferences and subjective opinions.
Judgers are rather predictable with well set plans and objectives. These people live an organized life. Perceiving is another extreme of the dimension of behavior that is in contrast to judging. These types of people are flexible in nature and keep their options open until they are forced to make decisions.
Humans tend to keep perceiving something until it reaches a point of maximum meaning and completeness. An example of this is small children who ask multiple questions to understand a new concept and resolve the puzzle in their minds.
Perceptual learning is experience-dependent enhancement of our ability to make sense of what we see, hear, feel, taste or smell. These changes are permanent or semi-permanent, as distinct from shorter-term mechanisms like sensory adaptation or habituation.
Perception can be defined as a combination of knowledge and idea has gained as a result of having an experience in relation to a topic. To illustrate, teachers can have perceptions of a new curriculum after implementing it in their classes. Perceptions on a topic can be positive as well as negative.
The visual learners process the information best if they can see it. The auditory learners like to hear information. The read-write learners prefer to see the written words. The kinaesthetic learners like to acquire information through experience and practice.
There are 4 predominant learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Read/Write, and Kinaesthetic. While most of us may have some general idea about how we learn best, often it comes as a surprise when we discover what our predominant learning style is.
The learning style theory was popularized in 1992 when Fleming and Mills suggested a new model of learning. The VARK Model is used to explain the different ways that students learn. For example, if a student is a “visual learner,” a verbal lecture alone might leave them feeling unengaged, confused, and frustrated.
The types of perception are often separated by the different senses. This includes visual perception, scent perception, touch perception, sound perception, and taste perception. We perceive our environment using each of these, often simultaneously.
If you saw someone give food to a homeless person, you would instinctively make a positive judgment about his or her character. Judging only becomes a problem when we make unnecessary, hurtful or unfair judgments based on little evidence.
Meaning of judging in English. to form, give, or have as an opinion, or to decide about something or someone, especially after thinking carefully: So far, he seems to be handling the job well, but it's really too soon to judge. [ + question word ] It's difficult to judge whether the new system really is an improvement.
The word judge in Matthew 7:2 means to not avenge or condemn someone to damnation. This is to not judge someone unjustly, and then to not seek to avenge the wrong they have committed.
According to data provided by the Myers Briggs Foundation , the most common personality type is ISFJ, which stands for Introversion, Sensing, Feeling and Judging. Data from the Foundation indicates that this grouping was the personality type of 13.8% of people tested.
Perceivers approach life and a freewheeling, spontaneous way, preferring to keep their options open than make a clear plan of action. They perceive structure as limiting and seek flexibility in their lives. They like adapting to new situations and feel frustrated by the daily grind of routines.
That's because IJ types have a dominant perceiving function (intuition or sensation) while IP types have a dominant judging function (feeling or thinking). While on the outside IJ types may appear like Judgers, on the inside they relate to many Perceiving tendencies.
We can improve our perceptions of others by developing empathetic listening skills, becoming aware of stereotypes and prejudice, and engaging in self-reflection. Perception checking is a strategy that allows us to monitor our perceptions of and reactions to others and communication.
The rarest personality type is that of INFJ, also known as the Advocate. INFJ stands for introverted, intuitive, feeling, and judging. Someone with this personality type lets their values and vision guide them.
The top personality traits of judges are extraversion and conscientiousness. Judges score highly on extraversion, meaning that they rely on external stimuli to be happy, such as people or exciting surroundings.
Passing judgment on others is ultimately a toxic projection, a reflection of how we feel about ourselves. People judge others to have more control over beliefs than they themselves do, according to a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology: Attitude and Social Cognition.
This is because often our judgement on others show our weaknesses, soft-spots, and insecurities. Most judgments we make about people are based on lack of information. We make assumptions and judgments based on what we see, not on facts.
By constantly seeing the bad in others, we train our minds to find the bad. This can lead to increase in stress. Stress can weaken the immune system and cause high blood pressure, fatigue, depression, anxiety and even stroke.
We have the innate urge to be right, to be better, to be superior—always. Our binary view of the world around us necessitates us to be either right or wrong, so we tend to judge. Humans are motivated to assign causes to their actions and behaviours.
the act or faculty of perceiving, or apprehending by means of the senses or of the mind; cognition; understanding. immediate or intuitive recognition or appreciation, as of moral, psychological, or aesthetic qualities; insight; intuition; discernment: an artist of rare perception.
The cognitive functions divide into perceiving and judging categories. The perceiving functions (Sensing and Intuition) explain how people receive and absorb information, while the judging functions (Thinking and Feeling) explain how they make decisions.
Judging types often have trouble trusting that Perceiving types will come through in a timely way, that decisions will be made and action will be taken. Perceiving types often feel hemmed in, limited, and restricted by Judging types. Looking to use type to help deal with conflict for individuals and work teams.
People with the Judging personality trait tend to love making plans and backup plans. People with the Prospecting personality trait tend to be flexible and good at adapting to all of life's circ*mstances. People with the Judging personality trait tend to naturally always think ahead and think through their options.
Judgements are subjective and positive or negative.Observation however evokes learning and are objective. When we share an observation there is no assignment of good or bad, right or wrong . Sharing an observation is like reflecting a mirror on a situation.
Perception is the meaning we make of different information that comes in, based on how we are looking at it. Different people perceive reality in different ways based on their interpretations. Thinking is working with our perceptions in different ways based on our needs and goals.
Perceivers approach life and a freewheeling, spontaneous way, preferring to keep their options open than make a clear plan of action. They perceive structure as limiting and seek flexibility in their lives. They like adapting to new situations and feel frustrated by the daily grind of routines.
Perceiving is a common English word with a number of related colloquial meanings: it is the act of understanding, realizing, seeing, noticing, or becoming aware of.
In Myers-Briggs' personalities, judging means you seek closure from the outer world through order, planning, and organization. When possible, you prefer for things to be settled and crossed off your list. Judgers may want to find work that allows them to set goals, be organized, and make decisions.
Preferring to consider their options ahead of time, personality types with this trait prefer clarity and closure, sticking with the plan rather than going with the flow. It's as if Judging types always keep a mental checklist.
While judging has to deal with discernment, Passing Judgment is totally different. Passing Judgment is the assumption someone is guilty and we hold them to the verdict. Like a Judge who sentences someone for a crime they committed. This is an area that we don't want to be in.
You don't think the other person can actually change. But by assuming the other person won't change and won't listen, you're judging and condemning them from the start.
All over the world, it turns out, people judge others on two main qualities: warmth (whether they are friendly and well intentioned) and competence (whether they have the ability to deliver on those intentions).
Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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