Thinking vs Feeling

The other kind of mental process identified by Jung is judgment, a process of organising and evaluating information, and coming to conclusions. Using the judging process, some sort of evaluation is made and Jung identified two kinds of judgment: Thinking and Feeling. The T-F dichotomy is our ‘output’ scale - ie how we each make decisions.

Both of these can be used in either the outer, extraverted world or in the inner, introverted world. Thinking judgments are based on objective criteria or principles, as Jung describes:

...judgement is reserved as to what significance should be attached to the facts in question. And on this significance will depend the way in which the individual deals with the facts.

Feeling judgments are based on personal, interpersonal, or emotional values as Jung describes:

...adaptation will depend entirely on the feeling value he attributes to them.

Thinking types tend to make their decisions based on data, evidence and rational thought. They tend to be pragmatic and not swayed by antipathies or emotions but prefer empirical data.

Feeling types tend to make their decisions based on values, emotions and impact on people. This is a slightly more illogical way of making decisions (when compared to logical ‘T’s) however ‘F’s can often ‘feel’ situations and so their decisions often take account of the less obvious more subtle issues that transcend the logical. This is not to downplay the importance of this function of decision-making or question its validity but it does make it more difficult to quantify. As Jung himself (a ‘T’) confessed:

…I freely admit that this problem of feeling has been one that has caused me much brain racking.

Thinking types make their decisions on the basis of logic, rational argument and dispassionate analysis. As Jung describes:

Others are exclusively oriented by what they think, and simply cannot adapt to a situation which they are unable to understand intellectually…most of the conscious material he presents for observation consists of thoughts, conclusions, reflections, as well as actions…of an intellectual nature or at the least the material is directly dependent on intellectual premises.

We can how Jung uses scientific rationale and syntax to illustrate his point that Thinking types will naturally make their decisions from a non-emotional standpoint. If you are a Thinking type you will find it easier to make your decisions more objectively and you will bring a rational approach. However this does mean that at times you may not fully understand the impact of your behaviour or pick up on the more emotional and subtle points in discussions.

This scale is not about being ‘tough’ or ‘soft,’ as Feelers often make great crusaders for the cause and can be incredibly outspoken and strident in defence of values or people who are being oppressed. As a Thinker you simply approach problems and decision-making from the standpoint of logic and removing emotion from the equation.