MBTI outer world orientation: J/P preference

Okay. With the election out of the way, perhaps we can get back to talking about things other than politics... :-)

This is an excerpt (I know... I get a little carried away with my emails) from an email I wrote today to a friend trying to explain the preferences:

The J/P preference deals with the outer world orientation. By the way, Jung's theory only had the 6 different preferences. The way I understand it, Myers and Briggs added this last pair to make the theory a little more digestible... more applicable and accessible through studying behavioral patterns.

It determines whether you prefer to deal with the outer world in a way that is decisive and orderly (Judging) or in a way that is flexible and spontaneous (Perceiving). So... depending on which function (perception or judgement) you tend to extravert, your preference would be either Judging or Perceiving. This is the one that people seem have the hardest time grasping.

If you have a Judging preference, that means you tend to extravert your decision making function. So that would express itself as being more decisive, orderly, structured, organized, methodical, and focused on results. If you have a Perceiving preference, then you tend to extravert your perceiving function. That would show up as being spontaneous, exploratory, adaptive, flexible, and focused more on the process rather than the result.

To give you an example, I have a very clear P preference. I feel more comfortable leaving everything open and flexible. I don't like the thought of anything being close-ended. I like possibilities and that is what motivates me. I like starting projects rather than finishing. My husband Pat, on the other hand, has a clear J preference. He loves routine, organization, and accomplishing tasks. What he has accomplished gives him a sense of security and comfort. Neither one is right or wrong, good or bad. But we constantly have conflicts because we are so different in the way we go through our day. But we're learning to appreciate and understand the other side of the spectrum that we don't prefer and to give each other more space. Believe it or not, just being aware of those things helps me to operate out of my comfort zone when needed.