Personality Types: Are You A Thinker Or A Feeler?

When it comes to the way they evaluate information and make decisions, most people will fall into one of two categories: the “thinker” personality, or the “feeler” personality. When making a decision, a “thinker” places more value on consistency and fairness than on how others will be affected. A “feeler” will make decisions more subjectively, according to their values or what is more important to them.

In our western society, women are often socialized to behave like “feelers” and men are often socialized to behave like “thinkers”. Therefore, thinking females and feeling males are socially in the minority and are more likely to feel unaccepted. After taking the quiz on this very page, you may discover that your personality may go against our society “norms”.

What category do you fall under? To find out, read each of the following statements and use the following numbers to indicate your response:

0-not like me at all
1-somewhat like me
2-exactly like me

Thinking

I value my ability to think and make decisions logically and clearly.

I like to debate and defend my point of view. Sometimes, just to challenge my intellect, I argue both sides of an issue.

I have been accused of not paying attention to other people’s needs and feelings.

People sometimes see me as impersonal and overly analytical.

I can be blunt and outspoken.

I tend to pay attention to other’s thoughts more than to their feelings.

I don’t like to put my emotions on display.

I usually make decisions based on the general principles of justice and logic more than on personal circumstances or concerns.

I consider it more important to be truthful than tactful.

I don’t shy away from critiquing or correcting people.

Calculate Your Total

Total up your scores for each section. Hopefully, both of the scores will match or be 1-4 points within each other. This shows you have a happy balance between the two traits. Did your results skew one way more than the other? Here’s some advice for those who would like to bring the two scores closer together:

Advice For “Thinkers”

Consider what impact your feedback will have on the other person. Begin with the positive, and then try to present things in a way that will be easy to hear. For example, “The color is nice, but the shirt seems too big in the shoulders” instead of “That shirt looks terrible on you.”
Beware of giving too much of what you consider “constructive” criticism. You may think you’re helping, or being accurate, but others may perceive that they are constantly being corrected.
Learn to be more generous with praise, encouragement, and appreciation. Express your warm feelings and get syrupy once in a while.
Apologize once in a while. Allow yourself to lose an argument. Then congratulate yourself on both feats.
Consider how other people will feel about various plans and outcomes before making your final decision.

Advice For “Feelers”

Learn to ask for what you want.
Speak up if you feel you are being treated unfairly or being taken advantage of. Learn to negotiate, set limits, and be direct.
Try to evaluate your options objectively and to think things through before deciding.
Find work in environments that are friendly, supportive, and cooperative.
Learn to detach and not take criticism too personally. Practice observing your reactions calmy without getting caught up emotionally.
Consider classes in statistics, science, economics, or logic to develop your “thinker” preference. Learn to play chess or bridge.

Remember, Your Choices Are:
0-not like me at all
1-somewhat like me
2-exactly like me

Personality Types: Are You A Thinker Or A Feeler?

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