In this article, you will discover:
- What the Perceiving (P) preference means in the MBTI®
- How to recognise whether you are a Perceiving (P) type
- How to develop if this is your preference
- How to communicate more effectively with people who have a Perceiving (P) preference
From our experience, this is the preference that most often creates hesitation for people trying to identify their MBTI® profile.
What is Perceiving (P) in the MBTI?
From birth, we naturally develop a preference either for Judging (J) or for Perceiving (P). This preference appears very early in life and becomes an instinctive, spontaneous and effortless way of organising our activities.
Myers and Briggs defined the Perceiving (P) preference as having “an adaptive and flexible lifestyle in the outer world.”
In simple terms, this means that these individuals feel comfortable and free when they are not constrained by a fixed schedule and can respond to events as they arise.
The opposite preference, Judging (J), corresponds to “an organised and structured lifestyle in the outer world”, in other words, a natural tendency to organise and plan one’s life.
This definition often creates confusion for people who are trying to identify their MBTI® profile. In reality, we all need to organise ourselves, plan tasks, and respect deadlines and schedules, whether we have a preference for Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).
Many people therefore wonder:
- Whether their level of organisation reflects their true nature, which would indicate a preference for Judging (J);
- Or whether it is more the result of adaptation and learning, in which case they would more likely have a preference for Perceiving (P).
Jung’s approach (which forms the foundation of the MBTI®) is richer and makes it much easier to resolve most doubts related to identifying one’s MBTI® profile. This is why we use it in our MBTI training.
What are the main traits of people with a Perceiving (P) preference?
The differences between Perceiving (P) and Judging (J) profiles are numerous and go far beyond the question of whether someone is naturally organised or not.
These preferences influence a wide range of areas, such as communication style, conflict management and change management.
People with a preference for Perceiving (P) tend to:
- Feel free and effective when they can live by adapting to events and the unexpected;
- Need a flexible lifestyle that is not overly planned in advance, and enjoy unpredictability;
- Be flexible and adaptable;
- Prefer to wait before making a decision, as deciding too early reduces opportunities for them;
- Move easily from one activity to another and tend to be multitaskers;
- Be easily distracted by new information and may struggle with concentration;
- Ask questions without necessarily communicating their decision once they have formed an opinion.
How can I tell whether I prefer Perceiving (P) or Judging (J)?
We rely very little on lifestyle, or on how organised or adaptable people appear, to determine whether they have a preference for Perceiving (P) or Judging (J), for the reasons mentioned earlier.
We frequently meet people with a Perceiving (P) preference who are “playing at” Judging (J). They become exhausted, often without being aware of it or able to identify the cause of this gradual fatigue. It is fascinating to help them become aware of the adaptive (and sometimes forced) nature of their organisation, and of the impact this has on their mental health and overall wellbeing.
The simplest way to determine whether someone is J or P is to observe their communication style.
Perceiving (P) is expressed through:
- The dominant use of an extraverted perceiving function — Extraverted Sensing (Se) or Extraverted Intuition (Ne)
- Combined with an introverted decision-making function — either Introverted Thinking (Ti) or Introverted Feeling (Fi)
By contrast, a preference for Judging (J) reflects the opposite dynamic:
- An introverted perceiving function — Introverted Sensing (Si) or Introverted Intuition (Ni)
- Combined with an extraverted decision-making function — Extraverted Thinking (Te) or Extraverted Feeling (Fe)
This difference is very easy to observe in meetings or in everyday communication and is, in practice, a fairly reliable indicator of a preference for Judging (J) or Perceiving (P).
Beware of common confusions
Social pressure
The most frequent confusion between Perceiving (P) and Judging (J) involves people with a Perceiving (P) preference who, due to their professional or personal lives, adopt behaviour similar to Judging (J). Their need for organisation is often intensified, sometimes to an excessive degree.
A common example is that of young mothers who juggle professional obligations, parental responsibilities, household management, and the desire to maintain some form of social life.
Educational influence
Another, fortunately rarer, case concerns people who, under intense and long-lasting educational pressure, have functioned for a sometimes very long period of their lives outside their true profile.
Sometimes these individuals experience a reawakening of their true nature, often observed towards the end of their forties — a striking return to their natural preferences. This phenomenon is both surprising and anxiety-provoking at first, for the person concerned as well as for those around them. Once the process is fully under way, it brings a deep sense of relief, freedom and wellbeing to the person experiencing it.
Supporting close family and friends is highly recommended, as these changes can be significant.
Anxiety
Finally, there is a third case: people with a Perceiving (P) preference who function in Judging (J) mode in order to reduce their level of anxiety.
When you observe an exaggerated Judging (J) mode of functioning, it is often worth asking whether you are in fact looking at a Perceiving (P) individual making a sustained effort to operate as Judging (J).
What are the common stereotypes or misunderstandings about introverts?
There are a number of stereotypes about people who have a preference for Perceiving (P).
“Positive” stereotypes
Perceiving (P) types are often seen as people who are:
- Open-minded;
- Open to change;
- Living a more relaxed and open lifestyle than Judging (J) types.
Negative stereotypes
Perceiving (P) types may also be perceived as people who are:
- Disorganised, even messy;
- Unreliable.
A well-balanced Perceiving (P) type can combine their natural flexibility with a strong, sustainable personal organisation. In the same way, a well-functioning Judging (J) type builds their professional (and personal) life around a natural sense of organisation, while still being able to show flexibility when needed.
Often, the people who appear the most rigid when faced with the unexpected are in fact Perceiving (P) types who force themselves to operate like Judging (J) types.
This way of functioning generates a high level of stress, which should not be underestimated.
How does Perceiving (P) show up at work?
Perceiving (P) types tend to:
- Prefer flexible environments where they have the freedom to adapt to events;
- Avoid overly structured work settings and highly repetitive tasks, which quickly make them feel constrained and undermine their motivation and effectiveness;
- Be more productive when dealing with the unexpected than in situations planned well in advance;
- Enjoy working in a multitasking mode;
- Easily deviate from what was originally planned, sometimes questioning past decisions when new information emerges;
- Leave tasks until the last minute before getting started.
Some Perceiving (P) managers may even go so far as to create, consciously or unconsciously, urgent situations in order to reach the level of stimulation they need to feel motivated.
How can I improve my skills or productivity by using my preference for Perceiving (P)?
Here are three tips to help you develop as a Perceiving (P) profile:
- Make the most of your adaptability:
When your ability to think outside the box and adapt to changing circumstances can help your organisation avoid heading in a direction that no longer meets market needs, share this strength with your colleagues.
- Avoid overplaying your Perceiving (P) preference:
Show a minimum level of stability and predictability. Take the time to reflect before moving in a direction that goes against previously made decisions.
- Learn from differences:
Rather than seeing your Judging (J) colleagues as rigid or overly serious, make use of their ability to stay focused and maintain a clear course. This can be a valuable source of learning for you.
What should a Perceiving (P) work on in coaching?
In professional coaching, areas of development for someone with a preference for Perceiving (P) generally focus on the ability to:
- Stay the course:
Learning not to change direction or start new activities every time new information emerges, in order to remain focused on long-term objectives. - Manage time and organisation:
Finding a balance between the natural spontaneity of Perceiving (P) profiles and a more structured approach to time management, so that deadlines are met without compromising flexibility.
- Balance flexibility and stability:
Working on maintaining flexibility while developing greater stability and predictability, to be more effective in environments that require structure and to reduce stress for yourself and your colleagues.
- Demonstrate follow-through and consistency:
Learning to stay focused and avoid frequent changes in direction, while still integrating the need for adaptation in order to ensure effective project follow-up.
- Collaborate with Judging (J) profiles:
Improving collaboration with colleagues who prefer structure and organisation, and understanding how these two approaches can complement each other effectively.
How to communicate more effectively with Perceiving (P) types
To communicate more effectively with a Perceiving (P) type:
- Avoid sticking rigidly to decisions that have already been made when new information justifies reconsidering them;
- Demonstrate flexibility;
- Recognise that delaying action is, for them, a way of building energy and becoming more effective later on;
- Refrain from imposing ideas without first discussing them and asking for their perspective;
- Allow them sufficient freedom to act or reflect when unexpected situations arise or when new ideas emerge.
Links with other personality approaches
Process Communication® – Taibi Kahler
Across our various experiences delivering Process Communication Model training, one observation repeatedly emerges: Thinker profiles are rarely associated with individuals who have a preference for Perceiving (P).
By contrast, it is common to encounter Rebel profiles in Process Com® that correspond to Sensing (S) – Perceiving (P) types. This association highlights a strong consistency between their way of processing information (linked to their MBTI profile) and the defining characteristics of the Energiser profile.
Interaction Styles® – Linda Berens
Individuals with a preference for Intuition (N) and Perceiving (P) are mainly found within the following Interaction Styles®:
- Get Things Going®: ENFP, ENTP
- Behind the Scene®: INFP, INTP
Conversely, types combining Sensing (S) and Perceiving (P) are represented across all interaction styles:
- In Charge®: ESTP
- Get Things Going®: ESFP
- Chart the Course®: ISTP
- Behind the Scene®: ISFP
Temperaments according to David Keirsey
Types combining Sensing (S) and Perceiving (P) belong to the Artisan temperament. They are characterised by:
- A focus on visible and immediate results;
- A strong action-oriented approach and spontaneous reactions;
- A leadership style grounded in practicality and leading by example;
- A “survival game” centred on exploring limits.
Intuition (N) – Thinking (T) – Perceiving (P) types (INTP, ENTP) belong to the Rational temperament, with:
- A need for intellectual stimulation and system-based understanding;
- An expectation of an environment where expertise and competence are recognised;
- A “survival game” described as Robot, which may create an impression of emotional distance or highly analytical functioning.
Intuition (N) – Feeling (F) – Perceiving (P) types (INFP, ENFP) correspond to the Idealist temperament:
- A search for meaning and coherence between personal and professional life;
- An interest in support approaches focused on personal development;
- A “survival game” linked to idealism, with a tendency to minimise or avoid conflict and realities perceived as difficult.
No type with a preference for Perceiving (P) belongs to the Guardian temperament.
What Are the Other MBTI® Preferences?
Discover the MBTI® preferences:
| Extraversion (E) | Introversion (I) |
| Sensing (S) | Intuition (N) |
| Thinking (T) | Feeling (F) |
| Judging (J) | Perceiving (P) |
