Creativity based on Sensing VS. Intuition? (Design&Art)

[Impact Character]

So, researching on creativity and MBTI always seem to spit out articles summed up as following:
"Creativity = Intuition"


But what is with Sensor types?
I sincerely doubt that sensors don't have some kind of own way to be creative..


I wonder a bit ..what the differences between intuition or sensory-based creative processes and/or creative outcomes would be like?

Thoughts? Examples? Experiences? Insights?

 

[neko]

This is a great question, IC! I’ve known a lot of creative ISFPs. I kinda think maybe a sensor is more inclined to be creative if they’re an SF versus an ST.. but that’s just my experience.

 

[Impact Character]

This is a great question, IC! I’ve known a lot of creative ISFPs. I kinda think maybe a sensor is more inclined to be creative if they’re an SF versus an ST.. but that’s just my experience.

Hey neko ^^
Thank you, that's so sweet of you (and also for participating!) <3
I know, right? Sensors are not uncreative at all.. :/ I don't understand why those articles grasp the more obvious intution all the time.

Thinking about it.. maybe it's also a question of what can fall under "being creative".. it's probably also partly crafting, problem solving and concepting, too. (That might be more ST, general T-ish affinity, I suppose)


So..something often (but not always) along these lines:
Sensors: concrete data (crafty SF maybe), in front of you or right now issues, backuped tried-and-true methods, detail-oriented..
Intuitives: underlining data, more theory-heavy or future issues, out-of-the-box/connecting dots aspects, individual-to-problem methods, holistic big-picture-oriented..
..?


When I look back I always had massive backlog on my projects that turned into very thouroughly, clean documentation - creative projects always came with forward-thinking purpose and meaning and were concept-heavy and had layers..
While others around me liked to describe their projects briefly like "fresh", "in", "on vogue" and so on.. (you know.. those things that make you want to ask the big "why"/"why not" questions..)
Not to mention that for some "pushing pixels" is an enjoyable thing even in routine.

Well.. the tandem thing all functions tend to do makes it a bit more difficult (as you already mentioned it with your SF for example..) or complex.

 

[John K]

I watched 4 guys build a hut from just a few planks of wood in less than 48 hours once. It wasn't just any old hut - it was on a British Antarctic base and the hut was to be airlifted by Royal Navy helicopter onto a corrie glacier at 2000 ft where the winds regulary went above 100 mph. It snowed a lot up there and the temperature could easily drop to -20C and below so it needed to be pretty solid, and well insulated so people could live in it for days on end. It had to be light and transportable in sections by the helicopter but at the same time could easily be assembled on site. We'd had a purpose built hut sent out from the UK but the navy guys took one look and said "NO WAY - too heavy!" - major cockup so our chippies had less than 24 hours notice that they needed to construct an alternative - and the Navy had to leave 4 days later so there was an acute deadline. Thinking back about them, these guys were all S types and thought with their hands as much as their heads. I stayed in the hut they build later that year and it was great - and solid as a rock because the wind carried away some other of the kit up there but the hut was fine. That's as good an example of creativity as anything in my book - if they hadn't succeeded a research project would have been set back at least a year, and 2 glaciologists would have wasted that long coming out to our base for no good reason.

 

[Impact Character]

I watched 4 guys build a hut from just a few planks of wood in less than 48 hours once. It wasn't just any old hut - it was on a British Antarctic base and the hut was to be airlifted by Royal Navy helicopter onto a corrie glacier at 2000 ft where the winds regulary went above 100 mph. It snowed a lot up there and the temperature could easily drop to -20C and below so it needed to be pretty solid, and well insulated so people could live in it for days on end. It had to be light and transportable in sections by the helicopter but at the same time could easily be assembled on site. We'd had a purpose built hut sent out from the UK but the navy guys took one look and said "NO WAY - too heavy!" - major cockup so our chippies had less than 24 hours notice that they needed to construct an alternative - and the Navy had to leave 4 days later so there was an acute deadline. Thinking back about them, these guys were all S types and thought with their hands as much as their heads. I stayed in the hut they build later that year and it was great - and solid as a rock because the wind carried away some other of the kit up there but the hut was fine. That's as good an example of creativity as anything in my book - if they hadn't succeeded a research project would have been set back at least a year, and 2 glaciologists would have wasted that long coming out to our base for no good reason.

oh! yes! perfect, thank you John ^^
This sounds very practical, concrete, in the moment, hands-on experienced and problem solving creative to me.

(also..wow xD freaking amazing)

 

[Impact Character]

I think product design (with the crafty aspect) in general seems very sensor likeable.
Some people just think greatly in materials, sensory pleasure, lighting, surface of objects or intuitive use of daily objects..

That's one version of user experience.. well, in comparison to user experience in let's say behaviour or thinking manners.. as in patterns.. (e-commerce, navigation or feedback design).. that's more N-ish, I guess ..hmm
Thinking about it our illustrators (narrative creativity?) more often seemed to me on a rather N-ish spectrum, too


*rambles*

 

[Deleted member 16771]

This is a tricky question, since the relationship between creativity and problem solving is hard to define.

If you solve a problem, it doesn't mean that the solution you used was creative in common parlance. Or does it? Is it a question of magnitude/extent?

Like with @John K's example - that's certainly problem solving, but I'm not sure if it counts as 'creativity' if they simply used known methods to build the hut, but then, I don't want to be a gatekeeper for 'creativity' and hold it to an impossibly high standard.

I'm trying to think of the Sensors I've known, and examples of their creativity, and honestly I can't, but equally I don't think it's a capacity entirely reserved to Intuitives.

 

[John K]

This is a tricky question, since the relationship between creativity and problem solving is hard to define.

If you solve a problem, it doesn't mean that the solution you used was creative in common parlance. Or does it? Is it a question of magnitude/extent?

Like with @John K's example - that's certainly problem solving, but I'm not sure if it counts as 'creativity' if they simply used known methods to build the hut, but then, I don't want to be a gatekeeper for 'creativity' and hold it to an impossibly high standard.

I'm trying to think of the Sensors I've known, and examples of their creativity, and honestly I can't, but equally I don't think it's a capacity entirely reserved to Intuitives.

I think it’s the context that gave my example a creative angle - when you put together the requirements, the logistic constraints and the timetable then it required a lot of ingenuity. It wasn’t something any of them had done before though it used their preexisting skills of course. Every instance of creativity is going to be built on top of the already known and mastered of course. Even the greats such as Rembrandt and Newton stood on the shoulders of their precursors and relied heavily on their education. I’m accepting a very wide scope of creativity of course, which probably runs into SF and ST oriented pottery masters in some cases - I’m sure some of these guys create with their hands too. Of course they may well be calling on intuition as well as sensing just as Ni types have to use Se just to avoid killing themselves in the outer world.

 

[Impact Character]

This is a tricky question, since the relationship between creativity and problem solving is hard to define.

If you solve a problem, it doesn't mean that the solution you used was creative in common parlance. Or does it? Is it a question of magnitude/extent?

Like with @John K's example - that's certainly problem solving, but I'm not sure if it counts as 'creativity' if they simply used known methods to build the hut, but then, I don't want to be a gatekeeper for 'creativity' and hold it to an impossibly high standard.

I'm trying to think of the Sensors I've known, and examples of their creativity, and honestly I can't, but equally I don't think it's a capacity entirely reserved to Intuitives.

Thank you for your thoughts on this!
I can relate to the "problem" you have with this.. (I have it too.) It's really a bit tricky.. (I hope to find what I cannot point out right now. I believe the answer lies in the tandem aspect..)

Creativity can mean an act of creation, based on an idea or schema/blueprint ..also invent and make something new.. That something can be material or immaterial, no? It's not helpful that the vocabulary is used 1:1 with (visionary, imaginative..) Intuition.

(on a sidenote.... in the example of the hut.. I don't entirely believe in a pure "known method process" in a concret project.. it's an ideal.. usually you will come across specific problems to be solved.. environmental methodological deviation.. of some sort? Let's say the creating person is not entirely down hard wired to only follow instructions and stop at a dead end when a problem occurs that's not mentioned in the description.. creativity would follow this..)

Maybe it's a proportion thing? out of brain air VS. out of external world aspects (inventing the wheel vs. reinventing it? xD) ...an question of ..creating based on explicit and/or implicit information..?

 

[Impact Character]

Of course they may well be calling on intuition as well as sensing just as Ni types have to use Se just to avoid killing themselves in the outer world.

yes, a tandem thing! ^^

 

[John K]

yes, a tandem thing! ^^

I suspect these guys were istp - the Antarctic work probably attracted guys of this type with good tertiary Ni. It’s the equivalent of the infjs in the forum with very good Ti.

 

[Impact Character]

I suspect these guys were istp - the Antarctic work probably attracted guys of this type with good tertiary Ni. It’s the equivalent of the infjs in the forum with very good Ti.

Could that make creativity "wedding intuition and sensory"..? ^^
(Somehow I'd like that.. there is no superior/inferior stack.. only lots of variety.)

 

[Gaze]

I've thought about this over the years too. And my theory is that Sensors focus more on the physical properties or details of a thing when they are creating or working on a creative project. They are enamored with more the shape, depth, feel, etc. While intuitives focus on the mood, feeling, reaction, energy, or tone of the creative project. Not saying this is an absolute distinction or rule, just a theory. But this could imply that talent is different in each function but that's not fair to say. I think if there is a difference in creativity, it's how it thought about or experienced, not in the ability or potential. I think sensors and intuitives value different things about the world and that's where their unique creative approaches are shown. But unless they did studies on personality and creativity in ways that would isolate the connections between the two, and include interviews to learn more about each person, then I think it's tough to make concrete connections between the functions and a distinct aspect of creativity, but it's cool to think through theories about the connections between them.

 

[Wyote]

Everyone has the capacity for creativity, but you'll find sensors more rooted in replication and intuitives more rooted in familiarity. Creativity is divergence from them in various ways. I'm basically just summarizing what's already been said here though.

 

[Ren]

This is a great question, IC! I’ve known a lot of creative ISFPs. I kinda think maybe a sensor is more inclined to be creative if they’re an SF versus an ST.. but that’s just my experience.

I second that. ESFPs and ISFPs, but perhaps even more so ISFPs, are incredibly creative types. (Let me generalize a little bit.)

Fi-Se seems almost made to perceive the world through an aesthetic filter. This goes from their domestic environment to the clothes they wear, the items they buy, the activities they engage in, whether it be music, drawing, painting, or anything else. I agree with @Gaze that as sensors, they tend to gravitate towards what is beautiful to the senses. You see that in the gorgeous production of David Bowie's music, the intricate music videos of Michael Jackson, the delightful, relatively non-intellectual and spontaneous music of Mozart; and the work of countless fashion designers.

With well-developed Ni, the work of an ISFP can also be conceptual, though at the service of the sensory experience rather than the reverse. We see that in Bowie's music but also in the more recent work of Frank Ocean, for those who know him. There is often a sense in which everything about a particular work has been carefully made to fit together: the artwork of an album, the music, the videos, even the communication around it.

On his latest album, Frank Ocean has a song called "White Ferrari". I feel like this is such a great example of ISFP brilliance. There's something very pleasing about the picture of a white Ferrari, and it can function as a symbol as well, though ultimately it all rests on a pretty simple, sensory impression.

 

[Impact Character]

I think if there is a difference in creativity, it's how it thought about or experienced, not in the ability or potential.

Yes, thank you. I believe this is core. Or ...said differently... you have preferences and trained traits and tools. So people differ in what their focus and approach ist, but that doesn't mean they can learn to train (maybe weak preferences or not prefered ones).. I taught different types.. for me it was all about getting to know them (how they roll if you want) and all about perception. It was fun to see, strengthening their prefered parts but also help them reach and tab a bit into the unknown...

Why do I think about the never ending discussion about "what is talent" ? xD

 

[Impact Character]

Everyone has the capacity for creativity, but you'll find sensors more rooted in replication and intuitives more rooted in familiarity. Creativity is divergence from them in various ways. I'm basically just summarizing what's already been said here though.

^^ I agree. I would also say from my experience that there is alot mixture going on (although there is still preference). It's not totally plain.. but then again.. if you have many creative minds at one institution you can see how everyone is influencing each other .. not matter if extraverted or introverted.. intuitive or sensor.. and so on..

 

[Impact Character]

I second that. ESFPs and ISFPs, but perhaps even more so ISFPs, are incredibly creative types. (Let me generalize a little bit.)

Fi-Se seems almost made to perceive the world through an aesthetic filter. This goes from their domestic environment to the clothes they wear, the items they buy, the activities they engage in, whether it be music, drawing, painting, or anything else. I agree with @Gaze that as sensors, they tend to gravitate towards what is beautiful to the senses. You see that in the gorgeous production of David Bowie's music, the intricate music videos of Michael Jackson, the delightful, relatively non-intellectual and spontaneous music of Mozart; and the work of countless fashion designers.

With well-developed Ni, the work of an ISFP can also be conceptual, though at the service of the sensory experience rather than the reverse. We see that in Bowie's music but also in the more recent work of Frank Ocean, for those who know him. There is often a sense in which everything about a particular work has been carefully made to fit together: the artwork of an album, the music, the videos, even the communication around it.

On his latest album, Frank Ocean has a song called "White Ferrari". I feel like this is such a great example of ISFP brilliance. There's something very pleasing about the picture of a white Ferrari, and it can function as a symbol as well, though ultimately it all rests on a pretty simple, sensory impression.

I think a Fi-Se approach can be very personal, too. I mean.. I think if I look back that some had a really personal starting point or core to creative projects.
They would tab into if a step in the process "feels right to them" often from detail to detail. But maybe I'm wrong because this is an impression.

also.. love how you talk about this, Ren. Thank you for sharing ^^

 

[Impact Character]

Hmh, I know some very creative NT types that live their creativity in roleplaying (creating characters, storylines, worlds, game mechanics and so on).
Maybe not ST types though.. not sure.. I mean I don't enjoy playing with everyone. I know some are all about sensory detail descriptions for example and have no feeling for the inner worlds on characters in interpersonal dynamics. But they love it. xD

 

[Impact Character]

Teritary/3rd Function as in "creative/playful" side

Sensor's creative approaches might be some kind of..

perceiving-oriented​

• ISTP [Analyzer Operator] — Ti-Ni / Accuracy-Perspectives-Approach
• ISFP [Composer Producer] — Fi-Ni / Authencity-Perspectives-Approach
• 
  
• ESFJ [Facilitator Caretaker] — Fe-Ne / Harmony-Exploration-Approach
• ESTJ [Implementor Supervisor] — Te-Ne / Effectiveness-Exploration-Approach

judging-oriented​

• ISTJ [Planner Inspector] — Si-Fi / Memory-Authenticity-Approach
• ISFJ [Protector Supporter] — Si-Ti / Memory-Accuracy-Approach
  
• 
  
• ESTP [Promoter Executor] — Se-Fe / Sensation-Harmony-Approach
  
• ESFP [Motivator Presenter] — Se-Te / Sensation-Evectiveness-Approach

ISFJ and ESFJ seem accurate/familiar to me :3



...and for the heck of it


Intuitives's creative approaches might be some kind of..

perceiving-oriented​

• ENTJ [Strategist Mobilizer] — Te-Se / Effectiveness-Sensation-Approach
• ENFJ [Envisioner Mentor] — Fe-Se / Harmony-Sensation-Approach
• 
  
• INTP [Designer Theorizer] — Ti-Si / Accuracy-Memory-Approach
• INFP [Harmonizer Clarifier] — Fi/Si / Authencity-Memory-Approach

judging-oriented​

• INTJ [Conceptualizer Director] — Ni-Fi / Perspectives-Authencity-Approach
• INFJ [Foreseer Developer] — Ni-Ti / Perspectives-Accuracy-Approach
• 
  
• ENTP [Explorer Inventor] — Ne-Fe / Exploration-Harmony-Approach

• ENFP [Discoverer Advocate] — Ne-Te / Exploration-Effectiveness-Approach

+_+
..INTP, INFP, INTJ, INFJ, ENFP all very familiar..
and if I dig into persona roles to accomplish a task.. I can see how "being creative" can sometimes ask for different "function sets"...(like an introvert that is in a mentoring/teaching position)