If your Leading Function is Thinking or Feeling, this means you are a “Judging Dominant” Style Type. The Judging Functions (of Thinking and Feeling) are concerned with assessing, drawing conclusions, and making decisions based on received information.
There are many examples of Judging Functions in action. The following relate directly to the four (4) Judging Functions in the theory of Psychological Type.
- Making logical, factual, quick decisions and having a clear, efficient sense of right/wrong. This encapsulates Extraverted Thinking (Leading Function for ENTJ and ESTJ).
- Categorizing data, identifying inconsistencies, looking for the most accurate information. This encapsulates Introverted Thinking (Leading Function for INTP and ISTP).
- Filtering for what is most important and believed in, and living life from personal values. This encapsulates Introverted Feeling (Leading Function for INFP and ISFP).
- Connecting with people, creating harmonious environments, identifying likes and dislikes. This encapsulates Extraverted Feeling (Leading Function for ENFJ and ESFJ).
The Judging Functions (which we all have and use – it’s just a question of whether they are in a Leading or a Supporting position in our psychological make up) are concerned with controlling, ordering, and shaping our world and coming to resolutions.
Judging Dominant Examples
Judging refers to your preference for Thinking or Feeling. Judging is all about assessing and deciding. Your Judging function allows you to make decisions and draw conclusions. Judging is about controlling, ordering, and actively shaping information and what is happening in your life (not absorbing new information).
When you are making style decisions – whether it’s deciding what to wear today, culling your closet, or making buying decisions- your Judging function will be at play.
Examples of the Judging function in a style scenario include (but are far from limited to):
- Making an efficient buying decision based on logical criteria (Te)
- Arranging your closet based on a sound theory of organization (Ti)
- Deciding to keep something because it has deep personal meaning (Fi)
- Being influenced to purchase something based on relationships (Fe)
There are limitless ways you can draw on your preference for Thinking or Feeling (whichever appears in your Type Code – T or F) in relation to your style. Anytime you are making decisions regarding your style, you are engaging your Judging function.
Judging Dominant Style Types
The eight (8) Judging Dominant Style Types are:
- ENTJ – their Leading Function is Extraverted Thinking
- ESTJ – their Leading Function is Extraverted Thinking
- INTP – their Leading Function is Introverted Thinking
- ISTP – their Leading Function is Introverted Thinking
- ENFJ – their Leading Function is Extraverted Feeling
- ESFJ – their Leading Function is Extraverted Feeling
- INFP – their Leading Function is Introverted Feeling
- ISFP – their Leading Function is Introverted Feeling
Judging Function Metaphors
One of these Judging Functions will be your Leading OR your Supporting Function.
For all 20 metaphors for the Judging Functions, refer to Module 6.
Judging and Perceiving: Shopping Example
A first key insight to those who are new to this concept can be: “Wow – this is so helpful to know there are two functions I can draw on – taking in information is actually separate from deciding things!”. This can be super helpful in a style context, as it means you aren’t always meshing processes which can serve you better if they are separated.
So whilst it is true that we don’t engage in Perceiving (taking in and retrieving data) and Judging (assessing and deciding) at the same, we can move between Judging and Perceiving quickly, and sometimes constantly. Let’s see how this might play out in a shopping experience:
- You decide to go shopping, and where you’re going to go, and who with – Judging
- You arrive at the mall, look around and take in what you see – the layout, the lighting, the music playing, the general vibe, all that might be possible – Perceiving
- You choose a store to go into as they are playing music you like – Judging
- You look around, walk around, absorbing all that you see – Perceiving
- You decide to try on 6 garments – Judging
- You notice how they fit and look, how you feel, what they remind you of, what ideas they’re popping, if they jive with your inner vision (whatever it is for you) – Perceiving
- You compare the items to your color palette, ask yourself what else it goes with, how you can wear it/where you’d wear it, how it fits in your closet, if you like it, does it gel with values (whatever it is for you) – Judging
- You decide to buy 2 items, and put the remaining 4 items back – Judging
- You head the Mall Directory to see what else is there – Perceiving
This example could go on for pages, but it gives you a flavor of how your Judging and Perceiving functions can interplay with one another.
