Extraverted Sensing and Sensing Perceiving

• Extraverted Thinking—ET and TJ one-sidedness
• Extraverted Feeling—EF and FJ one-sidedness
• Extraverted Sensing—ES and SP one-sidedness
• Extraverted Intuition—EN and NP one-sidedness
• Introverted Thinking—IT and TP one-sidedness
• Introverted Feeling—IF and FP one-sidedness
• Introverted Sensing—IS and SJ one-sidedness
• Introverted Intuition—IN and NJ one-sidedness

📝 The structure of this reference article resembles a pyramid, beginning with concise and straightforward information and progressively delving into more intricate and detailed content to accommodate various levels of depth required by different readers.

Extraverted Sensing—The Definitive Official Definition by Myers & Briggs Foundation

Extraverted Sensing: 

(Se) ESTP/ESFP: Acts on concrete data in the here and now. Likes to experience the world—active, talkative, and social. Trusts the present, what is tangible and real. Keyword: Experiencing.

The Myers & Briggs Foundation

Psychological Types BY CARL JUNG: Adapted Simplified Translation

It is now clear that the bulk of Carl Jung’s work was not about type but one-sidedness. Carl Jung simply saw the type as a lens, a language and a liver to help free man from excessive one-sidedness.

His main purpose and the bulk of his work in typology was to help free man from excessive one-sidedness. One-sidedness is a form of aberration.

“The greatest tragedy of the family is the unlived lives of the parents.” — Carl Jung

Extraverted Sensation—ES(F) and ES(T)

• Those objects which release the strongest sensation are decisive for the extravert’s sensing’s [ES and SP one-sidedness] psychology.
  
  ‐ The result of this is a pronounced sensuous hold to the object.

• It is only concrete, sensuously perceived objects which excite sensations in the extraverted attitude.
  
  ‐ Exclusively those which everyone in all times and places would sense as concrete.

• The orientation of such an individual corresponds with purely concrete reality. Their life is an accumulation of actual experience with concrete objects.

• What they experience serves at most as a guide to fresh sensations; anything new that comes within their range of interest is acquired by way of sensation. Sensation for them is a concrete expression of life—it is simply real life lived to the fullest.

• Their entire aim is concrete enjoyment, and their morality is oriented accordingly. This doesn’t mean that they are just sensual or gross, for they may differentiate their sensation to the finest pitch of aesthetic purity.

• The extravert’s sensing [ES and SP one-sidedness] frequently has a charming and lively capacity for enjoyment; such types are at times jolly, and often a refined aesthete. Everything essential has been said and done by what it senses.

• Conjectures that transcend or go beyond the concrete are only permitted on condition that they enhance sensation. But the more the extravert’s sensing [ES and SP one-sidedness] predominates, the more unsatisfactory this type becomes.

• Either they [of the ES and SP one-sidedness] develop into a crude pleasure-seeker or they become an unprincipled hedonist. Repressed Intuition begins to assert itself in the form of projections upon the object, in which the strangest conjectures arise.
  
  ‐ Phobias and compulsions also emerge.
  

“If you are a gifted person, it doesn’t mean you got something. It means you can give something away.” — Carl Jung

Unveiling Extraverted Sensing (ES and SP one-sidedness) with Unparalleled Depth and Precision

Let me offer a cautionary note about the following, Carl Jung’s work primarily addresses one-sidedness rather than specific functions or personality types.

Short summary of Extroverted Sensing as described by J.H. van der Hoop

The life of the instinctive extravert are primarily guided by external impressions and instinctual reactions. These individuals, even from an early age, show a strong reactivity to sensory experiences and their environment. They constantly seek sensory stimuli and are at ease in the realm of practical facts and things. Their reactions to these sensations, influenced by instinct, are predominantly aimed at personal and communal gratification, sometimes reflecting an unquestioning commitment to traditional customs and group service.

Often categorized as “ordinary” individuals, they possess a comfortable acceptance of life, adapting themselves well to circumstances and demonstrating a realism that remains grounded in the empirical. This type of person tends to be conservative in their practical lives, not easily swayed towards change unless they see clear advantages. While being good observers, practical utilizers of their observations, and excellent storytellers, they may not have an interest in the deeper theories of life but are inclined to discuss them for the sake of discussion.

Individuals of this type are not solely driven by simple instinctual gratification but seek intense and unusual sensations. They focus on the external aspects of life, leading a well-appointed and comfortable existence that includes a love for natural pleasures and physical activities. Their inner life plays a minimal role, and anything that might disturb their external happiness is often rejected as “morbid.”

Complex forms of this type may emerge when a second function is developed to a certain extent. Reason, when present, is directed primarily towards facts, limited to empirical evidence, avoiding complexity but being solid and practical in judgment. Feeling, within its limitations, may exert some influence, primarily focused on tangible and concrete forms of expression tied to external appearance and sensations.

Intuition is the least effective function for instinctive individuals, as their empirically oriented nature contrasts with intuitive, spontaneous, and unfounded convictions. They find it challenging to grasp abstract concepts and possibilities, relying more on empirical experiences and tangible realities.

This type appreciates wit or jokes but struggles to understand the value of complex, abstract ideas or insights. They find it difficult to perceive possibilities in actions or development unless they are directly led into such circumstances.

“Life really does begin at forty. Up until then, you are just doing research.” — Carl Jung

Key Characteristics and Features of Extraverted Sensation:

1. Object-Centric: Extraverted sensation is profoundly influenced by the object it perceives, relying on the presence of the object for perception.
2. Subjective Sensation: Sensation contains both objective and subjective aspects, with the extraverted attitude often inhibiting the subjective element.
3. Suppression by Rational Functions: When rational functions like thinking or feeling take precedence, sensation is suppressed, only emerging when rational judgment allows it.
4. Absolute Sensory Function: Sensation allows individuals to perceive everything to the farthest physiological possibility, as it is an absolute function.
5. Attachment to Sensed Objects: There is a strong attachment to the objects that evoke the strongest sensations, reflecting a deep-rooted sensuous hold.
6. Release of Sensations: Objective processes appear in consciousness when sensations are released.
7. Concrete and Sensuous Focus: Sensation is oriented toward concrete, universally sensed reality, with judging rational functions taking a secondary position.
8. Impact on Intuition: Intuition, as the opposite function to sensation, is particularly affected by repression in this context.

Summary of the Extraverted Sensation Type:

1. Unparalleled Realism: Extraverted sensation types are known for their unparalleled realism and acute sense of objective facts.
2. Accumulation of Experiences: They accumulate extensive experiences with concrete objects but may focus on constantly seeking fresh sensations and novelty.
3. Life as Pursuit of Sensations: Their life perspective is oriented towards pursuing sensory experiences to enhance enjoyment.
4. Moral Compass: Their moral compass is closely tied to their focus on concrete enjoyment.
5. Refined Sensory Experiences: They can refine their sensory experiences with artistic purity without abandoning their principle of objective sensation.
6. Grounded in Tangible Reality: At lower levels, they are grounded in tangible reality, often charming, lively, and appreciative of aesthetics.
7. Becoming Crude Pleasure-Seekers: When sensation becomes dominant, they may turn into crude pleasure-seekers, valuing sensory experiences above all else.
8. Unconscious Opposition: The unconscious may oppose their purely sensational attitude, leading to peculiar projections on objects, phobias, compulsive symptoms, and irrational behavior.
9. Lack of Basic Principles: They may lack basic principles and struggle with exercising restraint due to their overwhelming focus on sensations.
10. Embracing the Unconscious: An abnormal one-sidedness can lead them to embrace the unconscious as much as they cling to the object consciously, making therapy challenging.

These characteristics illustrate the strengths and potential challenges faced by extraverted sensation types, emphasizing the importance of balance and awareness of their tendencies.

Carl Jung’s Description of the Extraverted Sensing Type summarised in 1400 words

Here is an AI summary of a verbatim excerpt taken from Chapter 10 of Carl Gustav Jung’s work “Psychological Types” (1921):

Sensation

Sensation in the extraverted attitude is profoundly influenced by the object it perceives. As a form of sense-perception, sensation inherently relies on the object’s presence. However, it is equally influenced by the subject, leading to a subjective sensation that differs entirely from the objective experience. In the extraverted attitude, this subjective aspect of sensation is often inhibited or repressed. Sensation, being an irrational function, is suppressed when a rational function like thinking or feeling takes precedence, only manifesting as a conscious function if the rational attitude permits accidental perceptions to become conscious contents.

The function of sense is absolute in the strictest sense, allowing individuals to perceive everything to the farthest physiological possibility. However, not everything reaches the threshold value required for conscious recognition (apperception). When sensation itself becomes a priority, no objective sensation is excluded or repressed, except for the already mentioned subjective share. This preferential objective determination of sensation means that objects evoking the strongest sensations become decisive in shaping an individual’s psychology. Consequently, there is a pronounced attachment to the sensed object, reflecting a deeply rooted sensuous hold.

Sensation plays a vital role as a function, equipped with a powerful instinct. Objects that trigger sensations matter and are fully accepted into consciousness, irrespective of their alignment with reasoned judgment. The appearance of objective processes in consciousness is tied to the release of sensations.

However, it’s important to note that only concrete and sensuously perceived objects or processes stimulate sensations in the extraverted attitude. Such individuals are oriented towards the concrete reality that everyone senses universally. In this perspective, the judging rational functions take a secondary position, marked by negativity, infantile traits, and archaic tendencies. Among the functions, intuition, which stands opposite to sensation, is particularly affected by repression in this context.

The Extraverted Sensation Type (ES and SP one-sidedness)

The extraverted sensation-type stands out for their unparalleled realism and acute sense of objective facts. They accumulate vast experiences with concrete objects, but strangely, the more pronounced they are in this trait, the less they utilize their experiences. They view life as a constant pursuit of fresh sensations, always seeking novelty to enhance their enjoyment. While some may perceive their heightened sense of actuality as rational, they are equally susceptible to irrational and chance happenings.

Despite being largely influenced by sensation, they do not see themselves as ‘subject’ to it. Sensation, to them, represents the very essence of life, full of tangible living experiences. Their focus lies in concrete enjoyment, and their moral compass is also tied to this orientation. It is essential to note that their pursuit of sensations doesn’t necessarily make them solely sensual or crude. They can refine their sensory experiences with artistic purity while staying true to their principle of objective sensation.

At the lower levels, they are grounded in tangible reality, with little inclination for reflection or higher purpose. Their primary motive is to sense and enjoy the object, leading them to be charming, lively, and often appreciative of aesthetics. Their world revolves around the concrete, and any conjectures beyond this realm must enhance their sensory experiences to be permitted.

As sensation becomes more dominant, overshadowing other aspects of their personality, they may transform into crude pleasure-seekers or unscrupulous sybarites. Their overwhelming focus on sensations devalues the object, treating it merely as a means to stimulate their senses. This imbalanced state forces the unconscious to oppose their compensatory function, leading to peculiar projections on the object. They may develop phobias, compulsive symptoms, and exhibit irrational behavior with moral or religious undertones.

The neurotic symptoms that arise represent the unconscious counterbalance to their purely sensational attitude, which accepts everything that happens without rational judgment. Their lack of basic principles hinders their ability to exercise restraint. Rational judgment, seen as a conscious coercion in other types, is not as strongly present in the sensation-type. An abnormal one-sidedness can lead them to embrace the unconscious as much as they cling to the object consciously, making treatment challenging, as their undifferentiated functions may not be readily trustworthy. Emotional pressure may be necessary to bring their unconscious elements into consciousness for effective therapy.

CARL JUNG’S ORIGINAL DESCRIPTION OF THE Extraverted Sensing TYPE

Here is the original, verbatim excerpt taken from Chapter 10 of Carl Gustav Jung’s work “Psychological Types” (1921). This text can be used for direct, unaltered quotation of Carl Gustav Jung’s work:

Sensation

Sensation, in the extraverted attitude, is most definitely conditioned by the object. As sense-perception, sensation is naturally dependent upon the object. But, just as naturally, it is also dependent upon the subject; hence, there is also a subjective sensation, which after its kind is entirely different from the objective. In the extraverted attitude this subjective share of sensation, in so far as its conscious application is concerned, is either inhibited or repressed.

As an irrational function, sensation is equally repressed, whenever a rational function, thinking or feeling, possesses the priority, ie. it can be said to have a conscious function, only in so far as the rational attitude of consciousness permits accidental perceptions to become conscious contents; in short, realizes them. The function of sense is, of course, absolute in the stricter sense; for example, everything is seen or heard to the farthest physiological possibility, but not everything attains that threshold value which a perception must possess in order to be also apperceived.

It is a different matter when sensation itself possesses priority, instead of merely seconding another function. In this case, no element of objective sensation is excluded and nothing repressed (with the exception of the subjective share [p. 457] already mentioned). Sensation has a preferential objective determination, and those objects which release the strongest sensation are decisive for the individual’s psychology.

The result of this is a pronounced sensuous hold to the object. Sensation, therefore, is a vital function, equipped with the potentest [sic] vital instinct. In so far as objects release sensations, they matter; and, in so far as it lies within the power of sensation, they are also fully accepted into consciousness, whether compatible with reasoned judgment or not. As a function its sole criterion of value is the strength of the sensation as conditioned by its objective qualities.

Accordingly, all objective processes, in so far as they release sensations at all, make their appearance in consciousness. It is, however, only concrete, sensuously perceived objects or processes which excite sensations in the extraverted attitude; exclusively those, in fact, which everyone in all times and places would sense as concrete. Hence, the orientation of such an individual corresponds with purely concrete reality.

The judging, rational functions are subordinated to the concrete facts of sensation, and, accordingly, possess the qualities of inferior differentiation, i.e. they are marked by a certain negativity, with infantile and archaic tendencies. The function most affected by the repression, is, naturally, the one standing opposite to sensation, viz. intuition, the function of unconscious perception.

The Extraverted Sensation Type

No other human type can equal the extraverted sensation-type in realism. His sense for objective facts is extraordinarily developed. His life is an accumulation of actual experience with concrete objects, and the more pronounced he is, the less use does he make of his experience. In certain cases the events of his life hardly deserve [p. 458] the name ‘experience’.

He knows no better use for this sensed ‘experience’ than to make it serve as a guide to fresh sensations; anything in the least ‘new’ that comes within his circle of interest is forthwith turned to a sensational account and is made to serve this end. In so far as one is disposed to regard a highly developed sense for sheer actuality as very reasonable, will such men be esteemed rational. In reality, however, this is by no means the case, since they are equally subject to the sensation of irrational, chance happenings, as they are to rational behaviour.

Such a type — the majority arc men apparently — does not, of course, believe himself to be ‘subject’ to sensation. He would be much more inclined to ridicule this view as altogether inconclusive, since, from his standpoint, sensation is the concrete manifestation of life — it is simply the fulness [sic] of actual living.

His aim is concrete enjoyment, and his morality is similarly orientated. For true enjoyment has its own special morality, its own moderation and lawfulness, its own unselfishness and devotedness.

It by no means follows that he is just sensual or gross, for he may differentiate his sensation to the finest pitch of æsthetic purity without being the least unfaithful, even in his most abstract sensations, to his principle of objective sensation. Wulfen’s Cicerone des r¨cksichtlosen Lebensgenusses is the unvarnished confession of a type of this sort. From this point of view the book seems to me worth reading.

Upon the lower levels this is the man of tangible reality, with little tendency either for reflection or commanding purpose. To sense the object, to have and if possible to enjoy sensations, is his constant motive. He is by no means unlovable; on the contrary, he frequently has a charming and lively capacity for enjoyment; he is sometimes a jolly fellow, and often a refined æsthete. [p. 459]

In the former case, the great problems of life hinge upon a good or indifferent dinner; in the latter, they are questions of good taste. When he ‘senses’, everything essential has been said and done. Nothing can be more than concrete and actual; conjectures that transcend or go beyond the concrete are only permitted on condition that they enhance sensation.

This need not be in any way a pleasurable reinforcement, since this type is not a common voluptuary; he merely desires the strongest sensation, and this, by his very nature, he can receive only from without. What comes from within seems to him morbid and objectionable. In so far as lie thinks and feels, he always reduces down to objective foundations, i.e. to influences coming from the object, quite unperturbed by the most violent departures from logic.

Tangible reality, under any conditions, makes him breathe again. In this respect he is unexpectedly credulous. He will, without hesitation, relate an obvious psychogenic symptom to the falling barometer, while the existence of a psychic conflict seems to him a fantastic abnormality.

His love is incontestably rooted in the manifest attractions of the object. In so far as he is normal, he is conspicuously adjusted to positive reality — conspicuously, because his adjustment is always visible. His ideal is the actual; in this respect he is considerate. He has no ideals related to ideas — he has, therefore, no sort of ground for maintaining a hostile attitude towards the reality of things and facts.

This expresses itself in all the externals of his life. He dresses well, according to his circumstances ; he keeps a good table for his friends, who are either made comfortable or at least given to understand that his fastidious taste is obliged to impose certain claims upon his entourage. He even convinces one that certain sacrifices are decidedly worth while for the sake of style.

But the more sensation predominates, so that the [p. 460] sensing subject disappears behind the sensation, the more unsatisfactory does this type become. Either he develops into a crude pleasure-seeker or he becomes an unscrupulous, designing sybarite. Although the object is entirely indispensable to him, yet, as something existing in and through itself, it is none the less depreciated.

It is ruthlessly violated and essentially ignored, since now its sole use is to stimulate sensation. The hold upon the object is pushed to the utmost limit. The unconscious is, accordingly, forced out of its me[accent]tier as a compensatory function and driven into open opposition. But, above all, the repressed intuitions begin to assert themselves in the form of projections upon the object.

The strangest conjectures arise; in the case of a sexual object, jealous phantasies and anxiety-states play a great role. More acute cases develop every sort of phobia, and especially compulsive symptoms. The pathological contents have a remarkable air of unreality, with a frequent moral or religious colouring.

A pettifogging captiousness often develops, or an absurdly scrupulous morality coupled with a primitive, superstitious and ‘magical’ religiosity, harking back to abstruse rites. All these things have their source in the repressed inferior functions, which, in such cases, stand in harsh opposition to the conscious standpoint; they wear, in fact, an aspect that is all the more striking because they appear to rest upon the most absurd suppositions, in complete contrast to the conscious sense of reality.

The whole culture of thought and feeling seems, in this second personality, to be twisted into a morbid primitiveness; reason is hair-splitting sophistry — morality is dreary moralizing and palpable Pharisaism — religion is absurd superstition — intuition, the noblest of human gifts, is a mere personal subtlety, a sniffing into every corner; instead of searching the horizon, it recedes to the narrowest gauge of human meanness. [p. 461]

The specially compulsive character of the neurotic symptoms represent the unconscious counterweight to the laisser aller morality of a purely sensational attitude, which, from the standpoint of rational judgment, accepts without discrimination, everything that happens. Although this lack of basic principles in the sensation-type does not argue an absolute lawlessness and lack of restraint, it at least deprives him of the quite essential restraining power of judgment.

Rational judgment represents a conscious coercion, which the rational type appears to impose upon himself of his own free will. This compulsion overtakes the sensation-type from the unconscious. Moreover, the rational type’s link to the object, from the very existence of a judgment, never means such an unconditioned relation as that which the sensation-type has with the object.

When his attitude reaches an abnormal one-sidedness, he is in danger of falling just as deeply into the arms of the unconscious as he consciously clings to the object. When he becomes neurotic, he is much harder to treat in the rational way, because the functions to which the physician must appeal are in a relatively undifferentiated state; hence little or no trust can be placed in them. Special means of bringing emotional pressure to bear are often needed to make him at all conscious.