# Sensing and Intuitives with directions...



## lalalalela (May 18, 2009)

It seems like all the Ns that I know are horrible at directions whereas all the S's are good at them. Are sensors usually better at directions than Intuitives? And does anyone have any idea why this is? I'm thinking it might have to do with sensors actually understanding where they're going as opposed to their destination and departure point whereas intuituves just focus on turn right here, turn left here, but have no actual sense of direction. Sorry if that's confusing... I've just been curious about this for a few days and am interested in any insights you guys might have.


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

I'm the worst ever to ask for directions.


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## Aerorobyn (Nov 11, 2009)

I'm a sensor and I frickin suck when it comes to directions. You will get lost if you're with me, so that's why I like to have someone who knows their way around and actually knows how to read maps :blushed:


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## TurranMC (Sep 15, 2009)

I think I can get anywhere with a good map.


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## Siggy (May 25, 2009)

If some one is giving me directions I need landmarks, symbols versus street names and numbers. Tell me to go left at the house with the blue shutter and right at the Exxon station, and I will understand perfectly. I need maps also, so i can see alternative ways of getting to my destination and where i am in relation to everything else.


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## WhitneyPJ (May 7, 2010)

Funny - been talking about this a lot recently with my INFP cousin who is terrrrrrible in this department - just totally lost in the city where she's lived her whole life! I'm an S and have a pretty awesome sense of direction, very comfortable driving, etc... and really enjoy it


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## TurranMC (Sep 15, 2009)

Dear Sigmund said:


> If some one is giving me directions I need landmarks, symbols versus street names and numbers. Tell me to go left at the house with the blue shutter and right at the Exxon station, and I will understand perfectly. I need maps also, so i can see alternative ways of getting to my destination and where i am in relation to everything else.


I was VERBALLY ASSAULTED after I made the above post because I went in the wrong direction yesterday. The thing was though that I was using a landmark on google maps to orient myself after I got off the train. The landmark was a Gamestop. Now the reason I went the wrong direction was because there were TWO Gamestops less then three blocks away from each other. Why the fuck they would have two of them so close together is beyond me, but yeah just wanted to show how I relate to what you said.


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## Xplosive (Mar 4, 2010)

I think it's because intuitives are generally less aware of their physical surroundings and tend to focus on the big picture (i.e. major landmarks), whilst sensors are generally more aware of their physical surroundings and the minor details (i.e. street names, how many sets of traffic lights/roundabouts passed, house numbers etc.), which is important when navigating (more information).


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## Aerorobyn (Nov 11, 2009)

TurranMC said:


> I was VERBALLY ASSAULTED after I made the above post because I went in the wrong direction yesterday. The thing was though that I was using a landmark on google maps to orient myself after I got off the train. The landmark was a Gamestop. Now the reason I went the wrong direction was because there were TWO Gamestops less then three blocks away from each other. Why the fuck they would have two of them so close together is beyond me, but yeah just wanted to show how I relate to what you said.


You are such a bitch. Take it like man, yo. Quit whining.


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## Siggy (May 25, 2009)

Google maps. I hate them, they have been notoriously unreliable. I have the old fashioned ADC map books, which i keep in my car.


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## LostInMyOwnMind (May 5, 2010)

I NEVER get lost. I think more of it has to do with gender than personality. I read about several studies where men were tested against women on which way was north, south, east and west. Most of the men tested very high while the women, not so much. OK ladies, don't bash me, just repeating what I've read. Although, my son needs directions to the bathroom. When doing his ASVAB test for entrance into military service his recruiter's exact words were "Whew OK transportation is out for a career choice".


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

It's usually a gender spilt thing, anyway.


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## Functianalyst (Jul 23, 2009)

I can only take or receive directions using N-E-W-S. When someone says to turn left or right, I immediately ask which direction that would be.


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## Korvyna (Dec 4, 2009)

I apparently give good directions, though I'm amazed how that's possible! I tend to give too many options on directions. I give NSEW directions; left, right or straight; and also provide street names and landmarks... I like to cover all the bases. Though, all of my friends have said that they've never had trouble finding a place when I've given them directions. 

My dad is a truck driver for a living... Sometimes he'll call home to have someone give him better directions to a place... And if I'm home he'll make my mom pass the phone to me. :crazy:


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## touched (Nov 18, 2009)

I just take a taxi :crazy:
I think Ne-dom people would be able to read maps well. Just guessing though. My enfp friend had no problem reading a map while I had trouble figuring out which direction on the map corresponded to which direction IRL.


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## screamofconscious (Oct 15, 2009)

My sense of direction is great so long it's not the middle of the day. It's not that difficult to look up to the sun in the sky to gain a sense of where I'm standing.

As long as I know the basic layout of a road system, directions aren't a problem. If I have to make 15 turns off the main road then I'm taking notes for the details. Large landmarks are better than street names. Street names are too easy to miss or worse, they're obscured by bushes, trees or auto accidents. I can get anywhere with a map.

I'm Ni dominant, my Se is fairly well developed.


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## Narrator (Oct 11, 2009)

I'm pretty awful from scratch, but when someone tells me they're somewhere, and they can describe the surroundings I'm better.


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## stefairy (Dec 2, 2009)

I have a really good "sense of direction", but I usually can't explain it. Like I know how to get somewhere, but I can't visualize the exact route in my head. But then when I actually get to an intersection, I know where to turn. It freaks me out sometimes when I'm not confident, since the only thing telling me to go a certain way is that it just "feels right". It's weird for me, since I don't use Ni like that very often!


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## Dyidia (May 28, 2010)

In regards to the male-female issue, I learned (in a Neuroscience class at Vanderbilt University) that males have better visuospatial ability than females. Also to note is that gay males have worse ability while gay females have better ability (in general; these are only modest trends, relatively speaking). Furthermore, due to biological interactions between a mother and her children, subsequent male children are more likely to be homosexual.

Both my older brother and I (straight males) score somewhere around INTP, though I am more NF-ish and he is more SP-ish, if anything. He has significantly better visuospatial ability than I. Make of that what you will.


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## Linnifae (Nov 13, 2009)

I'm a N and I definitely suck at directions. My Sensor parents and husband are great with directions and most of my friends (who are also sensors) are pretty good with directions too.


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## renna (Jan 28, 2011)

I'm great with directions. And I always know what direction I'm facing. I can go somewhere once and remember it from then on how to get there again. . . . Now my ENTP husband - terrible, just terrible X-D


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## saffron (Jan 30, 2011)

I'm great at directions. I love maps and read them just for fun. I want to know how to get anywhere that may be interesting. For that reason I pay close attention when I'm driving and have good recall for essentially where things are located on the grid, street names etc... I'm not so good at focusing on my exits if I'm in the middle of a conversation or in my head. I sometimes have to back track a bit, but I really never get lost.


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## Dark Romantic (Dec 27, 2011)

I'm actually good with giving directions, it's understanding the directions other people give me that throws me off. I can't remember any examples, but I've actually had to coach people into giving me directions that made sense.


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## CURLY (Aug 7, 2012)

I have a really good sense of direction only due to the fact that i'm very visual. I can map out my location, which areas I should take in case of being lost and so on. When it comes to giving direction, I could give a detailed description of which areas you should take and be prepared for a lengthy description. Remembering street names would be so much easier... I honestly don't know the name of the street next to where I live. Would I ever find out? If I cared enough maybe.


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## Ellis Bell (Mar 16, 2012)

I'm terrible with directions. First of all, I'm a horrible oral learner, so as fast as I'm told directions, I forget them again. I even get lost with the use of GPS (and boy, does the GPS lady yell at me!). But physically speaking, if I've been to a place, I have the general idea of the place in my mind and I can find my way around. That said, though, I still get lost getting to many places I've been to before.


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