THE INFLUENCE AND STRENGTH OF THE PREFERENCES

The greater the difference in your scores for the preference sets (as measured by Part 2 of CORE MAP), the greater the influence and strength of the preferred attitude (Extrovert vs. Introvert) or function (Sensing vs. Intuition and Thinking vs. Feeling).

Looking at the scores shown for Part 2 on your online report, compare Extrovert to Introvert, Sensing to Intuition, and Thinking to Feeling. If there is a difference of more than 5 but less than 10, you tend to use the higher preference fairly regularly and consistently, but still relate easily to the opposite function.

If the difference was greater than 10, you rarely use the attitude or function that is the opposite of the preferred one.

If your scores are fairly close (only 1 to 5 points apart), you move back and forth between the preferences fairly easily and fairly regularly. Research shows that attitudes and functions that are too close in intensity may be undeveloped, and that as an individual moves more into his/her own, the preference for which the individual is predisposed by nature will surface as the stronger of the two.

The unconscious or least preferred preferences (those that are not natural to one's nature) are seldom consciously used, but they are likely to kick in of their own accord when you are stressed or in a highly emotional state. For example, someone who is normally passive in nature (introverted) might, in extreme situations, "explode", becoming very aggressive, ranting and raving (an extroverted position), until they regain conscious control, at which time they will return to their consciously preferred state of passive introversion. Conversely, an extrovert who is normally quite sociable and outgoing might withdraw and become reclusive in an extreme situation only to return to their normally sociable self when the crisis has passed. This temporary, spontaneous shift may appear as "out of character" behavior. Self-observing statements such as, “I don’t know what I was thinking” or “I don’t know why I did that.”, indicate self-awareness of such a shift. Longer term shifts are either a result of moving closer to one's nature and away from non-beneficial adaptations made in childhood or dealing with long term stress as an adult.