Personality and the use of intuition: individual differences in strategy and performance on an implicit learning task

Abstract

There is a divergence of opinion regarding the existence of individual differences in the use of intuition, ranging from intuition being the preserve of a creative minority to intuition as a basic cognitive process that is equally accessible to all. The existence and nature of individual differences in the use of intuition were explored by studying relationships between the sensing–intuition scale of the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator and strategy and performance on an implicit learning task. Results indicated differences in strategy and performance in implicit learning between sensing and intuitive types. Intuitive types were more likely to report a strategy of using intuition; sensing types were more likely to use explicit knowledge. In addition, intuitive types were more accurate than sensing types in their intuition. Thus, the position that there are individual differences in the use of intuition has been supported. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.