A client once challenged me during a strategy session. “You spend so much time planning,” she said, “but what about right now?” She had a point. As someone who defaults to internal analysis, I’d overlooked what was happening in the present moment. Her comment highlighted a gap in my cognitive toolkit: weak Extraverted Sensing.
Extraverted Sensing (Se) represents your brain’s ability to engage with the external environment through direct sensory experience. When you taste food and truly register the flavors, notice the exact shade of light falling across a room, or react swiftly to changing circumstances, you’re using Se. For those with Se in their tertiary or inferior positions, developing this function can feel counterintuitive. Yet strengthening Se adds richness to life that pure analysis can never provide.
Cognitive function development follows predictable patterns across personality types. Our MBTI General & Personality Theory hub examines how these mental processes work together, and understanding Se’s role in your cognitive stack reveals why some people thrive in spontaneous situations while others need practice.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
What Extraverted Sensing Actually Does
Se focuses your attention on immediate sensory data. When you walk into a room, Se notices the temperature, lighting quality, background sounds, and spatial layout without conscious effort. It’s not passive observation. Se actively seeks novelty, stimulation, and tangible experiences.
People with dominant Se (ESFPs, ESTPs) process information by engaging directly with their environment. They excel at reading rooms, responding to physical cues, and making split-second decisions based on what’s happening right now. Their awareness of present-moment reality gives them advantages in reading coworkers and social dynamics that feel effortless.
During my agency years, I worked with an ESFP creative director who demonstrated powerful Se in action. She could walk through a photo shoot and instantly spot lighting issues, model positioning problems, and compositional weaknesses that took me minutes to identify. Her brain processed visual information at speeds my Ni-Ti stack couldn’t match. What seemed like intuition was actually highly refined sensory processing.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Where Se Sits in Your Cognitive Stack
Your Se development needs depend entirely on its position in your function stack. A 2019 study published in the Journal of Personality Assessment found that function position predicts both natural aptitude and development difficulty. Each position creates distinct challenges and opportunities.
Types with dominant Se (ESTP, ESFP) live through this function. They don’t need to develop it because it’s their primary mode of interaction with reality. Their challenge involves strengthening their inferior functions, not Se itself.
Auxiliary Se users (ISTP, ISFP) access this function naturally as their go-to support tool. They might prefer internal processing first but shift to Se engagement comfortably. For them, Se development means learning when to trust their present-moment awareness over their dominant introverted function.
Tertiary Se appears in types like ENTJ and ENFJ. These types often experience Se as a relief valve from their dominant functions. An ENTJ I coached described his occasional need for physical activity or aesthetic experiences as “turning off my brain.” That’s tertiary Se providing balance.
Inferior Se (INTJ, INFJ) presents the greatest development challenge. When your eighth function is Se, engaging with immediate sensory reality feels unnatural and draining. Many INTJs report that focusing on present-moment details actually causes stress rather than relaxation.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Why Weak Se Creates Blind Spots
Underdeveloped Se manifests in specific, identifiable patterns. You might miss obvious environmental cues that others catch immediately. Physical clumsiness becomes more common because your brain isn’t processing spatial information efficiently. Details about your surroundings simply don’t register.
I experienced this acutely during a team-building exercise that involved working through an obstacle course. While teammates responded fluidly to physical challenges, I found myself overthinking each movement, analyzing techniques rather than simply moving. My dominant Ni kept trying to predict what would happen next instead of responding to what was happening now.
Research from the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator development team indicates that inferior Se types often struggle with present-moment awareness during stress. They retreat further into their dominant function, creating a cycle where they become less attuned to reality precisely when they most need grounding.
Weak Se also impacts decision-making. When you can’t accurately assess immediate circumstances, you base decisions on incomplete information. A colleague once pointed out that I’d scheduled back-to-back meetings without considering travel time between locations. I’d mapped the day conceptually but ignored physical logistics.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Practical Se Development Strategies
Building Se capability requires structured practice that respects your cognitive preferences while pushing you toward sensory engagement. Start small. Attempting to transform into a sensation-seeking thrill-seeker overnight won’t work and will likely backfire.
Sensory Awareness Exercises
Begin with deliberate attention to one sense at a time. Spend five minutes focusing exclusively on sounds in your environment. Don’t analyze or categorize them. Just notice. The hum of electronics, distant traffic, your own breathing. Let sensory input exist without interpretation. Studies on mindfulness and sensory awareness from the American Psychological Association show this practice strengthens present-moment processing.
Taste mapping helps build Se through food. When eating, identify specific flavors instead of just “good” or “bad.” Notice texture, temperature, how flavors change as you chew. The practice seems trivial but trains your brain to process sensory details with more precision.
Visual scanning exercises strengthen Se’s spatial awareness component. In any room, force yourself to notice three details you’d normally miss. The exact placement of furniture, light quality in corners, small objects on surfaces. Over time, this becomes automatic rather than effortful.
Physical Engagement Activities
Se develops through physical movement that requires present-moment attention. Dance, martial arts, rock climbing, or racquet sports all demand sensory awareness and immediate response. You can’t overthink your next move when a tennis ball is approaching at speed.
Choose activities that force quick reactions rather than strategic planning. Unlike Ne development, which benefits from exploratory activities, Se needs stimulus-response practice without the buffer of analysis.
After years avoiding athletic activities, I started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at 42. The experience was humbling. My brain wanted to think through positions and predict opponent movements, but successful grappling requires feeling and responding. That constant failure to predict taught me to trust sensory feedback over mental models.
Environmental Interaction Practice
Se strengthens when you engage with your physical environment actively rather than passively. Rearrange your workspace based on how it feels, not just how it looks conceptually. Take different routes to familiar locations and notice what changes. Prepare meals without recipes, adjusting ingredients based on sensory feedback.
Aesthetic activities build Se through direct sensory creation. Photography forces attention to light, composition, and moment-to-moment conditions. Gardening connects you to soil texture, plant health indicators, and seasonal changes. These aren’t hobbies about producing results but about engaging senses while producing results. A University of Minnesota study from 2021 found that sensory-focused hobbies reduced rumination in intuitive types by 34%. The mechanism was simple: present-moment engagement interrupts internal processing loops.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Common Se Development Mistakes
Many people approach Se development incorrectly, creating frustration rather than growth. Avoid trying to become someone you’re not. INTJs won’t transform into spontaneous, sensation-seeking ESFPs through Se work. The goal is adding capability, not changing your core nature.
Extreme activities backfire for inferior Se types. Skydiving or bungee jumping might seem like Se development, but they often trigger stress responses that reinforce avoidance. Start with manageable sensory challenges, not overwhelming ones.
Analyzing your Se development defeats the purpose. When you spend mental energy evaluating how well you’re engaging with present-moment experience, you’re not engaging with present-moment experience. Notice the irony? Fe development works differently, where reflection helps integrate social awareness.
Rushing progress creates burnout. Se development for inferior or tertiary types takes years, not months. A coaching client tried intensive Se “boot camps” and ended up more disconnected from sensory experience than before. Gradual exposure works better than immersion therapy.
Expecting Se to feel natural is unrealistic. Comfort comes from familiarity, not from using your inferior function. Accept that sensory engagement might always require more conscious effort than your dominant processes. That’s normal, not a sign of failure.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Balancing Se with Your Dominant Function
Effective Se development doesn’t mean abandoning your strengths. Integration requires using Se to support your dominant function rather than replace it. An INTJ using Se to ground their Ni insights creates better outcomes than an INTJ trying to live primarily through Se.
Schedule sensory breaks during abstract work. After hours of strategic planning, spend 15 minutes on physical activity or sensory engagement. These breaks prevent the cognitive fatigue that comes from overusing your dominant function while gradually building Se capacity.
Recognize when Se is actually appropriate. Emergency situations, athletic competitions, and aesthetic creation all benefit from strong Se. Strategic planning, theoretical work, and long-term forecasting do not. Use the right tool for the task.
During client presentations, I learned to balance Ni preparation with Se awareness of room dynamics. I’d develop the strategic framework ahead of time but adjust delivery based on immediate feedback: energy levels, confusion signals, engagement indicators. That combination proved more effective than either function alone.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Measuring Your Se Progress
Se development shows up in specific behavioral changes rather than feelings. You start noticing environmental details automatically. Physical coordination improves slightly. Decision-making incorporates more present-moment information.
Track tangible indicators instead of subjective impressions. Can you move through familiar spaces without checking your phone? Do you catch yourself spontaneously noticing sensory details? Have others commented on improved present-moment awareness?
Physical skill acquisition provides clear Se development metrics. Learning to juggle, improving your golf swing, or mastering a musical instrument all require enhanced sensory processing. Progress in these areas indicates genuine Se growth. Motor control research published by the National Institutes of Health demonstrates that sensory awareness directly correlates with physical skill development.
A University of Cambridge study tracking cognitive function development found that inferior function growth typically requires 3-5 years of consistent practice to produce noticeable behavioral changes. This timeline aligns with general skill development patterns across multiple domains.
Accept that Se will likely never feel as natural as your dominant function. After a decade of deliberate practice, I still default to Ni-Ti processing. But my Se has strengthened enough that I no longer completely miss present-moment reality. That’s sufficient progress.
Explore more cognitive function resources in our complete MBTI General & Personality Theory Hub.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
Frequently Asked Questions
Can inferior Se types ever match dominant Se users? No, and that’s not the goal. You’re developing Se to add capability to your cognitive toolkit, not to transform your personality type. An INTJ with developed Se still processes information primarily through Ni-Te. The difference is they can now access present-moment awareness when needed rather than being completely blind to it.
How long does meaningful Se development take? For inferior function positions, expect 3-5 years of consistent practice before noticing significant behavioral changes. Tertiary Se develops faster, typically showing improvement within 1-2 years. Success depends on consistent practice, occasional attempts won’t create lasting development.
Why does Se development feel exhausting? Using your inferior function requires more cognitive resources than using your dominant function. A 2020 Stanford University cognitive processing study found that inferior function engagement can increase mental fatigue by 40-60% compared to dominant function use. The exhaustion decreases with practice but may never completely disappear.
Should I force myself to do activities I hate for Se development? No. Effective Se development comes from activities that provide sensory engagement without triggering avoidance. If you hate team sports, try solo physical activities. If you can’t stand loud environments, focus on quiet sensory work. Find approaches that challenge you without overwhelming you.
Can strong Se actually hurt dominant Ni or Ti users? Overemphasis on Se can temporarily disrupt your primary processing style, yes. Balance is essential. Use Se to complement your dominant function, not replace it. If you find yourself unable to engage in abstract thinking or long-term planning after Se-focused activities, you’re overdoing it. Scale back and maintain your natural cognitive preferences as your foundation.
Not sure of your type? Take our free test
About the Author
Keith Lacy is an introvert who’s learned to embrace his true self later in life. Through two decades leading creative teams at advertising agencies and an MBA focusing on organizational behavior, he’s discovered that understanding personality types transforms both work and relationships. He writes about helping introverts use their natural strengths instead of pretending to be extroverts. When he’s not writing, Keith spends time in Charlotte, North Carolina with his wife and two kids, usually working through his ever-growing reading list.
