This article explains 44% of people make personality and style decisions extraverted feeling and introverted feeling than the majority who use their cognitive functions in the reverse attitudes, and why this invisible minority is often misunderstood. You’ll discover the two judging polarities, how they show up in real life, and why understanding your own axis changes everything about how you make decisions.
Here’s how 44% make personality and style decisions completely differently—and why you’ve probably never heard about it.
My sister is ENTJ. I’m ENFJ. When you look at those four letters, we’re one letter apart. You’d think we’d have a lot in common. But the reality is, we make decisions in completely opposite ways—and it’s caused friction between us our entire lives.
She makes decisions based on what’s effective. I make decisions based on what gets everyone’s needs met. Both of us are managing things in the outer world. Both of us care deeply about people. But we’re using entirely different criteria—and for the longest time, neither of us understood why.
It wasn’t until I went through profiler training that I started asking the right questions. And what I discovered changed everything: Myers-Briggs isn’t just four letters. Those letters are actually a code—and when you crack that code, you find out how your mind is actually wired at the cognitive function level.
Here’s what most people don’t know: there are two completely different ways to make decisions, and around 44% of us are using a process that’s invisible to the majority culture.
The Two-Sided Fabric of Decision-Making
Everyone uses both Thinking and Feeling to make decisions. But here’s the key: think of judging like a piece of reversible fabric positioned right at your skin—distinctly different on each side.
One side faces outward—that’s how you make decisions and manage things in the external world. The other side faces inward—that’s how you decide what’s important to you.
For some people, Feeling faces out and Thinking faces in. For others, it’s reversed: Thinking faces out and Feeling faces in.
Same fabric, but which side shows makes all the difference.
The two judging polarities:
- Extraverted Thinking with Introverted Feeling: These are people who make decisions in the outer world based on what’s effective—what works, what gets results, what’s efficient. Then they turn inward to process what’s authentic to them, what aligns with their values, what feels true.
- Extraverted Feeling with Introverted Thinking: These are people who make decisions in the outer world based on context and getting people’s needs met—what creates harmony, what’s appropriate for the situation, what builds connection. Then they turn inward to process through their own internal logic—what makes sense to them, what’s structurally consistent.
My sister uses Extraverted Thinking. I use Extraverted Feeling. We’re both extraverted judging dominants, which means we’re both actively managing things in the outer world. But we’re using completely different criteria.
And here’s what I want to be really clear about: this is not about Thinkers not caring about people. My sister cares deeply about people. The reason she focuses on what’s effective is because that’s what creates the most benefit for people. Effectiveness serves people. It’s just a different route to the same destination.
Why This Is an Invisible Minority
When I dug into the statistics—the most recent official data I could find—I discovered something surprising. For years, the internet has repeated outdated stats saying INFJ is the rarest type and ISFJ is the most common. But the updated numbers tell a different story.
When you add up all the types by their dominant judging function, Extraverted Thinking is the most common. Introverted Feeling is right behind it. Together, people using the Extraverted Thinking and Introverted Feeling axis make up about 56% of the population.
That means people using Extraverted Feeling and Introverted Thinking—my axis—make up about 44%.
We’re the minority. And because most people don’t understand cognitive functions, our differences often get misread as gender dynamics or just Thinking versus Feeling. But it’s neither of those things. It’s about which function is facing outward and which is facing inward.
How This Shows Up in Personality and Style Decisions
Once you understand the judging polarities, you start seeing them everywhere—including in how people approach their closets.
Extraverted Thinking types often want to look tidy. Their style serves a purpose. It’s a tool. They’re asking, “Does this help me get things done? Does this work for the context I’m in?” If the goal is moving up the career ladder, they look at people a couple rungs up and dress similarly. If the goal is getting physical work done quickly, they choose practical clothes and comfortable shoes. Style is strategic.
Introverted Feeling types want options that fit their mood. They need enough wardrobe variety to express different aspects of who they are. They’re not concerned with meeting external expectations—they’re concerned with authenticity. They might be drawn to styles that feel imperfectly beautiful or self-expressive. The question isn’t “what works?” but “does this feel like me right now?”
Introverted Thinking types are self-referential, and that often shows up as playfulness. Their style reflects their own internal logic. They might gravitate toward a simple uniform that makes sense to them—like a black t-shirt and black pants. Or they might create a system, like wearing shoes in the color of their hair so every shoe works with every outfit. There’s often an intellectual coherence to their choices, even if it looks unconventional to others.
Extraverted Feeling types make decisions based on context. You’re never going to catch them wearing something out of place. They instinctively know what’s appropriate for the situation, what invites connection, what creates harmony. They might dress thematically—western for a barbecue, glamour for a night out. They’re highly aware of cultural and social norms, and they know when those norms are shifting and when it’s okay to break the rules.
These aren’t rigid boxes. But they’re patterns. And when you understand your own judging polarity, you stop forcing yourself through decision-making frameworks that don’t fit how your mind actually works.
Why Understanding Your Axis Changes Everything
Here’s what happens when you don’t know your judging polarity: you assume everyone makes decisions the way you do. Or worse, you assume the way you make decisions is wrong because it doesn’t match what the majority culture expects.
If you’re in the 44%—if you’re using Extraverted Feeling and Introverted Thinking—you’ve probably spent a lot of your life feeling like advice that works for other people just doesn’t land for you. You’ve probably been told to “just decide” or “stop overthinking” or “be more practical.” And none of it feels right because you’re trying to use someone else’s decision-making process.
The same is true in reverse. If you’re using Extraverted Thinking and Introverted Feeling, you might find yourself confused by people who can’t just look at the data and make a call. You might wonder why someone needs so much relational processing before moving forward.
Neither approach is better. They’re just different. And both are necessary.
When you understand which judging polarity you’re using, everything clarifies. You stop second-guessing your instincts. You start making decisions—big ones and small ones—that actually align with how your mind works. And yes, that includes what you wear.
How Does Type Impact Personality and Style
If you’re thinking, “Okay, but which judging polarity do I actually use—and what does my four-letter type code actually mean?”—that’s exactly what I cover in my free video masterclass, The Myers-Briggs Key to Signature Style.
I’ll show you how your four letters are actually a code for which cognitive functions you’re using, explain the car model that shows how they work together, and connect all of this to your style decisions.
The masterclass gives you the framework to understand the system. And if you want to know your specific type through conversational profiling—not just an online test—that’s what The Congruence Code delivers.
You can find the link to the free masterclass at signaturestylesystems.com.
Here’s something simple you can do this week to integrate these principles:
Think about the last time you had to make a decision—could be anything from what to wear to a meeting to whether to take on a new project. Walk back through your thought process. Were you primarily asking “what’s effective here?” or “what fits the context and gets people’s needs met?” Were you checking in with your internal sense of authenticity, or were you working through the internal logic of the situation?
Just notice. You don’t have to change anything. Just start paying attention to which side of the fabric is facing outward for you.
Discover Your Cognitive Function Stack and Style Direction
If you’re wondering which judging polarity you use—and how your full cognitive stack influences the way you make personality and style decisions—I walk through the complete framework in my free video masterclass, The Myers-Briggs Key to Signature Style. You’ll discover how your four letters are actually a code for which cognitive functions you’re using and how they work together in the car model. The masterclass gives you the foundation to understand the system. But if you want to know your specific type and receive a personalized blueprint based on conversational profiling—not just an online test—The Congruence Code delivers that through a two-hour profiling session, your Personality Style Blueprint, and a custom color palette. Click here to watch the free masterclass. Or book in today for The Congruence Code.