I can't remember what keyword search led me to The Open Mind, by Dawna Markova (only the feeling that it was a moment of inspiration, like I had caught a scent on a trail). It describes not personality types but thinking patterns. People learn and express themselves in wide ranging ways. Hence the phrase "multiple intelligences". Hence the industrial education system only working for a select portion of the population. Markova explains what is actually happening differently for different people.

Our brains can receive input in three primary ways- through our eyes, through our ears, and through (the rest of) our bodies. Markova's theory is that as we learn or express things, we move through different levels of consciousness while processing and integrating, and at each level of consciousness (conscious, subconscious, unconscious) we use a different language or modality. Overall, then, there are six possible patterns of intelligence.

For a long time, I've recognized that I am "primarily" a visual learner. Now I understand that "primarily" actually means consciously. From what I have gathered, I believe my thinking pattern to be VKA (that is, visually conscious, kinesthetically subconscious, and auditorially unconsious).

The conscious level is a very focused and narrow level of attention. It operates linearly and is in the mode of making decisions, judging things, feeling certain. The unconscious level of attention is very unfocused, "spacey", broad, nonlinear. It is daydreaming mode, where you are completely receptive, open, and also rather sensitive or vulnerable. It is the source of creativity. The subconscious functions as a kind of bridge between the conscious and unconscious, where you can look at both sides of an issue and see clearly the benefits or the truth of both sides.

I see the VKA pattern at work in me in that I am primarily visual- that is, I learn, understand, remember most easily via the written word or by looking at maps, and I communicate most easily and thoroughly via the written word as well. My unconscious seems to be primarily auditory because auditory stimulation puts me in a very receptive space- so much so that when in a conversation, I will become so engrossed in the other person's words that if they ask a question, or if there is a natural space in the conversation where I would perhaps be expected to say something, I often find myself spaced out, far away from being able to come up with a conscious response. Speaking takes a lot of energy for me, so it is a rather special, sometimes sacred thing. I really enjoy music that has human voices harmonizing, and I enjoy playing with singing, but mostly when I am alone. The kinesthetic subconscious kind of just fell where it fell for me, at least so far. I don't need to move to think, and I don't necessarily need to physically do something to learn how to do it (it's not my conscious modality), but I'm also not super-sensitive to touch- it's not something I shy away from or don't like to share freely (so it's not my unconscious modality either). Well, I do kind of bridge kinesthetically from unconscious to conscious by talking with my hands before I speak. I think Markova describes the phenomenon (which I hadn't paid attention to before) as painting a picture with my hands (kinesthetic/visual) as I fish for the right words (auditory).

Beyond the personal, there are more interesting implications for understanding the thinking patterns of the people that you relate with. It can give you an understanding of why they perhaps come off so strongly with one mode of communication, or why they seem so overly sensitive about a certain way you want to connect with them. That understanding can afford you some measure of compassion and patience and can allow you to tailor your interaction with them so you meet them where they can meet you back.


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I really enjoy using these typing systems as tools to understand more how I tick. I retook the Myers Briggs and was surprised to find myself being called an ISFJ. I used to think I was an INFP, but I think now that that is what I wanted to be (or what I thought other people wanted me to be). It is also the kind of person I am attracted to. Hopefully, these letters keep changing. I'd like to intentionally get more balanced, especially towards E and N.