INTERPRETING CSI SCORES

Scores on the CSI can range from 0 to 76. A score of 0 indicates a very strong preference for intuitive ways of processing information and a score of 76 indicates a very strong preference for analytical ways of thinking. While some of us will be wholly intuitive or wholly analytical most of us will have a preference for processing information which involves elements of both intuition and analysis. This is shown in Figure 1.

In the middle range, the ‘adaptive’ style implies a balanced blend of the two modes of thinking. Either side of this are the ‘quasi-intuitive’ and ‘quasi-analytical’ styles, each of which denotes a tendency towards, but not the full adoption of, one of the extreme modes of thinking. All five thinking styles are described below

Interpreting CSI scores: Catalogue

Intuitive: 0-28

Intuitives often experience an immediate sense of knowing which they cannot explain. For example, they may suddenly, and without obvious reason, know the solution to a problem or they may immediately see a link between apparently unrelated ideas or experiences without being aware of why or how they have made the connection. Intuitives feel comfortable paying attention to and acting on the basis of these apprehensions, hunches and ‘gut feelings’ most of the time and rarely feel a need to analyse every aspect of a situation before making a judgement.

Quasi intuitive: 29-38

Quasi intuitives are subject to the same experiences of immediate ‘knowing without knowing why’ as pure intuitives, so that they suddenly see a solution or feel uneasy about somebody or something. The difference between quasi intuitives and intuitives is that quasi intuitives are likely to be less confident about their intuitions and more cautious when it comes to using these as a basis for decision making. Sometimes, before forming a judgement or taking action, they may feel a need to reflect on their sense of knowing or seek out information that will help confirm their hunch or ‘gut feeling’.

Adaptive: 39-45

Adaptives do not have a strong preference for either intuitive or analytic modes of information processing. They are comfortable drawing on both, in whatever combination seems appropriate at the time, in order to improve their understanding of a situation and make decisions about how to act. They often provide balance in groups containing Analysts and Intuitives.

Quasi analyst: 46-52

Quasi analysts are like pure analysts in so far as they consciously seek out information and apply rule-based systematic procedures in order to identify logical connections. However, while strongly committed to rational analysis, they differ from pure analysts in that they are inclined to pay attention to insights and gut feelings. They are most likely to do this when they feel that doing so could help identify logical connections which may be eluding them or when they feel a need to check the validity of their detailed rational analysis. It is often the case that quasi analysts recognise insights when they have temporarily stopped working on analysing a problem and are thinking about something else.

Analyst: 53-76

Analysts break problems down into their constituent parts and study each component in detail. They like to collect as much relevant information as they can and review it in order to identify plausible connections between elements of the situation. They adopt a systematic search for understanding via a logical step by step analysis. They will use well tried models, templates and formulae to guide their analysis when these are available. They like to reflect on their analysis before forming a judgment or making a decision.

Interpreting CSI scores: Text