PERCEPTIVE DEFINITION:showing intuitive observation and insight CATEGORIES:achievement, interactive SIMILAR ATTRIBUTES:discerning, insightful, intuitive POSSIBLE CAUSES: Having a “sixth sense” that enables one to notice or feel things that others don’t Being deeply attuned to others Being highly empathetic Being attuned to patterns and other data that enables one to make accurate predictions ASSOCIATED BEHAVIORS: Accurately assessing what one is observing Making predictions based on incoming data Noticing things that other people don’t see Making connections that other people miss Noticing changes and patterns Reading people well Predicting outcomes that seem outrageous but turn out to be correct Sensing that something is wrong Having highly attuned senses Being compelled to share the truth even when it makes things difficult Sharing knowledge in the hopes that others will be warned or danger will be averted Expressing confidence, pride, or haughtiness at one’s ability to see what others don’t Quickly assessing problems Finding solutions Seeing solutions as black-and-white Being able to read people’s moods Gleaning a great deal of information from a short period of time spent observing Caring about others Being observant Knowing oneself accurately and intimately Gaining insight into others by observing actions or seeing their possessions Expressing frustration when one’s perceptions are brushed off or dismissed Evaluating people on a number of levels (analyzing behaviors, emotions, motives, etc.) Being logical yet having good intuition Being good with people by reading them while interacting Picking up on secrets without necessarily meaning to Being able to put oneself in another’s shoes Seeing how things fit together in a bigger picture Preparing for the future, even when others are not Proactively making changes to protect oneself and loved ones Quickly and accurately sizing up a situation ASSOCIATED THOUGHTS: Am I the only one seeing this? I have to tell them what’s coming. I don’t like the way he phrased this on his résumé. Sounds fishy to me. Alice has a thing for Barry? And look, he’s clueless about it. This should be interesting. ASSOCIATED EMOTIONS:confidence, eagerness, elation, frustration, impatience, reluctance, smugness POSITIVE ASPECTS:Perceptive characters are beneficial in that they have great observation skills, are able to accurately assess what they’re observing, and can put the pieces together to see what’s coming down the road. Astute problem solvers, they quickly and easily arrive at solutions. This helpful capability isn’t all that common, and as such, is an enviable trait. NEGATIVE ASPECTS:Perceptive characters can become impatient when others miss what they so obviously see. This impatience can lead to scorn and disdain, which doesn’t endear them to others. Sometimes, although their predictions or solutions might make sense, people reject both the information and the messenger out of fear or anxiety. Despite their insight, these characters have blind spots like anyone else and may not be able to easily see and solve their own problems. Others may also become embarrassed or mistrustful when they realize the perceptive character has caught on to their secrets. EXAMPLE FROM LITERATURE:As the runt of the litter, Fiver (Watership Down) is small and timid. But he also bears a gift for reading his environment and knowing when something is wrong. Due to his perception, Fiver predicts that disaster is coming to his warren and he’s able to save a handful of his mates. His intuition also warns him of danger along their journey to find a new home. Although his fellow travelers at first are put off by his strangeness, they eventually come to respect his insight and rely on his input.Other Examples from Film, Literature, and TV:Dick Hallorann (The Shining), the precogs (Minority Report), Sherlock Holmes, Patrick Jane (The Mentalist) TRAITS IN SUPPORTING CHARACTERS THAT MAY CAUSE CONFLICT:flaky, hostile, inattentive, indecisive, paranoid, private, sensitive, shy, superstitious CHALLENGING SCENARIOS FOR THE PERCEPTIVE CHARACTER: PLOTLINE: Being able to put pieces together but lacking the attentiveness to notice the pieces to begin with PLOTLINE: Perceiving negative outcomes that no one will accept or want to hear PLOTLINE: Living in a deceptive environment where it’s difficult to accurately assess what’s going on PLOTLINE: Interacting with other perceptive people and wondering if they can be trusted