Objective vs. Subjective — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on September 16, 2023
Objective refers to facts, conditions, or phenomena that exist independent of personal feelings or opinions. Subjective involves personal feelings, tastes, or opinions affecting the judgment.
Difference Between Objective and Subjective
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Objective information or analysis is based on factual data that can be measured, observed, or proven. Subjective information, on the other hand, is influenced by personal feelings, opinions, or preferences.
In an objective context, the focus is on the external world and what can be verified through empirical methods. Subjective experiences are internal and may differ from person to person, depending on individual perspectives.
From a grammatical standpoint, "objective" and "subjective" are primarily used as adjectives. However, "objective" can also be a noun, referring to a goal or aim. In contrast, "subjective" is almost exclusively an adjective.
Objective judgments are generally considered more reliable for decision-making, as they are less influenced by emotions or personal biases. Subjective judgments are more influenced by the individual's unique experiences and feelings, making them less universally applicable.
In summary, objective elements are external, measurable, and verifiable, whereas subjective elements are internal, emotional, and personal. Understanding the difference is crucial for effective communication and decision-making.
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Comparison Chart
Basis
Facts, empirical data
Personal feelings, opinions
Focus
External world
Internal experiences
Grammatical Usage
Primarily adjective, also a noun
Almost exclusively an adjective
Reliability
More reliable
Less reliable
Universality
Applies universally
Specific to individual
Compare with Definitions
Objective
Based on factual data.
The objective test results confirmed the diagnosis.
Subjective
Internal, based on individual experiences.
His subjective world was filled with imagination.
Objective
Measurable and verifiable.
His objective was to run a 5K in under 20 minutes.
Subjective
Influenced by personal feelings or opinions.
Her subjective view made her prefer the painting.
Objective
Focused on external phenomena.
The objective reality was that the sun had set.
Subjective
Pertaining to the mind's emotional state.
Subjective well-being is important for mental health.
Objective
Can also refer to a goal or aim.
The team's objective was to finish the project on time.
Subjective
Specific to the individual.
Taste in music is highly subjective.
Objective
Existing independent of or external to the mind; actual or real
Objective reality.
Subjective
Dependent on or taking place in a person's mind rather than the external world
"The sensation of pain is a highly subjective experience that varies by culture as well as by individual temperament and situation" (John Hoberman).
Objective
Based on observable phenomena; empirical
Objective facts.
Subjective
Based on a given person's experience, understanding, and feelings; personal or individual
Admitted he was making a highly subjective judgment.
Objective
Uninfluenced by emotions or personal prejudices
An objective critic.
Subjective
(Psychology) Not caused by external stimuli.
Objective
A thing or group of things existing independent of the mind.
Subjective
(Medicine) Of, relating to, or designating a symptom or complaint perceived by a patient.
Objective
The objective case.
Subjective
Expressing or bringing into prominence the individuality of the artist or author.
Objective
A noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Subjective
(Grammar) Relating to or being the nominative case.
Objective
The primary optical element, such as a lens or mirror, in a microscope, camera, telescope, or other optical instrument, that first receives light rays from the object and forms the image. Also called object glass, objective lens, object lens.
Subjective
Relating to the real nature of something; essential.
Objective
Of or relating to a material object, actual existence or reality.
Subjective
Formed, as in opinions, based upon a person's feelings or intuition, not upon observation or reasoning; coming more from within the observer than from observations of the external environment.
Objective
Not influenced by the emotions or prejudices.
Subjective
Pertaining to subjects as opposed to objects (A subject is one who perceives or is aware; an object is the thing perceived or the thing that the subject is aware of.)
Objective
Based on observed facts; without subjective assessment.
Subjective
Resulting from or pertaining to personal mindsets or experience, arising from perceptive mental conditions within the brain and not necessarily or directly from external stimuli.
Objective
(grammar) Of, or relating to a noun or pronoun used as the object of a verb.
Subjective
Lacking in reality or substance.
Objective
Of, or relating to verbal conjugation that indicates the object (patient) of an action. In linguistic descriptions of Tundra Nenets, among others.
Subjective
As used by Carl Jung, the innate worldview orientation of the introverted personality types.
Objective
A material object that physically exists.
Subjective
Experienced by a person mentally and not directly verifiable by others.
Objective
A goal that is striven for.
Subjective
Describing conjugation of a verb that indicates only the subject (agent), not indicating the object (patient) of the action. In linguistic descriptions of Tundra Nenets, among others.
Objective
(grammar) The objective case.
Subjective
Of or pertaining to a subject.
Objective
(grammar) a noun or pronoun in the objective case.
Subjective
Especially, pertaining to, or derived from, one's own consciousness, in distinction from external observation; ralating to the mind, or intellectual world, in distinction from the outward or material excessively occupied with, or brooding over, one's own internal states.
Objective
The lens or lenses of a camera, microscope, or other optical device closest to the object being examined.
Subjective
Modified by, or making prominent, the individuality of a writer or an artist; as, a subjective drama or painting; a subjective writer.
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object.
Subjective
Taking place within the mind and modified by individual bias;
A subjective judgment
Objective
Of or pertaining to an object; contained in, or having the nature or position of, an object; outward; external; extrinsic; - an epithet applied to whatever is exterior to the mind, or which is simply an object of thought or feeling, as opposed to being related to thoughts of feelings, and opposed to subjective.
In the Middle Ages, subject meant substance, and has this sense in Descartes and Spinoza: sometimes, also, in Reid. Subjective is used by William of Occam to denote that which exists independent of mind; objective, what is formed by the mind. This shows what is meant by realitas objectiva in Descartes. Kant and Fichte have inverted the meanings. Subject, with them, is the mind which knows; object, that which is known; subjective, the varying conditions of the knowing mind; objective, that which is in the constant nature of the thing known.
Objective has come to mean that which has independent existence or authority, apart from our experience or thought. Thus, moral law is said to have objective authority, that is, authority belonging to itself, and not drawn from anything in our nature.
Subjective
Of a mental act performed entirely within the mind;
A cognition is an immanent act of mind
Objective
Unbiased; unprejudiced; fair; uninfluenced by personal feelings or personal interests; considering only the facts of a situation unrelated to the observer; - of judgments, opinions, evaluations, conclusions, reasoning processes.
Objective means that which belongs to, or proceeds from, the object known, and not from the subject knowing, and thus denotes what is real, in opposition to that which is ideal - what exists in nature, in contrast to what exists merely in the thought of the individual.
Subjective
Not measurable or verifiable.
Subjective experiences like pain are hard to quantify.
Objective
The objective case.
Objective
The goal intended to be attained (and which is believed to be attainable);
The sole object of her trip was to see her children
Objective
The lens or system of lenses nearest the object being viewed
Objective
Undistorted by emotion or personal bias; based on observable phenomena;
An objective appraisal
Objective evidence
Objective
Serving as or indicating the object of a verb or of certain prepositions and used for certain other purposes;
Objective case
Accusative endings
Objective
Emphasizing or expressing things as perceived without distortion of personal feelings or interpretation;
Objective art
Objective
Belonging to immediate experience of actual things or events;
Concrete benefits
A concrete example
There is no objective evidence of anything of the kind
Objective
Independent of personal feelings.
She made an objective decision to sell the stock.
Common Curiosities
Is objective more reliable than subjective?
Generally, objective information is considered more reliable because it is verifiable.
Can subjective experiences be proven?
Subjective experiences are often hard to prove because they are internal and personal.
Is objective a noun or adjective?
"Objective" can function as both a noun and an adjective.
What does objective mean?
Objective refers to facts or conditions that are independent of personal feelings or opinions.
Is subjective a noun or adjective?
"Subjective" is almost exclusively used as an adjective.
Is objective universally applicable?
Objective information generally applies universally because it is based on facts.
Is subjective always emotional?
Subjective often involves emotion but can also include personal tastes or preferences.
What's the opposite of subjective?
The opposite of subjective is objective.
What does subjective mean?
Subjective involves personal feelings, tastes, or opinions affecting judgment.
Can objective data be incorrect?
Objective data can be incorrect if there are errors in measurement or observation.
Can subjective be unbiased?
Subjective is inherently influenced by personal biases, opinions, or feelings.
Can objective be biased?
Objective information aims to be unbiased, but the interpretation can be biased.
What's the opposite of objective?
The opposite of objective is subjective.
Can objective and subjective coexist?
Yes, objective facts can influence subjective experiences and vice versa.
Can subjective be universally applicable?
Subjective is usually specific to the individual and not universally applicable.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
