Detail orientated. I get lost in the details. But I am an extreme example. Example - I'm currently writing a lab-report about a type of brain function. Part of the report should include previous research. I'm so caught up in this that I've photocopied about 100 pages of previous research. Another example would be reading the readings for a course. I use a high-lighter to highlight the relevant points, but end up highlighting the whole thing. Also, I'm so obsessed with details that while writing something up the essay veers off following the details and completely misses answering the question. But as I said, an extreme case.

I prefer the bigger scope of things. Simply because when you broaden your perspective, all the details will come into focus with time. For example: If I were building a cabiniet and I was focused just on the detail of getting the doors on straight I might overlook the whole cabiniet being square. This would make getting any of the details right very difficult. However when I focus on making the whole cabinet(big picture) I can see the details as they come up and address them as necessary. This also allows me to see how the details will work with the rest of the cabinet while I am working on them.

Both. I look at every detail, just to SEE the big picture.

I am both. Example of big-pictur: I know where any given country is on a map, but I couldn't draw its shape. Example of detail-oriented: I am terrible at riddles but excellent at problem-solving.

I think you cannot disconnect the two. I think a better question is, do you generally tackle problems from the more general towards the more specific, or from the specifics towards the more generalistic? You are not ignoring either part, it's just your angle. So if you think of yourself as a big picture person, but are willing to work out the details, you are an draft and edit person. If you tend to make each and every detail polished in itself, like for example you are building a cabinet and as you work, you nail each nail just so, you sand each plank just so, and you measure each piece exactly and perfect it even BEFORE you nail it on, in fact you quality inspect the parts before you use them, then you go from specific to general. You are a "perfect all the minuscule parts now, and see the result turn up later sometime" person. Researchers are often like that. they love to come up with as much research as possible, but then again, they aren't researching for the sake of making a case of their own, they would rather look over things until they DEVELOP a sense of what the pattern is that has happened. that's my opinion. So creators and visualizers and bosses tend to be better off with a big picture and then molding the rest, but they want their employees to be molded, not to be molders! And they figure of YOU attend yourself to the details, they will exploit you and move you in their directions while you enjoy details details details! and more details! You are supposed to be a brainless detail freak who wants nothing more than to be bossed.