This session's assignment was meant for fun and better understanding. The Keirsey Bates Character and Temperament Types is pretty dead on, I am told. Feel free to score yourself and leave a comment of what temperament type you are.
The Keirsey Temperament Sorter
1. At a party do you
A. interact with many, including strangers
B. interact with a few, known to you
2. Are you more
A. realistic than speculative
B. speculative than realistic
3. Is it worse to
A. Have you "head in the clouds"
B. be "in a rut"
4. Are you more impressed by
A. principals
B. emotions
5. Are you more drawn toward the
A. convincing
B. touching
6. Do you prefer to work
A. to deadlines
B. just "whenever"
7. Do you tend to choose
A. rather carefully
B. somewhat impulsively
8. At parties do you
A. stay late, with increasing energy
B. leave early, with decreased energy
9. Are you more attracted to
A. sensible people
B. imaginative people
10. Are you more interested in
A. what is actual
B. what is possible
11. In judging others are you more swayed by
A. laws than circumstances
B. circumstances than laws
12. In approaching others is your inclination to be somewhat
A. objective
B. personal
13. Are you more
A. punctual
B. leisurely
14. Does it bother you more having things
A. incomplete
B. completed
15. In you social groups do you
A. keep abreast of other's happenings
B. get behind on the news
16. In doing ordinary things are you more likely to
A. do it the usual way
B. do it your own way
17. Writers should
A. "say what they mean and mean what they say"
B. express things more by use of analogy
18. Which appeals to you more
A. consistency of thought
B. harmonious human relationships
19. Are you more comfortable in making
A. logical judgments
B. value judgments
20. Do you want things
A. settled and decided
B. unsettled and undecided
21. Would you say you are more
A. serious and determined
B. easy-going
22. In phoning do you
A. rarely question that it will all be said
B. rehearse what you'll say
23. Facts
A. "speak for themselves"
B. illustrate principles
24. Are visionaries
A. somewhat annoying
B. rather fascinating
25. Are you more often
A. a cool-headed person
B. a warm-hearted person
26. Is it worse to be
A. unjust
B. merciless
27. Should one usually let events occur
A. by careful selection and choice
B. randomly and by chance
28. Do you feel better about
A. having purchased
B. having the option to buy
29. In company do you
A. initiate conversation
B. wait to be approached
30. Common sense is
A. rarely questionable
B. frequently questionable
31. Children often do not
A. make themselves useful enough
B. exercise their fantasy enough
32. In making decisions do you feel more comfortable with
A. Standards
B. Feelings
33. Are you more
A. firm than gentle
B. gentle than firm
34. Which is more admirable:
A. the ability to organize and be methodical
B. the ability to adapt and make do
35. Do you put more value on the
A. definite
B. open-ended
36. Does new and non-routine interaction with others
A. stimulate and energize you
B. tax your reserves
37. Are you more frequently
A. a practical sort of person
B. a fanciful sort of person
38. Are you more likely to
A. see how others are useful
B. see how others see
39. Which is more satisfying:
A. to discuss an issue thoroughly
B. to arrive at agreement on an issue
40. Which rules you more:
A. your head
B. your heart.
41. Are you more comfortable with work that is
A. contracted
B. done on a casual basis
42. Do you tend to look for
A. the orderly
B. whatever turns up
43. Do you prefer
A. many friends with brief contact
B. a few friends with more lengthy contact
44. Do you go more by
A. facts
B. principals
45. Are you more interested in
A. production and distribution
B. design and research
46. Which is more of a compliment:
A. "There is a very logical person."
B. "There is a very sentimental person."
47. Do you value in yourself more that you are
A. unwavering
B. devoted
48. Do you more often prefer the
A. final and unalterable statement
B. tentative and preliminary statement
49. Are you more comfortable
A. after a decision
B. before a decision
50. Do you
A. speak easily and at length with strangers
B. find little to say to strangers
51. Are you more likely to trust your
A. experience
B. hunch
52. Do you feel
A. more practical than ingenious
B. more ingenious than practical
53. Which person is more to be complimented: one of
A. clear reason
B strong feeling
54. Are you inclined more to be
A. fair-minded
B. sympathetic
55. Is it preferable mostly to
A. make sure things are arranged
B. just let things happen
56. In relationships, should most things be
A. renegotiable
B. random and circumstantial
57. When the phone rings do you
A. hasten to get to it first
B. hope someone else will answer
58. Do you prize more in yourself
A. a strong sense of reality
B. a vivid imagination
59. Are you drawn more to
A. fundamentals
B. overtones
60. Which seems the greater error:
A. to be too passionate
B. to be too objective
61. Do you see yourself as basically
A. hard-headed
B. soft-hearted
62. Which situation appeals to you more:
A. the structured and scheduled
B. the unstructured and unscheduled
63. Are you a person that is more
A. routinized than whimsical
B. whimsical than routinized
64. Are you more inclined to be
A. easy to approach
B. somewhat reserved
65. In writings do you prefer
A. the more literal
B. the more figurative
66. Is it harder for you
A. identify with others
B. utilize others
67. Which do you wish more for yourself
A. clarity of person
B. strength of compassion
68. Which is the greater fault
A. being indiscriminate
B. being critical
69. Do you prefer the
A. planned event
B. unplanned event
70. Do you tend to be more
A. deliberate than spontaneous
B. spontaneous than deliberate
Score card
Directions for Scoring
1. Add down so that the total number of "a" answers is written in the box at the bottom of each column (see next page for illustration). Do the same for the "b" answers you have checked. Each of the 14 boxes have a number in it.
2. Transfer the number in box No. 1 below the answer sheet. Do this for box No. 2 as well. Note, however, that you have two numbers for boxes 3 through 8. Bring down the first number for each box beneath the second, as indicated by the arrows. Now ass all the pairs of numbers and enter the total in the boxes below the answer sheet, so each box has only one number.
3. Now you have four pairs of numbers. Circle the letter below the largest number of each pair (see answer sheet below for illustration). If the two numbers of any pair are equal, then circle neither, but put a large X below them and circle it.
You have now identified your "type". It should be one of the following:
INFP ISFP INTP ISTP
ENFP ESFP ENTP ESTP
INFJ ISFJ INTJ ISTJ
ENFJ ESFJ ENTJ ESTJ
If you have an X in your type, yours is a mixed type. An X can show up in any of the four pairs: E or I, S or N, T or F, and J or P. Hence there are 32 mixed types besides the 16 listed above:
XNTP EXTP ENXP ENTX
XNTJ EXTJ INXP INTX
XNFP EXFP ENXJ ENFX
XNFJ EXFJ INXJ INFX
XSTP IXTP ESXP ESTX
XSTJ IXTJ ISXP ISTX
XSFP IXFP ESXJ ESFX
XSFJ IXFJ ISXJ ISFX
Having identified type, the task now is to read the type description and to decide how well or how poorly the description fits. You will find a description and portrait of your type on the page indicated in the table of contents. If you have an X in your type, yours is a combination of two types. If, for example, the E and I scores are equal and the type is, say, XSFJ, then you would read ESFJ and ISFJ portraits and decide for yourself which parts of each description are applicable.
One may also profit from reading the portrait of one's opposite to see how things are "on the other side" (How one proceeds after reading one's own type portrait depends largely upon temperament. Some of the types will read several other portraits before returning to the text, while others will return immediately to the text. Some may never read all sixteen of the type descriptions) As you will be shown, the typology is useful if an observer can distinguish between four types of temperament. It is not at all necessary to make these finer distinctions. However, such differences can become useful after long study.
Brief Descriptions of Each Type
(Based on Please Understand Me by David Keirsey and Marilyn Bates)
ENTJ - Extravert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging
The basic driving force and need of ENTS's is to lead; in fact they cannot not lead. They are natural organization builders; when in charge of an organization, they will seek to visualize where the group is going, and seem able to communicate that vision to others. They enjoy being executives, planning in advance, keeping both short-term and long-range objectives well in mind while organizing their units into a smooth-functioning system. An ENTJ's focus is on goals and purposes rather than either personal relationships or regulations and procedures; there must always be a reason for doing anything, and people's feelings are usually not sufficient reason. They quickly abandon any procedures that are inefficient or ineffective in serving the larger goal.
ENFJ - Extravert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging
ENFJ's are natural leaders of groups, both task groups and growth groups. They place people as being of the highest importance and have an unusual ability to empathize with others. Communicating enthusiasm, caring, and concern, they value cooperation highly and willingly become involved (sometimes over-involved) with others, who then naturally turn to ENFJ's for nurturing and support. They tend to have a remarkable fluency with language, especially speaking (as opposed to writing). Generally, their intuition is well-developed and they can "read" other people with great accuracy. They tend to assume that others accept their views as well as their personalities and are comfortable in complex situations which require the juggling of many factors.
ENTP - Extravert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging
ENTP's like to exercise their ingenuity, dealing imaginatively with social relationships as well as physical and mechanical relations. Sensitive to possibilities, they are alert to what is apt to happen. Characteristically they are always on the lookout for a better way, for new projects, new activities, new procedures. Often they express interest in everything, and others may find themselves caught up by the ENTP's enthusiasm. They are good at analysis, especially functional analysis, and have a tolerance for and enjoyment of complex systems or situations. ENTP's have an unusual ability to improvise something, to rise to the expediency of a situation; they can be entrepreneurial and cleverly make do with what is at hand.
ENFP - Extravert, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving
For an ENFP, life is an exciting drama of good and evil and everything that happens has some significance, which comes from their uncanny sense of others' motivations. ENFP's strive toward the authentic, even when acting spontaneously; this intent, communicated nonverbally, is strongly attractive to others. They enjoy the process of creating an idea of project, and typically have a contagious enthusiasm for all that is new. Along with the strong sense of the possible, they are charming and at ease with colleagues and outstanding at getting people together; others enjoy their presence. ENFP's need freedom to exercise their ingenuity; they often see institutional rules and procedures as challenges to be bent.
ESTJ - Extravert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging
In touch with their external environment, ESTJ's know their community and are usually responsible pillars of strength. They are outstanding at organizing orderly procedures and in detailing rules. They like things carried out with sufficient attention to details, prescribed by those with the most experience, in order to get the job done right. They are comfortable evaluating others, especially in terms of standard operating procedures. ESTJ's are so in tune with the established, time-honored institutions and ways of behaving that they do not understand people who might wish to abandon or radically change those institutions. They are loyal and tend not to shirk their duty, even when it requires considerable sacrifice on their part.
ESFJ - Extravert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging
The most sociable of all types, ESFJ's are energized by interactions with people, tending to idealize whatever or whoever they admire. They are the great nurturers of established institutions such as the home, school, church, and civic groups. Outstanding hosts and hostesses, they promote harmony and harmonious relationships wherever they are, and at social gatherings can be observed trying to make sure that everyone is comfortable and involved. ESFJ's are loyal, conscientious, orderly, and oriented toward duty and service. They actively develop, support and carefully observe traditions, and respect and obey rules and regulations. They tend to have a set of values containing clear "should" and "should nots".
ESTP - Extravert, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving
Life is never dull around ESTP's; they are men and women of action. Their attractive, friendly style has a theatrical flourish which makes ever the most routine, mundane event seem exciting. They are uncanny at observing people's motivations, somehow sensitive to minimal nonverbal cues which other types might miss. They are masters at using these observations to anticipate another's position or "sell" a client. Witty, clever, and fun, they are outstanding initiators of enterprises that bring people together to negotiate. ESTP's are extremely pragmatic, often offering the ends as justification for whatever means they see as necessary. They are exhilarated by engaging in "brinkmanship" and working close to the edge of disaster.
ESFP - Extravert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving
Radiating attractive warmth and optimism, ESFP's are smooth, witty, charming, clever, voluble and open to the environment. They seek others' company whenever possible, and usually succeed, because they love excitement and create it wherever they are. Displaying an enjoyment of the "good things" in life, their joy of living is contagious. ESFP's are often outstanding conversationalists and amusingly witty. They are impulsive, vulnerable to manipulation, and the most generous of all the types. What is theirs is yours and what is yours is yours still; they give assistance freely without expectation of a return. They rely heavily on personal experience and generally show good common sense.
INTJ - Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Judging
Living in an introspective reality and focusing on possibilities, INTJ's are the most independent of all the types. They use thinking in the form of empirical logic and prefer that things, events, and people serve some positive use. They look to the future, building systems and applying theoretical models. If an idea or position makes sense to an INTJ, it will be adopted; if it doesn't, it won't be, regardless of who generated the idea or took the position. INTJ's are not impressed by authority per se. they will only conform to rules if they see the rules as useful through their supreme pragmatism. For INTJ's, reality is arbitrary and made up; thus it can be used as a tool or ignored.
INFJ - Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging
Focusing on possibilities and thinking in terms of values, INFJ's have an unusually strong drive to contribute to the welfare of others and genuinely enjoy doing I. they have great personal warmth and depth of personality; they can understand and deal with complex issues and people. Characteristically, hey have strong empathic abilities and can be aware of another's emotions or intentions even before that person is aware of these. INFJ's can often understand psychic phenomenon better than most other people. They are masters of metaphor and imagery, often preferring writing instead of speaking. Their great talent for language usually is directed toward people, writing to communicate in a personalized way.
INTP - Introvert, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving
For INTP's, the world exists primarily to be understood; they are always looking for natural law as the key in their strong desire to understand the universe. Concentrating more easily than other types, INTP's delight in abstract systems and are architects of ideas and systems. They continually scan intellectually for whatever is relevant and pertinent to the issue at hand and can instantly detect distinctions or inconsistencies in thought and language, no matter how distant in space or time the contradictions occurred. Their only authority is logic and coherence, and they prize intelligence in themselves and others. Authority derived from office, position or wide acceptance does not carry weight.
INFP - Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving
INFP's present a calm, pleasant face to the world and may appear mysterious or reticent. They have a capacity for caring which is not always found in other types. Indeed, they care deeply, even passionately and idealistically, about a few special persons or causes. They are willing to make unusual sacrifices for someone or something believed in, and have a profound sense of honor derived from internal values. INFP's seek unity in their lives, unity of body, mind, emotions, and intellect, and the key to understanding them is appreciating the cause they serve. They delight in symbols and have a gift for interpreting them; thus they show an aptitude for using language well, often poetically.
ISTJ - Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Judging
ISTJ's live in the present, are decisive in practical affairs, and are the guardians of time-honored institutions. Quiet and serious, their word is their honor and their bond; they are extraordinarily dependable and preserving. They can be counted on to conserve the resources of the institution they serve and bring a practical point of view to their work, which they perform without flourish and fanfare. Their interest in details, thoroughness, justice, practical procedures and smooth flow of resources makes them valuable in day to day operations. ISTJ's handle difficult, detailed figures and schedules and make sense of them. They are reliable, stable, and patient with their work.
ISFJ - Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Judging
Their primary desire of ISFJ's is to be of service and minister to individual needs. They carry a sense of history and continuity with past events and relationships. The least hedonistic of all types, they believe that work is good, play must be earned, and they are willing to work long hours. When they undertake a task, they will complete it if at all humanly possible. ISFJ's highly value traditions and conserving resources; they respect doing things well by adhering to established procedures. They relate well to people who need them and gain much satisfaction when caring for others' needs, rendering the service gently and helpfully. Devoted and loyal, they have an extraordinary sense of responsibility.
ISTP - Introvert, Sensing, Thinking, Perceiving
The ISTP's life is artful action, and action is an end in itself, being more gratifying if it comes from impulse rather than purpose. The act is self-directed, self-leading, and contains its own imperatives which cannot be subordinated to mere rules or laws. ISTP's have a vested interest in practical and applied science, either technical or non-technical, and can be especially interested in mechanics. They are drawn to and easily master tools of any kind, from microscopic drill to supersonic jet. Often fearless, hey risk themselves more than other types in spite of injury, and are most likely to pit themselves, or their technique, against chance, odds, or fate. They thrive on excitement and fast motion racing, sky diving or surfing, for example.
ISFP - Introvert, Sensing, Feeling, Perceiving
With senses keenly attuned to color, line, texture, shading, touch, motion, seeing, and hearing, ISFP's are often inclined toward the "fine arts". They express themselves through action to eel the pulse of life. They do not act to prepare for something later, but rather to experience intensely in the here and now. Because ISFP's are so caught up in whatever actions are underway (rather than practicing toward some distant goal), they are usually quite oblivious to fatigue, pain, or danger that may accompany their favorite activities. Being especially sensitive to the suffering of others, ISFP's are the kindest of all the types, and their kindness is unconditional. They also have an intense need for freedom, and can forgo social ties to preserve it.
