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My first post here. I also posted this over at the INTJforum website:
It’s always seemed completely arbitrary to me that, in his temperament theory, Keirsey combined N with T/F and S with J/P. It seems to make a lot more sense to me that if you have a judging preference, J should be combined with how you judge (T/F) and if you have a perceiving preference, P should be combined with how you perceive (N/S). After all, that will be the function you show the most in the external world, and for this reason the types within the TJ, FJ, NP, and SP groups have a lot more in common with each other--on the surface at least--than Keirsey’s groups do. And since Keirsey attempts to divide types based on observable behavior, using these groups as temperaments instead makes a lot more sense. So I made my own descriptions of these temperaments.
Judging Types
TJ: The Executives
This group is the most pragmatic, decisive, efficient, assertive, task-oriented, and determined of all the temperaments. They have strong willpower and enjoy being in control. They establish categories by which they classify both people and things, and are motivated to reach the top of whatever hierarchy they are a part of. But wherever they do fall in the hierarchy, they will enforce the system and recognize its authority. They tend to believe the ends justify the means and are prone to thinking in black-and-white, objective, "us v. them" type terms. They are not the most patient types and will often sacrifice purity for expediency. They pay little regard to social costs and will only bow to social norms, with some reluctance, if they need to do so in order to achieve their ends. They will always use whatever tools are available to them that will get them the best result, because they always keep an eye toward the bottom line and the end result matters to them above all else. Before taking any action, they question whether the benefits outweigh the costs in terms of external standards and objective measures of success. If yes, they will act. If no, they will not. They make most all decisions according to this simple equation. They quickly examine clear evidence and facts available to them and ruthlessly apply hard logic to them in order to judge what they mean and what should be done based on them. For this reason, they are highly skilled at coming up with solutions to most any problem they are confronted with. They are excellent at motivating and organizing themselves and others in order to accomplish tasks and simply get things done. For these reasons, they have the highest average income of all the temperaments and often rise to some of the most powerful positions in business, government, etc.
All Executives look practically the same on the surface, but internally the NTJ and STJ are quite different. The STJ is focused on past precedent and maintaining established systems, while the NTJ is focused on improving upon established systems or establishing new systems for the future. There are also noticeable differences between the ITJ and ETJ. The ITJ tends to be more reluctant to take on a public leadership role and is content with exerting influence from behind the scenes, while the ETJ is a more vocal director who likes to be clearly in charge. Both, however, are capable of performing the preferred role of the other, they just will have to expend more energy to do so.
Examples: Hillary Clinton (INTJ), Steve Jobs (ENTJ), George Washington (ISTJ), Henry Ford (ESTJ)
FJ: The Harmonizers
This group is the most diplomatic, sociable, caring, friendly, warm, and agreeable of all the temperaments. They enjoy establishing relationships with people and are excellent at peacefully resolving conflicts and bringing people together. They take their moral values and commitments seriously and are very loyal to the groups they are part of. They enjoy cooperating with others and uniting for a greater purpose. For these reasons they are often found in churches and other religious or spiritual groups, or any kind of charity organization dedicated to helping others. They are also commonly found in career fields such as social work or healthcare, anywhere they can feel they are making a positive difference in people's lives. You will rarely see a Harmonizer in an argument or fight with others, unless they feel they have no other choice or else harm may come to others. In such situations they often become very uncomfortable and visibly upset, and may lose their grip on rationality, throwing out impassioned and desperate emotional appeals. But if direct conflict can be avoided, they will do so by any means possible. This is why Harmonizers often go along with the views expressed by others around them, whether they agree with them or not. Just as Executives make decisions based on whether they are worth the practical costs, Harmonizers make decisions based on whether they are worth the social costs. They care greatly about social norms and how they are perceived by others, not so much because of their own egos but because they do not want to risk hurting or offending others. As their name suggests, they value harmony above all else and establishing harmony is their primary motivation. They are often excellent at moving and uniting people behind a cause, and for this reason some of the most influential social leaders in history have been Harmonizers.
All Harmonizers look nearly identical on the surface, but internally the NFJ and SFJ are quite different. The SFJ is focused on maintaining established social conventions and working within traditional social groups, while the NFJ is focused on reforming social conventions or improving upon the traditional social status of groups in society. There are also noticeable differences between the IFJ and EFJ. The IFJ is more quietly caring and gentle, content with working silently and out of the spotlight to advance their causes and help people, while the EFJ takes on a more vocal and impassioned role publicly advocating for their cause and taking on the responsibility of initiating movements of people. Both, however, are capable of performing the preferred role of the other, they just will have to expend more energy to do so.
Examples: Mahatma Gandhi (INFJ), Martin Luther King, Jr. (ENFJ), Mother Teresa (ISFJ), Dale Carnegie (ESFJ)
Perceiving Types
NP: The Intellectuals
This group is the most philosophical, novelty-seeking, open-minded, curious, unconventional, and imaginative of all the temperaments. They enjoy reflecting upon and playing with ideas, either within their own minds or in discussion with others. They find it very easy to perceive all possible ways in which a situation might unfold, or all possible meanings—hidden or otherwise—that might be behind anything they see. For this reason, they are the temperament least prone to taking direct action and following through with their plans. They are constantly changing their minds and refining their concepts based on new information, so they find it both difficult and undesirable to settle on a course of action, as you never know when the situation might change. In any case, they live more to just explore and take in knowledge cerebrally than they do to have a direct impact on the world. The more knowledge they can gather, the better. They are very excited by new ideas and often attempt to build on them in novel ways. They are very often brilliant and creative, so it goes without saying that some of the most brilliant creative artists, philosophers, scientists, writers, etc. have been Intellectuals. They may not fit in well with the conventional systems that Judging types thrive in, and for this reason have the lowest average income of all the temperaments. And they are often perceived by more conventional types as eccentric, quirky, or outright strange. But all of this rarely matters to them, so long as they are free to explore their ideas and express themselves creatively. And when an Intellectual does find widespread success, they are often the catalysts for some of the greatest revolutions in whatever their field of interest is, sometimes shaking its very foundation and permanently changing the way it is perceived.
All Intellectuals look very similar on the surface, but internally the NTP and NFP are quite different. The NTP is focused more on impersonal, generalized, detached ideas that may overlook the human element, while the NFP is focused more on the personal and social side of ideas and is often very concerned with abstract human rights and their own individual values. There are also noticeable differences between the INP and ENP. The INP tends to work through their ideas alone within their own minds, only checking with the outside world and sharing them with others after they are formed, while the ENP works through their ideas aloud in concert with others, and their ideas are directly influenced by the outside world, which they seek to expand upon.
Examples: Albert Einstein (INTP), Benjamin Franklin (ENTP), David Lynch (INFP), Bill Clinton (ENFP)
SP: The Actors
This group is the most down-to-earth, in-the-moment, reflexive, adaptive, thrill-seeking, and risk-taking of all the temperaments. They live in the real world and experience it raw and unfiltered through their five senses. Just as Intellectuals want to gather as much abstract knowledge as they can, Actors want to gather as much sensory experience as they can. And in order to do that, they must act, hence the name. They rarely hesitate to take action, freely allowing themselves to be guided by their impulses, which rarely mislead them. They tend to have a very “keep it simple stupid” attitude toward the world, and have little patience for either the convoluted theory of Intellectuals or the confining systems of Judging types. They simply want to be free to act unconstrained in the real world, and anything that limits the options available to them is something they oppose. Because they are so keenly aware of the sensory data in their environment and so in tune with their senses, they tend to be very good at using their senses to manipulate objects in the real world to their benefit. For this reason, some of them are literally actors, or another job that requires detailed physical action, such as fashion designer, athlete, mechanic, surgeon, etc. Anything that allows them to get their hands dirty and continuously provides new sensory stimulation so as not to bore them. On the downside, they may be perceived by other types as superficial or reckless, because they do not often put much thought into the possible future outcomes of their immediate actions and they focus their attention on the surface. But they usually care very little and thumb their noses at such judgments. The way they see it, they are simply living life naturally and free, the way it is meant to be lived, while other types are missing out because they refuse to stop and look around as often.
All Actors look close to one another on the surface, but internally the STP and SFP are quite different. The STP is focused more on taking action based on what makes sense to them and what they think will benefit them most, while the SFP is focused more on taking action based on what they value and how they think it could benefit others. There are also noticeable differences between the ISP and ESP. The ISP will be more distant and often much less verbal, truly letting their actions do all the talking for them, while the ESP is more prone to be a smooth talker who is as skilled with the art of words as with physical arts.
Examples: Clint Eastwood (ISTP), Donald Trump (ESTP), Marilyn Monroe (ISFP), Ronald Reagan (ESFP)
It’s always seemed completely arbitrary to me that, in his temperament theory, Keirsey combined N with T/F and S with J/P. It seems to make a lot more sense to me that if you have a judging preference, J should be combined with how you judge (T/F) and if you have a perceiving preference, P should be combined with how you perceive (N/S). After all, that will be the function you show the most in the external world, and for this reason the types within the TJ, FJ, NP, and SP groups have a lot more in common with each other--on the surface at least--than Keirsey’s groups do. And since Keirsey attempts to divide types based on observable behavior, using these groups as temperaments instead makes a lot more sense. So I made my own descriptions of these temperaments.
Judging Types
TJ: The Executives
This group is the most pragmatic, decisive, efficient, assertive, task-oriented, and determined of all the temperaments. They have strong willpower and enjoy being in control. They establish categories by which they classify both people and things, and are motivated to reach the top of whatever hierarchy they are a part of. But wherever they do fall in the hierarchy, they will enforce the system and recognize its authority. They tend to believe the ends justify the means and are prone to thinking in black-and-white, objective, "us v. them" type terms. They are not the most patient types and will often sacrifice purity for expediency. They pay little regard to social costs and will only bow to social norms, with some reluctance, if they need to do so in order to achieve their ends. They will always use whatever tools are available to them that will get them the best result, because they always keep an eye toward the bottom line and the end result matters to them above all else. Before taking any action, they question whether the benefits outweigh the costs in terms of external standards and objective measures of success. If yes, they will act. If no, they will not. They make most all decisions according to this simple equation. They quickly examine clear evidence and facts available to them and ruthlessly apply hard logic to them in order to judge what they mean and what should be done based on them. For this reason, they are highly skilled at coming up with solutions to most any problem they are confronted with. They are excellent at motivating and organizing themselves and others in order to accomplish tasks and simply get things done. For these reasons, they have the highest average income of all the temperaments and often rise to some of the most powerful positions in business, government, etc.
All Executives look practically the same on the surface, but internally the NTJ and STJ are quite different. The STJ is focused on past precedent and maintaining established systems, while the NTJ is focused on improving upon established systems or establishing new systems for the future. There are also noticeable differences between the ITJ and ETJ. The ITJ tends to be more reluctant to take on a public leadership role and is content with exerting influence from behind the scenes, while the ETJ is a more vocal director who likes to be clearly in charge. Both, however, are capable of performing the preferred role of the other, they just will have to expend more energy to do so.
Examples: Hillary Clinton (INTJ), Steve Jobs (ENTJ), George Washington (ISTJ), Henry Ford (ESTJ)
FJ: The Harmonizers
This group is the most diplomatic, sociable, caring, friendly, warm, and agreeable of all the temperaments. They enjoy establishing relationships with people and are excellent at peacefully resolving conflicts and bringing people together. They take their moral values and commitments seriously and are very loyal to the groups they are part of. They enjoy cooperating with others and uniting for a greater purpose. For these reasons they are often found in churches and other religious or spiritual groups, or any kind of charity organization dedicated to helping others. They are also commonly found in career fields such as social work or healthcare, anywhere they can feel they are making a positive difference in people's lives. You will rarely see a Harmonizer in an argument or fight with others, unless they feel they have no other choice or else harm may come to others. In such situations they often become very uncomfortable and visibly upset, and may lose their grip on rationality, throwing out impassioned and desperate emotional appeals. But if direct conflict can be avoided, they will do so by any means possible. This is why Harmonizers often go along with the views expressed by others around them, whether they agree with them or not. Just as Executives make decisions based on whether they are worth the practical costs, Harmonizers make decisions based on whether they are worth the social costs. They care greatly about social norms and how they are perceived by others, not so much because of their own egos but because they do not want to risk hurting or offending others. As their name suggests, they value harmony above all else and establishing harmony is their primary motivation. They are often excellent at moving and uniting people behind a cause, and for this reason some of the most influential social leaders in history have been Harmonizers.
All Harmonizers look nearly identical on the surface, but internally the NFJ and SFJ are quite different. The SFJ is focused on maintaining established social conventions and working within traditional social groups, while the NFJ is focused on reforming social conventions or improving upon the traditional social status of groups in society. There are also noticeable differences between the IFJ and EFJ. The IFJ is more quietly caring and gentle, content with working silently and out of the spotlight to advance their causes and help people, while the EFJ takes on a more vocal and impassioned role publicly advocating for their cause and taking on the responsibility of initiating movements of people. Both, however, are capable of performing the preferred role of the other, they just will have to expend more energy to do so.
Examples: Mahatma Gandhi (INFJ), Martin Luther King, Jr. (ENFJ), Mother Teresa (ISFJ), Dale Carnegie (ESFJ)
Perceiving Types
NP: The Intellectuals
This group is the most philosophical, novelty-seeking, open-minded, curious, unconventional, and imaginative of all the temperaments. They enjoy reflecting upon and playing with ideas, either within their own minds or in discussion with others. They find it very easy to perceive all possible ways in which a situation might unfold, or all possible meanings—hidden or otherwise—that might be behind anything they see. For this reason, they are the temperament least prone to taking direct action and following through with their plans. They are constantly changing their minds and refining their concepts based on new information, so they find it both difficult and undesirable to settle on a course of action, as you never know when the situation might change. In any case, they live more to just explore and take in knowledge cerebrally than they do to have a direct impact on the world. The more knowledge they can gather, the better. They are very excited by new ideas and often attempt to build on them in novel ways. They are very often brilliant and creative, so it goes without saying that some of the most brilliant creative artists, philosophers, scientists, writers, etc. have been Intellectuals. They may not fit in well with the conventional systems that Judging types thrive in, and for this reason have the lowest average income of all the temperaments. And they are often perceived by more conventional types as eccentric, quirky, or outright strange. But all of this rarely matters to them, so long as they are free to explore their ideas and express themselves creatively. And when an Intellectual does find widespread success, they are often the catalysts for some of the greatest revolutions in whatever their field of interest is, sometimes shaking its very foundation and permanently changing the way it is perceived.
All Intellectuals look very similar on the surface, but internally the NTP and NFP are quite different. The NTP is focused more on impersonal, generalized, detached ideas that may overlook the human element, while the NFP is focused more on the personal and social side of ideas and is often very concerned with abstract human rights and their own individual values. There are also noticeable differences between the INP and ENP. The INP tends to work through their ideas alone within their own minds, only checking with the outside world and sharing them with others after they are formed, while the ENP works through their ideas aloud in concert with others, and their ideas are directly influenced by the outside world, which they seek to expand upon.
Examples: Albert Einstein (INTP), Benjamin Franklin (ENTP), David Lynch (INFP), Bill Clinton (ENFP)
SP: The Actors
This group is the most down-to-earth, in-the-moment, reflexive, adaptive, thrill-seeking, and risk-taking of all the temperaments. They live in the real world and experience it raw and unfiltered through their five senses. Just as Intellectuals want to gather as much abstract knowledge as they can, Actors want to gather as much sensory experience as they can. And in order to do that, they must act, hence the name. They rarely hesitate to take action, freely allowing themselves to be guided by their impulses, which rarely mislead them. They tend to have a very “keep it simple stupid” attitude toward the world, and have little patience for either the convoluted theory of Intellectuals or the confining systems of Judging types. They simply want to be free to act unconstrained in the real world, and anything that limits the options available to them is something they oppose. Because they are so keenly aware of the sensory data in their environment and so in tune with their senses, they tend to be very good at using their senses to manipulate objects in the real world to their benefit. For this reason, some of them are literally actors, or another job that requires detailed physical action, such as fashion designer, athlete, mechanic, surgeon, etc. Anything that allows them to get their hands dirty and continuously provides new sensory stimulation so as not to bore them. On the downside, they may be perceived by other types as superficial or reckless, because they do not often put much thought into the possible future outcomes of their immediate actions and they focus their attention on the surface. But they usually care very little and thumb their noses at such judgments. The way they see it, they are simply living life naturally and free, the way it is meant to be lived, while other types are missing out because they refuse to stop and look around as often.
All Actors look close to one another on the surface, but internally the STP and SFP are quite different. The STP is focused more on taking action based on what makes sense to them and what they think will benefit them most, while the SFP is focused more on taking action based on what they value and how they think it could benefit others. There are also noticeable differences between the ISP and ESP. The ISP will be more distant and often much less verbal, truly letting their actions do all the talking for them, while the ESP is more prone to be a smooth talker who is as skilled with the art of words as with physical arts.
Examples: Clint Eastwood (ISTP), Donald Trump (ESTP), Marilyn Monroe (ISFP), Ronald Reagan (ESFP)
