People are strange. That's part of what is so fascinating about them. And Keirsey's ideas help to give us a framework for understanding each other.
One of his major purposes is to point out that everyone is different. And that's a good thing. Far too often we find fault with others if they behave in a different way. They don't take our wishes seriously, they spend time on frivolous pursuits, they don't act responsibly; maybe they think too much, or don't know how to have fun; they over-analyze everything or are obsessed with something we feel is a trivial matter.
And in fact, he has observed for decades a basic human drive, to try to 'fix' other people, to make them behave more like we think they should act. He calls this drive 'The Pygmalion Project' after the Greek sculptor who rejected all women for one reason or another and ended up chipping away at a block of marble until he created his ideal woman.
It is a futile effort. People are true to themselves, and cannot be molded to fit one another's ideal. Instead, Keirsey proposes that the very differences we find should be recognized, accepted, and celebrated. And in order to help people understand one another, he has spend decades refining the ideas of Plato and Jung, as set forth by Isabel Myers -- the Four Temperaments.
Rationals |
Idealists |
Artisans |
Guardians |
Rationals [xNTx] can be thought of as The Owl -- intelligent, thoughtful, efficient, inciteful, pragmatic, logical.
Idealists [xNFx] can be thought of as The Dolphin -- cooperative, social, playful, curious, friendly.
Artisans [xSxP] can be thought of as The Fox -- clever, nimble, discerning, elusive.
Guardians [xSxJ] can be thought of as The Beaver -- diligent, protective, hard-working, community-oriented.
The Keirsey Personality Sorter
Answer Form
The Test
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