Personality Profiles
Different personality types have different strengths and weaknesses, interests, values, self-image, intellectual focus, and social roles. Different personality types are also susceptible to different stress triggers and behave differently when under stress. Take the personality quiz and see if the descriptions below sound familiar.
| TYPE | Strengths & Weaknesses | Stress Triggers & Behaviors | Language and Tools | Intellect, Interests, Self-image, Values and Social Roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boss (pointy-headed, eagle-eyed tyrant puppy or ESTJ) | Strengths: administrative leadership, competence, truth and accuracy, decisive action; Weaknesses: inner emotional harmony | Stress Triggers: lack of control, poorly defined criteria, disorganized environment, interruptions, irrationality, incompetence, disregard of their deep values, others' emotional expressions, remorse for their own harshness; Behaviors Under Stress: dictatorial and demanding; hypersensitivity to inner states, outbursts of emotion, fear of feeling | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: logistical, stoic, pessimistic, fatalistic; Interests: commerce, morality, material; Self-image: dependable, beneficent, respectable; Values: concern, authority, belonging, security, gratitude, executive authority; Social Roles: administrative leader, socializer parent, helpmate lover/companion |
| Director (pointy-headed, psychic tyrant puppy or ENTJ) | Strengths: visionary leadership, competence, truth and accuracy, decisive action; Weaknesses: inner emotional harmony | Stress Triggers: lack of control, poorly defined criteria, disorganized environment, interruptions, irrationality, incompetence, disregard of their deep values, others' emotional expressions, remorse for their own harshness; Behaviors Under Stress: dictatorial and demanding; hypersensitivity to inner states, outbursts of emotion, fear of feeling | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: strategic, pragmatic, skeptical, relativistic; Interests: science, technology, systems; Self-image: ingenious, autonomous, resolute; Values: calmness, reason, achievement, knowledge, deference, wizardry; Social Roles: visionary leader, individuator parent, mind mate lover/companion |
| Enforcer (eagle-eyed, pointy-headed tyrant turtle or ISTJ) | Strengths: inspection and assurance, solitude and reflection, attention to facts and details, awareness of internal experience; Weaknesses: flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking | Stress Triggers: deadlines, others' incompetent work that affects the quality of their own work, sudden change, change for no good reason, forced inefficiency or ineffectiveness, being asked to improvise or brainstorm; Behaviors Under Stress: loss of control over facts and details, impulsiveness, catastrophizing | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: logistical, stoic, pessimistic, fatalistic; Interests: commerce, morality, material; Self-image: dependable, beneficent, respectable; Values: concern, authority, belonging, security, gratitude, executive authority; Social Roles: administrative leader, socializer parent, helpmate lover/companion |
| Engineer (pointy-headed, eagle-eyed hippie turtle or ISTP) | Strengths: masterful operation of tools, equipment, machines and instruments, impersonal criticism, logical analysis, and search for accuracy and truth; Weaknesses: sensitivity to others' welfare and sharing of emotions | Stress Triggers: oppressive regulations, incompetent supervisors, responsibility for or dependence on others' performance, irrationality, injustice, forced socializing, strong emotions, disconfirmation of feelings; Behaviors Under Stress: undue emphasis on logic, hypersensitivity to relationships, emotionalism | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: tactical, hedonistic, optimistic, cynical; Interests: artcraft, technique, equipment; Self-image: artistic, audacious, adaptable; Values: excitement, impulse, impact, stimulation, generosity, virtuoso ability; Social Roles: negotiative leader, liberator parent, playmate lover/companion |
| Guardian (bleeding-hearted, eagle-eyed tyrant puppy or ESFJ) | Strengths: providing and caring for others, comfortable inattention to logic, sensitivity to others' welfare, and sharing of emotions; Weaknesses: logical analysis | Stress Triggers: uncooperative teammates, confrontational relationships, sudden change, personal criticism, having to treat others impersonally, inadequate time to do a good job, work that violates personal integrity, absence of trust, pressure to conform; Behaviors Under Stress: excessive criticism, convoluted logic, compulsive search for truth | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: logistical, stoic, pessimistic, fatalistic; Interests: commerce, morality, material; Self-image: dependable, beneficent, respectable; Values: concern, authority, belonging, security, gratitude, executive authority; Social Roles: administrative leader, socializer parent, helpmate lover/companion |
| Humanitarian (bleeding-hearted, eagle-eyed hippie turtle or ISFP) | Strengths: grasping what fits and what doesn't in an artistic work, inner harmony, economy of emotional expression, and acceptance of feeling as nonlogical; Weaknesses: decisive action | Stress Triggers: task overload, rigid structures and time pressures, workplace conflict, insufficient alone time, controlling people, forced conformity, negativity, criticism, fear of loss, violation of values; Behaviors Under Stress: judgments of incompetence, aggressive criticism, precipitous action | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: tactical, hedonistic, optimistic, cynical; Interests: artcraft, technique, equipment; Self-image: artistic, audacious, adaptable; Values: excitement, impulse, impact, stimulation, generosity, virtuoso ability; Social Roles: negotiative leader, liberator parent, playmate lover/companion |
| Innovator (psychic, pointy-headed hippie puppy or ENTP) | Strengths: invention, comfortable inattention to sensory data, flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking, and optimism about future possibilities; Weaknesses: attention to factual details | Stress Triggers: premature closure, disrespect of competence, detail overload, close supervision indicating distrust and doubt, too little outside stimulation, limits on the creative process, physical exhaustion, violation of values or principles; Behaviors Under Stress: withdrawal and depression, obsessiveness, focus on the body | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: strategic, pragmatic, skeptical, relativistic; Interests: science, technology, systems; Self-image: ingenious, autonomous, resolute; Values: calmness, reason, achievement, knowledge, deference, wizardry; Social Roles: visionary leader, individuator parent, mindmate lover/companion |
| Muse (bleeding-hearted, psychic tyrant puppy or ENFJ) | Strengths: inspiring others to grow and learn, comfortable inattention to logic, sensitivity to others' welfare, and sharing of emotions; Weaknesses: logical analysis | Stress Triggers: uncooperative teammates, confrontational relationships, sudden change, personal criticism, having to treat others impersonally, inadequate time to do a good job, work that violates personal integrity, absence of trust, pressure to conform; Behaviors Under Stress: excessive criticism, convoluted logic, compulsive search for truth | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: diplomatic, altruistic, credulous, mystic; Interests: humanities, morale, personnel; Self-image: empathetic, benevolent, authentic; Values: enthusiasm, intuition, romance, identity, recognition, sagacity; Social Roles: catalyst leader, harmonizer parent, soulmate lover/companion |
| Philanthropist (eagle-eyed, bleeding-hearted tyrant turtle or ISFJ) | Strengths: ensuring the security of others, solitude and reflection, attention to facts and details, awareness of internal experience; Weaknesses: flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking | Stress Triggers: deadlines, others' incompetent work that affects the quality of their own work, sudden change, change for no good reason, forced inefficiency or ineffectiveness, being asked to improvise or brainstorm; Behaviors Under Stress: loss of control over facts and details, impulsiveness, catastrophizing | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: logistical, stoic, pessimistic, fatalistic; Interests: commerce, morality, material; Self-image: dependable, beneficent, respectable; Values: concern, authority, belonging, security, gratitude, executive authority; Social Roles: administrative leader, socializer parent, helpmate lover/companion |
| Poet (bleeding-hearted, psychic hippie turtle or INFP) | Strengths: gift for language, inner harmony, economy of emotional expression, and acceptance of feeling as nonlogical; Weaknesses: decisive action | Stress Triggers: task overload, rigid structures and time pressures, workplace conflict, insufficient alone time, controlling people, forced conformity, negativity, criticism, fear of loss, violation of values; Behaviors Under Stress: judgments of incompetence, aggressive criticism, precipitous action | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: diplomatic, altruistic, credulous, mystic; Interests: humanities, morale, personnel; Self-image: empathetic, benevolent, authentic; Values: enthusiasm, intuition, romance, identity, recognition, sagacity; Social Roles: catalyst leader, harmonizer parent, soulmate lover/companion |
| Politician (eagle-eyed, pointy-headed hippie puppy or ESTP) | Strengths: negotiation, focus on external data, seeking sensual/aesthetic pleasure, and taking delight in the outer world; Weaknesses: visionary insight | Stress Triggers: deadlines, rigid routines, too little free time, long-term planning, lack of control over circumstances, unclear guidance, closing off options; Behaviors Under Stress: internal confusion, inappropriate attribution of meaning, grandiose vision | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: tactical, hedonistic, optimistic, cynical; Interests: artcraft, technique, equipment; Self-image: artistic, audacious, adaptable; Values: excitement, impulse, impact, stimulation, generosity, virtuoso ability; Social Roles: negotiative leader, liberator parent, playmate lover/companion |
| Professor (pointy-headed, psychic hippie turtle or INTP) | Strengths: systems design, impersonal criticism, logical analysis, and search for accuracy and truth; Weaknesses: sensitivity to others' welfare and sharing of emotions | Stress Triggers: oppressive regulations, incompetent supervisors, responsibility for or dependence on others' performance, irrationality, injustice, forced socializing, strong emotions, disconfirmation of feelings; Behaviors Under Stress: undue emphasis on logic, hypersensitivity to relationships, emotionalism | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: strategic, pragmatic, skeptical, relativistic; Interests: science, technology, systems; Self-image: ingenious, autonomous, resolute; Values: calmness, reason, achievement, knowledge, deference, wizardry; Social Roles: visionary leader, individuator parent, mindmate lover/companion |
| Prophet (psychic, bleeding-hearted tyrant turtle or INFJ) | Strengths: helping others realize their human potential, intellectual clarity, accurate interpretation of perceptions, and visionary insight; Weaknesses: awareness of external realities | Stress Triggers: handling details, incompetent supervisors, forced socializing, noisy and disorganized environments, pressure to violate principles, poor performance by teammates, unexpected events; Behaviors Under Stress: obsessive focus on external data, overindulgence in sensual pleasure, rebellion against the world | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: diplomatic, altruistic, credulous, mystic; Interests: humanities, morale, personnel; Self-image: empathetic, benevolent, authentic; Values: enthusiasm, intuition, romance, identity, recognition, sagacity; Social Roles: catalyst leader, harmonizer parent, soulmate lover/companion |
| Revolutionary (psychic, pointy-headed tyrant turtle or INTJ) | Strengths: contingency planning, intellectual clarity, accurate interpretation of perceptions, and visionary insight; Weaknesses: awareness of external realities | Stress Triggers: handling details, incompetent supervisors, forced socializing, noisy and disorganized environments, pressure to violate principles, poor performance by teammates, unexpected events; Behaviors Under Stress: obsessive focus on external data, overindulgence in sensual pleasure, rebellion against the world | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: strategic, pragmatic, skeptical, relativistic; Interests: science, technology, systems; Self-image: ingenious, autonomous, resolute; Values: calmness, reason, achievement, knowledge, deference, wizardry; Social Roles: visionary leader, individuator parent, mindmate lover/companion |
| Romantic (psychic, bleeding-hearted hippie puppy or ENFP) | Strengths: motivating others, comfortable inattention to sensory data, flexibility, adaptability and risk-taking, and optimism about future possibilities; Weaknesses:: attention to factual details | Stress Triggers: premature closure, disrespect of competence, detail overload, close supervision indicating distrust and doubt, too little outside stimulation, limits on the creative process, physical exhaustion, violation of values or principles; Behaviors Under Stress: withdrawal and depression, obsessiveness, focus on the body | Language: conceptual and abstract; Tools: achieves desired results through socially approved means | Intellect: diplomatic, altruistic, credulous, mystic; Interests: humanities, morale, personnel; Self-image: empathetic, benevolent, authentic; Values: enthusiasm, intuition, romance, identity, recognition, sagacity; Social Roles: catalyst leader, harmonizer parent, soulmate lover/companion |
| Traveler (eagle-eyed, bleeding-hearted hippie puppy or ESFP) | Strengths: performing for others, focus on external data, seeking sensual/aesthetic pleasure, and taking delight in the outer world; Weaknesses: visionary insight | Stress Triggers: deadlines, rigid routines, too little free time, long-term planning, lack of control over circumstances, unclear guidance, closing off options; Behaviors Under Stress: internal confusion, inappropriate attribution of meaning, grandiose vision | Language: concrete and realistic; Tools: achieves desired results using most effective means available whether or not socially approved | Intellect: tactical, hedonistic, optimistic, cynical; Interests: artcraft, technique, equipment; Self-image: artistic, audacious, adaptable; Values: excitement, impulse, impact, stimulation, generosity, virtuoso ability; Social Roles: negotiative leader, liberator parent, playmate lover/companion |
Much of this information is drawn from the work of psychologist David Keirsey and Naomi L. Quenk. See Keirsey, David, Please Understand Me II. Prometheus Nemesis Book Company, and Quenk, Naomi L., In the Grip: Understanding Type, Stress, and the Inferior Function, CPP, Inc.
Our personality quiz and educational materials are based on Carl Jung’s theory of psychological types and the research of Isabel Myers (creator of the Myers-Briggs), David Keirsey, and Paul and Barbara Tieger, and others.
Disclaimer: 2bme has no affiliation with the Myers & Briggs Foundation or its affiliate, Consulting Psychologists Press, Inc., and we do not administer the MBTI® instrument or the Myers-Briggs® assessment.