Psychology to Develop Characters
I’ve noticed many of the authors at Prairie Rose have
talked recently about their research—and believe me, I’ve been there, too. But
the research I’ve been doing in the last few weeks has taken me to a whole
other kind of rabbit hole. While I started out with the intention of developing
characters by using the Myers-Briggs Personality Types, I not only discovered a
whole new way to create villains, heroes, and whatever lies between, I
accidently found enlightenment and validation.
Many of you may remember taking the Myers-Briggs
Personality Test in high school for the purpose of helping you choose careers
based on your character traits. Mine was INFJ (I’ll explain the personality
types further down.) Already, I feel like I might be exposing who I am down
deep just by telling you what my result was. But I can be fearless. Now that
I’m more mature (hopefully), I can see where people make not only career
choices based on their personality types, but they also choose friends and life
mates the same way—except it’s all in the subconscious. I consider subconscious
goings on as scary business. I don’t like the idea of doing things I have no
control over.
It may seem like a waste of time to hang out on
Pinterest, but I have found so much information there, I could spend the day
doing nothing but Pinterest. Besides, for my personality type, Pinterest
research is my energy recharge.
Here is the basic test and what the results mean. You
may be astounded by your results. I certainly was.
MYERS-BRIGGS PERSONALITY CHART
Extravert (energy) Introvert
initiating E
vs I receiving
expressive contained
gregarious intimate
active reflective
enthusiastic quiet
Sensing (information) Intuition
concrete S
vs I or N abstract
realistic imaginative
practical conceptual
experimenting theoretical
traditional original
Thinking (decisions) Feeling
logical T
vs F casual
reasonable open-ended
critical accepting
questioning accommodating
tough tender
Judging
(lifestyle) Perceiving
systematic J
vs P casual
planer open-ended
scheduled spontaneous
early starting pressure-prompted
methodical emergent
When I took the test, I learned I was an INFJ (same
thing as an IIFJ). I’m a daydreamer and a night thinker, an idealist, and get
my energy from being alone. It’s hard for me to be around extroverts and large
crowds for an extended period of time because I feel drained of my energy.
Introverts tend to give energy to others and have to be alone to recharge.
Extroverts, on the other hand, are rejuvenated and inspired by the energy of
others. I always thought introverts were withdrawn, but it turns out that is
not the case. They just have a limited source of energy they can only
regenerate by themselves so they keep to their own space. Their silence isn’t
an insult, but is often taken as such. They just don’t speak unless they have
something to say. They feel like it’s their duty to cheer up those who seem to
need it. So much of what weighs them down is not their burden to carry. They
don’t realize they’re drowning because they are everyone else’s anchor. The
most important desire an INFJ wants is for someone to understand them. I think
perhaps many writers fit into this personality type. Just sayin’…
Just using this example, I can see where an INFJ or
INFP hero or heroine might chose a friend or life partner who was their
complete opposite like an ESTJ (direct, confident, aggressive, and unfeeling)
to create story tension. I have used the Zodiac signs to create characters in
the past, but I see where Myers Briggs is far better in building characters
because it’s more detailed about the inner workings of each personality type.
Okay, so here is the Myers Briggs personality types
and their basic characteristics:
ISTJ put
together, reserved, serious, judgmental
ISFJ level-headed,
sweet, submissive, overly cautious
INFJ kind,
reflective, withdrawn, overly sensitive
INTJ intelligent,
serious, impersonal, aloof
ISTP independent,
down-to-earth, undiplomatic, disconnected from others
ISFP unique,
carefree, overly sensitive, close-minded
INFP dreamy,
caring, spacey, overly sensitive
INTP rational,
pensive, critical, isolated
ESTP fun,
confident, superficial, aggressive
ESFP entertaining,
spontaneous, vapid, superficial
ENFP charming,
enthusiastic, thoughtless, unreliable
ENTP innovative,
energetic, insensitive, scatterbrained
ESTJ direct,
confident, aggressive, unfeeling
ESFJ friendly,
helpful, bossy, controlling
ENFJ energetic,
diplomatic, unrealistic, overly sensitive
ENTJ put
together, ambitious, intimidating, aggressive
I already figured out my family and friends. I can’t
help it. I just had to see where they fit in these personality types, bearing
in mind, it’s only my perception of them. I have a family of mostly extroverts,
and my few friends are introverts. They do fall into different categories after
that. Isn’t this fun?
Characters and their Myers Briggs personality type.
So, you can plot out your characters by using Myers
Briggs. Here is a list of MB personalities and their vocations.
ENTJ the
Executive
INTJ the
Mastermind
ENTP the
Originator
INTP the Scientist
ESTJ the Overseer
ISTJ the Examiner
ESTP the Persuader
ISTP the Craftsman
ENFJ the Mentor
INFJ the
Perfectionist
ENFP the Advocate
INFP the Dreamer
ESFJ the Supporter
ISFJ the Defender
ESFP the Entertainer
ISFP the Artist
When a writer is
developing a criminal, it would be wise to incorporate the kind of MB
personality that would commit such a crime. I wish I had known this a couple
stories ago. So here is a list of MB personality types and the kind of crimes
each would potentially commit.
I found quite a few jokes about the Myers Briggs
personality types, especially between Spock from Star Trek and Sherlock Holmes,
including the responses of their sidekicks, Watson and Bones.
I’m ashamed to say I didn’t get this when I saw the
Star Trek film. But it sure is funny now that it has been pointed out to me—probably
by an observant, intelligent INTJ type.
I wrote the personality types, their typical vocations and potential crimes in my journal to use in my story development. To quote Spock, “I found it fascinating.”
