Jan's Forum on

Character Styles in Movies, Literature, and Public Life

WHY STUDY CHARACTER STYLES?

This forum has the purpose of helping you to see the basic drivers of human behaviour in yourself, your partner, your friends and collegues. There is a limited set of basis drivers - also called motivation factors, needs, fears, thinking styles - which are the unconscious basis of your daily behaviour. We have many of these drivers active in our mind. However there is one very dominant driver that is the trigger for everything we do: reacting to situations, choosing a job, choosing a partner, conflict management etc. So we want to get to know this unconscious personal driver!

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO LEARN PROFILING PEOPLE ?

The best way of learning to identify these behavioural drivers is watching and listening to people in a new way, by using the psychological reference classification called the DSMIV. The problem with the DSMIV some time ago was that it described disorders. A disorder is not illnes; but a person who is extreme in his personality style. Most people's character however is NOT so extreme. For some time the popular typing system called the Enneagram (as described by Claudio Naranjo and many other commercial 'lite' authors) has been a solution to this problem. However now in 2000 the solution has become a problem itself. The many versions of 'the' enneagram are not compatible in definitions. This lack of standard with enneatypes causes a Babylonian communication problem. Since people don't bother to mention their 'guru' when saying for example that a person is an 'type 2'. It could well be that a person using another enneagram book will describe the same person as 'type 9'. Both persons are right within their own ennea-reference book but often problems arise when they start communicating about 'which'is the E-type; as can be seen on the other boards of this site. Also the 'wings' and 'stress points' , in fact the complete graphical symbol of the enneagram is not endorsed by ANY university or faculty. The enneagram is a mix of truth and 'belief'; which is not a bad thing as long as you are aware of it.

When you want to use your precious time to learn how to profile people's characters, you'd better use the new personality system for profiling 'normal' people written by Dr. Oldham. Its scientifically validated and an universally accepted language in the world of psychology because it's based on the DSMIV classification of which Oldham has been a main contributer:

Oldham, John M., and Lois B. Morris. The New Personality Self-Portrait: Why You Think, Work, Love, and Act the Way You Do. Rev. ed. New York: Bantam, 1995.

A creatively elaborated version of Oldhams work can be found on Dave Kelly's site called PT Types.

JUST DO IT!

However you won't learn anything by just reading theory. Just like when learning to drive a car, you have to combine theory with your own learning experience. With human behaviour this is: observations of people. Because movies and celebrities are highly profiled characters which can be seen all over the world; they are good learning stuff for beginners. The fantastic thing of Internet is that you can communicate with other students of personality profiling all over the world to exchange views, make errors and improve yourself.

My basic type is Idiosyncratic/INTJ. The core personal competence that comes with these is that of monitor/evaluator i.e. being good at/enjoying analysing. However my postings on the forum are still MY personal observations seen from MY point of view! It's not mathematics and we often have to work with impressions of people based on few facts. However: as Sherlock Holmes knew; you don't allways need many facts to make a good analysis!

Therefore I welcome your comments on my observations. Don't hesitate to react on the bulletin board if you disagree with my typing of the characters or if you can type characters I have not included in the analysis. Let's make this bulletin board a learning network for people who are interested in human behavour

Feel free to add your own movie and celebrity observations also. Please supply arguments WHY a character is a certain enneagram type. Just mentioning the number does'nt help other visitors to learn about the enneagram and also makes discussion impossible. Please supply specific behavioural 'symptoms' or sentences which validate your opinion.

ETHICS

Currently the Internet is used by people who want to remain anonymous. The problem with this is that boards often get cluttered with messages reflecting negative emotions of the sender. These harm the learning process since often 'flamy' messages escalate. I think it's silly to make a list of prohibited writings since you are a grown up.

It's so simple. Imagine that you are on a 'real world' conference meeting and talk with people; then you behave responsible and constructive. When you are a guest at my forum and behave politely your message wil not be removed. Discussion about any removal: not on the Forum: use my e-mail address.

Jan D. den Breejen M.Sc.
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
(jdb_rotterdam@wxs.nl)

CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM USED BY JAN - OUTLINE OF MAIN CHARACTER STYLES

(Source: Oldham, John M., and Lois B. Morris. The New Personality Self-Portrait: Why You Think, Work, Love, and Act the Way You Do. Rev. ed. New York: Bantam, 1995. )

Conscientious personality type / DSMIV Obsessive-Compulsive

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Conscientious personality style. The following eight characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Hard work. The Conscientious person is dedicated to work, works very hard, and is capable of intense, single-minded effort.
  
• The right thing. To be Conscientious is to be a person of conscience. These are men and women of strong moral principles and values. Opinions and beliefs on any subject are rarely held lightly. Conscientious individuals want to do the right thing.
  
• The right way. Everything must be done "right," and the Conscientious person has a clear understanding of what that means, from the correct way to balance the checkbook, to the best strategy to achieve the boss's objectives, to how to fit every single dirty dish into the dishwasher.
  
• Perfectionism. The Conscientious person likes all tasks and projects to be complete to the final detail, without even minor flaws.
  
• Perseverance. They stick to their convictions and opinions. Opposition only serves to strengthen their dogged determination.
  
• Order and detail. Conscientious people like the appearance of orderliness and tidiness. They are good organizers, catalogers, and list makers. No detail is too small for Conscientious consideration.
  
• Prudence. Thrifty, careful, and cautious in all areas of their lives, Conscientious individuals do not give in to reckless abandon or wild excess.
  
• Accumulation. A "pack rat," the Conscientious person saves and collects things, reluctant to discard anything that has, formerly had, or someday may have value for him or her.
  
• Basic Trait (source: Dave Kelly)

  The basic trait of the Conscientious personality type is a preoccupation with mental and interpersonal control in order to avoid or overcome feelings of insecurity. Salzman (1968) found that the typical obsessive-compulsive has a need to "gain control over one's self and one's environment in order to avoid or overcome distressful feelings of helplessness. The concern about the possibility of losing control by being incompetent, insufficiently informed, or unable to reduce the risks of living produces the greatest amount of anxiety. The realization of one's humaneness -- with its inherent limitations -- is often the basis for considerable anxiety and obsessive attempts of greater control over one's living (16)." All of the traits of the Conscientious personality type are expressions of this need to control.

Sensitive personality type / DSMIV Avoidant

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Sensitive personality style. The following six characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Familiarity. Individuals with the Sensitive personality style prefer the known to the unknown. They are comfortable with, even inspired by, habit, repetition, and routine.
  
• Concern. Sensitive individuals care deeply about what other people think of them.
  
• Circumspection. They behave with deliberate discretion in their dealings with others. They do not make hasty judgments or jump in before they know what is appropriate.
  
• Polite reserve. Socially they take care to maintain a courteous, self-restrained demeanor.
  
• Role. They function best in scripted settings, vocationally and socially: when they know precisely what is expected of them, how they are supposed to relate to others, and what they are expected to say.
  
• Privacy. Sensitive men and women are not quick to share their innermost thoughts and feelings with others, even those they know well.

Vigilant personality type/DSMIV Paranoid

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Vigilant personality style. The following six characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Autonomy. Vigilant-style individuals possess a resilient independence. They keep their own counsel, they require no outside reassurance or advice, they make decisions easily, and they can take care of themselves.
  
• Caution. They are careful in their dealings with others, preferring to size up a person before entering into a relationship.
  
• Perceptiveness. They are good listeners, with an ear for subtlety, tone, and multiple levels of communication.
  
• Self-defense. Individuals with Vigilant style are feisty and do not hesitate to stand up for themselves, especially when they are under attack.
  
• Alertness to criticism. They take criticism very seriously, without becoming intimidated.
  
• Fidelity. They place a high premium on fidelity and loyalty. They work hard to earn it, and they never take it for granted.

Dramatic personality type/DSMIV histrionic

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Dramatic personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Feelings. Dramatic men and women live in an emotional world. They are sensation oriented, emotionally demonstrative, and physically affectionate, They react emotionally to events and can shift quickly from mood to mood.
  
• Color. They experience life vividly and expansively. They have rich imaginations, they tell entertaining stories, and they are drawn to romance and melodrama.
  
• Attention. Dramatic people like to be seen and noticed. They are often the center of attention, and they rise to the occasion when all eyes are on them.
  
• Appearance. They pay a lot of attention to grooming, and they enjoy clothes, style, and fashion.
  
• Sexual attraction. In appearance and behavior, Dramatic individuals enjoy their sexuality. They are seductive, engaging, charming tempters and temptresses.
  
• Engagement. Easily putting their trust in others, they are able to become quickly involved in relationships.
  
• The spirit is willing. People with Dramatic personality style eagerly respond to new ideas and suggestions from others.

Aggressive personality type/DSMIV Sadistic

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Aggressive personality style. The following six characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Command. Aggressive individuals take charge. They are comfortable with power, authority, and responsibility.
  
• Hierarchy. They operate best within a traditional power structure where everyone knows his or her place and the lines of authority are clear.
  
• Tight ship. They are highly disciplined and impose rules of order that they expect others in their charge to follow.
  
• Expedience. Aggressive men and women are highly goal-directed. They take a practical, pragmatic approach to accomplishing their objectives. They do what is necessary to get the job done.
  
• Guts. They are neither squeamish nor fainthearted. They can function well and bravely in difficult and dangerous situations without being distracted by fear or horror.
  
• The rough-and-tumble. Aggressive people like action and adventure. They are physically assertive and often participate in or enjoy playing competitive sports, especially contact sports.

Idiosyncratic personality type/DSMIV Schizotypical

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Idiosyncratic personality style. The following six characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Inner life. Idiosyncratic individuals are tuned in to and sustained by their own feelings and belief systems, whether or not others accept or understand their particular worldview or approach to life.
  
• Own world. They are self-directed and independent, requiring few close relationships.
  
• Own thing. Oblivious to convention, Idiosyncratic individuals create interesting, unusual, often eccentric lifestyles.
  
• Expanded reality. Open to anything, they are interested in the occult, the extrasensory, and the supernatural.
  
• Metaphysics. They are drawn to abstract and speculative thinking.
  
• Outward view. Though they are inner-directed and follow their own hearts and minds, Idiosyncratic men and women are keen observers of others, particularly sensitive to how other people react to them.

Solitary personality type/DSMIV Schizoid

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Solitary personality style. The following six characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Solitude. Individuals with the Solitary personality style have small need of companionship and are most comfortable alone.
  
• Independence. They are self-contained and do not require interaction with others in order to enjoy their experiences or to get on in life.
  
• Sangfroid. Solitary men and women are even-tempered, calm, dispassionate, unsentimental, and unflappable.
  
• Stoicism. They display an apparent indifference to pain and pleasure.
  
• Sexual composure. They are not driven by sexual needs. They enjoy sex but will not suffer in its absence.
  
• Feet on the ground. They are unswayed by either praise or criticism and can confidently come to terms with their own behavior.

Leisurely personality type/DSMIV Passive-Agressive

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Leisurely personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Inalienable rights. Leisurely men and women believe in their right to enjoy themselves on their own terms in their own time. They value and protect their comfort, their free time, and their individual pursuit of happiness.
  
• Enough is enough. They agree to play by the rules. They deliver what is expected of them and no more. They expect others to recognize and respect that limit.
  
• The right to resist. Leisurely individuals cannot be exploited. They can comfortably resist acceding to demands that they deem unreasonable or above and beyond the call of duty.
  
• Mañana. Leisurely men and women are relaxed about time. Unlike Type-A individuals, they are not obsessed by time urgency or the demands of the clock. To these individuals, haste makes waste and unnecessary anxiety. They are easygoing and optimistic that whatever needs to get done will get done, eventually.
  
• I'm okay. They are not overawed by authority. They accept themselves and their approach to life.
  
• Wheel of fortune. Leisurely people believe that they are just as good as everyone else and as entitled to the best things in life. They maintain that blind luck often accounts for who fares well and who fares poorly.
  
• Mixed feelings. Although they feel impelled to proceed in their own direction, when their choices put them in conflict with the people they care for, Leisurely people are often of two minds about how to proceed. They do not like to risk important relationships, yet they need to feel free.

Serious personality type/DSMIV depressive

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Serious personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Straight face. Individuals with the Serious personality style maintain a sober demeanor. They are solemn and not given to emotional expression.
  
• No pretentions. They are realistically aware of their own capabilities, but they are also aware of their own limitations; they are not tempted by vanity or self-importance.
  
• Accountability. Serious people hold themselves responsible for their actions. They will not soft-pedal their own faults and do not let themselves off the hook.
  
• Cogitation. They're thinkers, analyzers, evaluators, ruminators: They'll always play things over in their minds before they act.
  
• Nobody's fool. Men and women with Serious personality style are sharp appraises of others. In their ability to critique other people, they are as unhesitating as in their own self-evaluation.
  
• No surprises. They anticipate problems and when the worst happens, they're prepared to deal with it.
  
• Contrition. Serious people suffer greatly when they realize they've been thoughtless or impolite to others.

Self-sacrificing personality type/DSMIV Self-Defeating

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Self-sacrificing personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Generosity. Individuals with the Self-Sacrificing personality style will give you the shirts off their backs if you need them. They do not wait to be asked.
  
• Service. Their "prime directive" is to be helpful to others. Out of deference to others, they are noncompetitive and unambitious, comfortable coming second, even last.
  
• Consideration. Self-Sacrificing people are always considerate in their dealings with others. They are ethical, honest, and trustworthy.
  
• Acceptance. They are nonjudgmental, tolerant of others' foibles, and never harshly reproving. They'll stick with you through thick and thin.
  
• Humility. They are neither boastful nor proud, and they're uncomfortable being fussed over. Self-Sacrificing men and women do not like being the center of attention; they are uneasy in the limelight.
  
• Endurance. They are long-suffering. They prefer to shoulder their own burdens in life. They have much patience and a high tolerance for discomfort.
  
• Artlessness. Self-Sacrificing individuals are rather naive and innocent. They are unaware of the often deep impact they make on other people's lives, and they tend never to suspect deviousness or underhanded motives in the people to whom they give so much of themselves.

Devoted personality type/DSMIV Dependent

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Devoted personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Commitment. Individuals with the Devoted personality style are thoroughly dedicated to the relationships in their lives. They place the highest value on sustained relationships, they respect the institution of marriage as well as unofficial avowals of commitment, and they work hard to keep their relationships together.
  
• Togetherness. They prefer the company of one or more people to being alone.
  
• Teamwork. People with this personality style would rather follow than lead. They are cooperative and respectful of authority and institutions. They easily rely on others and take direction well.
  
• Deference. When making decisions, they are happy to seek out others' opinions and to follow their advice.
  
• Harmony. Devoted individuals are careful to promote good feelings between themselves and the important people in their lives. To promote harmony, they tend to be polite, agreeable, and tactful.
  
• Consideration. They are thoughtful of others and good at pleasing them. Devoted people will endure personal discomfort to do a good turn for the key people in their lives.
  
• Attachment. Relationships provide life's meaning for this personality style. Even after a painful loss of someone around whom their life was centered, they are able to form new meaningful bonds.

Self-confident personality type/DSMIV Narcissistic

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Self-confident personality style. The following nine characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Self-regard. Self-Confident individuals believe in themselves and in their abilities. They have no doubt that they are unique and special and that there is a reason for their being on this planet.
  
• The red carpet. They expect others to treat them well at all times.
  
• Ambition. Self-Confident people are unabashedly open about their aspirations and possibilities.
  
• Politics. They are able to take advantage of the strengths and abilities of other people in order to achieve their goals, and they are shrewd in their dealings with others.
  
• Competition. They are able competitors, they love getting to the top, and they enjoy staying there.
  
• Stature. They identify with people of high rank and status.
  
• Dreams. Self-Confident individuals are able to visualize themselves as the hero, the star, the best in their role, or the most accomplished in their field.
  
• Self-awareness. These individuals have a keen awareness of their thoughts and feelings and their overall inner state of being.
  
• Poise. People with the Self-Confident personality style accept compliments, praise, and admiration gracefully and with self-possession.

Adventurous personality type/DSMIV Anti-Social

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Adventurous personality style. The following eight characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Nonconformity. Men and women who have the Adventurous personality style live by their own internal code of values. They are not strongly influenced by other people or by the norms of society.
  
• Challenge. To live is to dare. Adventurers love the thrill of risk and routinely engage in high-risk activities.
  
• Mutual independence. They do not worry too much about others, for they expect each human being to be responsible for him- or herself.
  
• Persuasiveness. They are silver-tongued, gifted in the gentle art of winning friends and influencing people.
  
• Wanderlust. They love to keep moving. They settle down only to have the urge to pick up and go, explore, move out, move on. They do not worry about finding work, and live well by their talents, skills, ingenuity, and wits.
  
• Wild oats. In their childhood and adolescence, people with the Adventurous personality style were usually high-spirited hell-raisers and mischief makers.
  
• True grit. They are courageous, physically bold, and tough. They will stand up to anyone who dares to take advantage of them.
  
• No regrets. Adventurers live in the present. They do not feel guilty about the past or anxious about the future. Life is meant to be experienced now.

Mercurial personality type/DSMIV Borderline

Dr. John M. Oldham has defined the Mercurial personality style. The following seven characteristic traits and behaviors are listed in his The New Personality Self-Portrait.

• Romantic attachment. Mercurial individuals must always be deeply involved in a romantic relationship with one person.
  
• Intensity. They experience a passionate, focused attachment in all their relationships. Nothing that goes on between them and other people is trivial, nothing taken lightly.
  
• Heart. They show what they feel. They are emotionally active and reactive. Mercurial types put their hearts into everything.
  
• Unconstraint. They are uninhibited, spontaneous, fun-loving, and undaunted by risk.
  
• Activity. Energy marks the Mercurial style. These individuals are lively, creative busy, and engaging. They show initiative and can stir others to activity.
  
• Open mind. They are imaginative and curious, willing to experience and experiment with other cultures, roles, and value systems and to follow new paths.
  
• Alternate states. People with Mercurial style are skilled at distancing or distracting themselves from reality when it is painful or harsh.

And there's more….

Jan's recommendation for students with a cultural focus:

Read

Gods in Everyman. A New Psychology of Men's Lives and Loves (1989) isbn 0-06-250098-8 written by dr.Jean Shinoda Bolen, clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco,

The archetypes of our most revered Indo European ancestors, the Greeks, are perfect metaphors for our 9 basic drives/fears/needs. 3000 years of civilization changed culture, legal systems, technology, economy, geography but the 9 basic human talents stayed the same during evolution. Dr. Bolen is master in describing the historic context of modern psychology. And: who doesn't like to compare himself to a Greek god?

• Zeus matches enneatype 8
• Poseidon matches enneatype 1
• Hades matches enneatype 9
• Apollo matches enneatype 5
• Hermes matches enneatype 3
• Ares matches the (counterfobic) ennea type 6
• Hephaestus matches enneatype 4
• Dionysus matches enneatype 7
• Metis matches enneatype 2

The author states that our patriarchal culture is changing towards a more matriarchal culture as symbolized by the Metis goddess. I agree with the growing importance of empathy based traits in our society. We live increasingly in a service based economy and Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is what needs to get more important.