MBTI Temperament Types Mapped to the U.S. Political Compass
How Personality Predicts Party Affiliation
Overview of the Framework
Partly based on Jungian types, the Myers-Briggs Temperament Type Indicator (MBTI) sorts people into four main types, each with four subtypes, for a total of 16 subtypes (Faust, 2019). You might take the temperament sorter yourself for free here (some MBTI sorters make you pay before you get the results). There are overviews of the 16 types from many sources, as the framework has become popular for business use. The Keirsey-Bates sorter is built on the same basic framework. The Keirsey-Bates version may tend to sort people more often into the N category than other versions of the MBTI.
Meaning of Abbreviations
S-N Dimension
The S trait is described by Keirsey (n.d.) as a concrete thinking style. As noted in the previous section, researchers have found that “quick decisions, seizing on what is most salient, most apparent, or most concretely understood, and a tendency to avoid overthinking, describe an information-processing style characteristic of people on the political right” (Taber & Young, 2013, p. 532). According to Keirsey, concrete thinking is on the socially conservative spectrum. It opposes the N trait, which Keirsey describes as characterized by a preference for abstract thinking style.
T-F Dimension
The T trait is a preference for principles, while the F favors the personal. I find it helpful to think of this dimension primarily as justice versus mercy. Relevant to the F trait, social scientist Bojan Todosijevic described a trait that emerged from factor analysis of political attitudes: “tender-mindedness was defined by moral training, inborn conscience…self-denial, pacifism, anti-discrimination, being against the death penalty, and against harsh treatment of criminals” (Political spectrum, n.d., sec. Hans Eyesenk, para. 3). Further, the traits included belief in the Bible and value of chastity; however, this was in a non-U.S. context. Within the U.S., where organized religion has been on the decline for decades, the NF MBTI type (combining the preferences for intuitive and personal) tends to gravitate toward poetry and spirituality.
J-P Dimension
Relevant to the J trait, high need for structure, order, closure, certainty all seem to covary positively with conservatism (Taber & Young, 2013, (p. 533). The other end of the spectrum, P, is more curious and allowing of things to be as they are, associated with liberalism. P may relate to a cognitive tendency labeled low latent inhibition, a tendency that may overlap with ADHD and/or the autistim spectrum.
Keirsey’s Four Basic Temperaments Mapped to the U.S. Political Compass
This table presents Keirsey’s (n.d.) four basic temperaments as I envision them relating to the quadrants. This description is based on his theory but is not a replica of any depiction by Keirsey.
MBTI Subtypes Mapped to the U.S. Political Compass
This table presents the MBTI four main types and several subtypes, but not all 16. The placement of the letters in the periphery is based on the correspondence between the MBTI temperament traits and psychological research on political affiliation that will be explained in an upcoming post.
Note. Percentages are Keirsey’s (n.d.) estimate of their representation in the population. See references section for subtype URLs.
Thanks for reading. Here’s a related post.
Repeat of Tables Including Quadrants Content
This section repeats the writing in the images, for any who have difficulty reading in that format.
Overview of Abbreviations
E = extroverted, gregarious, energetic
I = introverted, socially reserved, preferring fewer friends with in-depth contact
S = practical, common sense, concrete thinker focused on facts (computer analogy: high long term memory storage)
N = metaphorical, theoretical, innovative, analytical thinker focused on pattern recognition (computer analogy: high capacity working memory)
T = Thinking (utility-oriented)
F = Feeling (relationship-oriented)
J = Judging, evaluative (detail oriented), preferring certainty
P = Perceiving, preferring to delay closure, to keep options open
Keirsey’s Four Basic Temperaments Mapped to the U.S. Political Compass
Auth-Left Quadrant
Artisan (SP) concrete thinker + less conscientious, less detail-oriented
Auth-Right Quadrant
Guardian (SJ) concrete thinker + conscientious
Lib-Right Quadrant
Rational (NT) abstract thinker + utilitarian
Lib-left (Green) Quadrant
Idealist (NF) abstract thinker + cooperative
MBTI Subtypes Mapped to the U.S. Political Compass
y axis
pro-establishment = S - sensible, practical, and fact-focused
anti-establishment = N – intuitive, theoretical, ideal-focused
x axis
collectivist =
P – go with the flow
F – feeling (relation oriented)
Individualist =
J – conscientious
T – thinking (utility oriented)
Auth-Left Quadrant
SP - Keirsey describes as conventional in social aspects and non-judgmental (30%)
ISFP - Keirsey describes as sensation-seeking, composed, “spontaneous…kind”
ESFP – Keirsey describes as “engaging, generous, optimistic, charming,” performers, present-focused [Davos & TEDtalk crowd?]
Auth-Right Quadrant
SJ - Keirsey describes as conventional in social aspects, responsible “pillars of society” (45%)
ISTJ - Keirsey describes the guardian protector as “reliable, straightforward, institutional, inspecting, standardizing, conservative” [applies to many committed conservatives]
ESTJ - “responsible, honorable, structured, forceful, authoritative” [MAGA + moral majority [applies to many committed conservatives]
Lib-Right Quadrant
NT – Keirsey describes as unconventional, innovative + logic-focused (10%)
ENTJ – labeled “rational” is “commanding, enterprising, strategic, efficient, visionary”
INTJ – a “mastermind” is “planning, self-confident, systems-oriented, utilitarian, willful, ingenious” [tech entrepreneurs and scientists in the dissident right?]
Lib-left (Green) Quadrant
NF - Keirsey describes as unconventional intuition-trusting + emotion-focused (15%)
ENFP – labeled “champion,” Keirsey describes these as “passionate, exploring, networking, enthusiastic, authentic, eclectic” [radical left?]
INFP – labeled “healer,” is “reconciling, inspiring, harmonious, nurturing, fervent, dreamers” [maybe one day-a-a-ay you’ll join us, and the world will be as one]
MBTI types, politics & personality, political compass personality, political types, political tribe
References
Faust, K. (2019). Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) overview. https://leadx.org/articles/mbti-myers-briggs-type-indicator-overview/
Keirsey. (n.d.). The four temperaments. https://keirsey.com/temperament-overview/
Subtypes of four basic temperaments:
https://keirsey.com/temperament/artisan-promoter/
https://keirsey.com/temperament/guardian-protector/
https://keirsey.com/temperament/idealist-healer/
https://keirsey.com/temperament/rational-mastermind/
Political spectrum. (n.d.). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_spectrum#Hans_Eysenck
Taber, C. S., & Young, E. (2013). Political information processing. In L. Huddy, D. O. Sears, & J. S. Levy (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of political psychology (2nd ed., pp. 525-558). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199760107.013.0017